Tina's Pic Story - January Flowers

Tina hosts the fun Pic Story - she provides the weekly theme, which this week is Flowers...we provide the views. Of course it is winter today with snow covering the small flower garden next to the driveway. Of course, I don't know what varietal these perennials actually are, However, in the warmer and sunnier days in May, these will be as nice in person as in the photo!

Ruby Tuesday 2 - Friendly fowl

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back, the mere proviso is red - a lot or a little. Today, it is a pair of chickens - rooster and hen it would appear. Friendly they seem, perhaps an item - a couple who seem to want to avail themselves in an amorous pose as they nuzzle beak-to-beak. They didn't respond to the photographer's queries...

Whimsical Windows - If vertigo is present, don't look down...

IDS Building, Minneapolis, MN;  August 1981

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors where we look for portals and other architectural items of interest. 


This is taken from a scanned print taken in 1981 at the IDS building in Minneapolis - the view looking down from the the top floor, 51 stories up from the street.* 


Perhaps there are taller buildings 30+ years later in the Twin Cities - but this was the tallest I've been up from the ground before or since...


*I was walking in those days, but would not likely go that high in a wheelchair these days with fewer options for egress - so I am happy to have been able to make such an ascent at the time!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Passenger Patti Portraits

Along Connecticut Route 15 - by Patti

Along I-95 in Southern New England

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back! The always lovely Patti is a fine passenger as we travel the highways/motorways to and fro. Naturally, the driver is probably best consumed with the mechanics of driving alone and not driving and taking pictures at the same time.

Somewhere urban/suburban in the Northeast

Thus, Patti handles the photo duties on the road. Of course, self portraits from the photo princess in the wing mirror are okay too. Here is a trio of takes, reflections and shadows appear on road. A lovely lady and photographer too! See more shadowy event at SSS2

Tina's WW - Awaiting Spring...

Yes, upon the warm season of Spring, planting and landscaping will be in order - Winter has too much cold and snow - we have places to plant all of these...see Tina's WW

Tina's Pic Story - Light

Tina's fun meme Pic Story is back with the simple theme, we post to the weekly theme she kindly provides. This week the theme is light...I like the idea of many lights at night being on. During a previous snow storm, a picture taken by a point-and-shoot with the flash on, it was a snowy and windy night. However, not just the street light is illuminated, but many individual flakes were illuminated almost as orbs floating in the air. Lots of lights in the air - I hope the theme has been met with this story!

Ruby Tuesday - Impala Run

1960 Impala Convertible

1961 Impala SS 348

Whimsical Windows - St. Paul Skating Siblings

St. Paul Minnesota, Michele, Ralph, Claudia, Terry - 1959

Same house, 1983

Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors is back, and our gracious host Toby invites us to look foe portals and portholes, be they unique or fun. Stylish and/or classic is not what we see today, but memories from long ago in St Paul Minnesota.

To the left, siblings Michele (4), myself (3) and Claudia (2) are with Aunt Terry, and we were on our way to go Ice skating at a rink somewhere in the Twin Cities. The date stamp on the B&W print says January '59 (it looks like that era of suburban tract homes) at our house.

To the right, I fast forward to August of 1983 where I was visiting St Paul. Without satellite maps, Mapquest, etc. I piloted my rental Toyota, found the house and captured same. Both photos were unearthed on Friday, and the idea of a post took hold - the late 1950s memories, albeit faded, are fun...

SOOC - Small city, small recognitions

SOOC- Straight out of the Camera - is back. In Friday's impromptu photo shoot in front of Ansonia City Hall, I captured as well a monument in front of the building. As our city is only 19,000 population, the recognition is important for the locals.


This is a monument to our volunteer fore department. Since we are not so large to have a paid firefighting force, it is the volunteers who risk life and limb and do so while being unpaid. The service of self is very important in the small burgs, a hint of the old adage...

All for one, one for all. A well deserved recognition...straight out of the camera!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Cold city hall

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 returns on a cold Friday in front of Ansonia City Hall. We visited the City Clerk's office to have a form notarized and as I parked along the curb in front and noticed the long winter shadows. Since that I had my phone with me, and despite the cold driving wind (and no gloves) I chose to capture the beautiful old building under the long southern sun...

The captures in are shadowy indeed, the stout and frigid breeze a small price to pay. I started the van via the remote start to have it warm inside upon my return...See more shadowy art at SSS2

Tina's WW - Where the wall stood...

The Berlin Wall by 1992 is gone, replaced by a sign. The freedom to visit the entire city is the result...see more wordless wonders at Tina's WW (hope you had a nice holiday)

Tina's Pic Story - White

Lakeside wedding in white...

