Shadow Shot Sunday ~ on the Green

This is part of the Green in Derby, Ct.
I took this on Thursday, a beautiful sunny day, as I stood in front of the stately Sterling Opera House on Elizabeth Street.

Immanuel-St. James Episcopal Church, built in 1843, is one of three historic churches that surround the Green. The other two are the Methodist Church, and the Second Congregational Church.
They are all beautiful in their own ways. 

Join the fun and see lots of shadows captured around the world at Shadow Shot Sunday 2.

P.S. Here's a poem that popped out of my keyboard this morning. Let's just say it's a true story.



The tree isn't up.
The gifts aren't bought.

Going shopping today?
I'm giving it a thought.

The cards they're not sent.
Don't know where the time went.
 
But I have time today 
for what needs to be.

To the stores I will go
And won't think 'poor me'
 
As I join the crowd
No whining allowed!

For it's the Yuletide season 
And that's the reason
 
I'm sending this today.
And may Santa to your house find his way! 

 
   

Shadow Shot Sunday

I snapped this while sitting in my car in our church parking lot. The feathery shadows caught my eye.

I was going to post it three weeks ago! Better late than never.

See more shadowy photos from all over the globe at our awesome Aussie friend Tracy's Hey Harriet blog.

Looking at the Sky on Friday

I took this photo in November, and I'm pretty sure I never posted it. ;-)

It's the steeple of the First Congregational Church in Derby, Ct. We've been members since 2001.

It's a small but friendly congregation. Ralph is one of the deacons, and serves Communion once every three months, despite the fact that he uses a wheelchair. He manages!

Occasionally I teach a Sunday School class.

See many more photos of the heavens by visiting our hostess, Tisha, that CrAzY Working Mom.

Sepia Scenes ~ our church

First Congregational Church, Derby, Ct.

I took this photo on a Sunday morning in February. I'm pretty sure I posted the original with the sparkling clear blue sky back then. I'm not up for looking back in the archives! I don't know how the evergreen tree came out almost gray in this sepia-fied version.


To join in the fun, visit Mary T, our hostess, at Sepia Scenes.

Monday thoughts

It's Monday morning, and I should be refreshed and ready to come up with something semi- interesting to talk about here. I hate missing so many days of blogging, but I don't have too many ideas lately.
Our daughter Allegra is having a great time in Grand Rapids, Mich. I guess I can tell you about that. She is a young adult delegate to the UCC's General Synod, a convention of sorts that happens every two years. She attended the 2007 one in Hartford.

Allegra loves learning about U.S. history and happily on Saturday she was able to visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum (not sure if that is the correct name). She said it was really interesting.
We're glad she has the interest in history that Ralph and I had worked hard to impart to her and her brother.
And it worked! He enjoys learning history too.

She's returning Wednesday afternoon - two flights. I'll try my best not to be nervous while she is in the air.

Hope everyone has a great Monday.

A bit of New England

Breaking my own rule here by posting a "steeplechase" picture I took today of the First Congregational Church of Derby.
I was going to limit myself to steeples in our town, but this is the church we attend.

I snapped the photo from a side view because the sun was on the building, and the foliage was pretty. Shadows were covering the front.
What I like is the photo makes the circa 1820 church seem like it's in a rural setting, instead of being located on a heavily-traveled state road.

The church was originally gathered in 1677, at a different location. Here's a picture postcard I found online, taken a "few" years back:

That's my glimpse into history for today. Who knows what I will come up with tomorrow?

~ UPDATE ~ to my Creative Photo post question: Duchess Linda wins the bonus points. She spotted my car reflected in the van's windows.

Congratulations. That's it, just congratulations. Sorry, no prizes.

It's a cozy congregation, I guess you could say

Picture this: A good-looking, middle-aged guy who uses a power wheelchair serves communion to a small congregation on a Sunday morning.
Yes, friends, I'm describing Ralph. He's a deacon at our church. Today was his turn and he did just fine.
But having a guy balance, and practically juggle, a silver platter of mini-communion cups filled with grape juice on his lap as he steers the wheelchair down the aisle is rather ludicrous.

He was honored last year to be asked to be a deacon, but it just looks weird. And I for one cannot look, afraid bread may drop off the plate in his lap or juice will spill or something messy like that.
There were no mishaps, nor have there been with him doing it thus far, so I suppose I should not be concerned.

P is for Pancakes!

I just LOVE making pancakes on a Sunday morning.
It makes me feel like Donna Reed, in a good way. (That's an early '60s cultural reference for you young'uns.)
Now if only our daughter were home from school to enjoy them. Breakfast is better when the four of us are together.

This morning I will be observing our "new and expanded" Sunday school class. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, several young families have started to attend our small church. That means kiddos and babies and crying (!) and such. The dear woman in charge is trying to get it organized. I'm one of the "teachers," and I use that term loosely.

I'm hoping the pancakes will sufficiently fortify me to be with those little darlin's for an hour.
UPDATE: Whew! none of the new children were there. Just the two original little guys who are brothers.