Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Angst


A bit of graffiti on a wall along the Madison Avenue side of the Empire State Plaza.

Monday, May 25, 2015

A Soldier's Gravestone

 

I spent at least part of Memorial Day weekend in one of my favorite places, the Albany Rural Cemetery.  It was a rewarding walk (despite ending up with my foot ankle-deep in the rotted stump of a tree).  Among the headstones found on this outing, a fallen Civil War soldier's marker high on the old North Ridge.  Though the name and dates are difficult to read, it is easy to recognize it as a Civil War soldier's resting place; the design includes a soldier's kepi-style cap and a shield overlapping a crossed sword and scabbard.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Another Iron Acorn


I've walked by this fence behind the First Presbyterian Church many, many times, but only just noticed this acorn final.  It probably stood out because, earlier in the day, I'd come across an iron acorn on a fence at the Albany Rural Cemetery while looking for the grave of Dianna Mingo (a former slave and centenarian who lived kitty-corner from the future site of the First Presbyterian Church)

Friday, May 15, 2015

A Boat In The Park


A post-iced coffee walk around Washington Park this afternoon (to visit the turtles) led to an unusual sight; a boat slowly cruising up and down the lake.  It appeared the boat's two-man crew was testing the depth of the lake.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Ready To Scrub


Brooms, buckets, and shaving cream tulips stand ready for the annual Scrubbing of State Street, the traditional beginning of the weekend-long Tulip Festival.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Van Rensselaer Park


A pair of old iron gates flanking an entrance to Van Rensselaer Park between Ten Broeck Street and Hall Place. 

Since this pretty little green space was once the old Colonie burial grounds, I'll probably post much more about this park at albanychurchgrounds.wordpress.com fairly soon (I've slowly expanded that blog to not only cover the Church Grounds at the Rural Cemetery, but other historic and long-gone Albany burial grounds).

Monday, May 4, 2015

Arbor Hill Door


The rear door of the 1798 Ten Broeck Mansion which hosted a very enjoyable Living History fair yesterday afternoon.  Set on a steep slope above Ten Broeck Street at Livingston Avenue, it was once called Arbor Hill (the name now applies to the much larger neighborhood itself).

Friday, May 1, 2015

They're Coming

The first of this year's tulips are beginning to bloom after a long, snowy winter and what seems like a very slow spring.