John Thomas Grant

The new FaceBook and continued issues

2012-01-27T11:24:00.000-05:00

Lisa here, I don't like the new Timeline layout, I think it is very unorganized. That's the least of it though after reading this article. Beware of your privacy even more now. You need to read this and pass it on. I found this link which explains how to protect your privacy with the new Timeline since everything that you have ever posted from day one can be pulled back up. Also they caution how much personal information that you share...
http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10232841-how-to-live-with-the-facebook-timeline-because-you-have-no-choice

CemVid04 by John Thomas Grant

2012-01-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

My art with the music from the Last Samurai by Hans Zimmer. Ah....not for sale. Anyway, this was one of the first I created to support my work, and enhance their inherent beauty and uniqueness. A number of the pieces have never been scene, and all of them are pretty raw...very little processing. Thanks.

A review of Final Thoughts.

2012-01-20T17:42:00.000-05:00

Something I came across in my travels this morn. A review from the Wisconsin Bookwatch - Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone by John Thomas Grant.

"Death plagues us with its uncertainty. "Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone" is collection of photography and proverb as John Thomas Grant uses artistic photography to capture various pieces of art and dedication all throughout. In full color, he presents photography that captures a certain bit of soul, with a touch of wisdom to go along with it. "Final Thoughts" is a choice and excellent pick for anyone who is seeking a coffee table book that brings a serenity and thought to the issue of death, highly recommended."

The Victoriana Lady Lisa's 'Primrose on Cape Ann' Emporium

2012-01-17T19:45:00.000-05:00

Always endeavoring to discover the next project, Lisa and I have created an emporium. Starting off small with this page on FaceBook, we will, in due time, operate a brick & mortar establishment here in lovely downtown Rockport, Massachusetts. It will carry everything imaginable from antiquities to contemporary; steampunk to shabby chic. It's real folks, and we're just getting started. Our personal collections, in part, will be up for the taking. Fine works from established artists. We'll scour the roads and byways of the world for the best life, and art, has to offer. Check back often so as not to miss out on some sensational offers. Oh...and my book - Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone - and my prints are for sale in the store:) Can't beat that!!! Join us.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoriana-Lady-Lisas-Primrose-on-Cape-Ann-Emporium/296011643768002

New Year, New Life

2012-01-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

New home, new town, new life, same BOOK!!! Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone will be the aim of my passions this year. So far, I have two gallery exhibition openings in September, 1 engagement(March 31) at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, the American Cemetery Magazine spread(Feb, I believe), 1 TV interview(also in Feb) for The Writer's Block here on Cape Ann, with much more to come. I'm working on book signings in various territories at Barnes & Noble, TV programs, cemetery photo tours, and two new books!
Anyway, now that Lisa and I are just starting to settle down, it's time to ramp it up with Final Thoughts. If you haven't already picked it up, you're missing out on the beauty of it all. Sincerest Personal Regards to All, Soon, J

Print of the Day - Low & Low

2011-12-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

Low & Low - Cemeteries can be quite beautiful. In this shot, first off, you will note the orange lichen that adorns the stones of William & Mary Low.

Lichens are an interesting life form comprised of part algae and part fungus. The two live symbiotically, each contributing to the survival of the other. The three main types of lichens found in New England are: crustose, foliose, and fructicose. The type you see in this photo is off the crustose variety. You may not notice lichen in highly industrial areas as they're extremely sensitive to pollution. That said, they will most definitely flourish in low pollution areas providing us with dramatic effect.

A Fine Interview with Marian Pierre-Louis

2011-11-28T18:34:00.000-05:00

Check it out:) Thank you so much Marian. Everyone...do feel free to share. Also, cyber Sunday & Monday. A good time to pickup that gift of Final Thoughts for that someone special:)http://symbolicpast.blogspot.com/2011/11/interview-with-john-thomas-grant-author.html

Two Sides of the Same Coin

2011-11-17T15:41:00.000-05:00

Each were captured on two different occasions in two different locations. My little friend above was taken in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem, MA. He was the first to pose for me. And he reminded me, of me, in my youth. Technically, I was a shy lad to the core. Some of you have heard that from me before. Alas, hints of that lonely, introspective time still haunt my social adventures.
Now the lad below is more 'me' today. Still somewhat reflective and introspective, yet, I'm now staring life directly in the face. I have no fear of chance. I'll follow my loves & passions wherever they may take me ... now and forevermore.
As I will pen in Final Thoughts along with my autograph, "Live and Love the Journey of Life."

