RubyTuesday Too - Harvest House

It is time again for RubyTuesday Too - a celebration of red. Today, I feature Harvest House VII in Shelton CT. Here, last Thursday, a 'house' is built with shelves for thousands of food donations...on Friday, the local food pantries bring the donations to heir homes and the 'house' is then deconstructed. 

Lots of volunteers that ensure the shelves are filled and emptied in less than 24 hours. Alas there is a need to mitigate hunger in the Lower Naugatuck Valley - and Harvest House helps to draw awareness to hunger issues that show no sign of going away...

Wordless Wednesday - The end of Summer

It is as it has been - Summer ends leading to shorter and colder days.. Patti captured a neighborhood view of the still warm sunset and leaves on the trees - that I wish would stay all year...see NC Sue for more WW!

Shadow ShotSunday - Afternoon Tea

Last week, although I'm not not British, I went to my first Afternoon Tea with Patti and Allegra. Tea Roses Tea Room is in the small town (15,000) Cromwell, CT along its sleepy Main Street. 

Not only were we treated to many tasty teas and such, subtle shadows arrived too. So, these views are perfect for Shadow Shot Sunday 2. 

The chicken salad with pesto sans crusts and divine scones (the best I've had), the cucumber sandwiches great, wonderful pastries and scones lemon curd were delicious and served in a classy English way. 

Bon Appétit!

Friday Hunt 2017.2.12

It's time for this week's edition of a fun meme, Friday Hunt hosted by Teresa. We get the cues and begin our hunt...

Starts with 'L'. Well, there is our furry, fluffy family feline, Linus McDonald as he lies lazily on the floor. Looks like he is in motion but that is a facade. Well, he is a cat...

Then there is Marquis de Lafayette, friend to the American Revolution. This statue is not located in Paris, but on the corner of Lafayette Street and Capital Avenue in Hartford CT.

How about Lava Cake, a deliciously decadent end to a fine meal at Copper City Grill in Ansonia. The vanilla bean gelato, whipped cream and lots of chocolate means you'll never leave the restaurant hungry :)

Landscape. Our son treated me to the Mets vs. Phillies game on Labor Day (last MLB game was in 1987) at the fantastic City Field in the borough of Queens in New York City. Beautiful views of he field in a wheelchair box. The first thing I noticed was a sea of the greenest lawn anywhere with a beautiful clay infield. A lovely landscape - the grass would look fab in our front yard!

Key. I think that a piano has a key or two. So here is Allegra and Cameron at their piano recital in 2003. Nice prompts!

Ruby Tuesday Too - The 'Big Apple'...really

It's been a while, but I am happily here today at Ruby Tuesday Too! Here is from Labor Day where our son Cameron treated myself and his sister Allegra to my first Major League Baseball game since 1987, and first in a wheelchair. I am in section 326 at Citi Field, in Queens, home to the NY Mets. The wheelchair seat box was roomy with great views, the disabled parking was outstanding and it is an easy 65 miles (105 km) from home. And a hint of ruby - the big apple in center field arises when the Mets hit a home run - gotta celebrate when appropriate :) 

Wordless Wednesday - Take me out to the ball game...

My first MLB game since 1987, and first in the wheelchair. Citi Field, home to the NY Mets. Our son Cam treated me to a fabulous game, great views above 3rd base line, nice disabled parking - a mere 75 minute drive from home. Going again next year! See NC Sue for more WW!

Friday Hunt 2017.2.11

Friday Hunt, hosted by Teresa, is here on a warm and humid day in Southern New England. Not that I’m complaining with what the weather events lave been in Houston and Jacksonville, but this a blog that keeps my mind off the news!

Starts with ‘K’. I have a few of. First is from a vacation from 2006 (and the last time we were there, Kalmus Beach on Hyannis Harbor on Cape Cod. It is a neat place as there is one beach on the harbor (see the nice sailboats at their anchorages)…and another sandy seascape around the corner on Nantucket sound. Two entirely different beaches that share the same parking lot/car park…

Then there is Karate, here at last year’s Ansonia Harvest Festival street fair. These two have been paying attention to their teachers!

