# 361 - "December Group-ies"

A stalk of foresters! Go figure that one out!! A few of you got foresters while others got a little silly. Although celery was a good answer! Tony, EMO, Phil, Peyton, Michael P., Michelle, Milt, Carol, Mrs. Vicky, and Joani were among the respondents.

"A Profusion of Patriotism!" 

Remembering the Abington Marine, 

Sgt. Daniel Vasselian

who came home today!

Due to a nagging head cold, I could not line the streets along the route so this is my small tribute.



Well, it's New Year's Eve so let's make this grouping theme-oriented - a glozing. They will be VERY popular in the next few hours and all through the night!

Bonus Image

This was found on the side of a barn in Maine. Good advice for all walking or driving this evening!

# 360 - "December Group-ies"

So that's were # 358 went - it was attached to # 359!

As some of you knew, a malapertness is a group of peddlers while a pity can be found at several of our state institutions which house inmates! Tony, Milt, EMO, Phil, Michael P., Joani, and Liz all chimed in.

Now, we all know what a stalk is but to what group of people does it refer?

"A Stack of Bricks!"

Bonus Image

Little nostalgia for those of us who remember, "pay phones!" sorry, no phone booth on the premises.

# 359 - "December Group-ies"

Not sure why # 358 didn't go out as it is appearing not he blog site.
Perhaps, it will show up with this post or not at all!

These people will group together and form a pity! 'Tis a pity their state of being. . .

"An Artillery Battery"

You had better appreciate this one as I worked EXTREMELY hard to clone out the many spectators on the other side of the field! For future reference: make sure the crowds are allowed only on ONE side!


Bonus Image

It is a Pontiac hood ornament! I was able to blacken out the background to really pop it off the screen.

# 358 - "December Group-ies"

Those involved in a faith formation group were anything but religious - they are a group of merchants! The same ones who were shouting, "Happy Holidays" as their customers shopped for Christmas! A couple of you had merchants in your response! Checking in were newcomer, Jim P. (brother of Michael P.), EMO, Michelle, Phil, Mrs. Beth, Tony, Milt, and Joani.

I can think of one place where I might see a group making up a malapertness.


"A Glut of Oil"

I can't resist any opportunity to shoot an old gasoline pump. These were found on a Maine shoot and in the Southwest.


Bonus Image

This is the Creamery which was part of the house tour in Stockbridge. Everything came together - the red structure against the blue skies highlighted by the fresh snowfall.

# 357 - "December Group-ies"

If you had more than on cook in your midst on Christmas, you experienced a "hastiness!" 

Still with me - Joyce, Phil, Michelle, Tony, Joani, EMO, and Michael P.

Who would be part of a faith? Another group very visible during the Christmas season! They do a lot of praying but not affiliated with anything spiritual.


"A Squad of Volunteers"

This month's challenge has not been as easy as anticipated. I've had to really surf my archives to find any kind of a grouping.

Bonus Image

This is the pool table overhead in a Stockbridge B&B!

# 356 - "December Group-ies"

Glad you liked one of the only five pix of me known to be in existence! Even though it was Christmas, michael, Phil, Peyton, EMO, Jeff W., Carol, Joani, and Mike Di found a few moments to check in!

I'm sure many of you saw a hastiness of these yesterday!

"A Militia of Rehoboth Minutemen"

Bonus Image

I called this, "Lightening the Load" - considering the size of the holes, I'd say the load was almost non-existent!

# 355 - "December Groupies"

Alas, an endangered species formed the drunkship - cobblers!



"A Plethora of Lights and Well Wishes!"

I really look forward to when I can slip "plethora" into anything.
Thanks for making my Christmas wishes come true - your health and daily presence on my blog!


Bonus Image

A real bonus - my visit with St. Nick - early 1950s!

# 354 - "December Group-ies"

Here's an oddity for a group - a drunkship! Sadly, I don't think there are enough of these around to form a group! 

As for the cloud we had grasshoppers (or hoppergrasses), gnats, and bats! Michael P., EMO, Phil, Carol, Peyton, Michelle, Joani, Tony, Milt, and Deana.


"A Quartet of Victorian Carolers"

This was the setting on the veranda of the Red Lion Inn during the Rockwell recreation of Main Street.

Bonus Image

These cranberry containers were in the room outside of the Forgotten Farmhouse.

# 353 - "December Group-ies"

Yes, lions do form a pride but not a muster or an ostentation. So, what other animal do we associate with pride?? A peacock!

Quiet sunday as only EMO, Peyton, Tony, Phil, and Joani were around. Must be a lot of last minute shopping going on!

These animals form a cloud when they gather - makes sense!

A Preponderance of Deliveries Made!"

MBK will probably be making its 100,000th delivery tomorrow! For the past twenty-five years, the volunteers have offered furniture, food, and Christmas gifts one hundred thousand times! I have probably been involved in a few thousand of them.


