Week fifty-two - "One Hundred Thousandth!"

My twentieth and final shoot of 2013 took place at My Brother's Keeper, a Catholic charity that brings the love and hope of Christ to those whom they serve. I was a volunteer there for twelve years. During the last few weeks of 2013 there had been a tally of the number of deliveries they had made over the past twenty-five years. 

Christmas Eve was to be extra special this year as the ministry was scheduled to make its one hundred thousandth delivery - fittingly it was Christmas gifts!

Making this momentous milestone were the co-founders (Jim and Terry), the president of MBK (Erich) and two students.

                                      "# 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 th!"

Looking back over the past twelve-plus years, 

I think I was involved in a few thousand of them!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Steven Wright's Witticisms

A conscience is what hurts 

when all your other parts feel so good.

Week Fifty-one - "The Creamery"

Part of my weekend in Stockbridge last year included a tour of some of the homes in the area. We were shuttled in and out of the various homesteads where we were asked to don plastic booties to keep the snow off their floors. I think I spent more time putting them on and taking them off than I did walking through the rooms!

One fun stop was this creamery where the current owners are slowly trying to restore the facility back to its original look - inside as well as outside.

"The Creamery"

I noticed this year's tour features several other homes - almost tempted to drive up for the day - provided it is NOT raining or snowing!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Ade's Law

Anybody can win -- 

unless there happens to be a second entry!

Steven Wright's Witticisms

How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

Week Fifty - "Living a Rockwell"

The week after the Trolley Museum in Maine I was headed out to the western part of Massachusetts to cross off something from my Lifelist. So Shoot #18 found me in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting - his classic, "Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas." There were festivities going on all weekend but let me skip ahead to Sunday's culminating activity - recreating the painting. Here is the classic car with a tree on its roof

"1956 Mercury with Tree"

Other antique vehicles began to line up as early as 9AM and the spectators were not too much later! It was a festive weekend.

If this event is NOT on your Lifelist, add it now!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

The Carwash Rule of Weather. . .

No matter how clear the skies are, 

a thunderstorm will move in five minutes after you have washed the car!

Steven Wright's Witticisms

It may be the early bird gets the worm,

 but it's  the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Week Forty-nine - "It's a Weather Vane!"

In photography we are reminded to look behind us as we get ready to click away. Well, it is equally as important to look up. In this case, Bill Johnson had this nostalgic vane on his museum. For me, this business brought back memories of an uncle who used to take us to this place on Friday evenings. He used to amuse us with his trick car which knew when to pull into this exact parking lot.

So I dedicate today's blog to Uncle Nobby! 

"??????"

What business would have had this vane atop its building?

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

O'Brian's Law

If you change lines, the one you just left will start to move faster than the one you are now in.

Steven Wright's Witticisms

Why do irons have a setting for *permanent* press?

Week Forty-eight - "Vintage Collector!"

Part of Shoot #18 included a visit to a vintage antiques collector, Bill Johnson. His house and grounds were filled with more than you could imagine - cars, signage, glassware, and everything else! He led us on a grand tour of his "museum" with enough stories to keep us there for hours! While doing further research for this posting, I learned that Bill had passed away on November 22nd while attending an auction.

I feel fortunate in that I was able to visit with Bill and take in his tour. He talked about being on "American Pickers" and the tough time they had dealing with him. There is an "American Pickers" poster in the front window that is signed by Mike and Frank.

"A Collector's Collector"

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Paulg's Law:

In America, it's not how much an item costs, it's how much you save.

(This might have one of Bill Johnson's mantras!)

Steven Wright's Witticisms

What's another word for Thesaurus?