TIDAL SUNRISE - Sunrise reflects in the sand contours on Long Sands Beach in Maine. Always nice to have another view of things!

SURF'S UP - A Nor'easter storm coming up the coast brought unusually big late-summer waves to Long Sands Beach in Maine on Friday. Surfers were out early and in big numbers to catch some frothy waves.

KING FISHING - A male Belted Kingfisher watches from a perch above the water at the beaver pond. Kingfishers eat small aquatic life they spot from a perch and dive into the water to catch.

KNOW YOUR ASTER FROM A ...The Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum) is a tall, herbaceous perennial wildflower native to North America. Purple-stemmed Aster roots have a traditional history of use by Native Americans to treat fevers, colds, pneumonia, typhoid and toothaches.