Back to my Back Catalogue:)

2011-11-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

I've neglected so much in the pursuit of Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone. Especially that back catalogue that's been growing; not that I've had much time in the field. Nonetheless, I'll be getting back to the lonely ones. Here are a few that I'm still working on. Many more coming soon:)

Print of the Day - The All Seeing Eye

2011-11-12T10:33:00.000-05:00

The All Seeing Eye - An important symbol of the Supreme Being, borrowed by the Freemasons from the nations of antiquity. Both the Hebrews and the Egyptians appear to have derived its use from the natural inclination of figurative minds to select an organ as the symbol of the function which it is intended peculiarly to discharge. Thus, the foot was often adopted as the symbol of swiftness, the arm of strength, and the hand of fidelity.

On the same principle, the open eye was selected as the symbol of watchfulness, and the eye of God as the symbol of Divine watchfulness and care of the universe.

On the same principle, the Egyptians represented Osiris, their chief deity, by the symbol of an open eye, and placed this hieroglyphic of him in all their temples. His symbolic name, on the monuments, was represented by the eye accompanying a throne, to which was sometimes added an abbreviated figure of the god, and sometimes what has been called a hatchet, but which may as correctly be supposed to be a representation of a square.

The All-Seeing Eye may then be considered as a symbol of God manifested in his omnipresence-his guardian and preserving character-to which Solomon alludes in the Book of Proverbs (xv, 3), where he says: "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding (or, as in the Revised Version, keeping watch upon) the evil and the good." It is a symbol of the Omnipresent Deity.

My thanks to the Masons for the explanation.

Civil War photos, for Civil War letters needed.

2011-11-08T16:10:00.001-05:00

For a current project having to do with Civil War letters, I need the following photo(s) for a particular document. If you are in possession of the following, please let me know:

1. Lieutenant Willis(William) Cartmell Ferguson, 114th Ohio Regt., Co. E
2. His wife Mary E.A. Plumb
3. The kids - Harry, Emma, Bertha, Mamey, Julia, or Ella
4. New Holland, Ohio, in the 1860's

The Sunday Dispatch & Final Thoughts

2011-11-06T14:34:00.000-05:00

A wonderful article about Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone, by associate editor, Jack Smiles, of the Sunday Dispatch here in the Valley. Thanks Jack:)
http://www.timesleader.com/pittstondispatch/news/The_thoughts_are_final__but_the_book_is_a_beginning_11-06-2011.html

Print of the Day - A Lazy Afternoon with Thomas

2011-11-05T11:08:00.000-04:00

A Lazy Afternoon with Thomas - It was a warm and muggy dog day to begin with, but this composition compounded the already soggy & sultry effect of the thickly laden atmosphere. All I wanted to do was crawl up the other side of the tree and rest my body.
Photograph taken in First Parish Burial Ground, Newbury, Massachusetts.

A Fan Speaks:)

2011-11-03T20:58:00.001-04:00

Harold Jaynes' review of my new book Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty In Stone... in a word.. "AWESOME and a must have." Thanks Harold:) (Click the Link:)

A Fan talks about Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone

Print of the Day - The Eyes of Life

2011-11-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

The Eyes of Life - They say that you can tell a person from their eyes. I suppose that the whole statue would have been of some interest but, it was in the eyes that I saw the story of life. From hope to ruin all defined in this close-up taken at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

Photography - Lighting is Everything:)

2011-11-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

Need I say more:) If you should have to return time and time again to get the right elements in your shot, you return time and time again! Now....look at the picture. Thanks.

Overcoming Life

2011-11-01T20:28:00.000-04:00

Sitting on a pile of garbage but yet still smiling. Our Mr. Pumpkin is going out in style. He doesn't know it yet, but there's a dump truck just around the turn in the distance coming his way. Anyway, several lessons were made quite obvious to this weary wanderer at the time.

One, within that precious life that I have become witness to, I'll not let adversity get the better of me. I would rise to the top, one way or another, in the end, the only way I know....smiling.

Two, I wasn't going out bitter and dejected, I was going to go beaming from ear to ear. I was going to leave something for the future to remember me by...my Legacy:) As Hob Gadling once said, "you're not dead until the last person that remembers you dies." In that case, I was damn well going to live a thousand years if I could help it!

