Half-Moons, revisited

Okay, it isn’t just me.  Half-Moon cookies rock, Black and Whites, not so much.  Check out Sean Kirst’s blog about Half-Moon cookies.  And Happy Halloweenie!

The View From My Dad

Saturday we went to visit the cemetery where my Dad and his parents are “resting.” We like to keep their tombstones very clean – so clean that they sparkle in the sunshine. Unfortunately the people that mow don’t know about the concept of mulching, but instead let the grass go flying all over all of the stones. Which is causing intense problems for many of the stones there. And which is why we clean our family’s stones quite often. Anyway, we totally *love* the view from where my Dad and his parents are lying.

This is looking up at where we grew up – at the top of the trees in the middle where the little jag is, is where we grew up. And we could see for literally miles from up there, out to the deep glacially cut valleys and steep hills.

West of where we lived, looking north, at the glacial hills and valleys. We simply love this land, because it is deep part of us.

There’s many other views we could have captured, but we were really hungry and craving some Bill’s Fish Fry (yes, I know, bad for the body), which was my Dad’s favorite fish dinner.

The view from where we sat inside Bill’s. This view has changed over the years, and I wish we had digital cameras when we were kids so we could do the comparison of past with present. My little bebe is sitting to the left. It needs a bath, and will be getting one today.

Always Interesting – Today, the LONGSTREET Family

I love helping other people with their research at OHA, because sometimes I come across my own family, and I make a mental note to stay after work on a Sat or Sun to look through the information.  This past week I was looking for something, and came across some nice photos of my great-great grandmother’s sister’s husband and child.

Cabinet photo of Byron Longstreet, son of Dr. James Oliver Longstreet and Emily Victoria Seaver
Photo courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association

I love carte de visite and cabinet photographs.  I have a large, unidentified daguerreotype that was handed down through my family to me.  I thought perhaps it may be these two, and now I can do a side-by-side comparison and see if this may be possible.

Cabinet photo of Dr. James Oliver Longstreet.
Photo courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association.

Imagine my surprise when I looked through these photographs and saw names I recognized!

Dr. James Oliver Longstreet
Photo courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association.

Dr. James Oliver Longstreet is also the son of my Great-Grandmother’s aunt. The LONGSTREET surname is a famous one in Onondaga County, and someday (after hours) I’ll do the research into it (there are broken links when clicking on Longstreet due to Ancestry taking over Rootsweb).  So much to do, so little time!  Oh, and I have other stories to tell.  It will take time to gather the info!

Sunset

It’s getting to that time of year (yuck!) when it will be getting dark as I’m driving home.  The other night I stayed later at work and did have to eventually drive home in the dark.  One of the perks is seeing beautiful sunsets, and even though this doesn’t make the whole sky glow, I still like it!

ID of Photographic Prints #2: Planitotype

Notes from class “History and Identification of Paper, Print, and Photographic Processes,” taught by Gary E. Albright at the Rochester Regional Library Council.

Planitotype: 1880-1930, neutral image color, slate gray, can change tone with gold which increased stability, no fading, paper support fades making photo look darker, image can transfer from facing image (one-to-one transfer), expensive.
A true photograph, one layer structure with no binder, no baryta layer. Image lies in top layer of paper, paper fibers are clearly visible, has a matte surface.

Courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association from the Syracuse Camera Club folder.

The unbacked planitotypes I have “handled” are thin and fragile.

Sonnenberg Gardens

On Labor Day we went to Sonnenberg Gardens. I love my blog because I was able to look up the last time I went to Sonnenberg Gardens, and it was over two years ago. That’s just wrong. I usually go at least once a year, if not more.

It’s always fun to start with the trial gardens. I didn’t get the names of anything, just photos:

These are so cool – some kind of ornamental kale:

The beds in front of the conservatory are beautiful, as always:

We went into the Cactus House and saw tons of cactii, but I won’t bore you with all of the photos, just this little one with red fruit:

We moved on into the Orchid House, and I will bore you with a post of the flowers later:

This year, among other things, I focused in on all of the statuary that we saw:

They had a special Hydrangea House display by Wayside Gardens:

I love hydrangeas:

A beautiful lily in the Japanese Garden:

Some beautiful lichen on a rock:

I don’t remember this statue being cleaned up last time I was at Sonnenberg:

This is what is above the statue:

I also don’t remember this one being cleaned up:

I love symmetry:

We used to be able to walk under this one:

The Ice House. Have I mentioned I love my wide-angle lens?

