Blogger Blues

I am sorry Midweek Blues did not appear last week. 

Things are getting hectic around here. 

The holidays...

A Christmas Eve wedding for my daughter....

A military wedding no less....

still waiting for confirmed leave approval.

The invitations waiting to be sent... 

or should we just send them without approval? 

The risk of having to postpone...

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock 

Whether or not to ship a car...

drive a car...

can the car make it to San Diego from PA?

Military red tape for weddings...

you know, they aren't married until all the tape is gone through 

so he can't live off base with her until done...

but he needs to be on the lease for the military waiver. 

Now she might be flying to San Diego to get married this week 

to speed up the red tape process 

and take care of the issue of having to get the license in PA

 the morning of the wedding since he can't get here before the weekend.

Oh heavens...

Really, the military does not care about the mother-of-the-bride. 

So in order to keep my sanity 

I need to take a blogging sabbatical. 

At least until the wedding is on, postponed or completed. 

We'll see where 2013 finds us.  

I'm sure I'll be by the crackling fire with a glass of wine regardless of what happens. 

I'll be able to laugh about it then. Hopefully.

I'll post this week's linky, 

visit those you can. 

I will try to visit 

but forgive me if I can't

  

This will be Midweek Blues last post. 

I've decided this is the right time to retire Midweek Blues. 

I'd like to thank Jim and Diane, 

who have been long time, encouraging and faithful participants. 

I am glad to have them as blogger friends and will definitely be hopping by 

when life settles down. 

Thanks to everyone else who has also been part of the meme.

On Angel's Wings

In honor of Veterans Day 

my photo club attended a Memorial Service and Tour

of a large historic cemetery that 

serves as a final resting place for over 10,000 US Veterans. 

Many of whom are prominent and well known today. 

And many others whose lives were lost too early. 

The broken column above is a symbol 

of a life lost in action.

In addition to the veterans, 

many noted people in Philadelphia history 

are also laid to rest here. 

And walking through this place, 

it becomes more than a cemetery. 

There is unique history,

 artistic beauty, 

and breathtaking views to be taken in. 

Blending together, it stirs your soul 

in peace and tranquility.

Laurel Hill Cemetery
can be accessed through the arch of a gate house
at 3822 Ridge Ave in Philadelphia, PA.

There are only a few parking spaces inside the cemetery
but we were permitted to park along the cemetery road system inside.
There is also an undesignated lot across from the gatehouse
belonging to the cemetery where you can also leave a car.
There is no fee to visit the cemetery. 

Church Doors

This church seems to have embraced the color blue. 

Found in Quakertown, PA

A Blue Day for the Colonists

The Battle of Germantown 1777 

A little redcoat

October 4 marked the anniversary of 

the US Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown. 

Germantown was an outlying town of Philadelphia.

The latter was the colonists' capital city and in 1777 the British were in control of it.

Today Germantown, now part of Philadelphia, is in need of serious revitalization.

It has such a rich history

but the beautiful architecture is falling into disrepair

and the area is riddled with crime.

But back in 1777 the battle was between
the independence minded American colonists and the British.  

The colonists, led by George Washington, 

made a pseudo - surprise attack on the British forces led by William Howe. 

Yeah, I was that close. My ears were ringing!

The heavy fog in the morning led to confusion, delays

and miscommunication. 

But the colonists advanced and forced the British 

to take cover in the Chew House which still stands. 

Even with Canon fire

the colonists were not able to breakthrough the barricaded house.

Both sides suffered heavy losses and

the colonists eventually retreated.

Firing on the colonists. 

It was after this battle that the French began to help the colonists

who took winter refuge in Valley Forge, PA.

 Hessian Re enactors

 The colonists were poorly outfitted and poorly trained. 

A sorry sight against the red coated British soldiers

and the gleaming Hessians. 

 With renewed fervor 

and the help of the French 

the colonists eventually won the war.

And today we are 

a Democratic Republic called 

The United States of America.

William Penn's Dream

Philadelphia City Hall. 

A place I have driven past a million times 

but had only photographed from a distance. 

On top of the external pillars

But never, 

in my lifetime of living just outside of Philadelphia, 

did I pause to take a closer look. 

Until just recently.

Looking up from the outside.

Designed to be the tallest building in the world, 

by the time of its completion in 1904 it was already 

surpassed by the Eiffel Tower and the Washington Monument.

It is topped with a 37', 27 ton statue of the founder of Pennsylvania, 

William Penn. 

Detail of the hand of the bronze Statue of William Penn

It remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until 1984.
But that involved a controversy of breaking 

an unwritten agreement that it was to remain the tallest building in Philadelphia.

Detail of Conversation Hall

In the 1950's, 

our brilliant government officials wanted to tear the place down. 

Thankfully, they deemed it too expensive 

so they modernized it by covering all the beautiful 

chandeliers, marble, granite, woodwork, moldings 

with SHEETROCK.

~Idiots~

Chandelier in the Caucus Room.

But at least City Hall was protected.

City Hall is now a National Landmark and 

hopefully protected from future governmental idiots. 

Things don't change much, do they?


Interior Staircase 

So here's to many more years
of William Penn looking out over the City of Philadelphia.



Do you see anything as impressive as
the almost demolished City Hall out there?

Land that I Love

Remembering 9-11
The Statue of Liberty from The Staten Island Ferry

Planning A Christmas Eve Wedding

Did I tell you... 

my daughter is getting married? 

Actually, I have two daughter's engaged. 

But this one is getting married on Christmas Eve of this year.
She was just proposed to on July 6!

She was my first baby...
and now, well,
it is nice to see her so happily in love.



Her fiance is serving in the US Navy.
He is waiting for new orders...
previous ones were cancelled.
Budget cuts?
So we won't know where they will be living until just before Christmas.



But for now
we are busy with wedding day plans!
Hopefully, the Navy won't spring any more surprises on us. 

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Last week I was on vacation in Maine, USA. 

We only had one day of blue skies....

it seems August is known as Fogust on the Maine coast. 

:(

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

So, now I have many photos of fog to sort through. 

Boat House Row, Philadelphia, PA

If you have seen any tourist photos of Philadelphia, 

then likely you have seen photos of Boat House Row situated along the Schuykill River. 

Boat House Row is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

You can read about the history here.

Today, Boat House Row serves the sport of Rowing.  

The houses along the river were built and used by various rowing clubs. 

On a summer weekend you'll like be able to see a regatta 

taking place on the Schuykill. 

Traditionally, the houses are decorated with white lights.

But one night, on my way home from taking city photos at night, 

I noticed Boat House Row decked out in blue lights. 

Of course, a U Turn was in order to get some more photos!



No matter the color, Boat House Row is always a welcome sight when traveling home.

Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright

Yesterday was one of those days. 

You know them, 

when everything seems wrong and nothing seems right. 

I could tell you all about those things that upset me.
But really, when I put things in perspective.
I am very blessed.



So yesterday, I went in search of something to cheer me.
And these little birdies did the trick.



'Mommy, I don't like that kind of bug!' 

These are barn swallows and they nest in colonies.
There were about a dozen nests here
so there was plenty of action to observe.



"When's dinner? We're hungry."



"Don't mess with my babies lady." 

And after watching the birds for a while,
I went to Cardinal Camera in Lansdale, PA and bought a couple of filters.
While I was there,
they let me play with the Canon 5D Mark III
and a sweet lens.
♥
It was wonderful!
Like heaven in my hands.
Too bad I couldn't bring it all home with me.
♥

Coiled

The person who did this needs to relax a little!!

Baltimore, MD