That said, make sure that you purchase your own personal copy of Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone @ Amazon or Barnes & Noble online, or ask for it at your local bookstore:). That done, just keep passing it down the family tree. Thanks Everyone.
Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/3emrgla
Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/3cmbm47

Photography - Focus

2011-10-30T12:45:00.000-04:00

Focus - This is a shot I call The Book & Rose. Many times my focus is not on the entire statue, nor should it be. Here you can see that it was on the book, hands, and the slightly more distant rose. Many of the statues that you will come across are really quite the same, so look for other features that may, perhaps, tug at your heart strings. If they tug on yours, they'll tug on others.

The Writer's Block, Cape Ann TV, and Me

2011-10-29T14:01:00.000-04:00

I had the honor this past Thursday, of appearing on the stage at Cape Ann TV, for the taping of an interview for the long running TV program - The Writer's Block. Host John Ronan and I discussed my new book - Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone. TWB is the longest running cable access program in New England cable access TV history. In the 22 years that John has interviewed authors he said that Final Thoughts is, "One of the two finest, most beautiful, books he has ever seen." Episode to be broadcast February 9, 16, and all next summer 2012 on Cape Ann, MA.
I had also the time to pickup a couple of bookstores during the same trip. The Toad Hall Bookstore in Rockport, and the Bookstore on Main in Gloucester. Please feel free to stop into either for a look:)

Photography - Winter - Alone on a Hill

2011-10-25T10:47:00.000-04:00

There's snow in the weather reports. Just a dusting they say, and in the hills, but enough mentioned to get this photographer to dig his boots out from under the bed. The winter time seems to be most associated with the human feeling of loneliness; and never more pronounced a feeling than in a cemetery. In spite of the stark surroundings, my feelings and emotions are at their climax. The bare environment allows for a greater focus on my humanity. The colors fade, and you're left with nothing but a moment, a story, an inspiration:)
This one was taken locally in Ransom, Pa. The graveyard is actually behind me. I guess he just wanted some privacy. I sometimes know the feeling.

Print of the Day - The Hourglass

2011-10-22T10:54:00.000-04:00

The Hourglass - It's a simple shot, evidence of the durability of slate as a material used in gravestones back in the Georgian day, and now coming back into fashion. It is generally resistant to the weather and to the many pollutants in our atmosphere. The carvings can be very detailed, but the only problem, should you consider it a problem, is that it does not accept the same high polish, nor does it have the same brightness of colour as marble or granite does.
This one stone taken in Old North End Burying Ground, Ipswich, Ma., dates from the late 17th Century.

It's What You See:)

2011-10-20T12:54:00.002-04:00

It's only one of a few shots taken of this collection of gravestones at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery a few weeks ago but, knowing me as well as you guys do, why in the world would I want to do a thing with these stones? Take a look and let me know what you think. There is an emotional message here.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~Henry David Thoreau

Photography - Something About Mary

2011-10-19T15:21:00.000-04:00

Something About Mary - Simply do not fail to view your subject from as many angles as you can. You'll never know what it is you might be missing.
These two are different compositions of the same statue taken in Churchville, New York. I was so struck by her purity, I just had to load up the camera. And when I say purity...you know what I mean. She was as clean a stone as I've seen in a long time.
As is usually the case in my approach to statuary, I'm in the face. I draw as much life out of these human parallels in stone as I possibly can. It's less a cemetery to me than a friends home. Do hope you enjoy.

And the Winner is?????

2011-10-19T14:42:00.001-04:00

I haven't done this in a while; something from my love of astronomy. Perhaps another reality based show - Battling Galaxies.

This image taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope shows a clash among members of a famous galaxy quintet reveals an assortment of stars across a wide color range, from young, blue stars to aging, red stars.

The gravity that must be at work here....my,my,my.....

Image released by NASA on Wednesday, Sept. 9. NASA

The Victoriana Lady Lisa, the CemGuy, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

2011-10-11T08:40:00.000-04:00

Lisa and I will meet all of you at Sleepy Hollow cemetery on October 23rd! We will be in the main building with Lisa's Victorian Mourning clothing & artifacts display to answer questions. My book "Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone" will be available for sale & autograph. Bring your camera and look for the Headless Horseman, what more could you ask for in a cemetery. :)

Steampunk & the American Civil War?

