At The BBQ

Cochituate, Massachusetts

Even though she seemed larger than life and a bit more flashy than he was used to, he felt a strange attraction and made his way to her side of the picnic table to say hello.

Extra-Extra Weird

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

OK- The extra weird thing about this shot is that it looks like someone I know.

But as far as I know my friend has, um...both sets of missing body parts.

...But then again I can't 100% confirm that.

Maybe the extra-extra weird thing about it is that the hat has a $28.00 price tag on it.

Have An Extra Special Bitter Birthday!

Torn from Us Weekly magazine** and sprinkled with pixel dust...

Today is my husband's birthday! Recently Mr. Extra Special Bitter posted a photo of his fine self on his blog and received lots of compliments from his adoring fans. I thought hmmm... I better get busy and let him know how I felt about him too. So this is the cover of the birthday card I made for him.

**I SWEAR it is true...I would never DREAM of subscribing to a rag like Us Weekly. It just started showing up in our mail box every week. Really. At first I scoffed at it. But it is like crack...Now I'm totally addicted and can't help but read it. I even know the names of Angelina Jolie's children now. Sad, very sad....

A Mirror Full Of Hats

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

Asleep In Front Of The State House

In Front Of The State House- Boston, Massachusetts

Kinda short notice....but if you are into urban photos like this mashed up with live haiku poetry then please join ExtraSpecialBitter and me as we perform at 8 p.m.ish this Sunday evening 8/13 in lovely downtown Worcester, MA at The Java Hut. I'll be projecting up a lot of black & white urban images as Mr. ESB belts out brief but beautiful urban haiku. You can order up one of the Java Hut's famous Psycho Blast 32 oz.expresso shakes (guaranteed to keep you awake for our whole performance or your money back) and kick back and enjoy the show.

What's not to love? See you there if you are near and dear.

Have A Rippin' Good Birthday!

Boston Garden- Boston, Massachusetts

I read that today was Hulk Hogan's birthday.

This prompted me to climb up the creaky attic stars- sift through several old dusty photo albums and scan a shot I took of him at the garden in August of 1984.

Hee hee- Hulk Hogan??? Mary??? I'll tell no tale of why I took this photo.

Aaarrrrgh!!

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

It takes a brave man to steal the ale from a sleeping pirate.

Holy Mary

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

Holy Mary, Mother of God-

Please watch over and protect our 1970's barware.

Marching Band Purgatory

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

?? X-ing

Framingham, Massachusetts

As I drove carefully through the parking lot I wasn't sure if I should watch out for people using hula-hoops or carrying transparent surfboards.

Dog Daze

haiku by pdm

Too hot today to bark at the mailman.

Pick Me!!! Pick Me!!!

Brimfield Antique Show, Brimfield, Massachusetts

A Refreshing Break

Brimfield Antique Show, Brimfield, Massachusetts

Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by this pretty picture.

I still have plenty of shots of mannequins with missing body parts to share.

"Honey You Won't Believe What I Bought For The Living Room..."

Brimfield Antique Show, Brimfield, MA

"...oh, and by the way, can you rent us a U-Haul?"

More strangeness from Brimfield.

Q & A Time

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

Alrighty kids- Above is your question to ponder for the weekend. Please report your answers back to me asap. Use a sharp #2 pencil and please print clearly. No looking at your neighbor's answer. I"ll start-

Answer: Because I spent all my disposable income on goofy signage at Brimfield.

Airline Karma

Seat 19A- 25,000 feet above Massachusetts

I helped an elderly woman get one of her bulky carry-on bags onto the plane and got myself settled.

Even though he was looking at the empty seat next to me as he approached, the 350 lb. sweaty guy kept right on going down the aisle. Yessssss!

"Your Clever Caption Here"

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

This scene is so odd that I can't even think of a clever caption.

Anyone want to try?

Got to love Bambi in the background keeping an eye on the wooden heads...

Dumb As A Box Of Barbie Dolls

Brimfield Antiques Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

This looks a lot like the bar scene at the conference I just attended.

I'm happy to be home!

Hotter Than Hell

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

Well kids, I'm outta here for 4 days.

Attending a conference in the only place hotter than Boston-

No, not Hell-

Florida.

Sexy Green Babe In A Pink Negligee

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

You know you've had a rough night when you wake up and not only are you are the color of Kermit The Frog but your left arm is attached to your shoulder only by electrical tape that is wound around your neck.

Saddle Up and Scrub Down

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

A Box Of Knobs

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

A Cop, The Statue Of Liberty & King Tut Walk Into A Bar...

Brimfield Antique Show - Brimfield, Massachusetts

Hands $10.00 Each

Brimfield Antique Show- Brimfield, Massachusetts

You never know when an extra pair of hands might come in handy.

A Rose For Some Robert J.

Harvard Square- Cambridge, Massachusetts

lloyd Thayer channeling Robert Johnson on the sidewalk.

The fresh flower sitting on his amp was dropped into his tip bucket by a passing female fan.

Front Page News

Lake Superior- Near Munising, Michigan

I moved to Boston from a remote town of 1300 people in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan exactly 26 years ago last week. (Think: 45 minute drive to go to a movie…on a road that gets closed a lot during the winter due to storms off the lake.)

I still subscribe to my home town newspaper. There in a photo on the front page of the latest edition is: my junior prom date. He has loaned the library his collections of rocks and minerals and this is really, really big front page news.

