Landscape

The Morning of Memorial Day:

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 30, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

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From Grill to Table

Memorial Day

May 30, 2011

Self Portrait; Chef Bruce. May 30, 2011.

I grilled corn, hamburgers and hot dogs.

I also made Asian Cole Slaw.

Bruce's plate of food.

How was your Memorial Day?

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TAPS

(Note: there are no "official" words to Taps;
below the photo are the most popular.)

TAPS. Memorial Day. West Springfield, MA. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep,
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night,
Must thou go,
When the day,
And the night
Need thee so?
All is well.
Speedeth all
To their rest.
Fades the light;
And afar
Goeth day,
And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well;
Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise,
For our days,
'Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh.

More on TAPS here:  Listen:

Golf with My Son

On Saturday, after working at the photography studio for a few hours, I played golf with my son, Daryl. I hope we can play a few more times this summer before he heads to Austen for grad school at the Univ of Texas. After we played a round, I treated him to his first Martini at the 19th Hole and then he, my daughter, Danielle, and her fiance, Mike, joined Susan and I for a wonderful barbeque. A great day and evening.

Photo by Bruce Barone.

 Family!

~~~

 

 

Cookies!

Here, my little one,

have a cookie.

Photo by Bruce Barone.

A few mornings ago

looking out our study window.

What is your favorite cookie???

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Birds Love Our Backyard Chest-of-Drawers In Which Peas Grow Up From The Bottom Drawer!

Friday Morning;

"I feel pretty,"

the Grackle says.

The Grackle & The Mirror. Photo by Bruce Barone.

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Mittineague Park

Tuesday Evening

at the park down the street from where we live:

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 24, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

You are what you believe.
  – Anton Chekhov

~~~

Shade Tobacco Farm

On my way to the photography studio Tuesday morning:

Shade Tobacco Farm. Southwick, MA. May 24, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Western Massachusetts/The Pioneer Valley/Connecticut River Valley

is famous for its shade tobacco which is used for cigar wrappers.

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Gardening

On Sunday I planted my garden.

Self-portrait. May 22, 2011.

tomatoes, garlic, shallots, eggplant,

Brussels Sprouts, horseradish,

varieties of peppers and lettuce,

dill, basil, arugula, 

parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

apple and chocolate mint

~~~

Hello

Can you hear me?

Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Bruce Barone.

for pgt

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Where I Was On Friday

If you go on working with the light available, you will meet your Master,
as he himself will be seeking you.
  – Ramana Maharshi
and here

Lower Mill Pond. Easthampton, Massachusetts. May 20, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

and

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 20, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Where where you?

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Miss Bateman Clematis

Today, our first Miss Bateman Clematis bloomed.

Last year, she first bloomed on May 5th. But we have had seven consecutive days of rain here in Western Massachusetts and maybe this weather pattern accounts for her tardiness in blooming earlier.

Miss Bateman Clematis. May 20, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Whatever, Miss Bateman is an extremely early bloomer (She was the first large-flowered hybrid to flower for us this year; two years ago, though, she never did bloom.) and is in addition noteworthy for her overall excellence as a garden plant.

Miss Bateman is an heirloom clematis dating to 1869, developed by nurseryman Charles Noble of Surrey, England, from a Clematis patens cross of 'Fortunei' with 'Standishii.' Both of these were spotted by by Robert Fortune growing in Tokyo neighborhoods, who sent them to Charles Noble & John Standish's nursery in the early 1860s. Noble's hybrid was named for Catherine Bateman, the daughter of a famous orchid grower, James Bateman.

She is compact to 8’, with 4- 6" flowers of a creamy white with chocolate-red stamens. When the flowers first open in the cool days of early spring the mid-rib is frequently tinged pale-green but this quickly fades to pure white as the flower expands. Miss Bateman is naturally inclined to have multiple stems and proper pruning of young plants will ensure a full and robust specimen at maturity.

Spring flowering is so heavy as to nearly obscure the foliage. If a good fall display is wanted, it is advised to remove the seedheads as soon as flowering is finished and fertilizing generously, first with an all-purpose fertilizer (20-20-20) and then a blossom-boosting fertilizer. Deadheading is not generally necessary for clematis that flower in spring and fall, but Miss Bateman expends so much energy in the initial flowering that she needs the extra "shot in the arm". Finally, to add to her virtues, Miss Bateman is not only beautiful but also thoroughly reliable. She’s an excellent candidate for the small garden and container culture.

Here is the photo from May 5, 201O;

Miss Bateman Clematis. May 5, 2010. Photo by Bruce Barone.

 

Is Miss Bateman Clematis in your yard?

I would love to hear from you!

Thursday Morning

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Photo by Bruce Barone.

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Mittineague Park

at the park down the street from where we live

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 17, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

