Welcome! I hope I bring a spot of calm and happiness into these uncertain times. I blog about my photography adventures, flowers, gardening, the importance of chocolate in a well lived life, or anything else on my mind.
I don't know if I've shared Halloween memories from my childhood but, if not, here goes:
My childhood was in the late 50's and early 60's. I grew up in an apartment building in New York City, and we would come home from elementary school, change into our costumes, and trick or treat in our building. We didn't have to brave the cold.
I can still remember the joy of chocolate and lollipops (especially Tootsie Roll lollipops), and the disappointment of candy corn.
Fun fact, did you know that candy corn was originally called "chicken feed" and was marketed for Christmas? No, neither did I until earlier this year.
The days are getting shorter, the end of Daylight Saving Time is right around the corner (Sunday at 2am) and we are into the last two days of October.
What was the beauty of fall just a few days ago.
Blue sky and colored hills October 18.
Our scarecrow contest is gone (I announced the winners on Saturday) and, immediately after the contest ended, workers started to erect lights for the Holiday Light Display. Some of the scarecrows were still up, with workers erecting light displays nearby. You can barely see some of the structures here.
A better look at one of the light displays. Not lit, of course. Clash of the seasons. Out with scarecrows, in with the season of lights.
As we close in on the last days of October here are some sights of the season.
Found Sunday in Otsiningo Park in Binghamton, New York. Someone left a random pumpkin in this scenic spot. There were two other pumpkins nearby. I suspect these were part of displays for the Scarecrow contest that ended Thursday. I'm sure the wildlife will enjoy these.
This was nearby.
Big pumpkins/small pumpkins at a farm stand. Those big pumpkins were big.
Speaking of wildlife, here's an Eastern chipmunk (right center) preparing for its winter torpor. Fun fact, chipmunks do not hibernate. They gather food in their burrows or nests and enter a semi-hibernation state, where they will occasionally eat.
Meanwhile our Northern cardinals stay colorful all year. I wish I could zoom in better with my iPhone. The red male Northern cardinal is sitting on the fence.
I have to prepare for winter, but right now I'm spending some time raking leaves. Here, this is an annual ritual.
Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers. We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most
welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video,
please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".)
Every
other week, we have a theme. On alternate weeks, we can blog on any
music theme we want. This week's theme is "Freedom of Choice"
In the past week, there have been two inductions into rock and roll heaven. Well, maybe not rock and roll for the first and third, but I'm going for it anyway.
Singer and two time Grammy Award winter noted for pop, big band, and jazz Jack Jones died October 23 from leukemia at the age of 86. He was noted for songs such as "Wives and Lovers", "Lollipops and Roses", "The Race is On" and "The Impossible Dream". His father, Allan Jones, had his own hit with a song called "Donkey Serenade", which was recorded on the day Jack Jones was born. But if there was this one song that made him famous, it was this one:
If you watched a TV show in the late 70's- early1980's called The Love Boat, you'll remember this theme song. I never knew there was a long version. Here is the Love Boat Theme
It became so famous that Jones performed for a time on cruise ships. He also performed extensively in Las Vegas.
One other song, from 1966. Jack Jones covered the song The Impossible Dream, from the Broadway show Man of La Mancha. I'm not sure if this is the version I remember, but I fell in love with the song the first time I heard it.
Now, it's the turn of Phil Lesh, founding member, song writer, and bassist for the Grateful Dead, who passed away October 25 at the age of 84. Lesh had battled health problems, including a couple of cancers, for years, but toured almost until the end. His last concert was this past July. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family.
Here is Phil Lesh at one of the last concerts he played at, with the song Sugar Magnolia.
Finally, actress, singer and dancer Mitzi Gaynor passed away October 17 at the age of 93. The cause of death was given as natural causes.
She may be best known for her role in the 1958 movie South Pacific.
I was introduced to the music of South Pacific at the sleep away camp I went to. The campers put on a musical theater performance toward the end of each session and South Pacific was one of them. I can still remember a couple of the songs.
This is one of them - I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy.
And that's a wrap!
