In Remembrance

Memorial Day is more than a day off and a bar-b-que,
it is a time to remember the brave men and women
that fought the fight and gave their all,
so that we may proudly and freely show our colors.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

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There's One In Every Family

It was a lovely day for a swim but as usual, little Harriet,
had to complain about something!

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Home Sweet Home

Evening Window

"When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure;
when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home."
~Thorton Wilder

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No Rooms At The Inn

The Old Inn
Chester, Massachusetts

Decked out in buntings for a recent town celebration, time stands still at the old Chester Inn. No longer in operation, I believe it dates back to the 1800's, although I have not been able to confirm that information.

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For more reflections from around the world, please visit James at
Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

I'm Late...I'm Late...

The real eye catcher in the yard of the house on Main Street was this amazing clock next to the gate. It seemed suspended in a tree and reminded me of something from Alice in Wonderland.

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Beyond The Gate

The first thing to catch my eye in the yard of the house on Main Street (yesterday's post), was this rusty train engine perched atop a flower urn. The engineer appears to be a cat and the green glass domes are actually vintage telephone insulators. An inverted, wire plant hanger has been placed over the smoke stack.

Maybe this is some sort of homage to the Chester Railway Museum, which is an important part of the town's history.

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This Old House

Main Street
Chester, Massachusetts

Several unique objets d'art graced the front yard of this home.
I will share a few with you over the next couple of days.

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Ewe Need A Baath...

...and some hair conditioner!

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For more great faces, visit 'Face of the Week' at
Spacial Peepol.

Nubian Pileup

Pick Me!
Ashfield, Massachusetts

Whenever I stop by to take pictures of the kids,
the rest of the herd wants to join in!

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Horses - A Study In Black And White

Sometimes...things are not what we expect.

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In A Barn Window

♫"Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see."♫
~Irving Berlin

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For more reflections from around the world, please visit James at
Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

A Conversation With A Goat

Barney
Ashfield, Massachusetts

Me: "Hi Barney, how are you? You're looking
quite handsome today, and how are the kids?"

Barney: Can I eat your camera?

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EWEphoric

Doris and Shorna
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

I could spend hours and hours taking pictures of sheep,
now that I think about it...I have!

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They Don't Stop Here Anymore

Old Train Station
Unadilla, New York

Each time a train rumbles past, a few more bricks come loose,
another window shatters, and an old engineer sheds a tear.

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A Whole New World?

The other day, storm clouds rolled across the blue sky, then suddenly an opening appeared and sunbeams shot their way to earth. It truly was a sight to behold! When I downloaded the picture, this is what I saw straight out of the camera.

I'm sure there is a logical explanation for the large pink sphere...or have I stumbled upon a 'whole new world'?

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♪♫ Will You Still Need Me ♫♪...

♪♫ Will you still WEED me ♫♪...

♪♫ When I'm ♫♪...

♪♫ 64? ♫♪

A Star Is Born

Bertha

Sam Dolman is a fellow blogger and very talented artist from the UK who specializes in oil paintings of animals and people. I was quite honored recently when he chose one of my cow photographs as the subject of his art.

If you follow my blog, you may remember Bertha from a prior post.

Bertha
Painted by Sam Dolman

Didn't Sam do a wonderful job of capturing Bertha's personality, not to mention her top knot? Please stop by Sam's blog and check out his other captivating creatures.

Thank you, Sam. By the way, Bertha was quite MOOved when she heard the news.

Morning Reflections

Bridge Of Flowers
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

The Deerfield River drifts in slow motion;
a far cry from its turmoil of early spring.

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For more reflections from around the world, please visit James at
Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

Echoes

Chester Railway Station Museum
Chester, Massachusetts

Relax on the bench and close your eyes,
and you just may hear the echo of a bygone year.

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Chicken Of The Sea

Farmer Jeffrey's Hen
Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The real reason the chicken crossed the road
was to get to the ocean on the other side!

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Making The Grade

Freight Train
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

Ever since I was a child in England, where I rode old steam trains with my Grandmother and bicycled with my Dad to see the first diesel engine arrive in Cornwall, I have loved trains.

The freight train in the picture was extremely long, and my first encounter was when it stopped traffic at a railroad crossing in the neighboring town of Charlemont.

