I decided to make today’s Photo Journal into a celebration of Autumn color in black and white. October light is the perfect light for my Leica Monochrome. It is also the dream camera for the black and white of winter. I have high hopes for the winter pasture.

The beautiful thing about black and white is that it captures the souls and spirits of things, and because it is not so literal as digital photography, the world seems softer and wiser.

I had my second Ukelele lesson tonight; I got a little further, working with two or three chords – G, C, D – and learning how to tune up my new ukelele.

I like my teacher Bob Warren very much; he is a good teacher, patient and kind, and always upbeat. Sometimes I think I’m losing my mind by taking up the ukelele.

Bob seems to have so much confidence in my ability to learn this strange instrument that he is slowly making me think it’s possible. So far, I’m a mess on the ukelele, but tonight I did one stanza of This Land Is Your Land. It felt pretty good, except for my singing. I paid for a month of lessons; I’m hanging in there.

This is a growing time for the begonias; they are coming up all over the place and are born for the monochrome.

Tomorrow I’m going to the dentist’s. I also try to launch my consultation program, preparing to talk to somebody about their dogs for $50 a half hour.

Our weather is entirely unpredictable, as is almost everyone’s. Thick fog this morning, rain late morning, the sun broke through around 2 p.m., and the rest of the day was beautiful.