Whimsical Windows - Cathedral of St. Paul

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme, Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors - we look for interesting portals and such. Today, I found this subject in a (big) bunch of photos I scanned last November. I was, however unaware of just what it was. Given the degradation of the color print, I deduced it was from the1980s...with some luck, I found this to be from 1983 and is the Cathedral of St. Paul, in the Minnesota city of the same name. Built in 1904, the architect was Louis Masqueray, the style referred to as Classical Revival. It is imposing even with the softer sepia edit. The mystery of what it was is now solved in this impressve structure...

SOOC - Sibling, Spring 1962

SOOC - Straight Out of the Camera is back...as I go back all the way to 1962, and a photo used I have used before in other memes - one I always enjoy viewing. It is my sister Michele on the day of her first communion. It was taken in front of our apartment building in Bayside, Queens (Borough) New York City by my grandfather. I consider this as straight out of the Exa SLR camera as this is the unedited scan of the original B&W with a genuine smile on the nicest of Spring days. A pleasant memory from a distant time...

Shadow Shot Sunday - River walk shadows

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back, and nice shadows exist all over, including our small city of Ansonia. More specifically, on the river walk that sits upon the flood control wall alongside the Naugatuck River. Taken in early April, we see the shadowy fence that faces the water and the pavilion that sits at the Ansonia entrance to the walk, both with early Spring shadows. 

To make it more interesting, how about a more prosaic subject - the Ansonia WPCA water pollution control station. Not that this is a perfect subject per se, but there are shadows...Shadows add to the desirability of just about anything at SSS2

Tina's Pic Story - Of Interest

A familiar landmark. Taken by Patti, 2005

Tina's fun meme Pic Story is back, and as usual, she provides the theme - and we comply with pictures. This week, the theme is Interesting...in this photo, without saying what it is, we know what it is. It is, of course, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Taken by the lovely Patti years ago, this massive steel tower is big (324m / 1,063 ft tall) - yet with the evening lighting, the heavy steel looks almost like lace...so delicate. A nice and interesting visual effect as it reaches the sky!

Ruby Tuesday - Russian Ruby

Classic appearing sidecar attached to Russian Ural motorcycle

Just as classic viewed from the front. My wheelchair Dodge sits in background

Ruby Tuesday 2 returns as I use a red Russian road runner as the subject. When I was getting service on my van the other day, I noticed a motorcycle at the shop, not so unusual - the sidecar is. I rolled over for a look. It looks like a BMW...however, it is an old Soviet era knockoff, a Ural motorcycle, still manufactured in Russia. I hadn't heard of them either (although the Cyrillic writing on the speedometer could be a clue :). The cold war has long ago ended, so this retro red Russian ride is a cool subject that transcends history...

Whimsical Windows - Seymour style

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, and we seek portals of interest. The picture here were captured last October by Patti - the pink motif was created by the organization Seymour Pink for the breast cancer awareness month. Here are a couple of retailers in our neighbor to the north, Seymour Connecticut. Now for the windows - the large panes are not so attractive by themselves, but with a bit of artistry including paints and stenciling, they can look much nicer. Nice enough to attract customers - at least the retailers do...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Cycle, sidecar and shadows

Soviet era Ural sidecar

Shadows of classic motoring

2013 Dodge - love to upgrade. However...

The intrepid shadow hunter

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back, and as often happens, vehicular shadows emerge...as the old song says, I've gotta be me (as Patti knows well :)

Yesterday, I was at my wheelchair van dealer for work on my ramp. While there, naturally, I took pictures of vehicles outside. This caught my eye: a motorcycle and sidecar owned by one of the company techs. The bike is a Soviet era, Russian made Ural motorcycle (currently being built by capitalists instead). I never heard of the brand let alone seen one until now. Of course, intricate shadows of spokes mirrors and a handlebar in shadow - the sun and chrome pair nicely...

The other is a bright red 2013 wheelchair driver van I'd like to have (too many $$$ needed), yet my 2008 Dodge will continue to do just fine...the last look is at  on a converted paratransit Ford van, the author, or at least his boat shoes show up. Shadows and reflections (and wheeled devices) this work well here at SSS2

Tina's Pic Story - Beautiful

East Shore, New Haven Connecticut Harbor, 2003

Tina's Pic Story is back - its simple rules are we provide the photo to match the theme she kindly provides which this week is 'Beautiful'

Plenty of things offer beauty that we admire. For me today, it is a shot captured on the East Shore of New Haven Harbor. In a series of pictures that we took about 10 years ago, the nighttime is now filtering in...the view is a bit crooked as I tried to balance the camera from the wheelchair. Not a perfect photo in layout, yet the edge of night captures us as it rolls in. Perhaps the end of a perfect day!

