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A visit from Cat Man Deux
By Silver Blue
Cat Man Deux sits watching over Meditation Corner at the Shenandoah Forester. I encountered him in New Orleans in 2003, adopted him, and brought him home.
He was the closest that I could find to a Silver and Blue Harlequin.
Here he is in front of the “Living Proof Farewell Tour” programme:
He makes sure that nothing bothers me when I am deep in meditation. 🙂
Silver Blue, who sees lightning out the window and wants to get this posted before we possibly lose power and/or internet….
Come taste life….
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Still life, that is. From an event on campus this evening, the ruins of the pan of bacon wrapped scallops.
There’s just something about this photo that I really enjoy. Heaven knows it wasn’t the food! Still, at least the limes were cut decoratively and had their peels also decorated.
Silver Blue, who knows that being able to mass produce food does not a real “Chef” make. (I wonder if the scallops were bought pre-prepared….)
A long (and long overdue) post about Roxette Bunnyâ„¢
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Roxette Bunnyâ„¢ is the cutest, truest, and sky bluest bunny that has ever existed. She hopped into my life in 2003, and made herself right at home. She’s a great travel companion, and being that she recently traveled to Virginia Beach with me, I thought it best to take you back in time… back to Kenton, Ohio, when they were having the “Little Chicago” night in 2003 as a fundraiser to help restore the Hardin County Armory.
My late grandmother (Katie Cottle), my mom’s teacup Chihuahua (“Miette”), and Roxette (in nothing more than a bow! Scandalous!)
Hopping uptown to explore the festivities.
Paying homage to fallen heroes at the Liberty Garden.
Here, Roxette pauses to pose on the steps of the Armory.
Gazing in the windows to see what renovations have taken place (I hope her eyes were better than mine — I couldn’t see through the curtain!)
Lending a paw to the Emergency Crew of the “B-K-P Life Squad”
Inside the Armory, Roxette causes a stir by invading the men’s room!
She took some time out to raise money for scholarships…
…and oversaw the cooking of 100 chickens.
Her eye was caught (as was mine) by the silver and blue computer case in the window….
….and was distracted by looking for carats. (Carrots? Well, DIAMONDS are a girl’s (and bunny’s) best friend. LOL)
Hopping to the Arcade in search of Family Fun.
Reading about the history of the courthouse.
In front of the courthouse. A Grand Old Building.
Here, we find Roxette eying the goods at Kenton Surplus.
All that Hopping gives tiny blue bunnies a great thirst!
Roxette wanted to catch a film (Showing? Spy Kids 3D, Tomb Raider 2, and Pirates of the Carribean).
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get someone IN the ticket booth to sell her a ticket.
So, she looks at a historic site (now a parking lot) and comments on how it would be a LONG way down.
Deciding what flowers to send Grandma. The building behind her used to be a laundromat and the Wards store in town.
Roxette proves that even small blue bunnies, when they pop out of the mailbox, can startle the mailman.
Even bunnies like to have fun, and sliding down the banister is just the thing!
Roxette was to go to New Orleans with me, to Florida, Nags Head, and other places… so you may see those photos at some point in the future.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/ls-aatw.mp3]Silver Blue, who remains young at heart, thanks to a small blue piece of plush, affectionately known as Roxette Bunnyâ„¢
Have a Coke and a smile.
By Silver Blue
Continuing from this post, I thought it best to show you a new found treasure, the current state of the building, and what fate befell the original Coca-Cola plant.
The original set of photos had been taken in 2007; I’d not been back to the neighbourhood in 5 years. What changes would meet me?
The abandoned plant is still in relatively good shape:
The end two Coke bottles still have their coverings over them which were put in place (actually, over all four Coke bottles, the Coca-Cola Logo panels, and the center “Newport News Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Inc”) when the plant was shuttered. I’m surprised that Coke, proper, hasn’t attempted to salvage one of the stone bottles, or some of the stonework. This is history! Then again, to today’s society… history isn’t what it used to be.
The old plant, sadly, met with a disappointing fate. The building was donated to be rehabilitated and repurposed into apartments. The city inspector came, declared the building structurally unsound and condemned it. By the end of December, 2011, it was demolished. This is all that remains of the “curved” building… just a grassy field:
Comparison time:
Still, there was a bit of magic to behold.
Across the street from the remaining Coke Plant is St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (elegant architecture that will be featured in a future blog post). Behind the Church, however, are the remnants of a painted store advertisement:
I don’t know what Perry’s was, or what this building used to be (or why it was modified), but I found it somehow comforting to see the familiar Coca-Cola bottles on it, still. In fact, if you look closely, you can see that there was a sign painted UNDER the current sign.
