Christmas Angels

I rose yesterday morning at around 6:30 and left my wife and daughter sleeping to go out and photograph the streets of Willimantic, CT again, but found nothing that really grabbed my eye on this day after Christmas. So I turned back toward Manchester and drove out through the countryside while I listened to NPR. I ended up finally stopping on this frosty morning, shortly after sunrise, at the Mansfield Center Cemetery. A beautifully preserved ancient burial ground with amazing stones.

I used to do a lot of rubbings from old tombstones when I lived in Massachusetts. I admire the style and whimsical nature of the early carvers who crafted wonderful angels, death heads, birds and willow trees, and other symbolic pictorial representations on the old markers. And the cemetery at Mansfield holds some fine examples. These appear to be mostly from sandstone, which erodes over time, as opposed to slate, which tends to withstand the weathering better and was more prevalent in the areas around Boston. But the Mansfield stones have been well cared for and survive in extremely good condition.

I strolled about the grounds admiring the craftsmanship, but also feeling the history. I love old cemeteries and can’t help but wonder about the lives of these old and young departed souls, their parts in building the communities, the children they raised and lost, the widows, the young soldiers, and the old farmers. The town’s leaders and professionals, and the unmarked graves of servants and paupers. Some were simply portrayed as “wife of”, “widow of”, “beloved son” or simply “father”. Others were more eloquently eulogized. The names so poetic that speak of history. Emily and Delia Salter; Rebecka Alpenwall, wife of Peter; Elithea Trumball, widow of William; Captain Samuel Storrs; and Zedekia Smith who died at 18 years old on May 21st, 1776. Probably a young soldier of the revolution.

Dr. David Adams, who died on March 26th in 1790 at the age of 59 was “Endowed by Nature with strong mental powers, which he greatly improved by reading and reflection. Distinguished for good sense, phylanthropy (sic), and patriotism. He was eminent as a physician. And died in hope of a happy memorial.”

I strolled among these angels and felt their presence. I wondered and imagined and then I wished them well and left them peaceful under the frosty sunrise in the Connecticut countryside. I’m sure to return there, having met them now and feeling as though they have shared something with me. And for this I am thankful.

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All Rights Reserved.

In the Deep Freeze

The season is upon us and even in the hectic craziness of all the shoppers and planning for the holidays, things begin to slow. I feel like I can take a deep breath and just lay back a little. Working for a university has its perks in that I get all next week off and a few days beyond. Although my wife is expecting me to work on our bedroom after we return from Connecticut. So a working break. I also have a presentation coming up that I have to finish preparing for. At least I’m home. We decorated the house a little for my daughter’s holiday party last week, rented a hot tub, and entertained about twenty-five teenagers. We put lights up from the exposed beams in the living room and they keep the place feeling kind of festive.

I sat in the hot tub last Sunday as the snow drifted down, almost stinging when it landed on my exposed arms as I laid back in the warm bubbly water. The hot tub jets were the only sound other than the waterfall down in the gorge. Geese flew quietly overhead and the last few oak leaves still clinging in the trees betrayed the breeze that stirred. I could smell the smoke from the woodstove inside and quietly meditated in the winter solitude. It was blissful.

This morning I took Margot to the kennel to board while we are away. Fortunately she loves the kennel. Gets to bark herself hoarse. She’s loved the snow and buries her face in it, scrubs and rolls in it. The cats on the other hand get pretty stir crazy and ornery, fighting with each other and wanting to scratch apart the furniture.We’ve had a cold start to the season with more gray days than normal and a bit more snow. But white is the color for Christmas landscapes, so I’ll wish for a thaw in January. Wow, January.

Another year done. Seems like I just turned in last year’s tax returns and here they come again. Scary how fast the time passes as you age. Happy holidays everyone.

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All Rights Reserved.

ASD Benefit for Cystic Fibrosis

Those who read my blog regularly know that my daughter is a dancer. As a member of the dance team at Armstrong School of Dance, she takes several classes a week as do all the team girls, in all styles of dance. They are an amazing, beautiful group of girls.

Last season they reached their goal of a National Championship in competitions in New York City. This year they decided to focus their efforts less on competition and more on local performances and community service. So for a Holiday performance Karen Gorsky and her mother, Ann Armstrong, brought the Armstrong students to the Ithaca High School auditorium for a benefit to aid in fighting Cystic Fibrosis.

Twenty-two separate dance numbers were presented by dancers from mid to upper levels in front of holiday decorations and sparkling lights and an exuberant crowd. The youngest performers who danced first, filled the floor in front of the stage to watch the older students as they leapt and glided gracefully across the floor. They raised over $6,000 for the cause and were a delight to watch. I commend all of them for their efforts.

Cystic Fibrosis is the number one genetic killer of children and young adults in the United States today. It is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in our country. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections among other effects. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have extended life for children and adults with CF. In 2006, the predicted median age of survival was 37 years.