Before I go, I invite you to visit Jingle Jangle Jungle and a month of Rocktober music, hosted by our very own Mary, who joins us on occasion. You 'l be glad you did. I apologize for not giving some love to her Rocktober series before now.
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
(A side note: if you have been following my posts on the Otsiningo Scarecrow Contest, the winner will be announced later today. I'll try to have it up Saturday).
For this last October skywatch of 2024, the word is "yellow".
I'm sitting outside, looking at golden Norway (I think) maples in my neighborhood, and writing my blog post.
All this week, except for yesterday, the weather was gorgeous where I live in the Southern Tier of New York: beautiful foliage, near record temperatures, blue skies - so unbelievable.
Even yesterday, it was still sunny but colder and breezier. Both yesterday and Tuesday, spouse and I admired the foliage. Here are some highlights.
Clouds coming in.
Goose flotilla on pond.
I took some reflection photos.
Lots of yellow.
Blue sky, colored hills.
I have other foliage pictures but this is Skywatch Friday not Fall Foliage Friday - maybe another time.
Pro tip: "when you have a doctor's appointment that is hard to move, don't go somewhere else first".
We in the Southern Tier of New York have had an incredible stretch of weather (which will end tonight, as all things weather eventually do), with near record breaking temperatures and no frost. And clear blue skies. Day after day.
Before the doctor's appointment, I decided, since it was such a nice day, that I wanted to go down to the Vestal Rail Trail and take a short walk, maybe a mile and a quarter. Spouse suggested the end near a historic structure called the Vestal Coal House because there were benches near the parking lot. His plan was to sit in the sun and relax.
Surprise: the benches were gone. So he stayed in the car, listening to the radio and running the fan.
I walked for about 20 minutes, returned, and got in the car. We planned to go home, have lunch, and go the doctor's appointment. He turned the car on.
Or, shall we say, he tried to turn the car on.
It wouldn't start.
Uh-oh.
His guess was, the battery was dead. It was six years old, so that also made sense.
We called AAA, the American Automobile Association. We've been members for years. It's been years since we used our membership for their road service.
The service said, about 45 minutes.
So we had to postpone the doctor's appointment. We waited in the beautiful sunshine for the truck to come.
A tow truck came out and the driver tested the battery and starting system. It was the battery. Zero voltage.
At least it died there and not in the middle of nowhere.
I looked at a bed of flowers nearby while the driver tested our vehicle. Here, you can see that the snapdragons were still in bloom.
As it happens, this towing service carries batteries in their trucks. AAA batteries, no less. The driver sold us one and installed it. There is a six year warranty, covered by AAA. Who knew?
While we waited, I took some pictures.
I have never seen dusty miller bloom before, but here it is, blooming alongside the above snapdragons.
One thing we did find out from the tow operator is that AAA, for their basic plan (the one we have) charges you if the tow is over three miles. Fortunately we didn't have to get towed.
We got home safely.
Hurray for AAA.
Want to see more fall color? Join me tomorrow for SkywatchFriday.
This is the last day of the Scarecrow Contest at Otsiningo Park in Binghamton, New York. And, we are at the peak of fall color.
So I went back to the park to take some updated scarecrow pictures.
Saturday, I posted a picture of the Justice for Aliza scarecrow. I hope to never, ever see a scarecrow like this ever again. As I explained Saturday, Aliza Spencer was a 12 year old girl murdered in 2022 walking in her neighborhood with two family members. No suspects have ever been arrested. This picture is a little different than Saturday's, though. Take a look at the sign that says "15".
Someone perched a decorative male Northern cardinal on the sign. Many people believe that Northern cardinals have spiritual symbolism. Some believe angels are near. Others believe cardinals bring comfort for grieving families.
Strangely, after typing this last paragraph outside on my laptop, I looked up and a male Northern cardinal was sitting on my back yard fence.
But on a lighter note, here's a couple of more. I had included a picture of firemen scarecrows from a local volunteer fire department. This time I decided to photograph it from the back.
We are at peak or near peak color where I live in the Southern Tier of New York.
It's true that people don't come to our area. It's true that you can enjoy better color in places like Vermont. But, on the other hand, there are no traffic jams here. You just cruise roads just a few miles from your house.