Bonus Image

Speaking of clouds - how about some fluffy white ones from the southwest!

# 352 - "December Group-ies"

Thank you, Phil, EMO, Michelle, Peyton, Tony, Joani, and Joyce for finding time in your busy day to respond! If you ever attended parochial school, you were witness to the superfluity of nuns!

As for today's animal grouping - all of these words pertain to a grouping of this animal: pride, ostentation, or muster.


"A Convocation of Clergy"

Bonus Image

"Dream Kitchen" from the same house where I shot the medicine cabinet.

# 351 - "December Group-ies"

My "Groupies" continue with EMO, Phil, Carol, Milt, Joani, Peyton, Tony, and Ann B. reporting. So, was not only a cast of hawks correct but also of crabs, vultures, and oysters as well!

Here's one that is a rarity nowadays, a superfluity!

"A Mob of Volunteers!"

Some eight hundred supporters of the efforts of My Brother's Keeper gathered for the annual Mass of Gratitude. Close to two thousand volunteers will pass through the facility over the two weeks of Christmas activities!

Bonus Image

Another item from the abandoned farmhouse - a bug sprayer!

# 350 - "December Group-ies"

A rafter of turkeys! Can't imagine turkeys ever reaching the rafters! you have heard of a cast of characters, what animal forms a group called a cast?

Winding down with Milt, Carol, EMO, Phil, Peyton, Joyce, Deana, Joani, Michael P. and Tony.


"A Bevy of Babies!"

More stock that can be pulled and wrapped for the children!

Bonus Image

This was a test image for creating a star trail. This was over one of the mittens.

Tonight was the Stony Brook Camera Club Christmas Party. Several members submitted slide shows for viewing. Thanks to Tony (Blog follower Tony), I was able to submit one on my SW images. They looked pretty good on the big screen.

# 349 - "December Group-ies"

Fluther. An interesting word which stands for a group of jellyfish. Smack was the more common term for these annoying ocean floaters. I also found that a fluther can mean a group of Peeps (the marshmallow ones) so blog flower Ann B. had better get this right!

Hearing from: EMO, Phil, Carol, Tony, Peyton, Michelle, Joani, and Michael P.


How about a group of ____ makes a rafter. These animals would never be associated with rafters for sure.

"A Fleet of Bicycles"

This is a sample, a very small sample, of the bikes that are donated each year to the Keeper for giving away to those in need. I know over one hundred bikes of all sizes and shapes are available for delivery. The story goes that one man began the charitable act several years ago and when he passed away, his family stepped in to continue the tradition!





Bonus Image

This is my last image of that time-tested medicine cabinet.

# 348 - "December Group-ies"

Well, there was quite a lot of pandemonium on my blog with yesterday's grouping. Too many of you  wanted to offer up family and relatives as the animal creating pandemonium. While it is a distinct possibility, the safer answer was parrots! An added bonus is this hot air balloon entitled, "Pondemonium"

Here is the blogging frenzy created by pandemonium: Carol, Michael P., Jonathan of the UK, Phil, Jeff W., EMO, Peyton, Milt, Joani, Michelle, Tony, Vicky E., and Michael K.

How about working on a fluther of ???? Also, another word (that makes more sense) for describing this group.

"A Caravan of Cars and Trucks"

One of the many shelves of gifts to be wrapped for those in need at My Brother's Keeper. 


Bonus Image
I got a lot of positive feedback on the bottom shelf of the medicine cabinet so here is the top shelf - gotta love the decorative edging!

# 347 - "December Group-ies"

Many rhinos in a group is a crash. some mentioned that a group of hippos also classifies as a crash. I found bloat as the word for a hippo group. Good detective work by EMO, Phil, Carol, Mrs. Beth, Peyton, Milt, Michael P., Michael K., Tony, Michelle, and Joani.

Another one that makes perfect sense: What animals form a pandemonium? 

"A Choir of Vocalists"

This was the ensembles gathered at the First Congregational Church on my Stockbridge weekend. There was a  twenty-six member children's choir; a thirteen count for the teen-agers; and, about eighty-six for the older folks!

Bonus Image

This was still sitting on the bottom shelf of the medicine cabinet in an old farmhouse in which I got to photograph. Totally undisturbed for over fifty years!

# 347 - "December Group-ies"

Ferrets or flies as both groups are called a business? Since flies have six legs, ferrets win! On a cold and snowy Sunday morning here in New England, I heard from EMO, Phil, Michelle, Mrs. Beth, Peyton, Carol, Tony, Joyce, and Joani.

Now this makes perfect sense - these animals are called a crash when they gather!

"A Platoon of Soldiers"
These are the Revolutionary War Re-enacters known as 85ème Régiment de Saintonge. They were a French unit supporting the American Revolution. 

