The Weekend Roundup 'O'

It is Friday, so time again for Tom's great meme The Weekend Roundup. The letter prompt is 'O' which offers unique opportunities...

This is the famous (in Connecticut anyway) Olympia Diner on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington CT. They make the absolute best corned beef hash anywhere IMO. Hash with scrambled eggs is my go-to there!

This is a unique pic with an'O'. I believe this to be from late 1927. The baby is my father, born 19 October 1927, and taken at their home in Steubenville, Ohio. My grandmother is to the left - her maiden name was Agnes O'Hanlon!

This is the gateway to the hometown of Dino Paul Crocetti, aka: Dean Martin, Steubenville, Ohio from 1999

A favorite. Patti was at the Seymour Pink pasta dinner the other day. I don't know what, but the blend of pink fingernails, wine glasses and pink flowers, it just looks so artistic. Thanks for the prompts Tom!        

The Weekend Roundup 'G'

Ah, the weekend is here and time for Tom's fun meme The Weekend Roundup, this week featuring the letter 'G' which begins this week's post...

I begin with my Grandparents, Ralph and Agnes Villers. To the left, they are at their 50th anniversary service on August 21, 1976 at St. Peter's Church in Steubenville, Ohio. The entire family went to this wonderful event. To the right, I believe this to be their wedding day in 1926. Can't be totally sure, but they do look happy :)

On the next day (Aug. 22, 1976) of that fun weekend, we also see Grandchildren, my Dad and Aunt Terry (their children), their spouses and 12 grandkids. Here is by the pool at the Steubenville Holiday Inn. I'm in the back row, third from the right.

Then there is Glassware on display at Country Cottage in Seymour, CT. They sell an eclectic array of home decor, estate jewelry, seasonal items, and more.

Favorite. I love this photo that the always lovely Patti. This view of Pickett’s Pond at Osbornedale State Park in Derby CT. I know it's Winter, but this may be illusory. Look closely, you might even think it’s summer instead. I see an azure sea with gentle whitecaps breaking at the shore. And I see the horizon with fair weather clouds above a calm sea. What do you see?  

Finally, there is Green. More specifically, the New Haven CT Green on a Spring day a few years ago. I'm looking forward to green leaves (and warm temps) in a couple of months!

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Friday Hunt 2017.2.24

It is a cold Friday in CT and my outdoor activities have been limited, so indoors is the place to be for Teresa's fun meme Friday Hunt. Onward to the prompts... 

Starts with 'X'. I don't have any pics that start with 'X'. However, when filing all pics from Christmas, I include in the filename the word 'Xmas' and the year for easier sorting. Since 'Xmas' is a common abbreviation for the holiday, I'll take the liberty of using this for the letter. These are from, I believe, 1946 and they are my wonderful Aunt Terry and Grandma (Agnes) during that season. The photo file names are captioned.

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Craft. Our friend Rich is an artist (in any medium) including watercolors. He holds a number of watercolor classes at local libraries for free or nominal prices. This was at the Derby CT Public Library, and he is a great teacher for those who want to try watercolors.    And Patti tried her hand at watercolors in one of his classes, the subject cardinals. 

Change. It is amazing the change from potted pepper plants in our yard to these yummy (and hot) peppers harvested in August. This was a very tasty change indeed! Also these pics look so nice in and far warmer than today!

Friday Hunt 2017.2.15

The seasonal weather is changing, but not the fun Friday meme Friday Hunt, hosted by Teresa.

Starts with ‘O’. I have a few and some could be linked to a city or town too. The first is Ohio, and in this shot, probably taken in 1977 is Grandpa holding two license plates from 1937 (40th year?), his Ohio license tag and I believe his Ohio radio license. Grandpa was 75 in 1977 who lived in the city of Steubenville, Ohio…

Then there is Omaha, Nebraska. First, my sister Michele in 1964 (age 10) who with my grandparents visited My Aunt Terry in the Missouri River city.

Another Omaha shot was taken by me in 1983 visiting my sister who was in the USAF (SAC HDQ., Offutt AFB). Unknown to me, two houses away was a park at President Gerald Ford’s birthplace. Just a little neighborhood park that was a great find...

Purple. Two with a purple hue (to my mind at least :). First pic was taken at the Jones Family Farm Winery in Shelton CT. Nice lavender flowers.

This one was taken on our patio this summer. I can’t explain it, the the wine bottle in the late afternoon is a pic Patti and I love - perhaps it was a warm but not humid day with a tasty grilled meat and red wine just relaxing on a great day. The label on the bottle looks purple. Nice prompts this week!

Friday Hunt, 2017.1.25

The week seems to move with alacrity and so it is Friday and time for Teresa's fun foto meme Friday Hunt. And away we go!

Starts with 'Y'. Like last week's letter, 'Y' has few words beginning with it, and I found one. But if we can bend the rules, New York City contains 'Y', so I'll start there. The year is 1957, the day Easter and here is Grandma Agnes and Aunt Terry in Manhattan for the Easter Parade. To the left is the skating rink at Rockefeller Center and to the right is Terry by the Channel 11 truck. I like the flying saucer hat on her and pencil skirt - she was a stylish 15 at the time...

This of course is a rare double yolk

Week's Favorite. The medical professionals at the Yale-New Haven Transplantation center gave her the okay to start driving again (around town, no highways). So she posed behind the wheel in her Chevy Sonic. The smile is genuine :)

Splash. Our then eight year old son offers us a splash in a hotel pool on vacation in 1999. This pool would be a treat in today's heat and humidity!

Friday Hunt, 2017.1.21

The weekend is here, so time again for a favorite meme, Friday Hunt, hosted by Teresa. Here are my look at today's clues.

Starts with 'V'. Well, the easiest 'V' in this case is my last name Villers. So I am taking a look at family pics from decades past for my pics of a variety of Villers...

1947, My Father, Ralph I Villers II, Steubenville, Ohio; behind Grandpa's 1946 Dodge 

1955, Grandpa, Ralph Villers, Steubenville, Ohio; his work vehicle, a 1955 Plymouth. Nicely dressed!

1962, Grandma, Agnes Villers, somewhere in Florida; Most people drove south back then, they in a 1962 Chrysler Newport

1977, myself, Ralph I. Villers III. In front of the defunct Marco Polo restaurant, E.Hartford, CT. Grandpa loved this place when he visited! 

Week's Favorite. On the Derby CT Green, a Civil War monument is undergoing renovation. Constructed in two stages by 18884, I like the flag and flower wreaths laid around it on Memorial Day. I wrote a brief history about it in today's Valley-Voice newsletter (another 'V' :)
Thanks Teresa for this fun meme!

Friday Hunt, 2017.1.2

It is Friday and time again for Teresa's fun photo meme, Friday Hunt. She gives the clues and now I am ready...

Starts with ‘B’. I have three to share today. The first is bedroom, our kids rooms in mid-1998, the kids aged 9-1/2 and 7-1/2. The boys room also has Bears, the girls with her early collection of American Girls dolls - of course, the historic girls collection is history these days (boo Mattel)…

The next was taken in 1957 in front of our apartment in New York City, Borough of Queens, more specifically, the area known as Bayside. The precise address was 204-07 35th Avenue. My older sister Michele (3), myself (2), Aunt Terry (15) and Grandma are all dressed up for a trip to ‘the City’ (aka Manhattan). Like the grown-up styles of the day, such as a flying saucer hat?

Week’s Favorite. This is a simple gazebo sitting at a park in neighboring Derby. Perhaps is the simplicity of the structure sitting in fresh snow with no footprints - and under a cold Winter sky. 

Creature. Like the look of a male cardinal in its red plumage appearing in a candid shot while relaxing in a leafless forsythia. Thanks Teresa!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Easter 1957

It is time again for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and I revert to shadowy retro shots. I received these photos from Aunt Terry three weeks ago, and adds more of the story to my SSS post from August 2011. I and my sister Michele got dressed up to travel from Queens to Manhattan with Grandma (Agnes), Grandpa (Ralph) and Aunt Terry. It was the famous Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue - and a great find. Grandma and Aunt Terry are part of a parade of shadows around on April 21, 1957 at Radio City, Fifth Avenue and in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral. What a different era...