Image was slightly toned and sharpened.

As I left for my nightly dog walk, I noticed the stunning sliver of the crescent moon and bright Venus nearby. I stopped and shot a couple of images using the spike/stalk of my dying Artichoke Agave for foreground material -- because after our walk, my plan was to cut it down since it was beginning to droop over the sidewalk a little bit too much. So, tonight was its swan song! It was a beautiful plant for so many years and, sadly, when it sends up the TALL javelin shaped spike, it is only a matter of time until the plant passes away. The pencil-straight spike, as tall as a small tree, lasts for a long time before it begins to lean.