Springing crocuses

Spring has finally arrived in upstate New York.

The snow piles aren't totally gone yet but

there is enough open for the crocuses to pop.

My walking, pushing the baby stroller,

was very slow as I kept pulling the camera out.

Here are some of the results:

THE CROCUS
Harriet Beecher Stowe

Beneath the sunny autumn sky, 

With gold leaves dropping round, 

We sought, my little friend and I, 

The consecrated ground, 

Where, calm beneath the holy cross, 

O'ershadowed by sweet skies, 

Sleeps tranquilly that youthful form, 

Those blue unclouded eyes. 

Around the soft, green swelling mound 

We scooped the earth away, 

And buried deep the crocus-bulbs 

Against a coming day. 

"These roots are dry, and brown, and sere; 

Why plant them here?" he said, 

"To leave them, all the winter long, 

So desolate and dead." 

"Dear child, within each sere dead form 

There sleeps a living flower, 

And angel-like it shall arise 

In spring's returning hour." 

Ah, deeper down cold, dark, and chill 

We buried our heart's flower, 

But angel-like shall he arise 

In spring's immortal hour. 

In blue and yellow from its grave 

Springs up the crocus fair, 

And God shall raise those bright blue eyes, 

Those sunny waves of hair. 

Not for a fading summer's morn, 

Not for a fleeting hour, 

But for an endless age of bliss, 

Shall rise our heart's dear flower.

Jamming Celtic-style

With St. Patrick's Day coming up next week,

we have four parades to march in this weekend.

To jumpstart the parade season,

the juvenile band my second son (and his cousins)

belong to put on a concert called "Celtic Jam."

Since I don't play an instrument and 

prefer a camera, of course, I took many pictures.

You can see the rest of them on Flickr.

Of flags and horses

When the photo contest parameters said a flag must be included

I knew exactly where I would go look for my potential entries.

Just over a year ago, I took many photos at the burial of
 an unknown New York state Civil War soldier
at the Gerald Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery.

It was such a display of patriotism, not just with all the flags

but because of all the military members present.

Civil war re-enactors, older veterans, Patriot Guard Riders

and the young soldiers who made up the honor guard.

This is the photo I chose to enter and it won,
just a few weeks before Veterans Day.

The contest was held on Facebook by local photographer
Mark Samu on his Where's Mr. Peabody? fan page.
For winning, I got to choose any print from his collections.
I chose Mr. Peabody with his barn mate,
a really fat goat named Little Jerry.

Be sure to check out Mark's beautiful collections --
the rural life, place your bets, the new cowboys,
equine conversations, hoof beats, the english subjects,
the rodeo and the mr. peabody collections.
They are now available on Etsy and at local retailers.

Parading around puddles

We were successfully able to dodge the raindrops

-- and hail -- at two weekend St. Patrick's parades

with our band Galloway Gaelic Pipes and Drums.

First up on Saturday, a quick loop around

the town of Hoosick Falls, NY

followed by an indoor performance.

Our parade-watching partner, Bear.

This poor llama looked so out of place.

Dh, the pipe band's drum major.

Just what is that guy looking at?

On Sunday, it was on to Kingston, NY

for a 3-mile parade that my whole family completed.

A combo of the candy he had collected at the start
and being carried a bit in the last half mile
helped the youngest Dowd finish the parade.

See more photos here.

Water and reflection

Here ares some more of my favorite photos from years past.