Stinky. I couldn’t find the obvious (skunk?) but found from December 1980 a swamp in Florida’s Martin County. I don’t remember if it did, but perhaps a brackish swamp might fit the bill. Or not…

Old. Perhaps a bone-shaker bicycle on steel tires with no springs from the 1880’s will do nicely. What a difference when compared wit today’s bicycles with titanium frames, 21-speeds and suspensions. Back then, who cared about springs? Great prompts Teresa!

Shadow Shot 2 - Expansive Industrial

It is time again for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, where we showcase shadowy art in many a venue. Today I feature an old industrial site, empty as its corporate owners have moved to a new facility in Ansonia. However, the city has ben aggressively courting new business to fill the 200,000 sq. ft (1,860 sq. M) and announced a new company relocation to our city at a press event Thursday. What captured my eye was a portion of the old industrial site, with an expansive open area full of subtle shadows. This space in the 1913 building is typical of its day - industrial in style but in a rugged yet attractive way to me. Congrats to Ansonia in finding someone to re-purpose this great old building...

Friday Hunt 2017.2.10

Friday returns  as does a great meme Friday Hunt, hosted by Teresa. She provides the great prompts and we happily comply.

Starts with ‘J’. I have two pics of my niece Julie. In the first, she is at age 3 and very cute. In the second, she is a beautiful bride arm in arm with her dad, the great Bob, on her wedding day to Luis. She is very nice and a great mom too. “J’ is for Julie :)

Car. I refer to our daughter Allegra and her ‘cars’.  The first car in question is when she was nineteen months - exiting a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe - a car of sorts. Next is her current vehicle, a 1999 Chevy Malibu. Purchased in 2013 with only 77,000 miles in perfect shape, she now has 105,000 and very little rust. A real car for real :)

Outside. As we are veering toward autumn, my outside shot from 2015 is at Witek Park in neighboring Derby. It is a nice place next to reservoir, near the urban jungle - but worlds away…

Shadow Shot Sunday - One day in Ansonia

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is a great purveyor of, well...shadows. There are spectacular shadows to see and/or capture. However, in our daily environs, we see them too. So in one day, a few were caught and deemed perfect for today's post. On top, a shadow starts to encroach on a wall in our home coming close to Patti's photo art Reservoir Ripples that stands out on our newly painted wall.

Later, we went for dinner at Ansonia's Copper City Cafe. The always lovely Patti saw a shadowy lamppost on a new restaurant under construction. Mundane maybe,  but prominent. Finally, shadows radiate around Patti's entree, which was sea scallops (with a malt vinegar reduction), polenta and asparagus with the requisite side order of shadows - everyday shadows...

Friday Hunt 2017.2.9

Friday Hunt, hosted by Teresa, is back close to Labor and the unofficial end of Summer. But a perfect time to participate in this great meme…

Starts with ‘I’. I have four today that start with ‘I’. The first is introduction, our son Cameron at 20 months 1992. He introduces himself to kitty Tiger, a normally standoffish being who is actually being cordial here

Then there is Ice. The year is 1959, and my 5 year old big sister Michele is on the ice in St Paul Minnesota. With a hockey stick, she may be considering a career choice (spoiler alert: she didn’t :)

Finally, here is a mid-winter shot of the playground at Irving School in Derby CT. It may be cold, but on this day you can have the pick of whatever playscape you want…

Bowl. These are filled with pasta, a bowl of macaroni salad we made and a bowl of sausage and peppers over pasta at Rosa Mina restaurant in Ansonia, a great eatery - and if you go, I hope you like lots of garlic. I do :) 

Desire. Furry family feline Linus McDonald begs for food. Although this pic was from 2010, his desire for your food continues today. Here is the chair Linus sits in to beg for whatever mommy (aka: Patti) is having for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner - desirous for sure!