Just so wrong (funny, though)

This is especially for Julie in Sydney who wants a climate-appropriate Christmas - as a child growing up in California I was always mystified by the fake snow painted on home and shop windows, by "flocked" Christmas trees, and especially by the paper cutout snowflakes we made in school, despite the fact that none of the children knew what snowflakes were.

In that vein, here is a "snowman" I just found on the beach near my mom's house, wool muffler, mittens, greenery - but made of sand! No, this isn't Three Rivers, the 3RDailyPhoto has been visiting family in California.

Have a happy and safe New Year's celebration!

Sculpture in Three Rivers

Piece by Three Rivers sculptor Brian Brook. The green ball on top looks unnervingly like an eyeball to me....

Painting in Progress

A work in progress by Three Rivers artist Tad Trimnell. A sculptural surface is achieved with gesso, and thin washes of oil color laid over it.

Mysterious trees

My Monochrome this week involves those light-wrapped trees (see yesterday's post.)

See more monochromes at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

More Lights

Chestnuts roasting

This is the first time I've ever had a roasted chestnut, and over an open fire (or open bbq) too! Downtown.

Feliz Navidad

Nativity scene and Santa too

This house has a wonderful display - a creche on one side and Santa's sleigh, complete with leaping reindeer, on the other (click to enlarge).

White lights, white flowers

The tree in this picture is a huge dogwood, which in the spring is covered with large white flowers and in the winter holiday season with little white lights.

Lots of Christmas Trees

This stately old home, formerly owned by the "Strawberry King" R.M. Kellogg, has been beautifully restored and features several Christmas trees in its large bay windows. On Hoffman.

Night Mono

Another night shot; this is of the old Kellogg office, now a law office. Actually at this time of day, it is a closed office. I liked the shadows cast by the street lamps on the stairs and building.

I'm still too busy with holiday and family to do much looking and responding, but you should check out more monochromes -click over to The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

And, happy solstice!

Uh Oh, Snow

Heavy wet snow has flattened the various inflatables that decorate the awning over Lowry's - Santa is tipped, the Christmas tree is flat, someone is falling out of the chimney, and I don't know what is happening with the snow globe.

9 degrees F this am (-12 degrees C). Brrr. But the sun is out!

Night vision

Now for some decorations around town after dark, and some attempts at low-light photography. This house is using a lot of different colors.

I'm going to be very busy for a while with the holidays and family - but I'll respond when I can!

Sky, with wreath and candles

Blue sky and Christmas street decorations on Peeler St. bridge.

Find links to this week's Skywatch Friday participants and see skies around the world: http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

1950s Santa

Santa and Mrs. Claus have arrived from the 1950s to stand around the Wishing Well and bake cookies. Oh, and beware of the dog.

Santa Waves

This Santa usually is a downtown Three Rivers centerpiece, but he was supplanted this year by a large Christmas tree. So someone has wheeled him over to the park, where he stands near the old cannon, waving to the fire station across Michigan Avenue.

Weather Report

18 degrees F, -8 degrees C. Big puffy flakes coming down. My eyes are firmly on the icy road.

That's just about how it looked

In today's monochromatic gloom and drizzle, a weak sun slides its reflection across the St. Joseph River. It almost looks like the moon - especially in black & white. Looking toward the Three Rivers power dam from Riverside Cemetery.

See more of the world in monochrome at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

Bark bark, Santa

The animal rescue group, ARF, had fundraiser doggie visits to Santa at the Three Rivers Tractor Supply Company. A long line of enthusiastic owners and their dogs waited in a line, the dogs investigating any treats on display on low shelves. Here, a smiling Rottweiler has his photo taken with Santa.

ARF does many things for animals in the county, such as spay-neuter financial assistance, listing a "pet of the week" needing adoption in local papers, and emergency veterinary assistance. One wonderful service is providing food and bedding for the animals of people who are financially stressed, allowing the people to keep their pets. To read more about ARF go to their website, http://arfund.homestead.com/arf.html. If you want to donate, they take PayPal...

Douglas St.

The icy streets glisten in the afternoon sun.

Digital cameras! I've set something and now I can't figure out how to undo it. Oh no -- does this mean (gasp) I have to... read the manual???

Blue skies and lots of light

After the big snowstorm a sunny day is dazzling.

Find links to this week's Skywatch Friday participants and see skies around the world: http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

A cold place to read

This sculpture on a downtown park bench depicts a girl reading to a young boy. A nice summery sculpture...

Oh, Snow!

The promised snow finally arrived today with high winds stirring and tossing it about like dust devils in the desert. This sculpture-person by Brian Brook, doubling as a gallery open sign, seems amazed by the change in weather. Or maybe she is warming up for a part in L'Orfero, now showing (as a film) at the Riviera Theater.

