Looking Down on Empty Streets...

... all she can see

are the dreams made more solid

are the dreams made more real.

—Peter Gabriel

Scott at Rest

He doesn't stay this way for long!

Finally going through photos I took over a week ago and found this one. I like the way it turned out.

Autumn Rocks!

I suppose I could put some clever quote here, but what can be said that hasn't already been said?

Autumn in New England rocks, and I was out today taking it all in. Snapped these down in Elizabeth Park.

Songs for Katie

My brother and sister have inspired me to pick up this blog again. I have been woefully remiss! But wouldn't you know it, I left my camera at my father's house, so...

But today I worked on a jewel case cover for a birthday CD I compiled for my niece, Katie. Does this count as a photo?? I think it does. More squares, though, I know...

Vacation Squared

Took some vacation time to spend in the studio of my talented and generous friend, Marge Malwitz. Marge turned me on to squares and composition with colors or themes. Here's one I did. Gonna hang it on my refrigerator!

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Not a blessed thing :)

Mystic Calypso!

Another enjoyable summer evening in Elizabeth Park. Tonight it was calypso. The place was filled with happy picnic-ers and oodles of kids. The adults danced the rumba while the kids formed a conga line.

Joyful, joyful...

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,; drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

Proud Topsy Turvey Owner!

My step-mother, Marie, has two Topsy Turvies going in her backyard. Plenty of green tomatoes on 'em, but who knows if they'll ever turn red. Oh well, there's always fried green tomatoes if they don't!

A Tomato Grows in Hartford

Green beans, corn, broccoli, eggplant, lettuce, zucchini and sunflowers too! Along with three co-workers, I visted the kids at the Charter Oak Cultural Center today to see how the garden was coming along that they planted this past May. It's coming a long quite nicely!

While there, we also introduced a fun new game on nutrition -- The Energy Garden. The game was a hit!

Viel Gluck, Anke!

I only met Anke Graefe a few months ago through a mutual friend, and now it's time to say farewell...or should I say, abschied. After living in the states for over 10 years, Anke is returning to her homeland of Germany. While here, though, she taught German through a German School in West Hartford.

Tonight was a nice turnout of friends and grateful...and somewhat fluent (by my standards anyway!) students.

Viel Gluck, Anke! We'll miss you!

Wednesdays in the Park with Nadia and Tiana

My co-worker, Nadia, and I, along with Nadia's sister-in-law, Tiana, have decided to make Elizabeth Park's summer concert series a habit. Free concerts every Wednesday. Tonight it was Soul. Next week, Swing!!

Feets, don't fail me now!

Returning home from her year in China teaching English as a second language, niece Leah came bearing delicacies of the country's cuisine...like chicken feet! Nephew Scott pronounced them...not so bad. This from a kid who likes those greasy beef sticks. Guess he'll eat anything. :)

Chasing the wind

Trying hard to keep up with my blog...more importantly, to keep up with my sister, Kathy's blog! But it's so hot, and I'm so tired...

Yes, to post the perfect picture tonight, accompanied by a nifty quote, would be the sweetest thing, t'would make me sing... Ah, but I might as well try and catch the wind.

I'm being followed by a sun shadow

And the sun in the sky
makes a shadow of you and I,
stretching out as the sun
sinks in the sea.

Run, don't walk, for the roses!

They're here! The roses in Elizabeth Park are here! Full bloom, live and in color! If you live nearby, run down and see them soon. They're a sight to behold.

And with this post, I introduce guest blogger, Katie Cheffer. Katie, my 13-year old niece, snapped this lovely shot.

Summer!

You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold.

Ya gotta love a general store!

On such a beautiful almost summer Sunday, a friend and I decided to tool on up to Otis, MA, to go kaying. Rain came and thwarted that idea, so we just drove around checking out the town and came upon this cool country store...AND we saw a moose! Eventually made our way back down through Winsted. By then the sun came out and dried up all the rain, so we put our kayaks in Highland Lake, paddled about, and the day was complete.

My favorite spot in Elizabeth Park

Boughton says he has more ideas about heaven every day. He said, "Mainly I just think about the splendors of the world and multiply by two." I'd multiply by ten or twelve if I had the energy.
—Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

Tuesday morning never looked so good.

I'm already in a daydream.

Opening Day of the West End Farmers' Market!

Fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, flowers, herbs, jams, jellies, salsas, salad dressings...PLUS live music! The West End Farmers' Market has it all!
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Open 4:00-7:00pm every Tuesday and Friday, now through October. Located on the corner of Farmington Avenue and South Whitney, Hartford.

Before...

Before, when I didn't know what color to put down, I put down black. Black is a force: I depend on black to simplify the construction. Now I've given up on black.
—Henri Matisse

For this snap, I took a photo of a windowpane...and just played with it!

