SOOC - Conch and Mollusks

For Straight Out of the Camera - SOOC, we have a look at something unique on the grounds of the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme CT. There was a large impressionist art community in this Connecticut River estuary town. Since the art inside is unique and beautiful, why not the grounds surrounding the collection of art inside...so these giant conch shells add a hint of whimsy to the place...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Snowy Back Yard

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 returns a week after our first snow this Winter of 2015-2016. We are in southern Connecticut near Long Island Sound, we get an average snowfall of 30 in / 76 cm per season, so the 9 inches we received last week is not that much. Inconvenient for sure but attractive when the sun hits the fresh powdery precip, shadows are magnificent. As in our back yard (above) and patio (L), snow allows for nice shadows indeed...

Friday Hunt 2016-5

I am back to a new favorite meme, Teresa's Friday Hunt. I looked around for this weeks's hunt and have found an eclectic mix that fits the themes which are: Starts with E, Week's Favorite and Sky. Without further ado...

Starts with E, which is for Eggs. Here is the assemblage for a frittata, of which eggs are an essential ingredient.  Another 'E' of interest is the 'EB' stamped on the eggs for Egg.Land's Best, our favored brand...

Favorite: This was on Sunday after the snow fell. The ever lovely Patti used a Snoopy Christmas ornament that shows the canny canine shoveling snow with bird friend Woodstock riding along. This is a fun look at the season...

Sky: This is actually a picture taken in June, 2003 by myself. It is always interesting trying to capture views in a wheelchair and sometimes the best laid plans can easily go awry in these unique situations. Nevertheless, New Haven Harbor (CT) from the East Shore offers a great looking sky above. Thanks Teresa!

Wordless Wednesday - The difference a day makes

We had the 'pleasure' if you will, of a snowy Saturday. Happily, although we live a mere 85 miles (137 km) north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, we received a mere 10 in (20 cm) of snow, much less than they did. Happily :) The top view was Saturday afternoon, the bottom view Sunday Morning. The sunny morn nicely offset the snowy Saturday...See NC Sue for more WW!

Ruby Tuesday Too - Ruby Cookies

For this weeks Ruby Tuesday Too, I offer the last look at the Christmas holiday, that being the many reds on these delectable (earlier the month that is :) cookies. Pink sprinkles, cranberries on a red plate. Lots of tasty rubies here as we await the next Christmas treats...

SOOC - Lieutenant River

For this week's Straight Out of the Camera - SOOC I offer a view captured by Patti last week. It is a wintertime look at a body of water that is obscure to many, that being  the Lieutenant River in Eastern Connecticut. The sky, water the land have they grayish look of the season. However, it is a pretty view now and an even better view under a summer blue sky...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Afternoon Tea, if not for me...

On this snowy day in the Northeast, it is time to ignore the gray skies and focus on this week's Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Last Saturday, the always lovely Patti and Allegra went for a girls day out (not me though :) at an afternoon tea at the fancy Bee and Thistle Inn in the artistic town of Old Lyme, CT.

I'd like to have tried the Goat Cheese & Watercress and Chicken Salad with Cilantro & Scallions sandwiches, but it was a girl's day out. Perhaps next year...so for this post, I'll defer to photos Patti took of the elegant food and tea presentation and their side order of shadows...

Friday Hunt 4-2016

We are back for Teresa's great weekly scavenger meme Friday Hunt. This week's edition includes the subjects as Starts with D, Week’s Favorite, and Beautiful. I have two recent pics and one from 1990 and two of these are subjects that were seen last week, but that fit the theme well in my opinion :)

Starts with 'D': For me it is Demure, and this is our daughter at an extended family Birthday party for siblings aged 8 and 4. I think she took the tiara meant for the younger sibling...

Week's Favorite: It is a pic taken on Tuesday of our family kitty Linus McDonald sunning himself in the front window as the Christms cactus flowers have bloomed beautifully

Beautiful: This is from 1990 when our second born son arrived at his home. I find it so beautiful as Cameron is learning about life outside the womb while mom Patti as the look of wonder and awe at our new family edition. Sweet, sentimental and beautiful...

SOOC - Barnyard in 1992

The idea of unmodified pics is nice, the look at a particular subject frozen in place and time is a great idea. So for this week's version of Straight out of-the Camera - SOOC, I offer a twist. 

I found a couple of prints from the summer of 1992. I believe the place is a farm in the neighboring town of Seymour that our children, aged 4 and 2, and these old prints scanned  quite well. I assume the kids liked the views of the animals in their young minds...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Roof Demolition

Shadowy subjects may be artistic or they may be prosaic and ordinary. So my post for this week's Shadow Shot Sunday 2  is the latter - the subject being the installation of our new roof. What is new often requires the removal of something old, that being the existing asphalt shingles, tar paper and plywood underlay. The first action the workers performed was to tack up a blue tarp over the windows shovel the refuse off the roof (the cat hated that noise : )

















The day was sunny but quite cold, hence the shadows. However, the three roofing personnel worked diligently and completed the roof in just two days. We needed a roofs the old one was 28 years old, and our insurance carrier Travelers raised our rates substantially since they don't underwrite if the asphalt roof is over 25 years old (most other insurers are at 20 years). Since the mortgage company pays the insurance in March, we can now shop lower rates with other companies and hopefully save a bit of $$. Yay for us, and thanks to Ari Roofing!

Friday Hunt 3-2016

The scavenger meme Friday's Hunt. The clues our host Teresa provides today are Starts with C, Week’s Favorite and Inside. Here are my selection or the week, with notes for each:  

Starts with 'C' I showcase our son Cameron. He lives fairly close in Brooklyn, so we see him occasionally in our Connecticut environs. Here is the tall Cam and his sister Allegra at a relative's wedding last August.

Week's Favorites: Here is a giraffe that has been in Christmas garb lately, and the tall fellow is peering over a hedge on Franklin Street in our small city (19,000) of Ansonia. A winsome and tall fellow.

Inside: Here is a recent photo of our indoor kitty Linus by our downsized 3-ft Christmas Tree. He was not a Christmas present this year, but a continuing fun and furry gift in our home!

Wordless Wednesday - Living in the Past

Our daughter Allegra just loves history. When time allows, she is a docent at the Derby (CT) Historical Society. Here, she is in 1762 style as Elizabeth Clark Hull, grandmother of Commodore Isaac Hull, commander of the USS Constitution in the war of 1812. Hull lived to a grand old age of 94, quite uncommon in the 1700s...See more at NC Sue!

Shadow Shot Sunday - New eatery with a Side of Shadows

We look at shadows where we find them. So for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, I go back a mere week where Patti and I attended a new restaurant opening in nearby Derby. The River Rock Tavern is the latest in a series of eateries in this spot, but do think this is the best looking one so far - maybe because we never had such delicacies as deep fried pickles before (they were delicious :) Naturally there were shadows emanating along the beautiful brick walls. I am not sure if the shadows were to be an Apéritif or an Entrée. Tasty though...

Friday's Hunt, 2-2016

I am back to Friday's Hunt, a cool scavenger meme hosted by Teresa. My linkup today follows the clues she provides for the week which are: Starts with B, Week's Favorite and Outside. I am looking forward to next week's clues
So, without further ado, here are mine:

The Letter 'B" is for Bride. This is my niece Julie and her new husband, Luis. We captured the couple as the photographer is setting up the shot. The lovely (and very nice) couple wed on 29 August 2015 at the classy and picturesque Avon Old Farms Hotel in Connecticut. 

Favorite: I don't know why, but I really like this restored saddle from the 1850s. This was seen last Sunday at the Twelfth Night festivities at the David Humphrey's House in  Ansonia, CT. As it was explained to me, before saddle components such as stirrups, cinches and straps were introduces, a saddle was fitted to the by particular animal. I never knew that :)

Outside: This is a fiery red sunset take by the always lovely Patti on November 22. Just a quick view outside our living room window in Ansonia Connecticut. Our house faces a west-southwest orientation. Our town of Ansonia is about 85 miles / 137 km northeast of New York City. 

Wordless Wednesday - I am slightly famous...

I was invited for a photo op in our small (19,000) city of Ansonia CT. The mayor made an announcement regarding a program that exempts accessible vehicles from city property taxes. And since I operate such a vehicle, I was happy to participate in this. And I am (sort of famous now :) See more WW at the fun meme hosted by NC Sue!

Link: http://thevalley-voicect.blogspot.com/2016/01/ansonia-mayor-reminds-disabled.html

Ruby Tuesday Too - Snow People Ruby

For Ruby Tuesday Too, we look for reds in the usual, and perhaps the unusual places. Like this cute picture in front of the historic David Humphreys House museum in AnsoniaConnecticut. There are hints of ruby surrounding the snow persons scarves and hats. In addition, the 1698 house is undergoing a major ($250.000+) restoration of the house, so we see a glimpse of a restored 12-over-12 window and the new red paint the house will be clad in when complete. Happy New Year to all!

SOOC - More Giving for the Holiday

We who have good fortune yet complain about minor things may lose perspective about those who have much less at Christmas time. So for Straight out of the Camera - SOOC, I offer pics from an event Patti attended on December 23, the Christmas distribution of food and presents at St. Vincent de Paul Helping Hands of the Valley in Derby.

Bags of food and gifts for the needy were graciously packed and brought to the recipients vehicles. Giving is the reason for the season, the idea of giving never gets old...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Watercolors

We look for shadows in many places, sometimes the shadows are bold, some subtle. 

For  Shadow Shot Sunday 2, I offer the latter. Our friend and Valley Arts Council (VAC) President held a watercolor course for grown-ups at the Derby Public Library last month.

The seasonal subject was Reindeer. This was not a serious look at art, but a place to let your inner artist enjoy working with an unfamiliar medium.

Rich is a great teacher, one who encourages his students to try to expand their artistic skills and not. worry about technique. 



Patti wrote about this class and her pictures showcase the pleasure we believe anyone can find in art.  And for shadow watchers, they are all over the room, but quietly lying under the artists of the day...