That train's a comin . . .

[click image to enlarge] I really like the way the wildflowers grow along the train tracks in the summer. This Red line train is approaching the Wollaston station heading towards Boston.

A Lick and a Look

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Summer doesn't get much better than a lick of ice cream at the Dairy Freeze and look at gorgeous clouds at sunset. Click the picture and enlarge it to see the vintage sign. Happy Skywatch Friday everyone. Click here for more skies around the world.

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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This prairie-Bungalow style house at 561 Quincy Shore Drive was constructed in 1919, by local architect-carpenter-builder Peter Swanson for $5000. This picturesque house across from Wollaston Beach, has a facing of smooth pebbles evoking the beaches of the New England coast; it's an unusual wall covering for Quincy. It has a low pitch hip roof which emphasizes the houses's horizontality and bands of windows of Prairie style houses. The chimney is faced with pebbles and the pebble motif is further carried out in the landscaping of the front where there are short pebble retaining walls.

Foot Loose

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The summer footwear craze was captured here on a train ride into Boston. These flimsy sandals called flip flops or thongs, come in an array of materials, colors and adornments. They are fun to wear for a short time but they can be the cause of foot pain and foot injury. I hope this couple is headed straight to the beach where they can enjoy the feel of the sand between their toes. Do you have a pair? What color?

Stalking the blooms

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The marsh is in bloom as you can see from this mullein, a biennial. This plant doesn't produce flower stalks its first year but its stalks can reach 6 feet tall in the second year. This plant has been used for treating many ailments like leprosy and tuberculosis; made into tea it offers relief of cold symptoms.

Mullein has had a long history of usefulness: Roman ladies used these plants to die their hair blonde. Roman soldiers dipped the flower stalks in tallow to make torches. Women who were forbidden to use make-up for religious reasons rubbed the rough leaves on their cheeks, to create a beautiful red flush. People who spend time in the woods are attracted to mullein’s large, velvety leaves when they run out of toilet paper, again creating a beautiful red flush on their cheeks. Who knew? Who wanted to know?

Storm on the horizon

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Granite Links Golf course is the site of this incredible view of Boston surrounded by storm clouds. It seemed to work well in monochrome. It's Monochrome Monday once again; click here for more black and white images from around the world.

Daisy Time

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Don't daisies just make you smile? Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

Floor by floor

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This iron worker is slicing corrugated metal flooring for the new wing of Quincy High School.

Par 70

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Presidents Golf Course, pictured here, dates back to 1895, when the Wollaston Golf Club was founded on this property. It is situated on 93 acres and has views of Boston, the Neponset River, Blue Hills Reservation and the Atlantic Ocean. A season subscription for a county resident is $1575 from March through December. There are some excellent outdoor tennis courts on the property as well. It's a beautiful open space to enjoy many forms of recreation or just watch the cumulus clouds go by on a summer day ;-). Don't forget to check out "Skywatch Friday" from around the globe and enjoy the upcoming weekend.

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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Stein & Applebaum, a well-known local building company, erected this large Tudor revival residence at 390 Adams Street in 1931 for $15,000. The Tudor Revival was one of the popular eclectic revival styles of the first quarter of the 20th century. This is one of three fine examples of this style located on historic Adams Street. I like the arched doorway and beautiful setting of this old house.

Abandoned

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This building was abandoned many years ago at the site of the Fore River Shipyard. The windows caught my eye first and then the rich texture of this crude building. If you click and enlarge the image, you'll see a rusty shovel that's been weathering along with the building.

Worker Series

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This is Dave Forsyth, one of the friendliest and most helpful bike shop owners I have had the pleasure to know over the last couple of decades. Dave has owned and operated Dave's Bike Infirmary on Granite Ave. for 32 years; he has added two sons to his team of bike experts. You can see his web site here. I wish the roads were safer for bicyclists around here.

Do you bicycle much?

Hoisting Apparatus

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This shackle was captured at the site of the former Fore River Shipyard. I don't know whether it is put to use any more. Click here to see more black and white images from the Monday Monochrome Maniac group.

Faith Garden VII

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This miniature mollusk is one of Faith Garden's inhabitants. Are there any conchologists out there in blogville who can identify this creature further?

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!

Iron Patriotism

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I was all set to post a picture of the John Adams statue today until I stopped by the constuction site of the new Quincy high school wing and saw this iron worker. As he was erecting the steel I-beams, 50 feet off the ground, I saw him stop to unsnag our country's flag from the block and tackle that hoisted the I-beams. I was touched by this show of respect while working and thought here's a man who doesn't take anything for granted. What an unexpected show of patriotism.

Happy Birthday to our country this 4th of July!

Ready For Launch

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This boat at Quincy's Marina Bay will be set in the water as soon as the tide is high enough. This blah gray sky has persisted this past week around here. I will have a renewed appreciation for the return of color above the horizon. Happy "Skywatch Friday" everyone and click here for more colorful skies from around the world.