Tina is back, and so is her fun meme Pic Story. We post per the weekly theme she kindly provides, with this week is White

What is more white than a wedding dress? This view is from a wedding reception we attended in 2004. The flash was off so the available light is muted, but the bride in the white dress still stands out...white is a nice theme, although I choose to ignore the obvious winter white of snow :)

Ruby Tuesday - Pinwheel tapas

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back, and the theme as simple as ever - a lot, a little or in-between reds. For my edible ruby, I refer back to the birthday dinner, prepared by Cam and myself, for of ladies Patti and Allegra. I thought an appetizer,antipasta, or tapas (as you prefer) should include mozzarella, semi-red cappicola ham and the way more obvious rubies tomatoes and roasted peppers. All together covered in olive oil, the apertif was created - and a ruby themed post. Multi-tasking that tastes great as well :)

Whimsical Windows - Köln eatery

Across from the cathedral along the Trankgasse in Köln, August 1982

Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors is back, and again I am transported back to 1982 and this seen before building was outside the Cathedral in the German city of Köln / Cologne. I love the craftsmanship in this European building, typical of the past and not like the modern computer designed angular buildings in the North America of today. I assume a restaurant sits under the red awning; If you look two floors above the gentleman on the balcony, you see the characters that put on a 'show' that is performed for those passing by. I don't know the story, although watching these mechanical 'actors' brought a smile to me. See doors and windows at Toby's meme!

SOOC - A web woven over the Charles...

Under the I-93 bridge from the Somerville side of the span...

Southbound to Boston and the Big Dig

SOOC - Straight out of the Camera - takes us back to Boston. The driver (myself) commissioned passenger Patti to capture the cable webs found on the very stylish I-93 Zakim Memorial Bridge over the Charles river in Boston on a warm and humid day. The combining of art and design, looking so delicate yet able to carry ten lanes to/from the Hub. SOOC in that the unedited sky is filtered somewhat by the tinted windscreen glass. Straight and true down the road...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Snowy canvas

The rewarding morn after the snowstorm. 27 Jan 2011

Snow, sun, shadow - a trifecta. 27 Jan 2011

I may be a fan of a four-season climate, but not necessarily one of the cold and snow. The current winter is a bit warmer and not as snowy as this year. So for this Shadow Shot Sunday 2, I am commuting back in in time to 2011 where we received way more snow, as these pictures attest. These pictures have been seen before, yet the untouched blanket of snow under a brilliant sun is pure white with the dappled shadows intruding nicely. Tonight, it is raining - not nearly so attractive. The snowy scape is much nicer looking if not so nice to live with...see seasonal shadows at SSS2!

Ruby Tuesday 2 - Christmas wrap-up

Holiday rubies and more, 24 December 2012, East Hartford, CT

Ruby Tuesday 2 returns as the Christmas holiday season has now passed. Since ruby predominates during that season, one more peek at December decorations might be in order :)

The day is Christmas Eve, 24 December at the family get together at my sister's house in East Hartford. Inside the house, gifts, food, children and this table of holiday items: the ornament tree, the angel and the lamp from the movie A Christmas Story. A fun trio of style. See more ruby from any/all seasons at the fun RT2!

Whimsical Windows - Colt Armory

The refurbished Colt Armory along Interstate 91 in Hartford Connecticut, 2010. Photo taken by Patti

The blue onion dome at the Colt Armory

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors. Today, I revert to a late winter’s day drive northbound on the I-91 expressway in Hartford, Patti captured the enduring landmark from the passenger seat. This is the Colt Armory, the site of firearm genius Samuel Colt's manufacturing facility. It was completed in 1867. The very distinctive blue Onion Dome with its gold orb and stood and still stands out now along the busy freeway and Connecticut River.

Armaments are no longer being produced there, and much of the building has been renovated inside for rentals as office space and expensive apartments, both receiving the benefit of huge windows with lots of solar brilliance to filter through. Happily the building with its blue dome lives still…

Shadow Shot Sunday - Sequential Stowing

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 returns and since it is winter in our four-season climate, it is cold outside again. Time to turn the clock back to the summer of 2010, and a revised remake of an SSS post from back then - with more knowledge of editing photos in this blogging format...the subject today is the wheelchair ramp on my Grand Caravan from closing up in sequence, from ramp out to fully folded and the door closing. The photos were taken in a parking lot/car park surrounded by shady and shadowy trees...contrasted on the left to a snowy night recently, I feel warmer already! Happy SSS2...