thru the woods...

During a routine morning walk with the dog, I decided to slow down and look for colors and shapes, and anything unusual.

birch tree, awash in retro hues...

spiny thistle with a yellow crown...

leaf giving birth....

rite de passage...

His 10th birthday and Ari couldn't wait to take the field.  He had been waiting too long for the opportunity. Now, he was old enough to enter the colorfully orchestrated melee.

A day later, he seems to have forgotten the tears as he proudly narrates the action and points to his bruises...florid blemishes marking a transition.  (I ran around with a helmet and a camera as the paintballs reverberated.  Fortunately I was only stung once in the hand as I focused on the players.)

If you want to pick apart the collage, click here.

sobrinos...