Bonus Image

Saw this as I was looking for a laundromat in Moab, UT. I'll add it to my collection of weather vanes!

# 346 - "December Group-ies"

Well done, my fellow blog-followers! A zeal is a group of zebras! Would a group of one zebra be called a zealot???? Carol, Tony, Peyton, Milt, Michael P., Michelle, Phil, Joani, and Joyce checked in. 

What group of animals (four-legged) would form a business? 


"A Smorgasbord of Culinary Sustenance!"

One of the benefits of helping out with Christmas deliveries is this daily dose of delicious dishes! The kitchen angels prepare what you see here as well as soups, sandwiches, salads, and desserts for any who are volunteering. I'm good for an extra five to seven pounds as my willpower is non-existent! And, yes, it tastes as good as it looks!!!!




Bonus Image

"Frozen in Time" is actually a metal wheel that had the tree trunk grow around it! This was found in a park in Middleborough.

# 345 - "December Group-ies"

Let's hope our New England Patriots can level a heap of "unkindness" upon the ravens of Baltimore in two weeks! Showing an act of kindness this time around were Michelle, Peyton, Phil, Joyce, Joani, and Michelle.

What animal would be found in a group called a zeal??


"A Gallery of Prints"

Well, part of my gallery of prints gracing the walls of the Pembroke Library. There are twenty of ym favorites from my "Southwest Half-trek!"

Bonus Image

Yep, it's a Pontiac hood ornament! This was shot at Stockbridge this past weekend as Main Street was filled with antique automobiles in order to recreate the Rockwell cover, "Main Street."

# 344 - "December Group-ies"

A knot of toads, how strange but probably no stranger than what you might find in an unkindness!

Michael P., Michelle, EMO, Phil, Carol, Tony, Peyton, and Joani checked in yesterday! Where were you????

This is a "Collection of Collectibles!" I found this group over the fireplace at the Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge.

Bonus Image

I passed this old abandoned truck about a dozen times before I pulled over to shoot it! It's on the southern edge of Moab, UT.

# 343 - "December Group-ies"

Indiana Jones would not like to RHUMBA as it is a collection of rattlesnakes! Michelle, Phil, EMO, Carol, Peyton (extra star for his research on rhumba), and Tony are hanging around for more punishment. . .

Not sure if this is a "Herd of Reindeer" or a "Cord of Reindeer"

How about a group of toads???

Bonus Image

Another scenic overview in Utah!

# 342 - "December Group-ies"

So that's what happened to Monday's posting! It was held back and sent along with Tuesday's - go figure.

At any rate, I hope I am back on schedule - I did hear from Peyton, Joani, and Phil.

For your next animal grouping, I want to know what animals would form a rhumba - people excluded!

"A Flashmob of Carolers"

Several hundred people showed up outside the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge to add their voices to the caroling that was happening on the front veranda of the inn. These festivities culminate in a walk to the First congregational Church along a lighted path for a concert of Christmas music. 

Bonus Image

This is probably the tamest you'll ever see the Colorado River!

# 341 - "December Group-ies"

Not sure why yesterday's didn't publish?? I did see it on the blog but for some unknown reason, it didn't get sent out.

Moving on. . .

"An Octet of Bell Ringers"

These are the Bell Ringers from the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge.

What group of birds would be called a pitying? 
From yesterday I asked about a group of grounded swans (game) and in flight (a wedge).

Bonus Image

"Coral Pink Sand Dunes" I climbed this dune for a spectacular view of the Utah State Park. Getting up and down the dune wasn't the problem - it was the last hundred feet to the observation deck that was the killer. 

# 340 - "December Group-ies"

Well, I'm back from a wonderful weekend in Stockbridge. My wife and I might be making this an annual event. Between the house tours, the caroling, the concert, the handbell ringers and the recreation of Rockwell's "Main Street" - it was a weekend not to be forgotten!

No more days off from my Challenge, so I'll be able to keep up with the responders - although after today's image, you may want me to take more time off. Now, this one took some time. I had the picture but not the grouping and then it hit me: 

"A Gang of Men-boxes"

Another long weekend away for me, perhaps???

Animal grouping - a group of goldfish is called a troubling. Still wondering where these names come from. Must do some research.
And, today's quiz is a group of swans on the ground and their name if airborne? 

Bonus Image

This is "Pine Tree Arch." And, yes, there are numerous arches throughout this national park!

# 339 - "December Group-ies"

Flock, gaggle, or a skein of geese. I knew the first two but I thought skein had to do with yarn.

"A Galaxy of Solar Panels"

Piranhas, I can see but a group of goldfish being called this, makes no sense to me!


Bonus Image

These are, "The Three Gossips" found in Arches. Wonder what they are talking about????