Spotted knapweed closed on a gray day, Frick Park, 26 Sep 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

28 September 2026

Same but different. Last week I photographed whatever caught my fancy. Today I found three pairs of photos connected by their similarities and differences. Tales of Two Things.

Saturday morning 26 September was chilly with heavy dew. At Frick Park I found two purple flowers with different approaches to the day. The spotted knapweed, at top, had been closed and was just starting to open at 9:50am. New England asters in the same meadow were fully open.

New England aster, open on a gray day, Frick Park, 26 Sep 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Schenley Park still has old incandescent streetlights in operation. This one on the Panther Hollow Bridge framed a tiny cloud on 24 September.

Streetlight frames a tiny cloud on Panther Hollow Bridge, 24 Sep 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

On 25 September I discovered a paper wasp nest inside the bulb area of this streetlight at the edge of Panther Hollow Lake. The wasps were flying in and out. Obviously the light is not in operation.

Active paper wasp nest in a streetlight at Panther Hollow Lake, 25 Sep 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Panther Hollow Lake (actually pond-sized) keeps going through changes. About six weeks ago it was in flood. When I photographed it on 21 August the water level was falling with duckweed coating up to the high water mark.

Panther Hollow Lake, high water after flood plus lots of duckweed, 21 August 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

The lake kept draining and now, on 25 September, it is the lowest I’ve seen in a long time — even lower than the drain. Again duckweed is coating the concrete edge up to the most recent high water mark. Hmmm.

Exceedingly low water at Panther Hollow Lake, 25 Sep 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Will it stop draining before it’s empty?