Wordless Wednesday - Summer concerts are over for the year...

Wednesday summer evenings concerts next to City Hall are done for the season. All Funk'd Up, a  fun Connecticut band, are not just fun to listen to - but for wordless pics too, despite the video...See WW

Shadow Shot Sunday - City Hall Concert

Lead singer Bryan Kearney prepares

Soulful Felicia wows...

Who doesn't love shadows and live music downtown? Certainly not I, especially on a beautiful Summer evening in the park by Ansonia (CT) City Hall! In the 2015 Summer Concert Series hosted by the Ansonia Cultural Commission (I being the chair), this week's music was provided by The Bernadettes, a premier club band in the state.

Thus, for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, the shadows and music combine for a stylish post of sun and sound. Covering an eclectic mix of the '60s (classic Motown and soul), the '70s (Earth Wind & Fire, Disco era), I know their songs from a formative age and love them still - as does the band's large following. A very fun event...

I captured a few video's from wheelchair height - the cinematography leaves a lot to be desired...but not the sound!

September, Earth Wind & Fire, 1978

Signed Sealed and Delivered (I'm Yours), Stevie Wonder, 1970 (and to almost give away my age, I had the '45 single in 9th grade :)

Shadow Shot Sunday - Shadowy tea wreaths

Colorful circles create cool shadows

Stylish subjects and shadows

Britney the artisan. All photos by Patti

Our small city of Ansonia CT (pop. 19,000) is hosting a very unique series of events this year, Ansonia's Market Place. The idea is to bring people visitors to our downtown on Wednesday evenings to the lovely park/green aside City Hall. The idea is to spend a nice evening of visiting area crafters who are attending - the draw for the crafters is a No Fee policy for the season. We have enjoyed four Wednesdays of nice weather so far.

So for the fun meme Shadow Shot Sunday 2, I am showcasing the unique tea wreaths created by A Spot of Tea. Hosted by Patti Pensanti and Britney Fernandes, this artistic mother and daughter team have created a cool item that is engaging and eye catching. Given the sun and shadow, this was a great way to spend a beautiful day at Ansonia's market place...

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...

Whimsical Windows - Harvest Fest

Toby's fun meme, Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, arrives a scant six days before the event of the autumnal season event of the year (in our domicile of Ansonia CT, at least :), that being the Harvest Festival. This is the main event of the Ansonia Cultural Commission, of which I am a member compiling the metrics and designing the program book - as of today, there are 101 vendors. We hope for sun...The windows and doors are of our city hall all dressed up for previous Harvest Festival, awash in mums and pumpkins. I, for one, am ready!

SOOC - Memorial Day memorials

SOOC - Straight Out of the Camera - takes me back a mere three hours today. Just after parking my minivan and prior to Ansonia's Memorial Day Parade, Patti and I went to the park located next to City Hall and viewed the memorials that reside there. These were constructed to honor Ansonia residents killed in service from WWI to the present. As this is not merely a three-day weekend to relax, it is centered around Memorial Day - and remembering those who have been lost...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Raising the flag

A beautiful day to celebrate the Irish...

...in our small domicile of Ansonia...

...with music, proclamation and dance. Photos by Patti

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is back - as am I.

Last weekend was busy in a good way: Saturday morning was raising the Irish flag in front of Ansonia city hall; a corn beef sandwich (with swiss and kraut) after that at the excellent Antonio's Original restaurant in Ansonia; After that, a combined birthday with plenty of people for 7 and 3 year old relatives about an hour away. Then it was Sunday and the biggest St. Patrick's Day event in town.

Posts, alas, waited until this weekend. And those shadows are from the flag raising (and story written by Patti) of the Irish and US flags being raised in front of City Hall, with strong Spring shadows. The wind was blowing toward us (I thought the Irish proverb said the wind would be at our backs :) In the sea of green amongst the crowd, we all bade a happy St Patrick's Day...

Whimsical Windows - Pushed Aside

City Hall and Main Street, Ansonia CT...11 Feb 2013 after the plows pushed the massive snow aside

Toby kindly hosts the architectural meme Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors, and we look for portals and such in any weather. And that includes winter too...we have had a lot of snow this season, not large amounts in each storm, but in a large number of storms. However, last year, we had the biggest single blizzard I can remember in many a decade -  40in (102cm) on 9-10 Feb 2013. Every city and town in Connecticut had to hire many construction company vendors to assist on clearing the roads. Here, Patti captured the scene on along Main Street in downtown Ansonia after the initial plowing. The architecture sits alone as nary a pedestrian or vehicle are found. Spring is close, or at lest we hope :) 

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

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...