Posted by: David Giacalone | August 8, 2009

a sunset without Pete Polachek

. . a farewell to Pete Polachek . .

. .

Stockade sunset at Riverside Park - 06Aug09 . . Paul W. “Pete” Polachek died on August 6, 2009.  I learned of his death through a comment at our earlier post “Polachek Square unveiled” (June 13, 2009), which celebrated the centrality of the Polachek family and Arthur’s Market to our Stockade neighborhood.  Pete’s death at age 60 from cancer is a grave loss for his family, and his many friends and acquaintances.  [click for Pete’s obituary in the Schenectady Gazette.]  You did not have to know Pete well to know and feel his goodwill and caring for his Stockade neighbors and our community.

Pete’s daughter, Tiffany Brace, told the Gazette her dad would have wanted us to remember his sense of humor.  See “Retired owner of Arthur’s Market dies; Polachek was a Stockade institution” (Schenectady Gazette, Aug. 8, 2009).  Pete told Tiffany:

“Don’t let anyone feel sorry for me.  I’m happy, I’m 60, I had a good run.“

At Suns Along the Mohawk, we often celebrate life through the beauty of sunsets.  Therefore, I took my camera to Riverside Park on the day Pete Polachek died, to capture our first sunset without him.  Here are a few of the photos I took that evening (click on them for a larger version):

early sunset at Riverside Park - 06Aug09

Mohawk sunset from the Riverside Park esplanade - 06Aug09 . . . . . . . . Sunset Silouette along the Mohawk 06Aug09

Isle of the Cayuguas at sunset, Mohawk River - 06Aug09

. . . This is the sunset view on August 6, 2009, as seen from the memorial marker for Emily Polachek, Pete’s daughter, near North Street, along the Mohawk River, in Riverside Park:

sunset seen from Emily Polachek's market at Riverside Park 06Aug09

memorial marker for Emily Rachael Polachek - 06Aug09 . . .   sunset with Emily Polachek's Riverside marker on the day of Peter Polachek's death - 06Aug09

Yes, Peter] Polachek “had a good run” (while owning hundreds of running shoes).  But, his neighbors, friends and family wish he could have run with us, and sat with us, for a few more decades.

update (August 10, 2009):  According to Pete’s obituary, A memorial service will be held in his honor, Friday, August 14, 2009 at 11 AM at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 30 N. Ferry St, across from Arthur’s Market.

p.s. Just two years ago, on July 4, 2007, the family and friends of Pete’s dad Arthur Polachek came together to celebrate Art’s life.  That day, as is the custom in the haiku-poet community in order to memorialize a beloved friend, I posted at my weblog f/k/a the Arthur Polachek Celebration — a collection of haiku in his honor by a number of well-known haiku poets.  (It is formatted so that it can be printed on two sides of a letter-size sheet and folded into a tri-fold brochure.) That haiku collection seems equally relevant today to celebrate the life of our grocer-friend and neighbor, Pete  Polachek.

12 Comments

Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets, Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | August 4, 2009

rose garden escape

….. less than 3 miles away RoseGarden09Sign

– Schenectady’s Central Park Rose Garden, Central Parkway at Wright Ave. –

Schenectady Rose Garden 2009 Chinese Character "Yuan" (Garden) My friends Yu and Anita Chang literally live a stone’s throw away from Schenectady’s Central Park, and about two blocks from the Central Park Rose Garden, which is located less than three miles from our Stockade neighborhood.  Since yesterday was a particularly lovely, rain-free August day, Yu and I headed to the Garden with our respective digital cameras (his is much larger and fancier than mine, as befits a disciplined and gadget-oriented electrical engineering professor, and renowned haiku poet and haiga artist). The late afternoon sun was a little too bright for a photographic adventure, but we weren’t looking for perfection.

Rose Garden 2009 - rose near the Yuan sculpture . . .  Schenectady Rose Garden 2009 - Yuan Sculpture by Robert Blood

– Robert Blood’s sculpture, Variations on the Chinese Character “Yuan” (Garden),

pointed me to that lovely white and red rose –

marigolds along the path leading to the Central Park RoseGarden 03Aug09 I snapped a lot more photos than I normally would in the hour we spent strolling the Rose Garden, which has over 4000 individual plants, and about 400 varieties of roses.  Being overwhelmed by giant displays and scores of beds, I was attracted to Robert Blood’s sculpture, Variations on the Chinese Character “Yuan” (Garden) and decided to play off of it for a lot of my shots.   Here’s a bunch of rose photos featuring the Yuan character, plus some odds and ends from around the park. [As always, scroll over the picture for a caption and click on it for a larger version of the photograph.]