Santa Tanks

Someone at the American Legion building in Three Rivers celebrated the holidays by parking Santa atop the WWII tank that sits next to their building. I suppose it could be seen as either amusing... or horrible.

Sign of the Times

Posted on the library door: "Patrons with flu symptoms are asked to refrain from using the library..."

I know, it's an odd photo, but it works for me. See more of the world in monochrome at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

Christmas windows, no snow

More decorated windows downtown, but the predicted fourteen inches of snow never arrived. A friend came down from Grand Rapids and said it was all piled up there. Here, just a few sparkly bits, hanging in the air.

Decorations and Doorways

A downtown shop window (the Golden Finch, a framer and gallery), prettily decorated for Christmas. Santa is watching! Alas, though, the Wildcats lost their bid for the state football championship.

Skywatch

Friday afternoon about 1:30 by the railroad tracks, a long line of clouds bringing snow. But for now, the sun is peeking out and there is some blue sky overhead. Its getting cold.

Find links to this week's Skywatch Friday participants, and see skies around the world, at http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

More singing

Some members of the Three Rivers High School chorus, along with their director, Mr. Joel Moore, caroling through the downtown stores. They sang very well, and it was a real treat.

Singing outdoors

Christmas caroling by the downtown Christmas tree. The little children sang louder than the adults!

(Addendum: River Country Journal ran a 1 minute audio of the, uhm, music... thanks Bruce! Links from here: “Christmas Around Town” to continue )

Waiting

December's theme is "Waiting". Dogs are good at waiting. They wait for us to come home, wait for their walk, wait for someone to come paddle the boat.

Click here to view thumbnails for all City Photo Theme Day participants

Goggle Dog

Walking along the street was this serious pit bull with his owner. No, I don't know why he's wearing goggles. And don't pet him... according to his backpack sign, he's working!

(The dog looks quite a bit like the famous "Nipper".)

See more of the world in monochrome at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

Weenie King

The Weenie King, a local institution, brings his cart with its fine sausages and condiments to all fairs and city events, including the "Christmas Around Town". He can also be found outside the public library all summer long. The Weenie King makes me truly regret that I don't like hot dogs.

Christmas Around Town

Lots of activities today downtown, sales, Santa, carriage rides and street vendors, "Christmas Around Town" is the name of the event. Here is a proud reindeer with his handler, Joshua, in a pass-through between stores and a parking lot. I didn't catch the reindeer's name. The pass-through was formerly part of the Falvey clothing store chain from the 1920s. The building collapsed while being restored, and the city purchased it, filled the basement with dirt, and planted a large tree!

"Black" Friday Dawn

Just after dawn this morning, the sky shows a lot of blue, but the sun has not yet reached the buildings. The Christmas tree (center, in shadow) will not be lit until the official ceremony tomorrow, although it is already covered with decorations. Merchants will open soon; this is "Black Friday", from the expression "In the black", meaning profitable. The term comes from old hand written business ledgers, where profits were written in black and losses were written in red. In the US, retail sales are highest in the weeks before Christmas, and since the day after Thanksgiving is usually a day off work for most people, it has become an especially important sales day for retailers.

Find links to more of this week's Skywatch Friday participants at http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

Veggie Thanksgiving

Since most of our extended family are vegetarians, we had a special feast today sans the traditional roast turkey. I've spent the last few days preparing and coordinating -- Seitan roasted in barbeque sauce; acorn squash stuffed with apple and cranberry; spicy sweet potato, cooked in cocoanut milk; mashed russet potatoes (with golden fried onions to mix in); stuffing of oatmeal bread croutons with pears and leeks; mushroom gravy; roasted green beans with walnuts; corn with mint; Brussels sprouts with a mustard and maple syrup glaze; parsnip puree; and two kinds of cranberry sauce. A spinach salad with amazing little black lentils found by my sister-in-law, who also made the bread. Little Lily helped create a dessert of pears decorated to look like turkeys, and there was another dessert of cherry-apple crumble with whipped cream. No one went away hungry!

To all in the US, Happy Thanksgiving.

Manly Men with Chainsaws

About a dozen muscular manly men with hardhats and bushy beards were spotted high in the tree tops sawing away with their chainsaws. Having wrestled with a chainsaw once or twice while standing on the ground, I can't even imagine trying to use one while hanging in the top of a tree. The object seemed to be to trim the trees away from the high power wires; but the chainsaw men seemed to be having a good time.

Another Corridor

Ever deeper into Lowry's Books; every corner beckons me on, through just one more row of laden shelves...

