Traipsing In Belvidere Town ...

"Autumn carries more gold in its pocket
than all the other seasons."
                            ~ Jim Bishop
                                   ~ 1907-1987
                   ~American journalist, author
                                     &
                              New Jersey native
Traipsing through Belvidere, New Jersey on a golden Indian Summer day near Thisilldous Eatery ... and crunchy piles of autumn leaves perfect for traipsing through on this November afternoon!

Belvidere, one of my very favorite places, is a charming, Victorian town located on the banks of the Pequest and Delaware Rivers.  
 

Dreaming In Summer's Time ...

“Summertime is always the best

 of what might be.”

                           ~ Charles Bowden, journalist

                                     ~ 1945-2014
                      

 Summertime … the pace is a bit slower, the air sweeter, the sunshine warmer and brighter … a perfect time to dream of what might be. 

Summertime’s essence is palpable in this artistic view of a canoe and a pair of sneakers waiting for their owners to explore the waters of Hopewell Lake. I shot this on a beautiful July afternoon at the lake in French Creek State Park, Elverson, Pennsylvania.

The 7,526 acre park straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek and is located in the Hopewell Big Woods.

Set amidst the old, quaint and picturesque farmland of southeast Pennsylvania, French Creek State Park offers two lakes – Hopewell and Scotts Run – extensive forests and almost 40 miles of hiking trails. Adjacent to the park lies Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site that features a cold-blast furnace restored to its 1830s appearance.

French Creek State Park was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of State Parks as one of “25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks.”

The Hues Of Hopewell ...

“Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; 

to me those have always been

the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

                          ~ Henry James

                                        ~1843-1916

Colorful canoes and kayaks of vibrant hues line the shoreline, ready to glide on the waters of Hopewell Lake on a perfect summer afternoon at French Creek State Park, Elverson, Pennsylvania.

The 7,526 acre park straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek and is located in the Hopewell Big Woods.

Set amidst the old, quaint and picturesque farmland of southeast Pennsylvania, French Creek State Park offers two lakes – Hopewell and Scotts Run – extensive forests and almost 40 miles of hiking trails. Adjacent to the park lies Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site that features a cold-blast furnace restored to its 1830s appearance.

French Creek State Park was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of State Parks as one of “25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks.”

Shades of Alleluia ...

"A Christian should be 
an Alleluia from head to foot."
                   ~ St. Augustine
                               ~ 354-430 A.D.

It's a touchstone of faith in the city as banners
joyfully wave a colorful chorus of Alleluias outside Trinity Church at the corner of Broadway
and Wall Street in New York City in April.

The Episcopal parish in Lower Manhattan
was a refuge for relief workers after the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001. A sculpture
in front of the church was made out of a giant
sycamore tree destroyed on 9/11.     

The Colors Of Warmth ...

"Life is art, live yours in color."
                   ~ Author Unknown

Brightly colored mini-marshmallows do
a happy dance as they swirl in a cup of
hot cocoa, warming up a cold
winter's day.  

Street Sax ...

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing."

                                                           ~ Duke Ellington

                                                                     ~ 1899-1974

Can you hear the cool jazz floating from this saxaphone, swingin' through the hot air of a sweet summer night? That's the image that popped  into my mind when I shot this portion of a jazzy  mural in Easton, Pennsylvania on a chilly November day. This is my artistic interpretation of the mural image.

I captured this cool mural of jazz silhouettes of musicians on the façade of the Hotel Lafayette as they literally paint the town. The mural features the shadows of musicians on keyboard, saxophone, trumpet and other jazz instruments against bright colors.

The mural is an Easton Main Street Initiative public art project created in 2012. It is a gift of the Easton Rotary Service Foundation in memory of Ted Pierce, who was the station manager of WEST radio, an outstanding and devoted citizen. He was a generous benefactor of the Easton community and Easton Rotary Service Foundation, as well as an exemplary journalist and key reporter on the Nuremburg War Crimes Trial for the Armed Forces Network. Pierce left a large amount of money for the Rotary Club to use on Easton-based projects.

The mural was designed and painted on the Fourth Street side of the building by the Freehand Mural Group of Easton.