red roses near the Yuan sculpture in Schenectady Rose Garden 03Aug09 . . . Yu Chang snapping Yuan Sculpture - Central Park Rose Garden, Schenectady 03Aug09

. . . . . . . . .  Central Park Rose Garden 2009 - entryway arbor

two youths on a bench in the Rose Garden woods 03Aug09 . . .

candid shot of Yuan sculpture - Schenectady Rose Garden 03Aug09

a favorite spot for brides …. pond bridge - Central Park Rose Garden, Schenectady - 03Aug09

.

view of the Rose Garden arched bridge - Schenectady Central Park 03Aug09 . . . Orange Burst - Central Park Rose Garden, Schenectady 03Aug09

. . .

..  red display - Schenectady Rose Garden display 03Aug09 ..  view northeast - from Yuan sculpture - Schenectady Rose Garden 03Aug09

…

looking toward Central Park tennis courts from the Rose Garden 03Aug09

Rose Garden Yuan sculpture NW view 03Aug09 . . . Rose Garden terrace - Schenectady Central park 03Aug09

Schenectady Rose Garden - yellow and pink roses 03Aug09 … Rose Garden miscellanea - 03Aug09 - Schenectady, NY

two boys sit beyond the Rose Garden Yuan sculpture 03Aug09

RoseGarden 3Aug09 - sunny pink roses . . . RoseGarden 03Aug09 touch of pink white roses

looking eastward from the Yuan sculpture - Schenectady Rose Garden 03Aug09

update (August 1, 2010):  I got over to the Rose Garden yesterday, and the resulting post “July ends gracefully at Central Park” has two dozen photos from the Garden. As mentioned in the post, the Garden has been named one of the ten best public rose gardens in the nation.

2011 update (June 20, 2011): See our posting “rose garden in June.”

1 Comment

Posted in visits elsewhere

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 25, 2009

sunset at Governor’s Lane

planter at Governor's Lane in Riverside Park, Schenectady - 19Jul09 . . . . . . . planter #2 at Governor's Lane in Riverside Park

– planters on the path from Governor’s Lane in Riverside Park –

Back on Planting Day at Riverside Park (May 16, 2009), Gloria Kishton broke away from the crowd working on the main flowerbeds near Washington Avenue (see our posting for details and photos).  Instead, Gloria tended to needed trimming, weeding and planting around and atop the two large planters situated along the paved path located at the end of Governor’s Lane.  Last Sunday, July 19, 2009, I stopped to admire the fruits of Gloria’s handiwork, and decided to feature the planters in a sunset posting here at suns along the Mohawk — as we did this year with tulips and daylilies.

The pictures at the top of this post were taken just before sunset (I will not show my ignorance by trying to name the various plants).   Here are a few shots taken once the sun had started to color the sunset sky:

..

Governor's Lane sunset planter #2

..

Plus, a view sans flowers: Sunset as seen from Governor's Lane, Schenectady - 19Jul09

— as always, you can click on a photo for a larger view —

Leave a Comment

Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 23, 2009

elizabeth macfarland paintings

   update (Nov. 4, 2011): The Moon & River Café in the Stockade (115 S. Ferry St.) is hosting a special multi-media exhibit of paintings and poetry by Elizabeth MacFarland, from November 1st through December 31st.  The exhibit — “The Making of a Children’s Book”  — focuses on Elizabeth’s recently-published book of poetry for children titled “Butterfly, Dragonfly” (The Troy Book Makers, 2011).  It features 16 oil paintings Elizabeth used to illustrate her book, along with the related poems.

There will be a reception and book signing on both Friday, November 18th, 2011, 6-8 pm, as part of Art Night Schenectady; and Sunday, December 4, 2-5 pm, when Elizabeth will perform piano and flute pieces with flutist Laura Bulatao, and with some of their students.  Spotlight News did a feature article about the exhibit, titled “an artist of many colors” (by John Purcell, Nov. 17, 2011, at 12).

– below are two pages from Butterfly, Dragonfly –

 . . .

– two poems with painting-illustrations from Butterfly, Dragonfly (click on the image for a larger version) –

Butterfly, Dragonfly has 35 poems, which were inspired by true-life happenings, in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when her two grown sons were little guys.  The book will be available to purchase at Moon & River, as well as at The Open Door and The Little Book House in Stuyvestant Plaza.

Elizabeth is a professional pianist and composer, and has an active piano studio in Niskayuna.

[original posting]

. . . Below are a few paintings by former Stockade resident, Elizabeth MacFarland, who now lives in Niskayuna.   As you can see, I have no experience photographing art (nor anything else) indoors, but I hope you’ll appreciate her talent with oils.  Click on the photo for a larger version of the painting.