Taking another angle, and processing it through attempting to bring out as much detail as I could:
The word “CUSTOMER” was in a much larger font behind the current “customer”. The work “PARKING” is visible (the P A before the “Parking” and the G after Only”), and you can make out Perry’S (why the lower case for the “e” is beyond me unless it was there logo). There may have been “while shopping at” behind the current words as there appears to be a ghosted “W” beside the current “While”. I like looking at history this way.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/ns-itrt.mp3]Silver Blue…who knows that everything fades away… but some memories are meant to be captured and held on to.
King Neptune!
By Silver Blue
Last day of Staycation found me back at the beach, this time, photographing King Neptune in Virginia Beach, at 31st street.
The photos speak for themselves.
Silver Blue, who imagines how I’m really going to miss having the time off with my camera. I’ll have to schedule some time again soon.
The National Aviation Monument, VA Beach
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1
“This is a monument to the proud heritage of Naval Aviation that has had many of its beginnings in Hampton Roads. It is here in Hampton Roads that the very first take-off from a ship was made by Eugene Ely in 1910. It is here in Hampton Roads that The Nation prepared for WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and other conflicts throughout the world, sending men and women who manned aircraft carriers, planes, ships, and submarines into harm’s way.
So it is here in Virginia Beach that we erect this Monument to Naval Aviation, honoring the proud aviators who wear the Wings of Gold, the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard, who help defend our great country and protect all Free Nations.”
The Homecoming.
Where It Began.
“Pilots Man Your Planes””
“Naval Warfare” (I think it says 1956-2006)
http://www.virginiabeach.com/attractions/museums/naval-aviation-monument
Silver Blue, who wants you to know that even though you can’t see it, I was surrounded by snow flurries when taking these photos, March 9, 2012.
The Norwegian Lady of Virginia Beach
By Silver Blue
The story of the Norwegian Lady Statues may be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Lady
I ventured down to the oceanfront today, in the cold. So cold that I actually saw flurries at the beginning of my photo journey. I didn’t get pictures of King Neptune this time, but that, too, will change.
The Norwegian Lady:
and her memorial plaque:
The full frontal shot is:
The topmost plaque under the Lady is cast with a sailing ship and the inscription:
“I am the Norwegian Lady. I stand here, as my sister before me, to wish all men of the sea safe return home.”
The brass plaque (with the green patina) is the “In Memoriam” of the sailors aboard the barque “Dictator” who perished March 27, 1891.
Silver Blue, who always remembers the beauty and the fury of the ocean…
Let’s Go To The Movies!
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1I remember when going to the cinema didn’t mean having to take out a second mortgage on your house, when you could get popcorn and a drink (and some candy) for less than $5, and how you could just “escape” into another world for a short while.
Most of the smaller theaters these days have closed, having been consumed by the conglomerate megaplex chains of Regal, AMC, and the like. Still, I recall when, in Newport News (or was that section Hampton? It’s RIGHT on the dividing line), in Newmarket South, there were the Newmarket Cinemas (1 & 2). They did so well that they expanded to 3 & 4, also known as the Rocking Chair Cinemas because in 3 & 4, the chairs literally were like gliders.
Times change, however. Nothing stays the same. I wanted to capture these memories before they were torn down in the name of “progress”.
Cinemas 1 & 2, boarded up and in a serious state of decay. These cinemas were in long halls, as if someone had backed up a tractor trailer and you watched inside.
A gentler memory came out of the conversion to black and white:
Then, there were theaters 3 and 4, built next door. Different format, with the rocking chairs and the theaters being put in round buildings:
Now home to the Antioch Christian Center (and Daycare), I recall seeing “First Wives’ Club” in the theater on the left.
Of course, the buildings were not egg yolk yellow then, but an off white. I’m hedging my bets that these (which were the newer of the screens) buildings long outlast the original.
Silver Blue, who wishes I’d gotten into photography, oh… about 30 years ago in order to save history.
If music be the food of love, play on.
By Silver Blue
I at one time was given a piano. The downside is that I don’t play.
It was almost 100 years old, and I loved the columns. Moving it to the house almost broke two fingers of the roommate when it fell on his hand. (The church that gave me the piano is no more.)
When the roommate moved out, I traded him the piano for a 1984 Chevy Blazer, which was Roxette Bunnyâ„¢’s vehicle (or at least it had her plates on it):
Still, the piano had some beautiful woodwork, and lives on in my heart through photographs:
Silver Blue, who knows that things aren’t made the way they used to be….
Not an angel on my shoulder…
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1….not sunshine either.
It’s Roxette Bunnyâ„¢!
On our way OUT of town evacuating from Hurricane Irene (2011). Fortunately, the storm deviated from its projected path, and missed Hampton Roads.
Tired of Natural Disasters, Roxette Bunnyâ„¢ and I head back home. Glad it was an uneventful, unplanned vacation (evacuation), but also knew we’d be glad to be back home.
Roxette says next time either I let her consult her magic blue crystal:
Or we travel in style and FLY out of here. 6 hours behind the wheel made her one frazzled hare.
Silver Blue, who hopes the hurricanes stay away again in 2012!
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