Christmas Caboose ...

"The bell still rings for me,

as it does for all who truly believe."

                             ~ Chris Van Allsburg

                                                    ~ born 1949

                                 ~"The Polar Express"

                                            ~ published 1985

A red caboose festooned in its Christmas finery

greets train goers on their way to boarding 

The Christmas Train on the Hawk Mountain Line

in early December at WK&S (Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern, Inc.)

Railroad, Kempton, Pennsylvania.

The Hawk Mountain Line is a scenic ride of six-and-a-half

miles on track of the old Reading Railroad, running along

the Ontelaunee Creek, through the farms and woods of

Berks and Lehigh Counties.

The Christmas Wish ...

"For it is good to be children sometimes,

and never better than at Christmas,

when its mighty Founder was a child Himself."

                                            ~ Charles Dickens

                                                                 ~ 1812-1870

                                                                     ~"A Christmas Carol"

                                                          ~published December 19, 1843

Remember thinking about your Christmas wish list for Santa Claus?

This little girl's expression in this candid shot suggests she's doing just that as she rides

the Christmas Train - not to the North Pole, but through the rolling

Pennsylvania countryside.

Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves also

boarded the festive train in early December on the 

WK&S (Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern, Inc.) Railroad, Kempton, Pennsylvania.

The Hawk Mountain Line takes a scenic ride of six-and-a-half miles, on track

of the old Reading  Railroad, running along the Ontelaunee Creek, through

the farms and woods of Berks and Lehigh Counties.

 

 

Painting The Snow Goose ...

"The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white.

Neither need you do anything but be yourself."

                                    ~ Lao Tzu

                                                    ~ died 531 B.C., China

 

A painterly portrait of beautiful snow goose braving the whipping March winds as the sun sets on a late winter day at

Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Christmas Peace ...

"It's better to light just one little candle

Than to stumble in the dark

Better far that you light just one little candle

All you need's a tiny spark.

 

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free

The wonderful dawn on the new day we'll see

And if everyone lit just one little candle

What a bright world this would be ..."

                                    ~ "One Little Candle"

                                                ~ recorded by Perry Como, 1952

                                                   & the theme song of  "The Christophers,"

                                                   whose motto is, "It's better to light 

                                                  one candle than to curse the darkness." 

An artistic view of the Easton Peace Candle as

sunset touches twilight over the Pennsylvania city's Centre Square, and Old Glory proudly waves in the November wind.

The Easton Peace Candle is a tower-like structure erected every Christmas season in Easton, Pennsylvania. The approximately 106-foot tall structure, which resembles a giant candle, is assembled every year over the Soldier’s & Sailor’s Monument, a Civil War memorial in Centre Square. It is typically assembled in mid-November and lighted over Thanksgiving weekend and disassembled in early February each year.

The Peace Candle was first erected in 1951, and has been erected almost every year since then, having been replaced a few times due to damage or disrepair. It is dedicated to the Easton area men and women who have served or are serving in the United States armed forces.

It has been said to be the largest non-wax Christmas candle in the country. Although conceived with the hopes of restoring Easton’s pre-20^th century reputation for elaborate Christmas decorations, city officials also believed a candle would serve as a symbol of peace for all religions and denominations.

 

                                                                    

Frosting The Jordan ...

"In the depth of winter,

I  finally learned that

within me there lay an

invincible summer." 

                    ~ Albert Camus

                                  ~ 1913-1960 

Winter frosts the Jordan Creek into crystalized beauty as it winds it's way on a January day 

through Wehr's Covered Bridge Park,

Orefield, Pennsylvania.

Memories At Sunset ...

"Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind

Memories, sweetened through the ages just like wine

Quiet thoughts come floating down

And settle softly to the ground

Like golden autumn leaves around my feet

I touched them and they burst apart with

sweet memories ..."

                 ~ "Memories"

  ~ recorded by the great Elvis Presley

                                                            ~ 1968 

 

          Swirling shades of an October sunset float around a beautiful white horse walking at the historic Hopewell Farm.

          

           The farm is part of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County near Elverson, Pennsylvania, an example of an American 19th century rural “iron plantation.” The buildings include a blast furnace, the ironmaster’s house and auxiliary structures including a blacksmith’s shop, a company store and several worker’s houses.


           Hopewell Furnace was founded in 1771 by ironmaster Mark Bird for whom Birdsboro was named. The site’s most prosperous time was during the 1820–1840 period with a brief boom in production during the American Civil War. In the mid-19th century changes in iron making, including a shift from charcoal to anthracite rendered smaller furnaces like Hopewell obsolete. The site discontinued operations in 1883.

        Today, Hopewell Furnace consists of 14 restored structures in the core historic area, 52 features on the List of Classified Structures, and a total of 848 mostly wooded acres. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is located in the Hopewell Big Woods and surrounded by French Creek State Park on three sides and the State Game Lands to the south which preserves the lands the furnace utilized for its natural resources.

 

Sage And A Cup of Joe ...

"In wine there is truth,

In coffee there is wisdom."

                       ~ Author Unknown

I spotted this sage advice on the benefits of coffee ~

"Drinking espresso can solve a latte problems"  ~

on a chilly November day on the sidewalk outside the

"Terra Cafe  ~ Coffee, Art and Culture"  in 

downtown Easton, Pennsylvania.

 

Irish Blessings ...

"An Irish Prayer"

May God give you ...

For every storm, a rainbow

For every tear, a smile

For every care, a promise

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share

For every sigh a sweet song

And an answer for each prayer.

 

The autumn sunshine of a gorgeous Indian Summer day

smiles on St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Belvidere, New Jersey.

The shamrock windows give a touch of an Irish blessing, with a

beautiful statue of Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched above them.

The cornerstone of this quaint, picturesque church at

327 Greenwich Street was laid in 1891.

Belvidere, one of my very favorite places,

is a charming Victorian town on 

the banks of the Pequest and Delaware Rivers. 

 

And All That Jazz ...

"Come on babe why don't we paint the town

And all that jazz ..."

                           ~ "All That Jazz" (alternatively "And All That Jazz")

                                           ~ opening song of the 1975 musical "Chicago"

I captured this cool mural of jazz silhouettes of musicians on the façade of the Hotel Lafayette, Easton, Pennsylvania as they literally paint the town on a chilly November day. 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.