Shadow Shot Sunday - Shadowy estate

Shadow Shot Sunday is back, and shadow hunting is our forte. However, one need not go on a safari for shadowy captures - they may be hiding in plain sight in our lives and domains...

As it was hot yesterday along the east coast of the US, and with only two rooms available of the cooling A/C, dinner (Connecticut Grote&Weigel hot dogs and a large red bell pepper) would be grilled over charcoal and dining would be on the patio. From nearby, shadows beckoned...

The patio sits above the hill of our back yard. The entree had just been placed over the gray and orange coals by Cameron. Patti had the point and shoot and I spotted these...

The thicket of flora sits at the bottom, and the late evening sun played off the leaves and grass - I asked and Patti kindly captured these views of the encroaching vegetation. Shadows sought and found. Happy SSS2!

Tina's Pic Story - Under the tree

A quiet summer morning under the mulberry tree in the Ansonia Uplands

An unseasonal snow on 29 October 2011 weighs the leafy branches down

Tina's Pic Story is back - we add the pictures that match the theme which this week for is under the tree. My example this week is the mulberry tree in our front yard, in two distinct seasons. For the summer, the tree adds an elegant shadow underneath its canopy of leaves. For the other, the leaves are touching the ground, the leafy branches full of wet and heavy from a freak October snowstorm. The contrast is total, from peaceful to nearly destructive. Same tree, different scenarios under the same tree...

Ruby Tuesday - Art Gallery

Inside the Gallery@37...captured by Patti

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back with its simple proviso - red, a lot or a little. Plenty or minimal, ruby is all about us. Today it is a look at our favorite local arts venue, the eclectic Gallery@37 in Derby, with its current red walls, slightly washed by the flash. It is different from the normal eggshell or ecru hues on gallery walls. In that sense, the bold paint is a fine backdrop to the artists wares. I like this - a lightbulb may be a symbol of an idea, so this is great for RT2...see more artisic rubies at this fun meme!

Whimsical Windows - Frowny Face

A large half-moon window at the iconic Sterling Opera House, Derby Connecticut

Toby hosts the fun meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors where we look at unique portals and frames from serious to...a frown? This giant window is part of the once historic (and haunted some say) but now in disrepair Sterling Opera House in Derby. Patti captured this view which may be sad (hence the toothy grimace) or happy (invert it for a smily face...). It all is a matter of perspective!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Street fair signage

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 returns for us shadow hunters. Our intent in this fun meme is to look for these in any venue, Today, it is the street fair Derby Day held last Saturday on a beautiful day of sunshine, low humidity, blue sky and of course, shadows...

Antonio's Original

Bar None street eats

Along the small city's main (and closed to traffic) thoroughfare Elizabeth Street, local restaurants set up fair fare signs promoting various tasty foods...and it was not just the vendors on the streets that had shadows - a few of the regular storefront dining establishments offered a shadowy menu too

Bar None facade

I hope to try their Shrimp and Grits soon...

With plenty of savory eats from antipasto to pizza and even more, perhaps an ice cream treat from the blue and white truck on the city green would make for a fine desert

Pizza cooked on a truck

Desert awaits...

See many more shadows that span the globe at this great meme!

Tina's Pic Story - Exotic king of the neighborhood jungle

The king surveys his jungle 

Tina's Pic Story is back, and we are ready to play along with the weekly theme which this week is exotic. What passes for this subject may be disputed, so our jungle cat is here surveying his lands with the same hardened and steely look as his cousin, the lion keeping peace (and well fed) on the Serengeti. Naturally, the big exotic jungle cat hunts for and dines on wildebeest and oryx, the suburban exotic cat is satisfied with capturing the slow flying moth...the graceful hunting any and all jungle cats define exotic very well (sort of :)

Ruby Tuesday - Street Fair Fare

Ruby reds

The staff awaits

Ruby condiments...

Ruby Tuesday 2 takes us back a mere two days to the Derby Day festival in our neighboring town. It was a stunning day of blue sky, low humidity and a pleasant temperature about 77° (25°C). Naturally a street fair has many food vendors, and the choices were many. With the point-and-shoot in my possession, I searched for not just where to get lunch, but for rubies among the thousands who attended. 

Here at the biggest tent, rubies were all over. The specialties including a fried onion bloom and sausage and peppers. Many chose this place, although we had wraps elsewhere. The requisite reds were the main course here...

Whimsical Windows - Our favorite little art gallery

Entrance of Gallery@37, Elizabeth Street, Derby, Connecticut

Toby hosts the fun Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, where we look for portals of seriousness or mirth. My post today includes pictures from yesterday's small town (13,000) Derby Day street festival. The subject is the lower Naugatuck River valley Gallery@37, the showplace for the Valley Arts Council. I'd say that an @ symbol makes the door a bit delirious - and elicits a smile :)

We are also members, and this unpretentious gallery makes it a fun group. Patti in fact has started a blog to showcase the artists and personalities that sometimes inhabit the space. Art is not just available in the toniest districts, but also in our midst!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Jersey Shore

The scanned and archived is for this week's Shadow Shot Sunday 2.The time is 1956, the place 23rd Street in the seaside island hamlet of Brigantine New Jersey. 

The house was small, guessing about 925 sq ft (86 M sq). It was one block from the bayside beach, three blocks to the Atlantic. Grandpa always lamented that he should have bought the house for vacations (the grandkids these days, looking for an inexpensive holiday today, would not have minded if he had :)

The cast today includes Michele (2-1/2 years), myself (1-1/2), Aunt Terry (14) and the timeless photo impresario grandfather (ageless). The playtime outside was provided by Terry, watching the kids at play while interlopers stopped by to chat...

