SOOC - Reviewing Stand

For Straight out of the Camera (SOOC), we have views from the Memorial Day Parade in our small city of Ansonia (CT). At the reviewing stand, the Connecticut Hurricanes band is playing for the officials in the reviewing stand. In sequence, we can almost hear the brass instruments at work, note by note...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Parade prancers and ponies

My subjects for this week's meme Shadow Shot Sunday 2 were taken in our small city of Ansonia Connecticut at its annual Memorial Day Parade. A delightful day of modest temps (74ºF / 23ºC) and low humidity made it a fine day to march and/or watch. And what makes for a crowd favorite other than the majestic and docile equines who marched? The horses and riders were as one, as each horse and pony received copies applause from every spectator - and left nice shadows along Main Street too...

Wordless Wednesday - Parade Favorites

These big but gentle equines marched in Sunday's 2015 Memorial Day parade in our small city of Ansonia CT. Beautiful, docile and mannerly, these horses are always attract applause...see WW and WW

Whimsical Windows - Memorial Day in Ansonia

For the architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, there is today instead of whimsy a bit of reflection - the lovely Patti captured he Ansonia (CT) city hall yesterday, prior to our annual Memorial Day Parade. Simple and eloquent, the reviewing stand is awaiting the veterans who will soon review the parade participants. We all need to honor those who had fought on behalf of our nation - and us too...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Spring sun

It is a glorious Spring day in the Ansonia Uplands, if quite chilly (54°F / 13°C) for 23 May, with lots of sun. 

As we are awaiting for someone to haul away our old queen size bed (mattress, headboard, etc.), I found mundane subjects for Shadow Shot Sunday 2 as I wheeled around the driveway. 

Using my old cheap Droid phone camera, the driveway contained bold shadows of the Grand Caravan (and myself in my 'directors chair), and the old Malibu quite nicely - these pixelated views are a mere 30 minutes old. 

It will be sunny and 75°F tomorrow...a better representation of the season!

Wordless Wednesday - The Graduate(s)

Our daughter graduated (again) on Saturday, this time for her Master's in Education. She will make a fine teacher...a nine year journey is continues onward...see WW and WW

2015, Sacred Heart University

2010, University of Hartford

2006, Ansonia High School

Whimsical Windows - Sanctuary Stained Glass

For this week's meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, I look again to our house of worship, the First Congregational Church of Derby (CT). In an early 20th Century room addition to the original 1842 sanctuary, there are cool stained glass windows that are odd in this style of church as the original Puritans strove to never adorn their plain churches, which may have been the style in the 1700s - but not in 1901. A style with spiritual overtones...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Spring Cleanup

Pastor Jim is also a gardener...

Parishioners mulch...

Curb appeal enhanced as winter road sand is removed

For the weekly meme Shadow Shot Sunday 2, shadows were aplenty in April as the Spring cleanup at our house of worship, the First Congregational Church of Derby (CT). 

The 1842 building is the classic old white church seen all over New England greens, and after an unusually cold Winter, a cleanup of the winter grunge, new plantings and sand removal is in order. Patti's capture offers us  well defined shadows too. 


Spring indeed has sprung...

Wordless Wednesday - Hotel Pool

On family vacations of yore, the favorite attraction of all for the kids seems to be the pool at the hotel - at least for ours anyway. The year is 1999, our children aged 10 and 8 are frolicking away in this chlorinated oasis...see WW and WW

Whimsical Windows - Pigeon Style Parking

For this week's architectural themed meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, I am posting a subject that has been seen before that is quite unique. I like the image so much, and the now retro 1950s autos, it is the desktop picture on my computer :)

This is a picture taken by my grandfather in 1955 in the steeltown of Steubenville Ohio. This car-park apparatus referred to as Pigeon Hole Parking, where a lift device moves horizontally and vertically to place your car in a discreet spot and could be easily retrieved when your shopping or errands were complete.

In the background is the now shuttered Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel mill. When I was in college in the city on the 1970s, this mill was busy place and lots of parking available. Not as busy these days, sixty years removed from 1955...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Happy ever after continues

Arriving at the First Baptist Church, Ansonia CT, 10 May 1986

The always lovely Patti

It appears every year around the tenth of May...the anniversary of the day Patti and I wed, May 10, 1986. In views seen and appreciated for decades, we offer these two scenes for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, the bride straight out of the limo about to enter the church. Naturally, I did not take these views being at the altar ready to meet the always lovely Patti. But the legendary photographer of the (now defunct) Evening Sentinel, Ed Cotter, did. Shadows and sentiments are on display here of a wonderful 29 years of bliss... 

Wordless Wednesday - Director's Chair Captured

As I ambulate by wheelchair, give me a camera and I have a real director's chair. Like in a Hitchcock film, this 'director' gets a cameo in many a picture...see WW and WW

Whimsical Windows - St Margaret Mary

Welcome to the meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, where we look at portals of interest. I revert a week back to showcase St. Margaret Mary Church in South Windsor Connecticut, opened in 1963. It evokes the past with its many beautiful stained glass windows, these offering a view of Christ bearing the burden of the cross and his Crucifixion - leading to his resurrection on Easter.

We attended a first Communion of a great nephew and loved the look of the church, and with my wheelchair seemingly in mind, great egress into the building - and the lovely seating for disabled users up front in the sanctuary. It was a great day of worship, beauty and celebration...looking forward to your links

SOOC - Cross and crown

I spotted an amazing Straight out of the Camera (SOOC) last week at after a First Communion held at St. Margaret-Mary Church in South Windsor Connecticut. During the 50 day Easter season, through Pentecost) a cross is placed on the floor and is illuminated by floor lamps. What is so interesting here is the shadow that rises above the cross - it looks like a crown, which is so fitting - scripture notes Christ as the 'King of Kings', the shadow agrees...

Shadow Shot Sunday - They should be dancing (yeah)

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 returns one week after a big event, a party after a First Communion. At the venue, the deejay attempts to get the dressed up kids ready to dance on the hardwood floor as the not as energetic grownups sit, watch and perhaps capture them in action. Ah, to be young and mobile again...