POOR SOULS

While wandering through Evergreen cemetery this morning, in search of interesting patterns and infrared images to photograph, I happened on this monument, surrounded by about 20 markers:

"HOME FOR AGED WOMEN"

It looks like something out of a Dickens novel. Old people, indigent, being taken care of by the town or city, just waiting to die. Which struck me as odd, since some of the markers were for ladies who died in the 1990's. Was there a "home for aged women" in Portland then?

Was there no family? No family plot where they could be buried? Were these childless old ladies with no relatives? The last of their line? Or did they prefer that their final resting place be with the other ladies that they had spent their last years with? True friends, perhaps. We'll never know - at least not without a bit of research.

I am thinking of making an effort every once in a while to visit this place, since I doubt that very many people do. If there were concerned relatives, you'd think they'd replace that dead evergeen next to the stone.....

SWEET OLD BOY

This is Tanner, a 14-year-old Golden Retriever:
 

 
I  took his picture, almost as an afterthought, when the session was done - so glad I did!

AHHH......SPRING (ALMOST)

Yes, recently we had a couple of days near 90°. Not for long, though. For the past few days it's been COLD! I did manage to get up to Brunswick, and while there I stopped at a spot I've always meant to, but never did. It was the footbridge across the Androscoggin River right in the middle of town. With my infrared camera I focused on the contrast of the white foliage on the riverbank against the deep blue water:

Turning the opposite direction on the footbridge, there was the Fort Andross mill complex:

I couldn't stay long; the wind was whipping through, and I was chilled to the bone. But it's now infrared season again, so that makes it all right!

WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 15:00 GMT TODAY?

If you had access to a camera, you were taking a photograph of whatever was in front of you at that time. The NY Times is sponsoring an exhibit called A Moment in Time, which features photographs from around the world taken at the same time: 15:00 GMT. That's 11 AM for those of us on Eastern Daylight Time. The deal is to upload your images to the NYT website, and they should all be available for viewing after Friday, the 7th. This is my entry in the "Work" category.