After a day at play, the kids are dressed and hopefully winding down to slumberland, soon hopes the parental units. Grandpa was ready to chronicle the sleep ready children, the smiling kids equally...I chose to not crop out the date stamp on one picture - as if the era really needed description.

The home might have been small - but plenty big for toddlers...

The photographer is shown in the front of many long gone hotels in nearby Atlantic City sans casinos...

This was the casual gentleman dress with a wool sport jacket, plaid shirt (buttoned), wool driving cap and Exa SLR. Stylish and refined manor with a satisfied look that meant this family visiting to NJ was a great trip - with shadows inside and out. Thanks for this fun meme to all our hosts!

Tina's Pic Story - Clouds

United 108 in 1984, perhaps over Nebraska

Tina’s Pic Story arrives for the week – Tina kindly supplies the weekly theme and we provide a picture that explains our take on that theme – which this week is Clouds...

This is a scanned view from 1984 on my way home from the L.A. Olympics on a United DC-10. Here is between LAX and Chicago. Only about 100 passengers, two aisles, a seat by the door, no bathroom lines, you could buy something from the bar cart at the bulkhead. It was undoubtedly the best flight ever.

I chose this cloudy view because the ride was so smooth because the clouds were down there - not up here (fewer clouds = better ride).  With the Pentax on hand all those years ago, I captured a frame that meets the weekly theme in 2012. Thanks for the memories :) 

Ruby Tuesday - Wheel

Ruby Tuesday 2  returns this week, and we become detectives as we look for red themed subjects - a lot or a little of this hue is all it takes. 

Last week's bicycle festival in Ansonia had more than just bike riders, there was art too. From the large mural to this painted wheel.

I believe it to be a wire spool that once held steel wire from a local wire mill. A unique work of art that adds and old industrial character in this industrial city. Some red here, the brick wall of City Hall with even more red...See rubies from all over at the fun RT2!

Whimsical Windows - Floaters

Above the Connecticut State Senate Chamber, State Capitol, Hartford

Toby Hosts the always fun and perhaps artistic meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, where we look for those portals of style, artistic and fun. From my recent trip to the Connecticut State Capitol (completed in 1879), I noticed this.

I titled it as I did since the cheap point-and-shoot I used cannot capture nuanced details in marginal lighting conditions. Yet, any design drawback in the camera leaves the old window pair appearing as if they float in space. An interesting yet unplanned capture that brings a bit of levity to the meme...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Bikes and more

Steve and Rich early on

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back - and we have been on the look for shadowy art, and most of the time we need not look to hard on our hunt.

The tools of the painters

Last Sunday Patti and I attended the Pierre Lallement Festival of Bikes in downtown Ansonia, in its second year.

Besides vendors along the Main Street, there were bicyclists riding up steep hills from New Haven who arrived with a police escort to the finish line - see Patti's blog post with video. A fun time for riders and spectator alike. 

Joel and Rich continue

Valley Arts Council members were painting a mural prior to the arrival of the bikes. In the second, colors were mediums were mixed in a variety of shades. I think outdoor wood stains were mixed with outdoor paint for durability.

Lallement was a Frenchman who lived in Ansonia for a time where he received a patent for the pedal bicycle in 1865. He did not get rich for his discovery, a fate that often befalls the inventor whose invention would be very common after their lifetimes.

Although there are no natural shadows in this view (but check the mural), the picture was taken 2 hours later as the artists continued. The weather was brilliant until the rain that appeared later in the afternoon and the mural taken down, with work to continue. A great day full of action, art and shadow!

Tina's WW - Birthday candles

It is hard to believe that Allegra was once six, but the scanned print from 1995 tells the story quite well. We just have to count the candles as the flames flicker...see Tina's WW

Tina's Pic Story - F is for Ford

Tina hosts the fun weekly meme Pic Story in which we provide photos for the weekly theme she provides, which today is the letter 'F'

For me, a fine F subject is my last vehicle, a full-size 1998 Ford E-150 van to transport myself and my wheelchair, it was a functional way to get around. Delivered 25 May 1998, and last driven by myself on 27 March 2010. It was very big (5200 lb, 2360 kg) and thirsty - although petrol in the US is inexpensive by the standards of most every other country...Inside and out, the F is all over. Perhaps the fuzzy bears in the console can add more of the letter to consider...

Ruby Tuesday - Patrol Car

2011 Ford Police Interceptor

1957 Chevrolet Delray

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back, and a number of reds could be expected at a Memorial Day parade - and the two town Shelton and Derby parade last Monday is no exception. We see the red in the American flags, brick structures and in the awning of Altamari's Little Italy.

I am focusing on the police cars im the parade. A restored replica of Shelton's 1957 Chevrolet with its simple ruby light - contrasted to a current (and ubiquitous) Ford Police Interceptor from Derby with its blinding computer controlled flashing ruby (and blue) lights. Way different style and technology seems obvious. What will not change in any era is the arresting ruby red (couldn't resist :) ...see more at RT2

Whimsical Windows - City Hall

Toby's fun meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors is back, and today's entry is the Ansonia City Hall. 

The views were taken this morning as a bicycle festival was to start - as we awaited the phalanx of bicyclists who were riding in from New Haven, I rolled down Main Street to capture one of my favorite buildings which is City Hall. This is the original building facade, Opened in 1905, it looks substantial - yet almost graceful in its period lines...The door is inset far enough that an edit showcasing the door itself was too dark as it is inset far and coated in a dark stain.

 So a closer view of the granite archway was included instead. 

It is a great building although the wheelchair access was unavailable until the second addition (with elevator) was completed in 1997- now I can visit the beautiful interior too...