It usually the case that in smaller cemeteries, the statuary is molded cement. The icon above is an exception. This marble statue of an angel is nicely done. While it is not on par with many of the statues to be seen in Europe, it is a very nice addition to this city cemetery.
One of the tings that you see routinely in older cemeteries are graves with much more detail than is typically put on a grave marker in modern times. The one above give the age at death right down to the day.
When you are watching something you don't see everyday, you tend to take a lot of repetitive photos. That's what happened to me with this hawk. I kept thinking that he's do something... groom, spread his wings...something more interesting that just sit there.
Naturally, while in Staunton I made a pilgrimage to the Thornrose Cemetery. And what do I see there? A Red Shouldered Hawk! he posed on a nearby tree for som time and gave me a chance to get a few images.
Close to the wharf in Staunton is an area beside/behind a building that appears to be a spot where workers take a daily break. Or perhaps it is where the night crowd hangs out to party.
My apologies for not posting on Monday. This last week was and Monk from TV might say, a blessing and a curse. For the last week I have been recovering from the removal of all the kidney stones that have accumulated over the years. I am lightly glad that these are gone. Now I don't have to worry about one deciding it wants to move around while I'm traveling in some place where I don't speak the language and/or has limited hospital facilities.
So, back to business... In Staunton, many of the buildings still have the old fire escapes complete with pull down ladders. This one on the central Avenue side of the Worthington Hardware across Beverley street from the Clock Tower is a dandy.
When in Staunton, I always like to visit the train station and have a look at the fences that keep people out of the path of the train. While these are not ornate, they are interesting and, combined with the afternoon shadows, they make nice compositions. the partially open gate seems to suggest that it is time to board and adventure lies ahead.
Back in mid-February, when the trees were bare and the air was crisp, the cardinals were gathering out behind the house in Staunton. Since last fall I updated my telephoto lens from a 100-400mm to 150-600mm, I took this opportunity to test it out.
Sometimes times the most memorable things are the small things that we pass everyday. Often, when I look at a fire hydrant on the street, they stand out to my eye as this one does in this image. The bright red stands out against a much more drab background and becomes the focus of attention.
So, in January we headed back to Staunton for a nice long visit. While our friends Steve and Renee headed off to London for the semester, we took care of their two cats. This gave us a nice extended visit to see friends and revisit old memories.
Above is some stairs on the Mary Baldwin campus looking across Fredrick street toward the First Presbyterian church.
Part of what makes these old cars fun is that the owners have decided to paint them a color they would never have been when new. Pre 1960 or so, cars were largely black or a dark color (dark green, brown, or possible blue). Of course, there were a few cars that had some color, but never candy apple red.
In the soft embrace of a luscious field of wheat, stands a delapidaged barn. Standing as a marker of times, people, and things long past.
Even though there are plenty of dead people in the local cemeteries, life abounds here. We were surprised to see an immature pheasant walking along the roadside.
Storage comes in many forms out in this vast farmland. Here we see a barn with 12 sides and (apparently) 36 windows. Not sure who would work so hard as to put that many windows in a barn, but here we are.
When looking out from the hill we are on, there are some directions where it is really difficult to find a house. There are one or two, and a few places with trees that might hold some more, but it really seems to be just endless fields or wheat and legumes.
We start today with a comparison. Above is a view rendered in B&W.
The combination of the green/yellow and the brown/yellow colors make these fields endlessly interesting.
