Shadow Shot Sunday - Jersey Shore Redux

The strong norther sun of Summer allows for interesting shadows in many places. For me, the New Jersey shore family vacations of decades past I will use for Shadow Shot Sunday 2. From the beach at Brigantine (1961), bicycle riding on the famous pre-casino Boardwalk (1965 and 1969), the shadows arrive on sand, surf...really any surface. Since life intrudes, Summers have not been the same as I remember them all those years ago...

The Weekend Roundup - 'A'

The alphabet begins anew on Tom's fun meme, The Weekend Roundup. This vowel is easy to capture based often on my domicile and heritage, So let's begin...

I live in Ansonia Connecticut, so that's where I am first. Here is Ansonia City Hall. This Main Street beauty was opened in 1904, with two additions in the 1920s and in 1998.

As for Heritage, so many memorable family vacations were on the New Jersey shore were in Atlantic City including the iconic (that is, pre-casino) Boardwalk. This is early morning bicycle ride was in 1965.

Another Ansonia landmark is the Ansonia Public Library. Completed in 1892, its Architecture is Romanesque. The Architect is George Keller, famous for such monuments as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford and the Soldiers' National Monument in Gettysburg, PA.

Week's Favorite. Daughter Allegra vacationed at another town on the fabulous NJ shore, Seaside Heights. She captured this gull who is dutifully keeping off the dunes. Have a great week all!

The Weekend Roundup 'T'

Finally it is a nice Spring day - but before I go outside to enjoy the day, it's time to participate in Tom's fun photo meme The Weekend Roundup. There are a number of subjects beginning wit today's letter, so let's begin...

Starts with 'T' includes the old Traymore Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. I don't know why, but Grandpa took lots of photos of the long gone stately resort. The top is 1949 or 1950, the middle from 1956 and with Aunt Terry in 1969.

Here is a Tree at Trinity Cemetery in Seymour CT.

And here is a Tractor at Bomba Farm also in Seymour after a harvest.

Tall. T'is not the season but here is a Tall-ish Christmas tree next to Ansonia's City Hall a few years ago. It looks nice on that cold evening. Have a great week!

The Weekend Roundup 'J'

After missing a week without participating in Tom's fun meme The Weekend Roundup, I am back! Happy to be here with a letter that offers a few challenges...challenges

Begins with 'J'. My heritage includes my birth state, New Jersey. My dad, on the left was a reporter for the Atlantic City Press in 1955 and is shown here with the very famous comedy team of Dean martin and Jerry Lewis. I assume the entertainers were between acts in Atlantic City. It is so cool that he got in the picture!

Since we are on the New Jersey shore, how about a family portrait in Brigantine in 1969? This is all the children of my father (7) and my Aunt Terry (6). Grandma and Grandpa are on the lower right. i'm wearing the gold blazer and a turtleneck in the summer heat - odd...NJ beach vacations were the best!

Here we are in 2000 crossing the George Washington Bridge heading toward New Jersey. Someone else took the pic while I was driving :)

Taken in 1982, the baby is my niece Jessie - a cute baby then and a lovely lady now...

A  Favorite. On a very cold day, Pickett's Pond at Osbornedale State Park in Derby CT. I am not a fan of a chilly winter, but the deep blue sky of the season is lovely indeed. Have a great week all!

The Weekend Roundup 'B'

Ah yes, it is Friday and again time for Tom's fun meme The Weekend Roundup. The second letter of the alphabet is perfect to transport me back to warmer days and seasons - as it is too cold for me in here the Winter (although Southern New England is not nearly as where Tom lives in the Lake Effect Snow Belt of Western NY).Here we go...

First is the Atlantic City Boardwalk through the ages - or decades! Here is, at least it looks like the late 1930s in front of the legendary Steeplechase Pier. That's my Dad, so I'm  guessing it's him at age 11, the summer of 1939.

Here is my dad in the USAAF along with his Dad (aka: Grandpa). He was in the service 1945-1847, so I think this was 1946 on the Boardwalk.

This is 1954, in the Auumn. Grandpa is carrying my big sister  Michele seven months or so (we were only a family of three then). Aunt Terry is in front. There were many visitors on the Boardwalk even out of vacation season!

This is the summer of 1965 and from 6-9 A.M. in those days (pre-casinos), you could rent Bicycles and ride them on the Boardwalk. Six of the seven Villers children are here with Dad.

Finally, this is 1978 and my last trip to the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Here is Grandma in front of the very first Casino that opened after the state of New Jersey approved gambling and before the glass and steel edifices seen today.  I miss the old days as a kid with a briny surf, soft sand and Taylor Pork Roll sandwiches - the best vacations!

Of course another example of the letter 'B' is Bridge, more specifically the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge in New York City. This the way to go to visit our son in Brooklyn. Have a great week!