The Weekend Roundup - 'C'

The heat and humidity of July has made it to Southern New England, but being this day it is time for Tom's fun meme The Weekend Roundup. Here is my eclectic mix for the week.

Given the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, I offer a look at the last person to walk on the moon in 1972 - astronaut Gene Cernan in 1966. When Dad worked at then United Aircraft, they built rocket engines (note the Pratt & Whitney Eagle logo on the motor). The boy is not me in this publicity photo:) The days of pioneers made of the right stuff seem to be fading 40+ years later...

Another view from 1966 is Grandpa at the impressive Garden of the Gods outside Colorado Springs, Colorado. I visited this park a couple of decades later and the balancing rock there is amazing! 

How about Contrails? Our patio in Ansonia sits under the flight path from JFK Airport in New York City. The large number of originating flights to Europe each evening fly overhead when the winds are favorable. Given its location, this big twin (777, A330 or 787) took off from Runway 4 Left at JFK. Despite the orientation of the pic, it is actually going up, not down (yes, I am being true to my Airhead self :)

Shadow Shot Sunday - Soft Shadowy Steeples

The sultry summer gives us longer days and warmer evening shadows. So for Shadow Shot Sunday 2, hosted by MMT, we are aa the small town green of Derby CT. And like most old traditional New England greens, they were surrounded by churches. Immanuel St. James Episcopal Church from 1843 is clad in stone and the imposing 1894 brick Derby United Methodist Church looks softer in the light and shadow of the impending sunset. The shadows are divinely inspired it would seem...

The Weekend Roundup - 'B'

The second letter of the alphabet is the prompt this week for Tom's fun meme, The Weekend Roundup. The consonant  'B' offers many eclectic choices of photo to post about...

Here is the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. My brother Chris, a resident of the Beehive State, captured this while on his way to Nevada. The annual Speed Week will be held in August. In 1970, a land speed record run here was 630 mph / 1015 kmH - the wide flat surface is made for speed!

How about a Bevy or Bunch of Buicks? In this oft-used photo in this Steubenville parking structure in 1955, three Buicks are parked in the top row with the toothy chrome grilles, (L-R) a 1954, a 1950 and 1951 Buicks...

Our family often vacationed in Brigantine, New Jersey. Here are all the Villers on the Beach, July 1969.

Finally, and a Favorite is a Blue Jay on our gutter. They may be screechy but so good looking! Have a great week all!

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!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Peaceful

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 brings the viewer to the solitude and quiet countenance of the water almost overwhelms - but is actually gentle on the senses. The reservoir at Witek Park in neighboring Derby is only 5 or so minutes away from the suburban neighborhood tracts, but feeling almost a world away... 

The Weekend Roundup - 'Z'

The 26th and last letter of the English language is upon us. Thus, it is a perfect time to contribute to Tom's fun meme, The Weekend Roundup. As with many other letters and subjects, I've taken a few liberties with this week's prompts...

When flapping its wings, a Bumblebee goes BUZZ. Patti found this busy bumblebee gathering pollen in shrubbery in our front yard.

Cats, by their very nature sleep a lot - so plenty of Zzzzzzs I'd say...

Zero. A liberty I've taken with Zero is this picture of Grandpa under the Zero minus 4 sign - that is, -4°F / -20°C. This is Fargo ND, 1970.

Week's Favorite. Daughter Allegra was in Prospect Park in Brooklyn NYC. She captured this nice view of the Soldiers and Sailors Arch on a beautiful evening. I guess the plane above is on its way to Runway 4 at Laguardia Airport - Allegra and I spent time looking at a map later to see. An interesting daddy and daughter activity :)

The Weekend Roundup 'X'

Tom's fun meme The Weekend Roundup has as it's prompt this week that unusual letter 'X' which offers challenges but I managed to find an excellent 'X' and I'm stretching the letter to use for another...

Here is a pair of the 24th letter of the alphabet. A commuter train passes Division St. in Derby, CT. If the gate doesn't get your attention, the Railroad Crossing 'X' signs should also help...

Now here are other uses of today's letter...Linus is X-tra tired and Rosa Mina in Ansonia serves up X-tra tasty food (with X-tra garlic too :)

Week's Favorite. We are at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers in Derby under the Route 8 Commodore Hull Bridge as the sunset blazes above. Have a great weekend and Father's Day!