Bookstore

Inside Lowry's Books in downtown Three Rivers there are stacks and shelves and piles of books winding through rows and rooms. " Just what you want" is in here somewhere.

See more of the world in monochrome at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

Art Guild

Members of the Three Rivers Artists Guild hang a sign in the storefront that will house a gallery of members' works - for sale for the upcoming Christmas season. Watercolorist Lynn Johnson and photographer Becky Hackenberg are placing the sign, which announces the gallery opening next Saturday.

Visible across the street are some of the interesting and well preserved Victorian-era buildings that have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (previous post: Best Preserved Victorian Streetscape).

Recycling

A Saturday morning ritual -- a trip to the recycling center.

Yup, Sky Still Up There

And blue, too.

Camera (or, I hope, battery) woes are leaving me behind a few days...

Find links to this week's Skywatch Friday participants at http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

Night

Last night I went to the Riviera Theater in downtown Three Rivers to see Così fan Tutte, filmed at the Salzburg Festival in July of this year. It is a creepy take on Mozart's disturbing comedy, this version focused on Don Alfonso as a demonic force determined to separate the young lovers from their innocent optimism and drag them into cynical despair. The advantage of seeing it at the Riviera is in being able to take your glass of wine into the theater (from the theater's attached wine-bar)... or popcorn, if you like! The mezzo playing Dorabella (Isabel Leonard) was a real standout for me, but they were all wonderful.

On the way home I took this shot of the downtown lights, not despairing at all.

Bridges

More kayaking from yesterday - but not today, it is raining! Paddling up river, I came to the mysterious remains of a bridge. The bridge abutment leads to a narrow, high ridge, as were constructed for narrow gauge railroads in the 1800s, but now overgrown with huge trees. It would not be visible in the summer undergrowth. In the distance is the Fisher Lake Road bridge over the Portage River. Also mysteriously, Fisher Lake Road does not go to Fisher Lake. So many mysteries!

Home Sweet Home

I've been thinking about starting a series of photos of the many interesting homes in Three Rivers, but the morning was sunny so I went out on the Portage River - and found an interesting home... well, it is for wood ducks, but has a great location!

Sunset, again

I didn't mean to post yet another sky picture - but there it was yesterday evening, monochrome. A sense of scale comes from the trees and power lines in the lower right corner, (click image for a larger view.)

See more of the world in monochrome at The Monochrome Weekly, presented by Aileni.

Michigan Tiki

"Tiki" as a decorating style, idealized to ridiculous adaptions of decorative elements from a broad range of Pacific cultures, was popular among restauranteurs and suburban homeowners in the US in the 1950s. When I was growing up in California there were still some remnants of the style, especially "Tiki-torches", decorative garden lamps for outdoor parties, and in the decor of moldy old restaurants and bars. Moving to the midwest, I was very surprised to find "Tiki" still "alive and kicking" in rural areas, with Tiki-themed restaurants and Tiki-themed rest stops along the highway. I even once spotted a "Tiki" gas station.

Yesterday was a lovely sunny day, and I went out on the Portage River here in Three Rivers. Along the river this property-owner has a nice dock with comfortable chairs - and a palm-frond decorated "Tiki" umbrella! Looks so jaunty with the bare deciduous trees, don't you think? :-)

Saturday Morning

After last night's peaceful sunset, the brilliant colors of this morning's sunrise were a surprise. It has been a beautiful day, so far! View over Hoffman Pond on the Portage River in Three Rivers.

Friday Sunset

A sunny morning, but the rest of the day was overcast, grey. As the sun slipped under the clouds at the end of the day it produced a lovely pastel sunset. (Looking west from the hospital in Three Rivers.)

Skywatch Friday gives you a glimpse of skies around the world, find links to this week's participants at http://skyley.blogspot.com/.

Veterans Day

Yesterday was Veterans Day; the Riverside Cemetery in Three Rivers was decorated with flags and markers for the graves of former servicemen. Formerly called "Armistice Day", November 11 is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other countries, and marks the end of World War I. In the US, it became in 1954 a day to honor the veterans of all wars.

This giant boulder in the cemetery was placed there in 1903, "Dedicated To the Perpetual Memory of the Soldiers of All Wars." Surrounding the boulder are four signs, each sign with lines of a poem. Walking clockwise around the boulder, the poem reads:

The neighing troop, the flashing blade,
The bugle's stirring blast,
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din and shout are past.

No rumor of the foe's advance
Now swells upon the wind:
No troubled thought at midnight haunts
Of loved ones left behind.

No vision of the morrows strife
The warrior's dream alarms.
No braying horn nor screaming fife
At dawn shall call to arms.

On fame's eternal camping-ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.