I need to find time to walk along a beach and look for pretty rocks again.

Where Are Our Experienced Patriots?

Samuel Adams said:

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."

Sam, where are you now that we REALLY need you?

Faneuil Hall- Boston, Massachusetts

(And in the beer cooler at your corner store.)

Smoke Break

Boston, Massachusetts

The guys from the fife and drum corp take a smoke break in the alley.

More From Bean Town

Boston, Massachusetts

More scenes from downtown Boston during the Independence Day celebration.

PS- Only tourists ever call it "Bean Town."

Red, White & Blue

I've been taking a bunch of photos over the July 4th holiday in and around Boston.

Here are some of the most red, white and bluey-est.

Boston, Massachusetts

The patriotic cow in Downtown Crossing. She looks a little angry.

Boston, Massachusetts

A chain link fence in Government Center.

Cochituate, Massachusetts

The gigantic flag that always flies in the center of our village.

Don't Be A Dummy

Central Square- Cambridge, Massachusetts

It isn't too late to pick up some tasteful accessories to wear to the 4th of July cook-out.

Theme Night

Waltham, Massachusetts
Never a good sign to have firemen on the roof of the restaurant.

It started out as a typically pleasant Friday night. Dinner and a movie with Mr. ExtraSpecialBitter. We noticed the hook and ladder at an Italian restaurant as we walked by. The firemen were heading down off the roof, so I snapped a photo. Nothing special, but I liked how he looked up there on the ladder in the setting sun. As we turned and walked away I made a wise-crack about "blackened" chicken fettuccini being the night's special on their menu.

My karmic payback for this remark was not far away...

At the brewpub around the corner we were seated in the front window. I set my camera on the ledge and took this shot through the glass. Continuing with theme night, he is smoking while leaning against a fire alarm.

About 45 minutes later with about 3 bites of my dinner and half a pint of ale left, karmic payback kicked in, the theme of the evening continued, and the fire alarm screamed to life in the brewpub. We were escorted out to the sidewalk with a couple dozen other patrons and wait-staff. Many people brought their beer with them (to prevent it from evaporating in the fire, I'm sure). Because the a/c in the place hadn't been working and it was actually much cooler outside, the crowd on the sidewalk became "intoxicated with the lovely evening air" and everyone got a little silly. Above is the firefighter who must have drawn the short straw- He was assigned to stand by the truck and watch the crowd in front of the brewpub. His buddies were luckier...they got to enter into the smoke-filled, overheated kitchen and climb up into the ventilation shaft.

PS- No one was injured in the making of this blog entry and I'm not sure there were any actual flames at either establishment.

Buy Our CD!

Boston, Massachusetts

As you might expect Independence Day is a big deal here in Boston.

(Think: Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, etc.)

We have tons of reenactments happening all over town, plus people dressed like Ben Franklin and Paul Revere wandering about answering lots of touristy type questions.

The above photo was taken after being catapulted back to 1776 by a fife and drum corp...

and then shocked back into reality when they finished performing and their manager grabbed a microphone and started peddling their CDs.

Good Morning Bonita

Cochituate, Massachusetts

How lucky I am to have subject matter to shoot, even on a rainy Sunday morning.

All I have to do is wake up and open my eyes.

What A Load of Garbage!

Framingham, Massachusetts

I stood on this railroad bridge while dozens of open railroad cars of garbage slowly rolled to the west underneath me. Where was it all going? Are we the only family that recycles around here?

I was shooting between the wires of a tall chain link fence- clearly put there to curb my urge to do a perfect arching swan dive off the bridge into the garbage....but also annoying because I couldn't get any close up shots.

I saw some interesting items pass below me in those cars- including a mostly deflated soccer ball next to a lamp shade. Had to be trash from some wild World Cup party.

First Day Of Summer

Cochituate, Massachusetts
And I thought we lived close to Starbucks! Mr. Extraspecialbitter and I literally have a Starbucks in our back yard. He never goes there but I occasionally embrace the overpriced caffeinated beverage lifestyle and today enjoyed an iced tea (venti-black-unsweetened-vanilla-shot for those of you who speak Starbucks esperanto) while hanging out on their patio with the house sparrow.

Got Sheep?

Natick, Massachusetts
Another border collie looking for sheep in all the wrong places.

This time in the parking lot of the local suburban mega-supermarket.

I think the loose carriages all over the parking lot were really calling out to him to be herded neatly back together.

Happy Father's Day

Along the Freedom Trail- Boston, Massachusetts
Boston Mayor James Michael Curley had 9 children.

Clearly he has another admirer as well.

ZZZZZZZZZZ

Medfield, Massachusetts

This pit bull pup snoozes in the sun as the dog rescue festival winds down to a close.

(If you look closely at his collar you can tell he must be dreaming of the next Red Sox win!)

Don't Try This At Home

Medfield, Massachusetts

What happens to border collies when they run out of sheep to herd...

Bad Hair Day?

Medfield, Massachusetts

We had a blast at the annual Save-A-Dog dog rescue fair.

This handsome guy is single, available and looking for a new home.

Rocks & Salt?

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Where the ocean, desert and margaritas all meet.

Bold Sparrows

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
The sparrows were bolder than the iguanas.

But not as bold as the time share salespeople.

Breakfast With Iggy

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

We met each morning at the outdoor all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet...