People on the Street

Terra was waiting for a bus.  She cleans rooms and makes beds at a hotel in Manchester.

I was hoping that she had a sibling named Firma, but her brother is named Brian.

Angela has been an architect for 25 years, specializing in schools.

Being an architect is a tough job these days.  It has not recovered from the recession.

Harvey is a hairdresser and a man of few words.

The theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on June 1 is "Zest."

Madison

Madison cuts hair in the barbershop that I frequent in downtown Hartford.

I had to sweet talk her into letting me take a photograph,

but I think she likes the one I chose.

(That is James Dean behind her.)

In person I was guessing that Madison would best be rendered in black and white,

but I like the color version better.  What do you think?

This post is linked to Weekend Reflections.

The theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on June 1 is "Zest."

Dahlia

On a recent walk in downtown Hartford, Dahlia matched me

stride for stride.  Dahlia is a waitress in the club zone.

No, her siblings are not named for flowers.

The theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on June 1 is "Zest."

Classic Cars

Parades bring out the classic cars.

The theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on June 1 is "Zest."

Memorial Day Parade

The Honor Guard.

This veteran was tossing candy to the kids watching the parade.
Kind of echoes the martial arts person in the poster, eh?

Maybe this young man is tired of having Mom take his picture!

It wouldn't be a West Hartford parade without Rob the Drummer joining one of the high school bands.  Rob is a music educator who teaches local kids to play the drums.  He travels the country with his message for kids to pick up instruments instead of drugs and alcohol.

The theme for City Daily Photo bloggers on June 1 is "Zest."

Memorial Day

This is the day America honors the men and women

who gave their lives in service to their country.

Revolutionary War Re-enactment

Yesterday, people in the garb of the 1770s -- and their horses -- descended on Wethersfield.

(Someone needs to guard those horses!)

American patriots fired on British soldiers.

The brave Americans suffered some casualties, too.

For poor New England farmers resisting British tyranny, the soldiers all seemed 

pretty well dressed and pretty well fed.

Sebastian

Sebastian has been my Hartford barber for two years.  He bought the shop where Tony cut my hair for more than thirty years.  Sebby is a second generation American, with strong ties to his

ancestral Italy.  He has applied for a grant from the arts council to set up his shop

as a gallery for local artists, with rotating exhibitions.

Until he can turn his shop into a gallery, posing Sebastian in front of racks with
men's magazines works, don't you think?

Welcome Back to Elizabeth Park Daily Photo

It is too late for spring bulbs in Elizabeth Park, and too early for annuals and roses.

But, the greenhouses are full of annuals that will be planted soon.

Back in Connecticut

I am glad I was away and missed the winter storms, but I am equally glad not
to miss all of springtime's gifts to New England.

Like Japanese maples.

And pink dogwood trees.

And white dogwood trees.

Heading North: Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Southeastern Pennsylvania seemed like a convenient place to stop on the road north. 

One hundred years ago, Pierre DuPont bought 1,000 acres in Kennett Square.

He installed many acres of gardens and other features, including an outside

theater complete with fountains programmed to put on shows.

The conservatory itself covers four acres with tropical plantings.

It also houses a massive organ with more than 10,000 pipes.

In many polls, Longwood Gardens is the best public garden in the USA.

Some rank it best in the world.

Priscilla is a cancer survivor.  She was resting on a bench when I walked past.  She led me on a

tour of some of her favorite parts of the park, including a series of waterfalls and a bell tower.

How many times have I allocated two or three hours to tour a new place and learned that I should have taken at least a day or maybe an entire weekend?  Yup.  Did it again!

Heading North: Beaufort, South Carolina

Marshes, piers and estuaries dot the Low Country.

Beaufort is a beautiful old city in the Sea Islands of South Carolina. 

Beaufort has many lovely pre-Civil War houses.
Secessionists are honored down here.

Many of those houses have been converted into inns.

Some remain private homes.
Don't you love that gnarled, sculptural tree?

Heading North: Savannah, Georgia

This is a typical Savannah house with a heavy ironwork railing.

Hundreds (maybe thousands) of people get up early on Saturday mornings, run around the streets, 

and let other people splash them with colored paints.  Strange people, these Georgians.

I waited for Janie to walk into the scene with the monument to General Nathaniel Greene (from Rhode Island).  

Janie graduated from college and moved to Savannah three months ago.  She got a job at a mortgage company and thinks life is great!

Juliette Gordon Low -- founder of the girl scouts -- was born in this house in 1860.

I walked around the city until the sun was low in the sky and the camera battery died.

Sweet!

Norman Love Confections has two shops, 

one in Fort Myers and one in Naples.

A man needs fortifications for a long drive.

Golf

Why would any half-way intelligent person play an insanely difficult game like golf?

Because golf courses are consistently beautiful.

Because, even when you hit your ball behind a tree, the phone still won't ring, 

and no one will come to you with a huge real world problem.

Because you will be outdoors for four hours on a wonderful day.

Because you will be with three other people 

with whom you want to spend the time.

Because each game is new.  

And you might play better than the last time.

(But you probably won't.)

Because you sometimes come home with good stories.

Well, the time has come, and I have played my last game of Florida golf for the season.
I have started driving north.   Have a good weekend, everyone.
See you tomorrow from along the way and then from Connecticut.