Sorrow of Sophia by Elizabeth MacFarland - at Niskayuna Starbucks, St. James Place - for 350.org/Oct 24

– displayed at the St. James Square Starbucks, Niskayuna, New York, for 350.org International Day of Climate Action, October 24, 2009 –

. .

sad painting by em

. . and from my personal collection, early Elizabeth:

B&W still life (oil, 2004) by Elizabeth MacFarland

Leave a Comment

Posted in visits elsewhere

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 13, 2009

daylily sunset

daylilylesssunset . .    late sunset 12July2009

The sunset last night (Sunday, July 12, 2009) along the Mohawk, as seen from Riverside Park, was quite lovely — with the experience made even more enjoyable due to another refreshing evening of “unhot, unhumid” weather.  Nonetheless, the flower garden at the western end of the Park reminded me — as my lawyer weblog friend Anne Reed (of the much praised “blawg” Deliberations) did recently — that virtually every experience is enhanced by adding daylilies.

daylily sunset cameo 12July09 Therefore, I did my best to include daylilies in my sunset reverie.  [You may recall my tulip-sunset posting from May.]  Granted, my photographic technique still needs some fine-tuning, but a few of the results last night seemed to be worth sharing.

daylily sunset - eastern view from Riverside Park

. . .

daylily sunset with flash - and the Isle of the Cayugas in the background

daylily sunset panorama cameo

daylily sunset - eastern view with flash 12July2009

. . .

daylily sunset cameo 2 . . .  daylily sunset eastern view 2

daylily sunset with power towers

p.s. Of course, you don’t have to be a daylily to make a sunset more interesting:

unidentified sunset flowers 12Jul09

p.p.s. Speaking of things that are orange, perennial, and come out in the daytime, look at the view from my corner window (Washington Avenue at Cucumber Alley) again today:

National Grid crew at Cucumber Alley 13Jul09

2 Comments

Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 12, 2009

none too soon: winter’s greatest hits (Part 3)

sunset from Washington Ave at Mohawk River - 1Mar09 We’re well into July, so it’s about time (especially since I’ve got no new photos this weekend) to finish the series on my favorite pictures from the past winter, which I started in March — click for Part 1 and Part 2. [as always, click on a photo to go to a larger version, or scroll over it for a description]

On January 7th, we had a strange combination of wintry-mix precipitation, but it didn’t stop me from snapping this pair of photos (yes, they are in full color) near the Washington Ave. end of Riverside Park:

4trunks7jan09

Riverview7Jan09

. .  Inauguration Day (January 20, 2009) was inspiring in many ways, including both a sunrise and sunset reflected in the skies over the Isle of the Cayugas.

Inauguration Day Sunrise - western skies at Riverside Park - 20Jan09

. . .

Inauguration Day sunset from Washington Ave. - 20Jan09

. . .  Romance returned again to the Stockade, along with a flock of plastic flamingos, on Valentine’s Day 2009:

– for more, see the f/k/a posting “flamingos return to the Stockade” (Feb. 13, 2009) –

. . . By the end of February, the Mohawk became a risky place for ice fishing, or — like these fools on ice — for ice strolling near the mouth of the Binnekill creek:

Fools On Ice on the Mohawk - 27Feb2009

. . .

Orange Sunset over the Mohawk River - 24Feb09 Sunsets during the last week of February inspired this haiga:

. . plus, quite a few photos from my backyard at the end of Cucumber Alley:

Sunset behind 1 Cucumber Alley - 28Feb09

. . .

sunset from the end of CucumberAlley - 28Feb09

. . .  but, my favorite sunset evening along the Mohawk and Riverside Park was March 11, 2009.  Here are a few sample shots:

sunset panorama from the end of Wash. Ave., Schdy - 11Mar09

. . sunset 11March09 - looking toward Scotia

. . .

early sunset - 11March09 -eastern view from Riverside Park

. . .

early sunset - 11March09 - Isle of Cayugas. . .  sunset - 11Mar09 - west view from tree at Wash. Ave. deadend

. . .

late sunset - 11Mar09 - Riverside Park view of Isle of the Cayugas

. .

sunset - 11Mar09 - street view from 2 Wash Ave . . . late sunset - 11Mar09 - street view at 16 Wash Av

sunset - 11Mar09 - alongside 2 Cucumber Alley . .  late sunset - 11Mar09 - from rear of 16 Washington Av

late sunset - 11Mar09 - from 1 Cucumber Alley

. . . Finally, the ice jam that formed on Sunday afternoon, March 8, 2009 (part of a 5-mile-long ice back-up), produced some of the most interesting and historic photographs of 2009.  Rather than repeat them here, I’m going to refer you to “ice jams at Riverside Park” (March 9, 2009).