Ruby Tuesday 2 - Reflectively Ruby Red

Ruby Tuesday 2 has returned and in that quest of meeting the minimum red requirement, the taillight of my Grand Caravan will suffice as it sits in a  sea of what Chrysler calls Modern Blue.

Oh, the photographer in his director's chair can be seen sans ruby...a lot or a little red will do in any and all circumstances - with or without a photo artist present :)

Follow more ruby redness at RT2!

Whimsical Windows - Urban pyramid

The entry pyramid at the Louvre in Paris. Photo taken by Patti, April 2005

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors - we look around at many details that let the light in. Here is a famous glass pyramid that was captured by the always lovely Patti while in Paris in 2005. It of course the entrance to the Louvre, officially Pyramide du Louvre at the Musée du Louvre. I like this addition to the classic palace of art. Granted its style is modern (with its 673 panes of glass) - however, its shape that goes back millennia and thus much farther back than the museum...one of these days, I and the wheelchair will visit the City of Light - this has to be amazing in person...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Wheels, spokes and such

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back - and we continue to look for and at shadows in any and all venues. Last week Patti and I attended this year's Pierre Lallement Festival of Bikes in downtown Ansonia, in its second year. As in years past, the bicyclists rode up and down the steep hills from Yale University in New Haven - about 12 miles (19 kM) on their modern multi-speed and lightweight bikes made.

Here is at the opposite - a reproduction 1890s high-wheeler bicycle  (no, this was delivered on a truck) - who would actually want to ride one of these up the 400 foot / 122 M ascent? The rider was able to mount and ride these machines on the level streets - a real accomplishment (see Patti's story).

Mounted in the bed of the pickup was an 1860s French manufactured “bone shaker" bicycle. With its wooden spoked wheels, I would not be inclined to ride this on our bumpy roads even if I were able :). A nice gathering in this urban setting...

Tina's Pic Story - 'O'

Oval Eggs

Oval Cats

Oval Roma Tomatoes

Omelette (tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers, mozzarella)

Tina hosts the fun photo meme Pic Story. Here, we provide the pictures to match the meme theme she kindly provides - which this week is the letter 'O'

I chose as one theme Oval - a unique shape that is seen here in three ways: Eggs, Sleeping cats and Roma tomatoes. Not pure ovals, but very close! I did choose one more 'O' which here is an Omelette that was made from the proceeding Ovals: eggs and tomatoes. Hopefully we have not become Overwrought nor Obsessed with the 15th letter of the alphabet!

Ruby Tuesday - Celebration

Communion celebration included cake. Photo captured by Patti

Ruby Tuesday 2 is back, as am I...on Saturday, we attended the First Communion of my niece's daughter, Sophia and after the event, a celebration at a sister's home included cake. Since pink is derived from red, it is a ruby. So, pink is seen on the celebrant's sun dress, her mom's top and the butter cream roses on top of the cake. Therefore, rubies all!

Whimsical Windows - Peace always

Stained glass with a simple message. St Philip Church, East Windsor CT

Toby hosts the fun architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors where we look for interesting portals and other details of interest and delight. My entry for this week was taken yesterday at St. Philip Church in East Windsor Connecticut at a family event. This small stained glass window sat in a dark alcove - the message is inscribed, Pax, that being Peace, is always the ideal. Thus, the dark alcove is now awash in the colors that surround a simple hope...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Speedy Seasonal Scenic

It's time again for Shadow Shot Sunday 2...the post is late as we had to leave early to attend the First Communion of a niece in East Windsor, about 50 miles (80 kM) north. So as to not to ignore the shadowy world, I drove the always lovely front seat passenger Patti was the designated photographer. 

Today, these shots were taken on the way up and are northbound on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, CT Route 15. It is old (1949) and today, sans the usual weekday commuter hordes (and upon new Firestone tires), a nice ride upstate. The left is us going uphill to the soon to arrive downhill which will then go uphill to the West Rock Tunnel. Spring colors and shadows work nicely together for a shadowy post. Hate to miss SSS2...