Fourth Sunday in May-Cemetery

This Sunday morning I stayed in late in order not to tempt fate. When I awoke, the sky was gray and a bit cool. As predicted the weather brightened up mid-morning and the day (later) turned about to be very warm.

In honor of the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, I decided to explore the nearby Fairview Cemetery (with a special emphasis on the military graves). Ironically, the cemetery in West Hartford that I used to plant flags every Memorial Day weekend was also named Fairview Cemetery.

View from monument (looking north).
These are the graves of veterans not war dead.

The cemetery had placed flags on the graves of veterans. So many people have forgotten the meaning of Memorial Day and instead treat it as a Spring version of Veterans Day. However, in the Korean & Vietnam Wars section, I did see several death dates (and ages) that suggest true war dead are indeed buried here.

  

This is what it looks like from the other direction.

Close-up of the monument for the veterans graves.

I also walked around the cemetery and observed the various markers and monuments. I was surprised that I did not see any Celtic crosses. No Irish buried here I guess.

The web site reports that Fairview Cemetery has been serving the greater New Britain community for well over two hundred and fifty years. Established in 1756, Fairview is among the areas oldest and most historic burial grounds. This majestic one hundred acre city within a city, is home to over thirty-eight thousand interments, with room for thousands more.

This was the most unusual marker I saw and perhaps ever saw.
Scottish guy.

Interesting walk this morning. Lots more to explore here.

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
http://www.newbritainct.gov/services/recreation/fairview_cemetery.htm
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2018/05/memorial-day-2018-sort-of.html
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Written Memorial Day (observed)-Monday 27 May 2019.

Ben-Hur: The Movie (1959)

Cover of DVD for Ben-Hur movie (1959)

After reading the book, my next goal was to view the 1959 movie. I was hoping to borrow a Blu-Ray copy from the library but only the DVD version was available at the time. The quality turned out to be surprisingly good.

I watched over about five sittings over a two week period. I started to "watch" Charlton Heston's commentary but it was weird and difficult in the this edition. The commentary was not continuous. You had to hit the "fast forward" button on the remote to get to the next bit. That annoyed me and I only lasted until through the first disc. The commentary on the 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray is better since it is continuous (although I found it difficult to hear).

I like this movie version since it told the story a bit differently (it had to compress the book into about 3.5 hours of film). The movie ending was almost as schmaltzy as the book: shot of Jesus dead on the cross in the background with a shepherd and sheep passing to the right in the foreground. 

Thank God for these DVDs we can watch at home. I'm not sure I could or would want to sit through over three hours straight in a theater.

After watching this movie, I have a better appreciation for how it influenced Monty Python's Life of Brian movie.
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Links:
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2019/04/ben-hur-tale-of-christ.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_Heston
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python%27s_Life_of_Brian
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Written May 25 2019.

Third Sunday in May: No Rain

My Sunday morning walk this week beat the rain. Actually, the day turned out to be pretty decent (partly cloudy with sun and pleasant temperatures - in the low 70s). When I first started walking, I was cold and apprehensive that I might have under dressed but once I got going I warmed up comfortably.

Looking North along the Fast Track multi-purpose trail.
I was heading South.

I did my usual two hours, covering about 5 miles round trip. At first the sky was clear and cold. But as the sun rose, it warmed up and the clouds moved in. At the end of my walk the sky was completely black. Shortly after I arrived home, a light rain fell but soon passed. So, technically, this was the third Sunday in a row that it rained in the morning (but I missed it this week).

I think these were coal silos (at least the stuff lying around
looked like it might be coal). Not used anymore.

One of the highlights from the walk was a Lithuanian Koplytstulpis (wayside shrine) in the parking lot of St. Andrew Church.

American flag to the left and Lithuanian flag at right.

Sign on front.

Closeup of the detail at top. (God? St. Andrew?)

Last evening, Lynn and I walked the same route but scooted over to see the main gate of Fairview Cemetery. Since it was getting dark, we postponed our exploring to another day.

On the way home this morning, I went off the multi-purpose path and went through the neighborhoods. That was quite an experience. This area is old and poor. Lots of big, multi-unit homes that are falling apart with bits of trash blowing through the streets. I am glad it was early in the day when most people were still asleep; just a few out walking their dogs.

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Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuania

https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koplytstulpis
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Written Sunday 18 May 2019.

Second Sunday in May-More Rain

Like last Sunday, I went for an early morning walk to say the Rosary and explore the multi-purpose path near my new apartment. Like last Sunday morning, it rained again. And also, like last Sunday, I got rather soaked.

Looking north (from Fairview Cemetery).

Near the start of the today's walk, I noticed a little monument (see below).

Note the monument between the bushes.

This is the plaque that is on the simple stone monument.

The plaque reads:

About thirty feet from this spot

stood the house in which

Brig. Gen. John Patterson

was born 1743-4

Member of Two Provincial 

Congresses from Lenox Mass.

Leader in the War of Independence

Distinguished Jurist and Member of

Congress from Lisle NY

Where he died in 1808.

On the back of the monument is another (smaller) plaque which reads:

Erected by Esther Stanley Chapter DAR 1932

Today's walk was about 2.5 miles (in the rain).

Hello from me.

 Hopefully, next Sunday will not have rain.

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Links:
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2019/05/first-sunday-in-may.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paterson_(New_York_politician)
https://www.dar.org/
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Written Sunday May 12, 2019.

First Sunday in May

Nice view of new apartment building I moved to this week.

This morning I took my Sunday morning walk along the "multi-use" trail that runs alongside the busway. There was a light rain coming down gently which lasted the entire time. Although I had the power of an umbrella, I still got pretty well soaked.

Note path at right side of picture (and road).

Here comes the bus!

Unique old house at today's halfway mark of my walk.

Walked for nearly two hours and got pretty well soaked. But the it was early in the morning (6:15 am) when I started, so no one else was around. At the halfway point (where I turned around) I stopped at a donut store for a coffee roll (which I ate at home as my reward for walking).

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Written Sunday May 5, 2019.