I am so happy that my daughter has chosen dance as an interest and has committed to it with such passion. Dance, like many athletic activities, builds strength, flexibility, and stamina, tones the body and improves the balance and coordination. But beyond that these dancers also obviously build self-esteem, confidence, poise and grace.

They learn about team work, camaraderie and friendship, leadership, discipline, goal setting, and learn how it feels to be an integral part of the body of a performance. Everyone is important, and each one is valued. It’s a wonderful thing. I thank Karen and ASD for all that you have given my daughter over the years and for what you have done to help her to be a proud and beautiful young woman.

For everyone that reads here, I wish you all the very best for the Holidays. Thank you for being here all year with me, and for coming back so often. It means a great deal.

For more information or to make a donation to fight Cystic Fibrosis, contact the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814, 866-347-2345. Or go to their web site at http://www.cff.org.

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All Rights Reserved.

Going Full Circle…

Link to my recent post which would not show up under “tags”.

Full Circle…page 3.

Looking back at the year … chapter 3. (Go to page 1)

There were weddings…

There were native Americans…

…and Hindu brides…

…and all manner of beautiful people.

There was winter…

and spring…

and summer…

and fall.

And there was so much color.

Reds…

and blues…

purples and greens.

Rainbows…

and sunrises.

And one beautiful red dress.

It was a very good year.

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All Rights Reserved.

Full Circle…page 2

Looking back this year…chapter two. (Go to page 1)

There were flower pots…

and flowers…

There were pictures looking down…

and looking up…

There was Willimantic, CT…

And the gulf coast of Florida…

and there was more….

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All Rights Reserved.

Going full circle…page 1

It’s been almost a year since I began this blog. I started December 31, 2006. I wasn’t really sure, when I started, exactly what it would be or look like or where it would take me. What it has been is a surprise. I’m nearing 24,000 hits and have been averaging 200 hits a day for a while. I know by some bloggers’ standards this is barely being seen. But for me, every day that I top my best day is fantastic. I don’t know where all this traffic comes from. But one of my goals in doing this was to get some exposure for my photography. And it certainly has done that. So I guess one goal accomplished. It has been instrumental in getting me to photograph more. It’s like going to the gym. I need that push, that impetus, to make me pick up my gear and get out the door. And I’m always glad that I did afterwards. Another goal was to write more. At least once a week. I haven’t always posted on a regular weekly basis, but have been pretty steadfast about it. This will be my 57th post in a year so I guess I’m doing better than I had originally set out to do. I think the discipline of forcing myself to find a topic and write has been wonderful for both personal growth and training my writing skills. It has helped me to look back, to think about the past, and to set goals for the future. It has helped me to look inward, to examine my beliefs, to write about what’s important to me. And to share with others, my photography, my art, my thoughts, my history, my family, my opinions, my desires. To share these things with people I don’t know, and to come to know people that I hadn’t before. That has been the biggest surprise. Blogging has introduced me to a whole community of people from all over who share similar things. The desire to make contact with the world, the need to be recognized, to say I’m here and I have something important to share. And it has brought to my intimate space in front of this monitor a sense of connectedness to others who are incredibly human, and caring, and feeling, and wise. People who are willing to share their joys and their sorrows by allowing me to read their journals and know that my experience too is valid and understood and not uncommon. I want to tell all of you who read this blog regularly how much I appreciate you. How much I depend on you being there. And how much joy it brings me to know you read this and to receive your comments. Thank you all.

So the images on this post are a look back over the year. A look back at where I’ve been this year and what I’ve seen and what I’ve photographed. I’ll have to do this as two or three posts because, as I look at the images I want to look back at, there’s just too many to narrow it down to 15 or so. Photographically it’s been a big year for me. I finally got off my lazy butt and set up my photography as a business. I established a working relationship with a very good friend and photographer only to have it fall apart and lose not only the working relationship but the friendship as well. Very sad about that. I had an image from long ago noticed by a producer in California and picked up for use in a PBS documentary. I have a couple of pictures coming out in the next issue of JPG magazine. I’ve shot weddings, a bar mitzvah, portraits and performances. And I’ve made some pictures this year that I am very proud of. I upgraded my computer equipment to the system I’ve always dreamed of and have set new goals for the coming year to make my business grow. All in all, a very good year. Now how do I top this? Just keep shooting and writing and let it all happen I suppose. Thanks again to all of you. Here are some images from the past year.

I looked back at the past.

The grandfather I never knew.

Ithaca Gun, now defunct.

aging trucks…

I shot at the boat yard again.

And continued my series on Ornamental America.

There were performances…

and proms…

dancers…

and fireworks.

and there’s more…

All images are Copyright © George Cannon, All rights reserved.