Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Landscape




The Morning of Memorial Day:


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


~~~

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?

~~~

Monday, May 30, 2011

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:



Sunday, May 29, 2011

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???

~~~

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Thursday, May 26, 2011

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


~~~

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

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.


~~~

Monday, May 23, 2011

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


~~~

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Hello




Can you hear me?


Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Bruce Barone.



for pgt


~~~

Saturday, May 21, 2011

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?

~~~

Friday, May 20, 2011

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!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Mittineague Park




at the park down the street from where we live


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


~~~

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

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.

~~~

Sunday, May 15, 2011

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?


~~~

Saturday, May 14, 2011

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?

~~~

Thursday, May 12, 2011

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.



~

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

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?


~~~

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Saturday, May 7, 2011

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.

~~~

Thursday, May 5, 2011

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! 

~~~

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Monday, May 2, 2011

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

~~~

Sunday, May 1, 2011

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.

~~~

An Anniversary

  Valentine's Day is around the corner and I like to share with you a love story. Fourteen years ago on February 9, Susan and I met at t...