Red Barn

A newish red barn sits in a field on North Salem Road in Ridgefield.

Daylily Season

One of my favorite times of the year in New England, when the weather is 

warm but not yet stifling and daylilies delight the eyes.

Ice Cream

You scream.

We all scream for ice cream.

The Hickories

The Hickories is a small 40-acre family-owned organic farm in Ridgefield.

A lot of the produce is sold on a CSA (community supported agriculture) model, under which local people pay an annual fee and, in season, are entitled to a weekly allotment of the produce.

No Point

The index finger of the Noah Webster statue in West Hartford Center has broken off.

Sunday in the Park

On a sunny Sunday, Elizabeth Park is guaranteed to be crowded.

Grandpa is head over heels in love with his first grandchild.

Well-dressed seniors.

I knew she would find some roses to match her hair.

A member of the wedding party trailed the group, lost in her own thoughts.

One of the many couples posed for their photographer.

Travelers Championship

The sun finally came out.  So I went to TPC Players Highland, a golf course 10 miles south of Hartford, to watch some of the best golfers in the world at the Travelers Championship.
Cameras used to be prohibited.  Now, silenced iPhones are OK.

Bubba Watson, a two-time winner of this tournament, is very popular.  He won last year.  Bubba is a leftie with a very unusual finish to his swing.  It works for him.  This was on the 10th hole.

A more textbook finish from a right-handed golfer.

The golfers have a pretty view as they walk down the 10th fairway.

11th green.

The tee for the 15th hole is elevated.

The sixteenth hole is a par 3 over water to a small green.

On the 17th hole, Bubba Watson hooked a shot short and left, into high grass on the hillside.  

The spectators parted to give him room to swing.

K.H.Lee got it to the 17th green from an awkward lie in the high grass, well below his feet.

Lee's playing partner, Nick Whatney, hit a good shot out of the sand. 

Kade

She was sitting alone in a quiet corner of the coffee shop.  She had a striking, individualistic look.

So, I asked if I could photograph her.

Kade Henderson is a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and she was Miss Black New York in 2015.  Kade has a head-spinning variety of gigs:  web design, radio, fashion, "brand alchemist and digital marketing strategist."

Lovely young woman.
Nice, hard working person.

Wet !

I brought Quebec's rain back with me.  Sorry!
So, what can I do?  Photograph rained-upon plants.

My yard is shaded, so I plant a lot of hosta.

And hydrangea.

Coleus are a good solution in a shady yard.  I make up eight or nine mixed pots.

And a neighbor's day lilies were out very early and very colorful.

Blooming But Battered

It is near peak bloom in the Elizabeth Park rose garden.  But, rain has been heavy and the blooms

took a beating.  It won't take much more than three or four sunny days to recover.

Even with recent rain and more in the forecasts, the garden was full of visitors.

Out of the Jurisdiction: Last Morning in Quebec

After days of rain and then very cloudy days, the last morning was gorgeous.  I walked.

Hôtel-Dieu de Québec is a teaching hospital affiliated with Université Laval.  It was started by Augustinian sisters in 1640 on a site across the street from my hotel.

The cafes had not yet put their chairs out.

City Hall is a striking building on a very steep hill.

A cafe I photographed at night was equally colorful on a sunny morning.
A lady in red stationed herself at the right spot.

And, everyone who goes to Quebec ends up photographing 

Chateau Frontenac, now a Fairmont hotel.  So, here is my photo.

One fine gentleman worked on his tan.

Back to Connecticut.

Out of the Jurisdiction: Art and Landmarks

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec has a big and beautiful special exhibition of

works by the Spanish artist, Joan Miró.

And a roof deck garden, nicely designed with sculptures and succulent plants.

The half hour walk back into town passed churches, fine homes, government buildings
 (including the Quebec Parliament building) and tons of statues.

This grouping on the lawn of Parliament honors four women instrumental

to gaining the vote for women and serving in office.

I would have taken a ride in a horse drawn carriage, but I needed the exercise.