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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This handsome 1910 colonial house, with a gambrel roof line, is on the corner of Monroe Rd. and Fairmount Way on Hospital Hill. You get two views of today's post which could also be called "this old tree" day. The tree must be a couple hundred years old and growing moss on its bark like crazy during this rainy stretch. It dwarfs the house and is magnificent to see up close. (For authenticity, I left the rain drop spots on the first picture . . . truth be told I just noticed them while post processing.)

July Theme Day: "Empty"

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It's the first of the month and that means "Theme Day" in the City Daily Photo blog community. I chose to illustrate this month's theme (empty) by showing colorful but empty classroom furnishings in a local school. Most of Quincy's schools have emptied out for summer vacation which lasts about 10 weeks!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

A Grey Calm

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This tranquil scene is near the yacht clubs at Wollaston Beach.


Quincy Daily Photo received the Pixel Perfect Award today!
This prestigious award is given to a photo blogger who exhibits exceptional photographic skills in terms of artistic creativity, composition, sharpness and exposure. Thank you Jacob and Lois Anne from Ocala Daily Photo, I am truly honored. -Slim

Fog and Steel

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The Fore River bridge connects Quincy with the neighboring coastal town of Weymouth. The vertical lift bridge looks a bit eerie as the late afternoon sun penetrates a fog bank. Click here to view more "Monday monochromes".

. . . And Hope

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A fellow blogger from Tehran is missing and has not posted since June 17th. We hope that this blogger is safe and will be able to share that part of the world with us again soon. The city daily photo community has set aside today to show support for this missing blogger and others who have run into difficulties for taking photos of public events in public places. Click here to view more participants of this theme.

Both these images were captured at the rock garden aside the Faith Lutheran Church.

Shifting Sands

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Wollaston Beach is getting some maintenance work done in anticipation of the summer beach goers.

The Clearing

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The storm clouds are finally clearing over the Church of the Presidents in Quincy Center. This image was captured from the top of the "T" garage for "Skywatch Friday". Click here to see more skies from around the globe.
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Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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The porches are both so inviting on this handsome colonial home on Presidents Hill. The dark colored paint on the clapboards makes the turnings on the balusters really stand out. Now if only the rain and drizzle would stop long enough for those porch rockers to dry off . . .

Rose In Bloom

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The weather has been so dreary lately that I had to brighten the day with this pink beauty that I captured a few days ago. Make sure you stop and smell the roses.

Worker Series

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Meet Bryan Egan, who along with his brother Greg, owns and operates Egan's Sunoco on Adams Street. Bryan and Greg took over the family business when their father retired in 1982. They are a full service gas station, state inspection station and will fix and maintain your car. They have employed many young people over the years including their own children.

Bryan noted that there used to be 9 gas stations located along Adams Street between Lakin Square and Furnace Brook Parkway; now there are 3. One of the reasons Egan's Service Station survives is because of the friendly, honest, top quality service they render to customers like me who keeps a car for many years beyond its warranty. One of my family cars is 13 years old . . . what year car do you drive?

Concrete and Metal

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This pile of concrete rocks and wire is what remains of Quincy's Center For Technical Education. The pole lights in the background are turned on at night for the public tennis courts located behind the rubble. I think this image really lends itself to a monochrome image. Click here for more black and white from other Monochrome Maniacs.

Our Fathers

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This tranquil setting is the outdoor sanctuary at Faith Garden.

Today is the day our country set aside to celebrate and honor good and caring fathers. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. In Sonora's eyes, her father was a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. That is also the year that my father was born. This one's for you, dad.

Happy Father's Day, all!

Remnants

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This steel framework is one of the many remaining structures being dismantled at the former Quincy Shipyard site. At one time there were 32,000 workers working in this "yard". Neighboring residents knew the time of day by the shift whistles that blew day and night.

Fore River Rail

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The leading line is a shiny rail belonging to the Fore River Railway. This 2-mile freight line operates between Quincy Point and Braintree. It saw lots of action when this was a thriving shipbuilding area which peaked during World War II. Click here to see more rail car pictures. Some tank cars and old shipyard scaffolding can be seen in the background. Much of this 111 acre industrial site is being cleaned up and is not open to the public. I will share more images and history from this famous Quincy site in the weeks to come.

I am also posting this on the "Skywatch Friday" site as this blue sky was a rare treat in Quincy over the past few weeks. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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Today's handsome Greek Revival building was designed by Quincy's renowned architect, Solomon Willard, in 1826. Today's house is the Norfolk County Superior Courthouse in Dedham; the highest court in Quincy's County of Norfolk and is the location of the famous Sacco-Vanzetti murder trial in the 1920s. Today's "Old House" is a departure from my usual Thursday post because I am performing my civic duty here and thought you would enjoy the Quincy connection.

Have you ever served on a jury? It is interesting to see first hand how our justice system works.

Among the Rocks

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It's amazing what can grow in seemingly adverse conditions like this healthy looking succulent in a rock garden.

