Connecticon 2018

This year it was too organized for my taste.  Leaders called groups with the same group identities to pose together.  I liked it better when people milled around and I could pick out interesting characters.

I did get some solo or almost-solo shots.

And, the mandatory, but disliked, staged group shots.

I left.

Red Dress 5K Run for Women

This race supports awareness of heart disease in women  It starts in Elizabeth Park, wanders through the streets in my neighborhood and ends back in the park.  I have shown in every year.

This woman lit up and posed when she saw the camera and the whole group started smiling.

Even runners who have good times need a breather on occasion,  It was kind of hot.

"Fit-ish?"  A lot fitter than just ish.  Trust me.

This family all wear tiaras and run together.  Last year they stopped for their picture.  Nice women.

The Hartford Courant's 2018 girl athlete of the year -- a rising junior in high school -- won the race.  The winner from the last two years came in third, not even two months after having a baby.  Wow.

Fireworks

Bob Crowe of St. Louis Daily Photo recently showed some spectacular fireworks photos and generously shared his technique.  Last night I went to the Hartford fireworks.  I arrived late enough that I had to go to a backup site, the Colt building with its onion dome.  Not perfect.

Some photographs came out decently, though the composition leaves much to be desired.

Try and try again.  Thanks, Bob.

Lavender Pond Farm

Lavender Pond Farm is a four year old lavender farm in Killingworth, 35 miles south of Hartford.

Chris and his wife own the farm.  Chris gives a talk and gives tours of the farm.

The place swarms with honey bees.

I left with four pots of lavender, destined for daughter Susie's garden.

Gillette Castle

William Hooker Gillette was a noted actor around the turn of the last century, famous for his portrayals of Sherlock Holmes.  He built a 24 room mansion in the form of a castle on 184 acres at a promontory high above the Connecticut River in East Haddam.  Today it is a state park.

Titicus Farm

Back in the States.

Titicus is part of Ridgefield, Connecticut.  Apparently Titicus Farm was once a very big property.

Still good-sized by most standards, the house stands on a smaller property today.

The Victorian design is lovely and the condition is impeccable.

Out of the Jurisdiction: Last Morning in London

I made it through the British Museum.



All the schoolchildren in the UK descended on the British Museum.  No air conditioning.
Perspiring pre-teens.  Even the best-mannered kids make lots of noise and emit blasts of heat.
Noise and heat rise, and I was the tallest person around.

Elgin marbles.  Check.  Rosetta stone.  Check.  A few Egyptian and Assyrian kings.  Check.

I'm outta here!

Time to go to a Heathrow hotel for an early flight back to the USA in the morning.