Here is some color from yesterday.
Sorry about the glare streak. That's what happens when it's a sunny day.
It was another spectacular day, with temperatures in the 70's F (23ish C). Again, some of my photos had to be discarded, but no matter. I was grateful for being able to leave work early and take this drive with my spouse.
So, thank you for coming along with me. Here's your reward from our local annual Scarecrow contest - a couple of colorful entries.
Lucky 13? CHOW is a local food bank run by Catholic Charities. There is such a great need out there.
Finally, an entry from Ametek, a worldwide company with a presence in Binghamton, New York.
Tomorrow is the last day of the Otsiningo Park Scarecrow Contest, and I'll hopefully have a few more pictures tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday.
Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers. We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most
welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video,
please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".)
Every
other week, we have a theme. On alternate weeks, we can blog on any
music theme we want. This week's theme is "Pick a song or build a playlist of your songs opposite to what you usually listen to."
Well, it's a fact. Too many of us get into musical ruts. We listen to the same genres, day after day. So today, it's time to break free.
Actually, as a co-host of Music Moves Me, I have listened to various participants and their selections, which can differ from my usual listening. And that's not a bad thing! But I do have my preferred genres, and I rarely listen to songs outside of them.
I got to thinking about some other genres and it turns out there are songs from each of them that I do like. It's just that I don't listen to them, so here's my chance to showcase some of them.
First up, country music. As I scrolled through a Rolling Stones article "The 200 Greatest Country Songs", I realized I had heard a fair number of these songs. Today, my first choice is Dolly Parton (because I admire her as a human being in addition to being a great artist and businessperson), with her song Jolene from 1974. Some consider this the best country song of all time.
Next: Hip-hop music. Considering that I lived just a
handful of miles from the iconic apartment building on Sedgwick Avenue
in the Bronx where hip-hop originated, I owe it to its fans to pick a
good song. As it happens, there are a number of hip hop/rock
collaborations with rockers. One that immediately comes to mind is 1986's Walk this Way,
Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith. OK, it is a cover of a rock song from 1975 featuring the original artist, but never mind that.
Next up is gospel music. I immediately thought of a crossover song from 1967 by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, which became a hit in 1969. This is a modern arrangement based on a 1755 hymn written by Philip Doddridge. In turn, the Edwin Hawkins version was covered by the Four Seasons in 1970, and also many other artists. Here are the Edwin Hawkins singers. If this interests you, here is an article on the song.
Last but not least is pop, and I will use this space to pay tribute to Liam Payne of One Direction, who died Wednesday at age 31. The death was caused by a jump from a third floor balcony in Argentina. Sadly, it appears Payne had trouble with both alcohol and suicidal thoughts.
After listening to the two songs I selected, I am saddened that I had never listened to this group.
First, a song (above) co-written by Liam Payne. Here's 2014's Fireproof.
Second, and my last selection for today, is 2012's Little Things.
And that's a wrap.
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
Please enjoy some of these shadow pictures from a local fall foliage drive yesterday. The skies were a deep blue today - so nice to escape fall gloom for a few days.
There were red trees, too, but somehow the best shots I got were yellow.
More yellow.
The sunlight made for great shadows, but enough of my pictures were unusable due to glare.
The annual Otsiningo Park scarecrow contest is drawing to a close. The voting (and displays) end October 23. Here, for your enjoyment, are several more pictures, mostly from various non-profits.
Feast (the three figures on the right are from another display but they look nice together).
And one final one that is so sad....
A sad scarecrow I hope I never have to see again is a symbol (to me) of all unsolved murders. 12 year old Aliza Spencer was out for a walk with her family on April 21, 2022 in Binghamton and was killed by one single small caliber bullet. Even the FBI has become involved in the murder investigation but, as of today, no one has been charged.
They were just a block from their house.
The Justice for Aliza scarecrow has become a fixture at this scarecrow festival.
May this murder be solved, may the killer be brought to justice, and may there be a resolution to her grieving family.
Hopefully, I'll have the winning scarecrow to you later this week.
So
B