Sunrise

or maybe sunset. All depends on how you see it, I guess...

White Space

I fill up a place, which may be better...when I have made it empty.
—William Shakespeare
As You Like It

Memorial Day, 2010

The Power of Color

With 2 friends today, I got to revisit the exhibit I participated in at the Shalom Cafe, tool all around the beautiful grounds of Elizabeth Park, and take in a cool exhibit at the Jewish Community Center: The Monday Colorists. I believe all the works posted here are by the artist Kristine Sullivan.

More about the exhibit here.

It's only a paper beach...

...sitting under a paper sky.
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Yesterday's trip along the road to color led me to Jerry's Artarama in Elmwood where the manager graciously let me snap away to my heart's content. I made my way straight for the beautiful papers they have on display. This is just one of the many many snaps I took.

A Day Spent on the Road to Color

The day off from work, I spent a good part of it driving around in search of color. This window caught my eye and I had to do a U-turn to go back and snap it.
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It belongs to a nifty little framing shop out on the west end of town. Would have never found it were it not for these bold colors. Now that I have, though, the next time I need something framed, I think I'll give 'em a try!

The Awesomest Art Thing EVER

The exhibit ended in January, but the poster remains...Pratt Street in Hartford.

Learn about the exhibit here.

Plants at 8

I finally get my flowers in their pots, my deck all in place, only to come home and find a notice under my door from the condo association. "The painters will be here on May 27 to paint the porches. Please remove all plants and personal belongings by tomorrow, May 26." Dang!
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Well, at least I found refuge for my plants at my sister's house around the corner. Here they sit, still looking good. She promises they'll care for them. But take a look at the plant on the ground...I have cause for concern. ;-)

The not so lowly onion

He likes onions, therefore they are. The fit, the colors, the smell, the tensions, the tastes, the textures, the lines, the shapes are a response, not to some forgotten decree that there may as well be onions as turnips, but to His present delight—His intimate and immediate joy in all you have seen, and in the thousand wonders you do not even suspect. With Peter, the onion says, Lord, it is good for us to be here. Yes, says God. Tov. Very good.
—Robert Farrar Cappon, "The Supper of the Lamb"
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(I love this book!)

Monday Nights with Scott

I spend many a Monday night with my nephew, Scott—my little traveling companion.

Tonight we were off to get more flowers for my back porch and to finally get everything planted. Place looks good!

The grass withers, the flowers fade...

... And these little red flowers will fade away soon themselves, having broken off from a healthy plant as it was transported from garden shop to my friend's back yard. Fade away they must, but not without first dazzling us with their simply beauty.

Red door x 3

Guess I just have a thing for red doors...

I see a black door

and I want it painted red.
I'll take Mick Jagger's words and turn them on their head.

Sure, it looks like this now...

But wait'll ya see it in August!
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Anyone living in Avon or surrounding towns knows of Chrissie D'Esopo and her jaw-dropping gardens. I got a little bold with the camera this weekend, stopping the car and venturing out into her yard. If she hadn't come around the corner as I was snapping, looking like she might chase me off the property, I'd have gotten a better look at that soil to see what's in it to produce such fabulous results. She's got to be using more than Miracle Grow! Anyway, come back in August and this is what you'll see.

Now I ask you...

Is there anything better than a porch?? On this beautiful sunny Sunday, I swept my back porch off, potted a few plants and sat myself down with a good book. Sweet!!

This is my neighbor, Beth's, porch. She's got me beat with flowers and pots...but I'll catch up!

Art that inspires, in times like these...

...is hardly a luxury; now more than ever, it is a necessity.
—Joseph Duveen

Through my employer, Aetna, I got to attend a gala celebration of The Charter Oak Cultural Center, a place that has been referred to as "Hartford's epi-center of cool."

I bid on this artwork created by one of the children involved in Charter Oak's many arts and culture programs. And I won!

Well, I'm standing on the corner of Lafayette

State of Connecticut. Wondering where a city boy can go to get a little conversation.

Actually, my nephew had a homework assignment: go out and photograph some Hartford landmarks. So standing on the corner of Lafayette, we snapped the landmark statue of Lafayette himself. Mostly his horse. Apparently there's a small turtle built into the horse's back hoof to symbolize the artist's tardiness in getting the project done. We missed that on this trip. Guess we'll have to go back.

Let's see if the English Beat can do as well

Made it up to Infinity Hall last night to FINALLY hear the McLovins live. The 3 talented lads rocked the house!

Putting Down Roots in Hartford

One sows, another waters and another harvests. Some friends and I from work have partnered with the Charter Oak Cultural Center to "Put Down Roots in Hartford." We got started last week at the Center where local kids went to work sowing seeds that will produce broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots and who knows what else! Additional gardens are planned on the grounds of 2 local schools.