Tina's WW - Two year old tots

The kids were two years of once, and birthday parties were held to celebrate with cake, presents and fun...see Tina's WW!

Tina's Pic Story - Azure

Intercostal Waterway near Stuart, Florida, Dec. 1980

Wetlands near Jensen Beach Florida, Dec. 1980

Tina is back with the fun weekly picture meme Pic Story. Simply, she thoughtfully provides the theme which this week is azure. To me, this is a color that fits the waters of Florida and a trip there many decades ago. The inland waterway and the swamp have azure blue waters that have remained while scanned from the old prints. A lovely color and a great subject this week!

Ruby Tuesday - Treats, red and frozen

Ruby Tuesday 2 today takes us on a Sunday drive for a spot of ice cream. We drove into the country to Billy's Ice cream in Bethany Connecticut, perhaps 25-30 minutes from Ansonia along two-lane Route 63. A place with a hint of charm, and with hints of ruby to offer a desert after the desert (I had Moose Tracks, and it was delicious. Butterfat in moderation is all that's needed :).....Patti even wrote about it in her New Haven Register blog View From the Valley and her continuing series of local places for ice cream and even took a picture of the trio of treats. I ought to lose some weight - but not today...

Whimsical Windows - Wheelchair height

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors. We add interesting details that we note on our travels. I captured this at a less than optimal height along State Street in Boston. I am not sure what era this is from, but the columns, arches and non-round turrets do combine to offer a truly unique building. Perhaps while juggling the camera when seated in my wheels I cut the bottom off - but the view upstairs is fun! 

Shadow Shot Sunday - Vacation past

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 arrives in this summer season (north of the equator that is). Naturally family vacations are remembered, by child and parent alike, today it is the summer of 1999. The family ambled up the Connecticut coast to Groton and Mystic, about an hour away from home...there may be plenty of attractions in the area, yet what the bigger attractions for the kids is the motel - and the pool that we don't have at home...

Vacation visits included the Submarine Force Museum in Groton.The museum and sub history is great, look at the building detail that looks like a tower from a sub.

The USS Nautilus is moored here. This was the first nuclear sub, commissioned in 1954 and pulled from service in 1979.

I couldn't go inside the ship, but Patti and the children toured inside. In the shadowy photo, Allegra (10) and Cam (8) stand aside a sub's prop

The Mystic Aquarium, another family fun (and learning) place. They are looking into tank - the shadows fall outside and inside the aquatic pool. The scanned photos sharpen the memory even more...

See shadowy shots from the world over at SSS2!

Tina's WW - Sailing school

That's what we thought as we noticed a number little sailboats on the harbor. I guess it is better to learn on calm waters instead of the ocean with big 30-ft (9 m) waves...see Tina's WW!

Tina's Pic Story - Wet

She is sitting on the sand and does not need the tube to float.. Both are having fun

Tina's Pic Story is back, and we look for the photos that match up to her weekly theme - which today is nass - wet. For me, it is the beach and includes little kids at high tide.

The year is 1961, the water of the Atantic, the New Jersey beach in the seaside town of Brigantine, the siblings aged 7 and 5. The briny sea water is wet - and certainly fun!

Ruby Tuesday 2 - Capitol color

Third floor, CT State Capitol, Harford

Ruby Tuesday 2 returns for the week, and a recurring red is found inside the Connecticut state capitol building. A color that predominates is derived from, but not a pure, red. I still don't know which. It appears to be sort of but not quite pink, mauve or dusty rose. Whatever hue it may be, its appearance on lots of trim in the 1879 structure is very nice. However it may be described...

Whimsical Windows - Solid portals

Toby's fun architectural Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors is back, and we look for portals of style as well as function. From a recent trip to to the state capitol in Hartford, I saw this and considered it a nice opening in its elegant 1879 design. Of course, we may see this as an office door. notwithstanding the marble floor, granite trim, bold victorian colors and what we rarely see any more, a transom window. All evoke the past, yet what I find the most attractive is the door - not what we see today as hollow core or a plywood core (under cheaper modern wood) but solid wood. Everywhere. We couldn't afford doors like this today, let alone the marble - we certainly could use 150 ft² (14 m²) of that and 50 linear ft (15 m) in our dining room. Who couldn't? See pleasing doors and windows at this fun meme!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Retro Ram

Maroon and black are a great pair, accenting chrome and a ram leaping off the hood (see it?)

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 reappears and we look at shadowy effect a bit more closely, our eyes on the prowl for such effects wherever they may be...Given my appreciation for old cars, especially the artistry of old Detroit style, my subject today takes us back seven plus decades.

