Lenzi Park

There is another lesser travelled park in Wooster Square named Lenzi Park.  PFC Lenzi died on Iwo Jima in 1945.  You can see that the large mural was painted by Tony Falcone and friends.  It's an ok park for dog walking. 

Check out www.anitinerantpreacher.blogspot.com for my sermon from earlier this morning.

Chain Link

That is some lock mechanism.

Urban Garden III

A little worse for wear.

Urban Garden II

One lone stalk bearing one lone fruit.

The Cherry Tomato

Urban Garden I

Behind the house is a parking lot which is edged by garages and brick walls to other apartment buildings.  I take Milo out back sometimes to do his 'business' later on in the evening.  Well one night I went out and the dirt had been turned over so I steered Milo away from the area.  Low and behold in a few weeks a garden appeared.  No doubt a verdant one thanks to his contributions to mother earth.  Let's see what the garden yields.  It was planted a little late in the season.

Sunset

Also taken from the Green like yesterday's post is a shot of the Well Fargo Bank building in the center and the Eli, a fancy apartment building on the left.

The Green

A couple of weeks ago there was a free concert given by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra on the Green in downtown New Haven.  Most of the photo's I took are unremarkable but I thought this was an interesting juxtaposition with the straw hat and the sitting woman.

Saint Mary Magdalen Society Processional

Today as I was opening the door to take the Divine Mr. M out for a walk I heard drums.  I looked to my left and turning the corner of my street was the Society of St. Mary Magdalen annual processional.  I ran back into the house leaving the DMM out on the porch barking his head off.  Here we go...

The woman in the black shirt and grey skirt is our House Representative Rosa DeLauro.  She grew up in the Wooster Square neighborhood.  She's a fine Congresswoman.

What's a processional without it's patron saint?

It was quite an unexpected surprise and when a man saw me taking photos he ran over and gave me a card that contained the following prayer: We greet and venerate you, oh mirror of repentants.  Advocate of sinners, Maria Madalena, for which at a public banquet in the house of Simon the Pharisee, you threw yourself at Christ's feet and with the strength of your contrition in your heart melting into tears, with which you washed His feet, drying them with your hair, ask for us, for mercy's sake, the same tears, equal contrition, and obtain for us from your beloved Jesus, the total remission of our sins. 

Below are photos of the outside of the SMMS house on Wooster Street. 

You might want to have a look at Padre Micky's Dance Party.  He'll tell you all about the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen which is today!

And not to forget, today is the 100th Anniversary of Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu.  He was connected with Yale University here in New Haven. 

The Mail Boat

For the first time in decades the Walworth mail boat stopped at Pier 360 - Norman B. Barr Camp!  All thanks to Ryan, my cousin's grandson, who wondered why the boat didn't stop anymore.  They worked hard and now the boat 'drives' by and mail is delivered right to the pier.  Below you see the boat coming.

The young man hanging off of the left side of the boat is getting ready to jump off of the boat, deliver mail, and then jump back on again.  The trick is...the boat doesn't stop but does a close drive by the pier.

 Ryan, of course, gets to pick up the first delivery of mail.

Lo and behold it was a letter for him and his sister Abbey!  Yea....the mail boat has returned.

Norman B. Barr Camp, Geneva Lake, Williams Bay, Wisconsin

This is down at the waterfront at Norman B. Barr Camp.  The camp celebrated it's 100th anniversary in 2009!  It was founded by Rev. Norman B. Barr, pastor of then Olivet Church in Chicago.  The mission of the camp was, and still is, to provide a place for underpriviledged children to have a summer lake experience.

The pavilion by the lake.

From their website, "Over the years, the mission of NBBC became focused on the children’s programs as help for working women became less of an issue. A new children’s dormitory was built and later, new showers were added just for the children. Summer programs with a Christian theme continue to be offered and counselors are carefully selected. Religious services (Sunday services, Sunday school and weekly vespers) have been a tradition since Olivet Camp opened. Meanwhile, cottagers spend countless hours maintaining and improving the camp facilities and grounds. Several new structures have been added while others undergo repairs each year.

As a result of the dedication and effort of the volunteers over one hundred years, NBBC remains a vibrant and living memory of Rev. Norman B. Barr and his selfless mission in life devoted to the less fortunate, particularly children. An estimated 14,000 children have camped at NBBC since Rev. Barr established the camp in 1909. As he is quoted, “All the heaven and earth is right here. This camp should go on forever.”

I just spent a wonderful week with cousins at the camp.  Their father started coming when he was 3 months old and passed away three years ago at the age of 97. 

On Holiday

I'll be back next week.  I'm at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at a cousins reunion this week. Shalom

Kentucky Coffeetree

These are seed pods from a Gymnocladus Dioicus or commonly known as a Kentucky Coffeetree. At least that's what I've identified it as according to the beloved Internet.  There is one that grows pretty centrally in Wooster Square.  I don't have a photo of the tree but picked up pods from the ground while out walking Milo.  I love the colors and they are the subjects of my botanical watercolor.  Stay tuned.

On the way into New York City

All photos have been taken through a dirty train window.  Leaving from New Haven on the Express you hit every stop practically until Stamford, then it is express until 125th Street - Harlem. 

The Train Yards at Union Station

So we're out of the tunnel from yesterday's post and on the platform viewing one of the Metro North Commuter Rail trains and the train yards.  Metro North is our communter line into New York City and Grand Central Station.  It takes about 1.5 hours to get into Grand Central.  From there you then have to get to wherever your final destination is.  I dunno - you'd have to pay me a pretty penny to be a commuter from New Haven.

The Tunnel at Union Station

This tunnel connects the beautiful old train station terminal to the train tracks all underground.  It's a little eery and unique perspective.  That's New Haven for you.

Union Station

The next few days I'm going to show you Union Station in New Haven.  This photo was taken at dawn when I had to get the train to New York City.  New Haven is about 1.5 hour train ride into the Big Apple.  It's a grand building that seems to have been refurbished with high ornate ceilings and these wonderful windows.  The building was desinged by Cass Gilbert in 1920 who also designed the Woolworth building.

Just One More Dusk Photo

I've been working on some night photography which is why the last few entries have been in the dark!  I've still got a lot of learning to do.

Beautiful Sky

Wooster Square at Dusk

Hostas in Bloom

These hostas are in full bloom right now here.  They are towering over one of the many wrought iron fenches in the square. A couple of years ago I posted three entries called, Don't Fence Me In or Out that featured the fenches.  You can click back to some of my first posts to view.

Happy Fourth!

It was a breezeless night last night so Old Glory hung very still.  It's located on the property of the old Italian Consulate in Wooster Square.  Now it is one of the few, if only, private not turned into condos, home.

Sock it to me

I know, low.  Low of me to shoot a photo outside of my apartment window through a screen but laundry fascinates me.  This was a load of grey socks that my neighbors did, 18 pairs in all.  Sometimes they feature sheets, sometimes undies and sometimes random shirts.  Whatever, I love to see laundry hanging out to dry.  Reminds me of home. 

Hughes Place

I've shown Hughes Place throughout the seasons. Remember her dressed in her Cherry Blossom pink?  Well now the trees are in their luscious green season.  I don't take part in the City Daily Photo monthly theme, which this month is green.  But here's my tribute anyway.