~~~

My Very Own Coffee Mug

at the photography studio

where i recently accepted a position

as lead photographer

they gave me

my very own coffee mug

Cream, please; no sugar.

~~~

Rain

Rain has fallen all day here in Western Massachusetts.

Photo by Bruce Barone.

And the day has been beautiful.

Photo by Bruce Barone.

What is the day like where you live?

~~~

It's a Beautiful Day

Hope you are having a beautiful day!

So far today

I mailed 8 11 x 14 prints

to a buyer in New York City,

mowed the lawn,

trimmed a few pine trees, 

and tilled my garden!

Beauty next to our front door. Photo by Bruce Barone.

What have you accomplished today?

~~~

Mittineague Park

Wednesday Evening

The park down the street from where we live

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 11, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

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Field Work

~

Easthampton, Massachusetts. Photo by Bruce Barone.

~

Mittineague Park

The park down the street from where we live.

Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. May 7, 2011. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Is there a park near where you live?

~~~

Birds, Clouds, Wires

Sunday afternoon:

Photo by Bruce Barone.

~~~

Happy Mother's Day

My Mom

Shirley

truly

was

The Ideal

Mom

Happy Mother's Day!

~~~

Daryl Graduates

Yesterday, Friday,

my son, Daryl

graduated

from Northeastern University

Bachelor of Science

Civil Engineering

magna cum laude.

Here he is with his sister, Danielle:

Danielle  and Daryl

What's next for him?

Graduate School

University of Texas

Structural Engineering

Austen, Texas.

Can't wait to visit him!

And Danielle?
(Physical Therapist, Doctor Physical Therapy)

She is getting married

June 25.

~~~

National Prayer Day

Today is

National Prayer Day.

I am giving thanks for all the blessings

in my life.

Yesterday I met with my printer

as I recently sold eight prints

to an artist/art collector

in New York City.

Here is one of the prints:

Photo by Bruce Barone.

What do you give thanks for?

I would love to hear from you!

~~~

If you would like to fill your home with beautiful photographs, or need a portrait,
a wedding photographed
or if you are an interior designer and need photographs of your projects, contact me for a consultation.

Drawing on that degree in Art History, a passion for telling stories, and years working as a portrait and documentary photographer (And owning an Art Gallery) helps me bring a heightened sensitivity to my photography. Let's make the world a more beautiful place! 

~~~

I Believe I can Fly

I am a believer that I can fly.

Photo by Bruce Barone.

And you?

~~~

One Family's Junk is Our Family's Treasure

On Sunday

at curbside

for Monday

garbage

pick-up

a child's school desk

found new life

in our garden

The desk will keep

our chest-of-drawers

found at curbside

last year

or was it the year before

from which we grow

out of the bottom draw

peas

good company

And what about 

the found wheelbarrel

I painted

pink

ah so much depends

upon a pink wheelbarrel

in the garden

with old

croquet set

found at curbside

soon to find a home

in my garden

of flowers 

and vegetables

and the mirror

we bought

five dollars

last week

soon life

of flowers

will fall

from it

a new top

too

a birdbath

purchased 

what 

a few dollars

now bound

to the stand

a family 

of four

birdbaths

in our yard

and speaking

of birds

here

so much

beauty

and what

I know

so much

I have 

learned

from

Tara Dillard

~~~

The Last Day in April

April 30, 2011 in Photographs

Morning at Mittineague Park. West Springfield, MA. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Afternoon Sky. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Neighbor's Shed. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Bruce's Sweetheart, Susan. Photo by Bruce Barone.

Bruce's Kitchen Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke Pizza.

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