Wide whitewall tires are perfect for 1936

The subject today has been posted about before - yet the artistry of the 1930s is infectious enough for publishing these again. 

This is a 1935 Dodge (Ram) pickup truck, styled more like a car (like a Ute in Oz/NZ). The utility aspect was there but the hints of color and shape from that decade are details that are so appealing...

Patti thinks I am also carhead-55 as I always take note of these sorts of detail (of course she is right :)

Shadows and reflection...

Bold colors like the maroon on the body with the round black fenders (wings) that is a nice complement. The body colored wheels with the thin chrome rings and equally shiny hub caps. Naturally, one cannot escape the chrome that is not overdone, actually a jewell like accent.
Of course, shadows are all about.- what Sunday could be complete without these? See more artistry in shadow at the always fun SSS2!

Tina's WW - Towel dry

The kids were little once - a  while ago...cooldown under the sprinkler, then 
pose for Mom the photographer...see Tina's WW

Allegra, Cam in Ansonia, 1995; scanned from print...

Tina's Pic Story - Garden

Old-fashioned garden, Shelton Connecticut

Wilson Barn and garden

Tina's Pic Story returns - simply. we provide the pictures to match the weekly theme she kindly provides, which this week is In the Garden

We are used to perfectly manicured gardens, lots of flowers arranged maybe by a landscape architect or designer with nary a stem out of place - these days anyway.

Here, I am showcasing a garden of the 19th century at the Shelton (Connecticut) Historical Society. In front of the Wilson Barn, a garden grows of herbs I believe. Not stylish and full of color as a garden may be, but all arranged in rows. I like this old idea for a garden as it grows naturally as it always has. A classic garden in any era!

Ruby Tuesday - Neon Ruby

Ruby red now graces the driveway

Style on both ends

Our driveway is filling up...three sets of taillights, all ruby too 

Ruby Tuesday 2 arrives on a momentous day - Allegra brought home her first car! And not just in any color, it is in our favorite hue for Tuesday (we can all guess :)...a 1996 Plymouth (Chrysler) Neon, with 97000 miles (156100 Km). It sounds like a lot, but for $3000 these days, 130,000-150,000 miles is normal...fully maintained too. So, no more car sharing between mom and daughter!

Whimsical Windows - Patio views

This serene scene is interrupted by someone wielding a point and shoot...

Toby's Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors is back. Today, I present our patio after it has been scrubbed on a delightful summer day - a day that is perfect for cooking something over charcoal for dinner. The photo shows the intrepid photographer reflected twice in the patio door - lighthearted with a hint of whimsy I think...Let the grilling commence!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Equine event

How can a child (and his/her mom) resist?

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back, and the shadow hunters and huntresses look (and we always seem to be on the prowl) for shadowy elements for capture and sharing. Today it is the street fair Derby Day a few weeks ago, and attraction perfectly suited to kids was the horse and pony rides. What first captures attention is JC's Pony Party mascot, the smiling horse on the sign that elicits from all a smile :) 

Although she barely fits in the saddle, Charlie Horse gives a smooth ride

Gentle is the operative

Of course, the horses and ponies in this endeavor are quite gentle and seem aware of the precious cargo riding atop, and follow the equally gentle commands of their handlers. Note that the city name on the tall equine - Derby - how apropos! Not to mention the stars and stripes also painted on his flanks...
The horsies are the actors that work well on their stage, which is a open and empty grass lot. A true venue for actors with hooves...

Tina's Pic Story - Parisian Garden 'G'

Garden No 1...par Patti

Garden 2...by Patti

Tina's Pic Story arrives this week, and she has given us our assignment, offer pictures to match the theme, which is the letter 'G'. Given that, how about gardens? And better yet, how about in Paris?

Garden 3...by Patti

Garden 4...par Patti

Patti and Allegra have been to Paris twice, and on the second trip in the early spring of 2005, the blooms were beginning. Patti is not sure where these gardens were in the City of Light - no matter, the flowers are beautiful - and the theme has been met!

Ruby Tuesday - Brigantine ruby

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back, and we follow the ever simple rule - red, a lot or a little. Today it is the latter...

This is a very early and very rare color print (Kodachrome?) in the family archives, my grandfather in front of the Sea Gull Cottages on the beach in Brigantine New Jersey in maybe 1953 or 54. Not much red apart from the bathing suit to each of the cottage doors. And perhaps a hint of a sunburn ruby on his skin - although the fading and sepia sand may mask it a bit...see ruby iterations at RT2!