Week 52 – 27. Lost/Forgotten Items

Well here it is, finally, Week 52 and the final challenge for this year.  Before you know it, another year will start and we’ll all be procrastinating again.  Not me!  I’m not gonna get behind this year (famous last words).  This theme was my final check to make sure that I didn’t have any “Lost/Forgotten Items”.  My inventory is complete and I have all my lenses, lens caps, filters, tripods and associated camera gear.  No “Lost/Forgotten Items” here.  BUT….look over there at the deserted community pool…..there’s a towel and a pair of flip-flops that someone has “Lost/Forgotten”.

Watch for the all new 2014-2015 Fifty-Two Week Photo Challenge and my answers to these challenges in an all new blog of “Fifty-two Challenges Thru George’s Lens”.

 

Week 51 – 23. It Floats

One afternoon we were out at Emerson Point Preserve in Palmetto and this colorful sailboat was beached at the point.  While the owner was busy making adjustments with the rigging, his first mate was deeply involved discussing the merits of sailing.  Shortly they pushed the boat out into the water, hopped aboard and said “It Floats” and then they sailed away.

Week 38 – 34. Passageways

Here’s another New York City inspired presentation.  I’m getting my moneys worth out of our visit to New York for Barbs 50th class reunion.

As we drove the streets of New York City it occurred to me that the streets of New York are like “Passageways” through the canyons created by the tall skyscrapers and high-rises.

 

Week 37 – 51. Way Down Low

Back in early April as I was wandering around my yard and attending my butterfly garden, I happened to look “Way Down Low” and low and behold there was a new Monarch butterfly on a Scarlet Milkweed plant stretching and drying his wings.  In order for me to capture this phenomenon, I had to get “Way Down Low” on my robust belly to get the proper perspective and point of view as I took this picture.

Week 36 – 52. What’s Cooking

At my wife Barbs’ 50th class reunion in Oceanside, New York the crowning activity of the weekend was the Saturday night dinner and dance.  The buffet lines were set up but the covers were on and the cutting board was empty leaving everyone with the question:  “What’s Cooking?” 

Later in the evening the covers were removed to reveal veggies, potatoes, baked salmon and chicken parmigiano, and a roast was brought out to the cutting board.

And that’s “What’s Cooking!” 

 

Week 35 – 25. Juxtaposition

Jux • ta • po • si • tion.  The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

I’m getting double use of these two pictures, having used them in another theme.  Had it not been for a comment made by a friend, I probably never would have connected these two New York City scenes with this theme.  Thanks Vince for the idea.  And now my definition of “Juxtaposition”. 

In both of these photos the contrast of the old and the new is evident.

 

Week 34 – A3. I Saw It on Vacation

While Barb and I were in New York for her high school class reunion, we reserved a day to do some sightseeing in New York City.  Fortunately our rental car had a sun roof which made it easy to take some pictures of the famous New York skyscrapers.  Here’s my version of “I Saw It on Vacation”.

Somewhere I missed a sign and wound up on the entrance ramp to the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey.  This turned out to be a good wrong turn as we found a super overlook across the Hudson River and a fantastic shot of the Manhattan skyline stretching from the Verrazano Bridge to midtown and including the new #1 World Trade Center building.

As we drove through the city that never sleeps, we were amazed at the variety of geometrical shapes of the new buildings and the blend of the old and new as seen in this view.

The Empire State Building.

The Flatiron Building.

And the new #1 World Trade Center.  “I Saw It on Vacation” and now I’ve shared it with you.  Hope you enjoyed it.

Week 33 – A4. My Hometown

This is another theme that I have been planning on since last August when we kicked off the 52 week challenge.  I knew that we would be going up to New York for Barb’s 50th high school reunion and that there would be time to get a few snaps in “My Hometown”.  So – with no further ado, here we go:

Population 37,500 in the 2010 census.

My dad bought this house in the mid 1940’s and I grew up here.  Since he sold the house in 1974, the new owners have put on at least 3 additions.

My elementary school.  My mom and I both attended school here, she in the 1920’s and I attended in the late 40’s and early 50’s.  We even had a couple of the same teachers.

My church.  When Barb and I were married here in 1968, there were about 500 members.  Now the membership has shrunk to about 40.  How sad.

Sal & Vin’s Barber Shop.  Note that it was established in 1952.  This business hasn’t changed in appearance in 62 years.  Still looks like it did back in the day when I got my hair cut there.

And there you have it.  I hope you enjoyed “My Hometown” in pictures.  This visit sure brought back a lot to reminisce about.

 

Week 32 – 2. A Song Title

I felt pretty groovy today just like Simon and Garfunkel did when they sang the “59th Street Bridge Song”.  Here is a picture of that famous bridge, aka the Queensboro Bridge and now the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.  New Yorkers still know it as the 59th Street Bridge.  Now I’m groovin’ because I have completed another theme – “A Song Title”.

Week 31 – 21. In The Clouds

Since we started this 52 week project I’ve been waiting to satisfy this theme with something like “oh, that looks like a ….” “In The Clouds”.  This wasn’t to be, so I have resorted to an earlier idea of mine and several other bloggers.  Yesterday we flew from Tampa to Long Island, NY for Barb’s 50th high school class reunion in Oceanside, NY.  The weather in Tampa was sunny with puffy clouds as seen in this cell phone shot as we taxied out to the runway.  My thoughts were that we would soon be “In The Clouds”. 

As we got airborne and were passing over the Howard Frankland Bridge crossing the upper end of Tampa Bay between Tampa and St Petersburg I took another shot of the  puffy clouds we would be flying in or more correctly, over.

Our flight was uneventful and we flew above puffy clouds, but always able to see the ground 39,000 beet below us until about the half way point.  Then we crossed a frontal boundary and were flying over a sold bank of clouds.  When we started making our approach to Islip, LI, NY we had to pass through this cloud bank and we were really “In The Clouds”.