Happy Memorial Day to you & yours.

A few images from this morning's Memorial Day parade here in Easthampton.

Enjoyed the little flyover too. Not sure if that was scheduled but a nice touch nonetheless...

Just another one of those things that makes this town, and small towns in general, so cool.

Hope you and yours are enjoying this stellar holiday weekend weather.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. ~Joseph Campbell

And thanks to all who have put themselves in harm's way on our behalf. Pretty darn big in my view. Hope you're relaxing with a cold one and a good steak from the grill right now. And if not now, hopefully soon.

Easthampton, Then & Now.

Starting this week and as mentioned a week or two ago, I've got a little photo show going over at the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce office on Union Street.

Coordinated through Easthampton City Arts, or more specifically head-honcho Briana Taylor, the walls of the local Chamber office have been offered up as a mini gallery. Displays change every month or two, and to be eligible you just have to be a member of ECA and the Chamber.

Here's the idea... Old postcard of someplace in Easthampton many years ago. Underneath an image from the same spot today...

Here's the Easthampton Chamber website, didn't see their hours. I'm guessing Monday thru Friday 9 - 4 or so.

While I'm here, thought I'd show off the tye-die Tee's, just in today. Just $12.95 and you could be sporting one yourself. Many sizes and exciting colors...

Hope you're enjoying this hot weather. Perfect for a cool cone at your favorite scoop shop.

See you soon.

Green Returns.

Thought I'd share a few images from my monday hike and bike...

The Manhan Rail Trail, heading toward Southampton. Much less traveled but no less cool.

The Park Street overpass, or is it underpass...

Caught a quick inning over at Nonotuck Park...

Old concrete stairs just below the Goat Peak firetower...

The aformentioned Goat Peak firetower...

The sweet view from atop the tower. Had gotten a little hazy, but spectacular nonetheless. Here's looking toward the 'Seven Sisters', the river, and even Umass in the far distance...

The peak of Mt. Tom...

Hope you're muddling through this more familiar Spring weather ok. Rumor has it, the good stuff returns tomorrow.

Great Day for the Race.

My Dad loves to say, 'Great day for the race!' whenever it's a beautiful day such as today.

To which he always looks at whoever he says it to until they reply, 'What race?'

And with a hearty chuckle every time, he replies exuberantly 'The human race!'

Snowbird that he and Mom are, they're still in Florida, but I think if he was sitting in the backyard of the shop right now, he would be using that line on anyone who might happen by.

Doesn't get much nicer than this around these parts, hope you get out and enjoy.

And have a good race.

Easthampton Then & Now.

I've been working on a little photo project these past few weeks (in my 'spare' time). I got my hands on a big stack of old Easthampton postcards from my friend and biz neighbor Marlies to go with a bunch I already had and have been about town trying to recapture the images from the exact same spot. I'm planning to put them together for a month-long show on the walls of the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce starting next week (will let you know when it's up).

It's been fun, although a bit tougher then I expected. Challenges like traffic and trees that have grown in front of things during the hundred years since the original image was shot are just a couple that come to mind.

I figured it would be a show that might go along nicely with the upcoming Easthampton 225th celebration in June. If it comes out well, I hope to also hang it in the shop during the month of July.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to display the before and now images. While I work through those artistic challenges, I thought I'd wet your appetite with one...

Then...


And now...


Stay tuned, many more where that came from...

Rainy Day Randomness & HMD.

In case you haven't gotten wind of it yet, I just tried my hand at an intriguing flavor I'd heard about from Mom, of all people. You can find it at a little place in San Francisco, and they call it Secret Breakfast. It's vanilla with bourbon and, you guessed it, corn flakes. It's got plenty of kick to it, and I'm sure not for everyone, but it's actually pretty good. And surprisingly, the corn flakes stayed crispy in the mix. You tried the maple bacon, but are you up for this one?

Just got a fresh batch of shiny new scoops and spades for the new season. Who doesn't like new stuff?

Saw a little canister of these in the supermarket the other day and had to have them. Potato sticks. In the spirit of Mother's Day, these salty treats brought back fond memories of the little brown lunch bags my Mom used to pack for my brothers and me. Sandwich, salty snack (in a baggie), dessert (usually some cakey thing from Hostess), and an apple. Friends at the lunch room used to call it the 'magic bag'. Good times.

Candy buttons, my personal favorite nostalgic candy item. Not for the taste, of course, but for the experience of pulling those little dots off the paper one at a time.

And after a marketing/cost cutting debacle, the orginal Bazooka gum is back. Original rectacular pink block of bubble-blowing perfection, wrapped tightly around by a bad comic and a good fortune. Alas, can't charge a penny for one, but at least the open/consume experience is the same.

Last but most certainly not least, a big Happy Mother's Day to my mom, you still rock.

(That's me in the middle, just in case you were wondering. Of course my brother on the left looks like he's having a tougher morning. Probably just jealous of my sweet red overalls)

Happy Mother's Day to yours (and you if the case may be).