Good morning! Yes, I'm late in posting this. But I'm here now! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photos I've taken along the way! And, if you're a fan of Survivor or The Amazing Race, be sure to stop by on show nights for live blogging of the shows.
Once again, my past week was rather uneventful. It was full of going to work and just plain doldrums stuff of life not in the fast lane. Mind you, I don't necessarily want to be in the fast lane! I fear those days of my life are long gone. Hmm ... perhaps if I live to be 90, I'll just go wild robbing banks and such. After all, are they going to lock up a little old lady?
We had a few rainy days here this past week and a few nights with a chill in the air. But we've escaped what could be possible in the month of December in New Jersey -- deep freezes, snow and ice. I can't complain. I won't complain.
I guess it's kind of sad that the most notable and (to me) interesting thing this week happened when I got off the train in Bridgewater yesterday. Birds. All I could hear was a cacophony of bird calls. Starlings. They were everywhere -- lining the entire interior of the TD Bank Ball Park, resting on the power wires and even on the field lights. The "swarm" featured below is just a small group of them in flight. Cue Alfred Hitchcock.
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| What's that black loud cloud? |
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| Starling swarm! |
To be more accurate, a group or flock of starlings is really called a chattering or a murmuration of starlings. I know one person who'd call it a herd. It's definitely more like a swarm to me! But I can see why they're called the two actual group names -- they're LOUD. Starlings just don't know how to shut their beaks!
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| Everybody's back at it |
After being closed for a few months, Everybody's Food Market on East Front Street is back in business and all rehabbed. It truly needed it! You can get everything from oxtails to chitterlings to energy drinks in this West Indian convenience store. I've never bought oxtails. But, if I were to desire oxtails, I know where to get them.
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| Chillaxin' on the job |
The crane operator for the NJ Transit bridge work on closed-off Gavett Place takes a digital break. The actual crane operators seem to have the cush job in the group. All the others end up moving stuff around for the crane to snag, cutting holes with torches and doing physical labor.
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| Firetrucks responding to ... um ... something |
I have no clue as to where they're heading. I see and/or hear firetrucks an awful lot in town. Thankfully, most of the times, it's nothing all that serious. However, when they're called, they have to go. I took this shot on East Second Street downtown.
**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**
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| Why can't ... |
... they do this at the Plainfield Train Station? And, of course, enforce it. This sign is posted at the Bridgewater Train Station where people don't really loiter much at the station itself. I always see traces of parties in the woodsy areas nearby the station. Plainfield seriously has to do SOMETHING to control the loitering at the station. I'm often reluctant to use my camera there due to the ne'er-do-wells. I'm missing great shots.
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| Looking out my window |
My day off on Wednesday was a rainy one, perfect for staying inside relaxing, doing household chores and spending quality time with Vincent the Cat. (He told me the last bit is the most important!) Looking out my windows, many of the trees lining the parking lot still bear yellow leaves. Soon they'll all be gone and I'll be able to see the next block.
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| Flash |
I took a photo of the holiday decorations at a house on East Second Street with the flash employed and without. Hmm. I like the without's colors better, but I couldn't get it as sharply focused. I see a challenge ahead!
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| No flash |
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| Set for the season |
The Plainfield Police Department has lighted the trees around their memorial for the holidays. The flags are at half-staff for those lost in San Bernardino. All of the flags I've seen this week post that incident have been honoring the victims except for the Costco flag in Bridgewater.
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| Scraping away history |
Well, probably not actual "history" as the paint job on the historical building was certainly not its original paint. But, it's been that way the fifteen years I've lived in town. I hope when they repaint, they'll use contrasting colors once again to bring out the details. New buildings don't have the fanciness of those built 100 years or so ago!
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| Bright berries |
Now that most of the trees in the Bridgewater area have lost their leaves, these red berry trees (have no clue what they are) are a bright spot among the browns and fading yellows of the surrounding landscape.
THE STARLINGS SAGA ...
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| They're everywhere! |
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| Nonconformist |
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| I need to break free from the masses! |
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| Landing gear employed |
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| Hey! Where'd Joe get that berry?!?! |
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| Don't look behind you! |
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| Synchronized starlings |
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| Footloose |
*******************
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| Still dandy |
I thought last week's dandelion photos would be the last for several months to come. I was wrong.
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| Vincent is comfy |
Vincent thinks he's going to have more quality time with me today. And, that he will ... after I get a few errands aside.
7 comments:
Loved the "no flash" photo and also the starlings.
Very clever captions for the starling photos--especially Joe and his berry.
Thank you!
lol @ nonconformist. Perfect!
I can't believe you have leaves. We have almost completely naked trees here in Baltimore.
Love your pictures! What camera do you use?
Love your pictures! What camera do you use?
The photos in the blog entry were all taken with a Canon Powershot SX520HS point and shoot digital camera. It has a great zoom and isn't too heavy to drag around back and forth commuting. My DSLR and other cameras require too much gear and weigh too much.
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