Ridgefield Library

The hallway of the lower level of the Ridgefield Library recognizes donors in the most library-like way.

Trish Wend

 The Ridgefield Library shows art of local artists in the corridor of the library's lower level.

The exhibition that ended yesterday was perhaps two dozen oil paintings by Ridgefield artist Trish Wend.

What seemed unusual to me about Wend's paintings is that they actually look like things!

Wend is unapologetically a representational painter.  Her flowers look like flowers.  Her vases and ginger jars look like vases and ginger jars.  Radical for an artist in 2021, I know.

Town Hall

 The town government stays in the holiday spirit in Ridgefield.

The Old Homestead

 

We had a quick trip to West Hartford on Friday.  The homestead of 40 years looks good.

Holiday Train Show

 Yesterday the daughter and son-in-law treated the family to a visit to the annual Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden.  Fascinating!  There are 175 small buildings beside the tracks, made of natural materials, with model trains continuously running past.

The train show exhibition is in the Enid Haupt Conservatory at NYBG.

Old Penn Station

Grand Central

Part of an assemblage of 19th century buildings in New York City.

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.

New York Public Library.

The railroad station in Bedford, New York, a popular commuter station.

New York City Hall.

A four year old photographer is working on her portfolio.

The Fountain Again

Ridgefield's symbol, the Cass Gilbert Fountain, is festive in the holiday season with a host of bright red poinsettias and red and gold balls under its winter glass case. 

 Looking across Main Street at the display is the town's newest inn, the Fountain Inn.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

We are ready for Santa.  The girls were jumping and screaming with excitement.

These days at least one girl will be hiding from the camera or making faces.  Sigh.

I'm sure Santa visited where you are.  Merry Christmas!

Lights!

 The people of this town love to decorate their homes and businesses for the holidays.  A competition for best decoration raises money for various town activities.  I drove around to see some of the competitors.

Our neighbors have won in previous years and, once again, won the 2021 competition.  Their display stays on 24/7.  I showed it on November 30, while the display was still being completed.  

Here is their final and winning product.  The display is extensive, filling the whole yard, including 40,000 bulbs in many lit trees and lights along the stone wall in the front.  This is just the central part.

My daughter tells me that next year I will have to up my game so I don't pale so much in comparison.

Ho Ho Ho!

 A pediatric dentist on Main Street is nicely decorated for the holidays.

Main Street

 Back in Ridgefield, Connecticut, for the holidays.  Main Street looks wonderful.

Happy Holidays

 The elegant entry of a Naples house is enhanced for the holidays with a pair of wreaths.

Old 41

Old 41 is the main drag in Bonita Springs.  Much of it feels like 1950.

 

Several buildings have murals promoting the town.  Have I shown them before?  I don't remember.  Probably.  Sorry  . . .

Linked to Monday Murals.

Convent Church

 In-person church attendance is plummeting everywhere, but this Presbyterian church on U.S.Route 41 (Tamiami Trail) in Naples amazed me a few years ago by adding the huge wing on the right.  

Now my amazement is doubled as the church adds a matching huge wing on the left.

A Beautiful Gingerbread House

     

Yesterday I showed some details.  Here is the whole gingerbread house in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton.

Gingerbread House

The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Naples has a tradition of making a big, well-decorated gingerbread house in the hotel's lobby.  I went yesterday to see this year's version.  It did not disappoint. Loved the details!

Paddling

Two young women bedecked in Santa hats and Christmas lights paddled toward the start of the Bonita Springs Christmas Boat Parade.

I Think I Will Sit for a While

 A new wide view pool cage was installed last week.

And I just finished planting 85 feet of pollinator friendly plants on the outside, to attract and feed bees and butterflies.  Firebush, salvia, penta, lantana, plumbago.  Some foxtail ferns for a different texture.  And 25 feet of milkweeds on the sides; monarchs eat them to the ground so I gave them less visible spots.

Time for a rest!  Maybe a dip later.

Camera Shy!

This fellow heard me sneaking up on him.  

 

He turned fast and plunged into the water, but not before my camera and I memorialized him.

Red-Tailed Hawk

 Off she goes!

First Presbyterian Church of Naples

 

One block north of Fifth Avenue South, this church on Sixth Street North features fine stained glass.

Budweiser Clydesdales

Budweiser's famous Clydesdale horses are making appearances in Southwest Florida this week.  I went to see them at the Mercato, a shopping center in North Naples.

 

I went around to the staging area at the back of the center.  The horses were led off their trailers, groomed, fitted in their harnesses, and lined up for their procession.

 When the horses were lined up and waiting to begin, they twitched and neighed and looked antsy.

I decided to station myself on the less busy service road between the staging area and the street where the horses would parade.  Once the procession began, the horses stopped fidgeting and were professionals.  

The Dalmatian on the wagon likes the camera.

Cindy

 Cindy has been a hostess at Brio's Italian Restaurant in Naples since it opened fifteen years ago. 

The hosts, bartenders and wait staff at Brio's are required to wear black.   Cindy has an exemption.

New York Yankee Idols

Jay Baker is an exceptionally philanthropic resident of Naples.  There is currently an exhibition at Baker Museum (named after generous gifts from Jay and his wife Patti) of New York Yankee memorabilia collected by Jay Baker.  It was fun to see, although a bit painful for this Boston Red Sox fan. 

Rooms of memorabilia were organized around five Yankees:  Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter.

The Babe Ruth room featured a video of the Babe's farewell ceremony and a photo of him wearing a batting championship crown.

The highlights of Lou Gehrig's room were a photo and video of his memorable goodbye speech ("Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth").

Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio were honored with the plaques that had been placed on Yankee Stadium's center field fence; Mantle insisted that his hero's plaque should be placed higher.

Jay Baker has also collected DiMaggio's 1939 "Sultan of Swat" crown and Mantle's 1962 gold glove (awarded to the best fielders).

Jeter's memorabilia were organized around a wall-sized photo taken at his retirement ceremony.