. . .

2 Comments

Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets, river seasons, Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 8, 2009

an inside job

bedroom scene - 16 Wash Ave - early morning 05July09

. . . morning light and shadows greet sleepy Stockade eyes . .

Stained glass - corner detail - 16 Wash Ave. Between the weather and some writing chores (and an obligatory nap or two), it’s been difficult the past few days for me to get out to snap any Stockade scenes.   Making do with items inside my apartment, I was nonetheless able to find flowers and fronds, sunsets and sunrises, old Victorians and quaint street views, and even orange safety cones.

. . . . . . . . . . .  Glass - grains - Frank Lloyd Wright

My place will never be on the Stockade Walkabout.  But, I thought I’d give you a very specialized little tour, rather than go more days without posting here at suns along the Mohawk. [as usual, you can click for larger versions of each picture, and scroll over each to obtain more information about the image.]

stained glass flower - 16 Washington Ave. . . .  stained glass fronds - 16 Washington Ave.

.

Bedroom Stained Glass - 16 Washington Ave. - 05July09

Beyond the colored glass, oil and canvas kept my eyes occupied, without heading outside to view the suns and sundries to be found along the Mohawk or the streets of the Stockade:

urban sunscape by V. Carneiro

– urban sunscape by V. Carneiro –

. . .

rural Victorian in oil, by Bob Yealdall

– rural victorian by Bob Yealdall –

. . .

Sunset over water (detail), in oil, by Elizabeth MacFarland, Niskayuna, NY

– detail of sunset over water by Elizabeth MacFarland –

.

Street scene ala Miro, in oil, by Cobelle

– street scene by Raoul Dufy’s last student, Cobelle –

Long before the Stockade’s Safety Orange Glow caught my fancy, a construction scene in Buffalo inspired my brother Arthur Giacalone, and resulted decades later in this “haiga” image with linked poem:

. . . poem orig. pub. Frogpond (Winter 2008, Vol. 31:1)

Yes, the real thing is better, and I promise to be out on the streets of the Stockade, and in its parks, Canon PowerShot in hand, very soon.

NiMo cones at CucumberAlley - evening, 06July2009 . . . by the way, the National Grid crew that is installing new gas line pipe on Washington Avenue has been literally camped outside (basically, right under) the window next to my desk for three days now, working at and blocking Cucumber Alley.  Here’s a view from my window:

NiMo out my window - at Cucumber Alley 06July2009

And, here are two more shots I captured without leaving our front porch:

National Grid at work at Cucumber Alley - 06July2009 . . .  waiting for Arthur and Miles - 06July2009

– fun for Miles and Arthur –

. . . Finally (for now), and speaking of inside jobs, dinner on July 4th at the new Van Dyke Lounge with a leading lawyer weblogger (my friend “Ed Post” of Blawg Review), found me reminiscing about the wonderful tale of the Musty Money Mob, involving all that cash stashed in the basement wall of the former residence of Van Dyck founder Marvin Friedman.   The details at my weblog f/k/a will leave you both smiling and shaking your head.

p.s. I confess, I did make it over to Riverside Park as the 4th of July weekend was waning.  Here’s a sunset shot from the Esplanade, Sunday, July 5, 2009:

esplanade sunset at Riverside Park - 05July09

Leave a Comment

Posted in Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | July 4, 2009

July 3rd clouds

My favorite bench for reading and observing at Riverside Park is just east of Governors’ Lane.  It was an excellent place yesterday for viewing a great variety of cloud-scapes, while reading “Bright Futures,” the newest Lew Fonesca mystery by Stuart Kaminsky.  For example (click on a photo to see a larger version):

afternoon clouds over the Isle of the Cayuguas - 03July09

– mid-afternoon clouds over the Isle of the Cayugas, July 3, 2009 –

And, an early-sunset version of the same view:

early sunset over the Isle of the Cayugas - 03July09

The scene looking northeast, just before sunset, was pretty nice, too:

early evening view looking NE from Riverside Park - 03July09 . . . early sunset view looking NE from Riverside Park - 03July09

. . . as was the northwest view:

NW sunset view from Schenectady's Riverside Park - 03July09

During this Independence Day weekend, frivolous cloud-watching and photo-snapping is a small liberty that I appreciate, in my lazy pursuit of happiness.   Happy 4th of July!

p.s. This time last year, we were all reading (and writing) about the “Viagara effect” of watermelon.  Find a discussion at my old f/k/a weblog, including haiku about both melons and fireworks.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories