1969 Ford Torino GT
I have been driving past this car for quite some time. Today was a good day to stop and take some photos. Torinos were based on the Fairlane platform and as I learned on wikipedia, the name Torino gradually replaced the Fairlane badge. The ones I really remember are the GT versions of which this is a 1969 example. When I first saw these cars, I thought they were quite ugly, but in time they have really grown on me.
This one is mostly covered in primer, but you can note from the pictures that the original color is still evident in some places.
This blue/green is the only color I can recall on this vintage of the GT model. / There are two Ford Torinos in my past. My college roommate Gail had one our Senior year. I am pretty sure it wasn’t a GT, but it could well have been. I remember her coming back to school from Ridgeway, PA where her family lived and telling me that her dad would give her a few extra dollars to put “a tank of Ethyl” in it. And my friend Paul who now lives in Arizona had a really nice GT that he has since sold. He did a lot of work on it himself and in fact one day he drove it out from Boston and tinkered around with it in my driveway.
So, this one is for sale. Paul? Gail?
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.
Fenway at Night
Peter, Cris, and I went to a Red Sox game last night. It was an absolutely perfect night for baseball; temperature in the mid-70s and a constant light breeze from the south. In the bottom of the first, Carl Crawford hit a double off the monster and was then picked off second when he wandered a bit too far from the base. That pretty much sums up the season. It has been a tough year for the club. But still, baseball on a beautiful summer’s evening. Can’t be beat (unlike the Sox who lost 6-3).
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.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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