Plant
Cris thought this was a clematis, but upon looking at pictures that are online, I am quite sure it is something else. In any event, it was outside all summer and appeared to be totally dead. I moved it into the shade and watered it regularly and it came back. / It is an appropriate flower, as earlier this morning I went to the doctor and was informed that I had “pink eye”. I almost laughed when he told me, as I don’t think I have heard those words since elementary school. It is still kind of fun to say….pink eye. It is a total drag though; certainly not a good condition for a photographer. He gave me some drops and I hope it starts clearing up soon. / The picture in the background is my mom and was taken in 1956 in Lermoos, Austria. Here’s a link to a previous post about that trip.
Milkweed
When I was a kid we used to call these milkweed pods and after doing a search I found this . It is a pretty cool plant. When they pop open lots of fluffy white stuff comes out and is blown along with the wind. We used to pick them when they were at this stage and open them up.
Something New
This post is a way to jump-start my brain. I have been so preoccupied with Peter that it has been difficult to concentrate on anything else. It feels great to be focusing on photographs again. None of these pictures seem so interesting on their own, but together reflect what’s been going on for the past month.
Above is Tom Schack’s birthday cake from the now infamous “Schackstock” at Snowzies in Sunderland. Bands started playing at 1 pm and things shut down at closing time. His Mom, Dad, and Sister were there as well as lots of his friends.
He is just about the nicest guy in the world, and was really enjoying himself.
This flower starts showing up partway down the drive in early August.
When I was shooting the Tilghman project in August I made sure to visit Miss Pigsley. She lives down the street from Jennifer, has an air conditioner in her shed and will never be bacon. I took this for Peter because we are both huge P.G. Wodehouse fans and any stories with Lord Emsworth feature his obsession with “The Empress”. This pig is magnificent and is very happy to have visitors. She used to drink massive amounts of Kool-Aid until the vet put her on a diet.
On the Sunday morning before Peter Carroll and I left the island, we went to the church to document a service. This gentleman was in the pew in front of me.
I have always liked cattails.
When Cris, Pete, and I went to see the Sox in August, the Olympics were going on and this guy was checking out the US Women’s Soccer action. Technology!
I had a hard time getting the white balance right in this shot. I walk past this box on my way to shoot the suitcases. It always reminds me of this Little Feat song.
Going back to Meadville means more than hot dogs and ice cream but two stops are essential; Eddie’s and Hank’s Frozen Custard.
I have been going to Hank’s since it opened in 1952.
Peter loves it too.
There is only one reason to post this photo. It might be the only time you can see Red Sox pitcher Clayton Mortensen at bat in an American League Park. At this point the Sox were up something like 12-1 and I still can’t figure out why Bobby Valentine had him at the plate. Kind of cool though.
When we were at Pymatuning watching the ducks walk on the fishes backs we met the woman I posted about earlier. She was wearing this shirt which got us talking. I’d like to visit sometime.
It is very rare to be in on an historical moment, but I can say I was there when one of my neighborhood friends coined the term “Rat Lake” for the body of water that appeared after the flood control dam was built.
I usually help Thom Kendall out with the photos on media day for the UMASS football team. The new coach is a really great guy. This picture pretty much tells you most of what you need to know about Charley Molnar.
The Pearl out on the deck.
Cris and I went to Amherst Coffee today. I often take a shot of my cappuccino for some reason.
Never one to hide my emotions, I have been mentioning to just about anyone I talk to about my feelings of having Peter off in DC. So many of you have told me that he will be fine, and I want to thank you all for your support. One of the best bits of encouragement came from Leamuse in France as a comment on my earlier post. “Bon courage et bon chance.” Thank you so much; it really helps.
Pond Scum
When I was shooting film, I was a stickler for getting the best image quality out of a negative. I prided myself on shooting Tri-X and being able to make great prints. But I was always open to photographs that had real feeling to them and that might not have been perfectly sharp or in focus. / I have photographed this little pond before. The green algae that shows up in the late summer is such a beautiful color. I took a series of shots last week and since it has been so humid, the lens fogged up when I got out of the air conditioned car. I didn’t notice until I reviewed the image on the lcd screen on the back of the camera, so I wiped off the lens and waited to shoot more until the fog cleared. When selecting a photo to post here, this slightly foggy one looked the nicest. So even though it is a bit soft and diffused, I like it better than the non-fogged, sharp ones. / Also, some purple loosestrife again.
Bulbs
Cris and I planted bulbs in the garden 5 or 6 years ago. The daffodils continue to come up in droves, but this year only one tulip bloomed. I remember reading that tulips don’t last for more than a few years, but we had a pretty good run with them.
I have been keeping an eye on the tulip which initially bloomed about 2 weeks ago. I think the weather conditions this year have been almost perfect for the longevity of all of our flowers. About a week ago I noticed that one petal of our tulip started dropping and today it looked as if it was ready to fall off. It offered a perfect view of the important reproductive bits. I was never good at science in school, but the two words “stamen and pistil” come to mind. Am I even close?
Crow
Cris and I are in Vancouver. She is here for the AERA conference and I am just tagging along. This is a most remarkable city. I am happy that there are lots of crows about. They seem to have displaced the usual pigeons that often dominate cities. There is water everywhere and lots of seagulls but it is the crows that are the most fun to watch. / The weather has been lovely; lots of sun and in the mid to upper 50s which is perfect for walking in Stanely Park.
I was in London a month ago and the magnolia trees were just starting to bloom. Now they are at the same stage here in Vancouver. Everything is popping out. Flowers are everywhere in the city and I am overwhelmed with how beautiful this place is.
Spring in Bishop’s Park London
Peter and I are off to the Cottage for the match between Fulham and Swansea. He’ll be talking to supporters about his project and we’ll see the game. We will walk through Bishop’s park again to get to the ground. It is a bit rainy this morning and not quite as nice as on Thursday when I took this shot. Spring has come a bit early here this year and the trees are really coming out. Can anyone tell me to what tree these buds belong?
Christmas Cacti
As I mentioned in an earlier post, our Christmas Cacti are in full bloom. They were outside all summer and through the autumn. My sister had told us not to bring them in until a hard freeze, so they came in just before the big storm at Halloween. We don’t pay much attention to the house plants; leave ’em out in the warm months, bring ’em in during the winter, and they seem to like it. The rosemary is still outside and looks great. I hope it survives the winter.
Tulip
I bought some tulips over a week ago and they have lasted quite well. They are on their last legs now, but this one opened up nicely. / Both Christmas cacti are flowering as is the rosemary out on the deck. I think the early snow followed by the warm weather has confused the plants.
August Walk
Peter, Pearl, and I had a lovely late afternoon walk today. Goldenrod, cattails, and loosestrife.
It was breezy and cool, and the light was beautiful.
Lots of queen anne’s lace, too.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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