I really wanted pictures of the engine, which had already gone by before I got there, so as soon as it had cleared the crossing and the gates lifted, I headed in the same direction as the train hoping to beat it to Shelburne Falls. I made it! With little time to spare, I parked my car and walked down to the tracks...I could hear it coming...then the horn blasted...and there it was...not one but three engines!

The ground shook, I think I did too! The horn was deafening! It was such a thrill I almost forgot to click the shutter! After the last engine passed, I headed back to my car with a smile on my face and a ringing in my ears!

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NEIGHbors

Abner
Cummington, Massachusetts

Romeo, who was in the next stall, was a bit camera shy. If you look through the crack of the door, you can see his mane. After waiting quite some time for him to make an appearance, I gave up. Of course, after I had walked back to my car and started to pull away...he stuck his head out!

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Thinking Of Mom

If a single flower blossoms for each moment that I miss you,
I could walk forever in my garden.

~Happy Mother's Day~

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Lions In The Grass

Dandelion Hill

Cummington, Massachusetts

Through endless 'gold'

I climbed on high,

Reached out my hand...

and touched the sky.

~SRD

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Canada Geese, Eh?

Honkers
Shelburne, Massachusetts

Branta canadensis
our friends, of sorts,
Who arrive in spring
without passports.
~SRD

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For more reflections from around the world, please visit James at

Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

Fries, Shakes and Banana Cream Pie

Miss Flo
Florence, Massachusetts

With its wooden booths, chrome stool lined lunch counter and jukeboxes at each table, the Miss Florence Diner has been part of the local landscape since the early 1940's. In 1999 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

I've always been fond of their old neon sign, oh...and did I mention the Banana Cream Pie?

By the way, it's been twenty to two since the clock stopped, more years ago than I can remember!

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InSPIREd

Florence Congregational Church
Florence, Massachusetts

My first love of photography, way back before digital cameras, was black and white. I still love black and white compositions and I'm not sure why I don't do more of them.

My blogger friend, James at SOMETHING SIGHTED is currently working on a terrific black and white project, and his pictures have inspired me to return to my first love, now and then.

An interesting fact about this church is that the structure is actually black and white. Also, look at the cloud to the right of the spire...do you see the sad face?

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Shooting Turkeys - A Fowl Saga

Substitute Turkey
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

The other day
I took a ride,
My faithful doggy
by my side

We drove by
rivers, fields, and bogs,
In search of pictures
for my blog

Rounding the corner
on an old dirt road,
We watched two turkeys
as they strode

Grabbing my camera
the scene was right,
I had the turkeys
in my sight

Then from the woodlands
came a sound,
And two wild turkeys
left the ground

As light as feathers
in a breeze,
They flew and landed
in the trees

My heart was pounding
my camera set,
This could be
my best shot yet

Then again there came
that annoying sound,
And I turned my head
to look around

I watched and listened
with great scorn,
At speeding car
with blaring horn

Of course the turkeys
left their roost,
And quick as bunnies
they vamoosed

The driver waved
through clouds of dust,
I didn't wave
in fact, I cussed

That honking horn
was just so rude,
It put me
in a fowl foul mood!
~SRD

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A New Kid On The Block

Newton
Ashfield, Massachusetts

Just a few weeks old, Newton is a baby (kid) Nubian goat. The breed was developed in Great Britain of native milking stock and goats from the Middle East and North Africa. The typical Nubian goat is large in size and carries more flesh than other dairy breeds.

The Nubian breed standard specifies large size, markings can be any color, the ears are long, pendulous and floppy and the nose is Roman. The Nubian temperament is sociable, outgoing, and vocal. Because of its elongated ears and sleek body, the Nubian is occasionally nicknamed the "Lop-Eared Goat" or "Greyhound Goat".

Isn't he a handsome little fella?

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Nubian goat information found on the internet.

For more great faces, visit 'Face of The Week' at
'Spacial Peepol'.

Just Out Of Reach

Cherry Blossoms
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

This branch, laden with blossoms stretches over the side of the Bridge of Flowers and appears to balance on the reflection of the neighboring iron bridge.

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Pardon Me, But There's A Cow On Your Roof

The Old Creamery
Cummington, Massachusetts

This little country store features locally produced, organic goodies, a coffee shop and a deli serving yummy lunches. Down the narrow isles you will discover a varied selection of herbs, wine and all natural cleaning products.

It's a fun place to visit, you may even say it's an 'udderly mooving' experience. Okay, I can hear the groans from here!

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