This same photo taken with a regular camera:

The Carriage House:

I love being able to capture the Italian Gardens without having to stitch photos together:

Elevator in the really dark foyer which is as wide as this door – ack!

Ohhh, ahhh, more beautiful statuary:

More cool symmetry:

And just when I was getting ready to take an awesome photo of the entire house, my battery decided it was done, so this was taken with a regular camera:

ID of Photographic Prints #1: Cyanotype

Notes from class “History and Identification of Paper, Print, and Photographic Processes,” taught by Gary E. Albright at the Rochester Regional Library Council.

Cyanotype: 1880-1029, blue image color.
A true photograph, one layer structure with no binder, no baryta layer.   Image lies in top layer of paper, paper fibers are clearly visible, has a matte surface.

Courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association, Photograph Store Image #693, Yates Castle grounds

The cyanotypes I have “handled” are thin and fragile.   Note not to confuse cyanotypes with dyed photos.

Watching the Sky, Woodchuck in a Tree, & More

It’s getting to that time of year again where when I leave for work the sun is just rising, and there have been some gorgeous sunrises this week.

There’s also been some intense cloud action on the way home.

Last night we walked in Mt. Hope Cemetery (in between the rain) and saw a woodchuck hanging out in a tree. We couldn’t believe our eyes, so I took some pics.

I’ve never seen a woodchuck in a tree. What’s the deal with this?

The hyrangea shrubs were beautiful – starting to turn pink.

We saw a couple of owl boxes.

And a tree with interesting burls.

Sassafras saplings just waiting for a hole in the canopy.

Cicada exoskeletons were stuck to various places:

Some of the trees are acting stressed this year, including horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).

Goodbye Explorer, Hello Focus

10 1/2 years ago Ford manufactured an Explorer that I designed just for me and they had to change their line, just for me, because I love driving with a standard transmission.  It’s nothing special, just an Explorer Sport with standard transmission and cruise control (I have a lead foot).  I went to pick it up, and my Dad came with me, because he was always very excited whenever I bought a new vehicle, whether it was used or brand new.  And we went for a long ride.  And every so often over the years, we would go for long rides.

My Explorer never let me down.  Over the last 10 1/2 years I have never broken down with it.  Even last week when it needed a new alternator, it made it home, and to service (they were surprised it did).

Today, I traded in my Explorer using the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program, even though I *really* wanted to keep it for a winter-rat, because it does so well in the snow.  But the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program was really irristable, making one of the high priced cars more in line with what I wanted to pay for a vehicle at this time.

But I’m having doubts, because what will I do when winter comes?  And it comes with intense fiery in NY state.  I’m really worried that I’ve made a mistake.  And my Dad wasn’t around to consult.  Even though I know he would tell me to do what I needed to do.   Buying a new vehicle should be no big deal, but somehow this time it’s different because things aren’t the same all around.  No Dad, the economy sucks, I’ve *never* driven a small car.  In fact, I’ve owned all of four vehicles, now working on my fifth:  a 1975 Maverick (used), a 1979 Thunderbird (used), a 1990 Ranger (new), a 1999 Explorer (new), and now this 2009 Focus (new).

But then maybe I’ll love that this new vehicle is fully loaded (not my request, just give me stick and cruise control), including SYNC and SIRUIS.  Listening to the BB King Bluesville station 74 may settle me down.  Maybe.

Not So Itsy Bitsy

I once again have at least one resident spider hanging around on the outside of my home.   She’s had the most interesting things captured in her web which I’ve seen as I come and go.   She usually runs away before I can photograph her.   But tonight I was able to capture a couple of photos:

You look familiar.

If you weren’t so edgy, I could capture good photos of your many eyes.

She looks like the spider I had here.