Mall Shadows

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This image was captured on planet earth at a local shopping mall. The skylights made for some "out of this world" shadows for this Monochrome Monday post. Click here for more black and white images from Monochrome Maniacs everywhere. Have a great week!

QFD

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The second Sunday in June is a day set aside in the United States to remember deceased firefighters. This is Quincy's Firefighter Memorial located in Quincy Cemetery, across from the Police Station. Firefighters are public servants in every sense of the word. The men and women who pursue this calling are compassionate and giving and put their lives on the line for us without notice. Thank you!

Readers' Paradise Revisited

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This is the owl and book relief gracing the Romanesque style archway into the Thomas Crane Public Library. It's fine free month; fines are going to be increased beginning July 1st. Follow the rules and it's still the best deal in town!

Twilight Shopping

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No crowds + no lines + no traffic = my favorite time to go grocery shopping. I like the way my favorite local supermarket, Roche Bros., looks at twilight with the different tones of light. Do you have a favorite time to shop for groceries?

You can see more Friday skies from around the world by clicking here. Enjoy!

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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This 13 room newly constructed home on historic Adams Street is for sale for just under 1.5 million dollars. It doesn't exactly fit the "Old House" category but all the houses surrounding it do. No expense was spared on this luxurious Mediterranean style home whose original owners made their money in some dubious, criminal fashion. The home was seized as part of their assets and is now for sale. This brick beauty took many years and dollars to build with meticulous care paid to details. Any buyers?

A Bag of Posies

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The orange flowers in the orange shopping bag begged for a picture on my train ride back to Quincy a couple days ago.

1776

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The musical, 1776, was recently performed on the grass at the Adams National Historical Park. A player from the Randolph Theater Company is portraying John Adams seen here. 1776 relates the story of the contentious debate among our nation's founding fathers at the Second Continental Congress. This debate culminated in the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Do you have any free "arts in the park" type events in your town during the summer months?

Monochrome Monday

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This is the aftermath of a torrential rainfall on an ornamental grass. It seemed to lend itself to a black and white image. Make sure to visit other Monday Monochromes here.

Garden sanctuary III

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Granite benches are spaced out along the garden path at Faith Garden. The benches are inscribed with scripture. This bench says: "Do not forget to do good and to share with others" . . . not a bad reminder. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

College Grad

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About 4,000 students attend Quincy College for their associates degree. Here is a recent Quincy College graduate having his picture taken outside the public library in Quincy Center.

Night lights

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Graduations are over and baseball season is in full swing under lights like these at Adams Field. We have been treated to some beautiful skies like this one a few evenings ago.

If you'd like to view some more sky pictures then click on Skywatch Friday and enjoy!

Thursday is "This Old House Day"

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This residence at 270 Adams Street is very difficult to get a good picture of because of the overgrown trees near the foundation. It is Quincy's best example of high style Italianate architecture, but unfortunately has been neglected for many years. The square Italianate tower, arched windows with various adornments, and the brackets are all features of this period around 1870. The original owners, the Baxter family sold it to the well-known King family. Theophilus King was a well respected banker at the Granite Trust Bank in Quincy Center.

This property looks vacant. I hope someone with deep pockets comes along to save this beauty . . . don't you just love the details on the porch and front doorway?

Bright Future

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The future looks bright and hopeful when listening to this eloquent young speaker, Joseph P. Flanagan, at Quincy High School's graduation last night. Joseph, president of his class, and national honor society member, graduated with distinction. He thanked his teachers, classmates and parents for his happy 18 years. I wish Joseph and all his classmates continued success.

Granite Ruins

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Quincy has its own ruins documented here. This is the site of the Lyon's Turning Mill, the largest granite turning mill in America, founded in 1894, where monolithic columns (one piece of rock) were turned for many famous buildings including the Custom Houses in Boston. I like the column remnant in the foreground.

There is a preservation move to turn the remnants of this into a museum about the granite industry in Quincy. Click here for more information about the museum effort. These ruins are fenced in on the edge of the Blue Hills and Granite Links Golf Course and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

June Theme Day: Feet

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It's June 1st which means it's "theme day" once again in the City Daily Photo Blog Community. June's theme is "feet". It's also Monochrome Monday so I have had fun combining both.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Garden Sanctuary II

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This is the second post from the most beautiful rock garden I've seen in Quincy: Faith Garden. We'll make our way up to the granite bench next Sunday. This garden has shady areas as well as sunny areas in which to enjoy the rock scape. Enjoy your Sunday everyone!

Best Sellers

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President Obama and the "Twilight" book series are some of the best selling books in Quincy at this time. I bought the first "Twilight" book to see what the great attraction is all about. What books are selling well in your part of the world? What are you reading, beside blogs ;)?

Sky Light

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Some of my favorite sky pictures have been captured in parking lots like this one. To see skies from around the world, visit the Skywatch Friday site here. Enjoy!