2011-10-10T11:52:00.000-04:00

Some great news Everyone. With Final Thoughts complete & The Fashionable Victorians in production, Lisa and I have secured two more publishing deals! Lisa's new book will present the international Steampunk fashion movement in photo and text. Photos from the best international photographers in Steampunk will grace the pages of this magnificently original publication. My new project will be a rather robust book containing original letters written from, and to, the front during the American Civil War. I call it 'Letters of the Blue and Gray'. It will not only contain the letter in text and photo, but photo(s) of the letter writer, or receiver, and original photos, drawings, and woodcuts of the event(s) contained in the letter. We just received the go ahead this morning. Suffice it to say, we're incredibly thrilled with these two new projects at hand. Thanks all for your support.

Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone arrives!

2011-10-08T12:15:00.000-04:00

Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone is finally here everyone:) I just received my comp. copies. That means that it should be hitting the book stores shortly. All those that ordered from Amazon or Barnes & Noble online should also be receiving them shortly. If you have yet to order your copy, now would be a good time.

(Forward by Douglas Keister)

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/3emrgla

Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/3cmbm47

Now, if you would prefer a signed copy, please contact me. Thanks Everyone, John

Mark Twain

2011-10-05T20:19:00.001-04:00

Lisa and I were treated to a whirlwind tour of Elmira, New York - Mark Twain country. Lisa had a show to do in the Park Church where Mr. Twain entertained some billiards, cigars, and good conversation; oh, and when he was prodded a bit, a sermon or two. He was not fond of organized religion, but he did support this particular in any way he could.

He was respectful though. His wife Olivia, and her family, were very much the First Family of Park Church, so Samuel had to be on his best behavior.
Earlier that day, a special visit was arranged at Woodlawn Cemetery where Samuel Clemens(Mark Twain) is laid to rest. It was an inspiring moment for all of us.

Samuel's wife Olivia. They were as close as two people could get. Clemens first beheld her image in an ivory miniature in her brother's stateroom aboard the Quaker City, the voyage on which Clemens recorded for Innocents Abroad. Soon after his return, he visited the Langdons and less than two weeks after that, he was in love and proposed to her. She rejected his offer at first but after a couple years and a couple hundred letters, they were finally engaged. During this courtship, Clemens made some remarkable reformations - "Livy disapproved of drinking, smoking, Western manners, and even humorists, and he courted her by offering, in all sincerity, to make over his character and his habits to meet her desires. For a while, he came close to religious orthodoxy, prayed, and went to church..." To Olivia's dismay and continual frustration, these efforts to reform himself curbed off after his courtship, and he reverted back to some of his old habits and religious unorthodoxy.

The study where Mark Twain penned his classics. It was originally stationed on the grounds of the Quarry Farm owned by Olivia's family, but later moved to the University in town.

Print of the Day - Shattered

2011-09-21T10:32:00.000-04:00

Shattered - Another one of my representations from the experience called life. Shattered can take many forms - natural disaster, physical accident, emotional stress; I've seen it all and experienced some.
For the effect, I did not set off a cherry bomb. I simply removed the supporting earth through the blackening effect common to my work.
This piece was taken @ the Old Burying Ground in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.

Print of the Day - Fading Memory

2011-09-20T18:49:00.000-04:00

Fading Memory - A slight tilt of the head. Directional lighting courtesy of nature. And a camera in your face! Robert Capa once put it, "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough." His comment did not come to my attention until recently, though it was a practice of my style of photography right from the beginning.
The statue is no longer an inanimate object. It now evinces human characteristics, and seems to be exhibiting emotion. At least by the angle of the composition, the expression of regret or sadness, perhaps, reflection are communicated to us due to 'our' human understanding of, and experience with, emotion.
So climb on in. When you feel something, we will all feel something. This shot was taken @ West Parish Garden Cemetery in Andover, Massachusetts.

“In the White Man’s Way” - The story of the Carlisle Indian School Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

2011-09-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

During a two day event held this past spring at Sweet Remembrances Tea Room in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where the Victoriana Lady Lisa was performing her bridal show to commemorate the Royal Wedding, we were advised to visit three cemeteries in the local area that were worth a stop.
One was the Old Graveyard in central Carlisle. It's the final resting place of the Revolutionary War heroine, Mary Ludwig Hays, otherwise known as - Molly Pitcher. The second stop was a very small cemetery on someone’s farmland; in other words, private property. That said, and despite a sign that states - "Private Property" - the cemetery seemed to be open to visitors…I think? There were flags and a dedication stone so it seemed reasonable that one more person, me, would not attract much attention.

It is called the Upper Allen Freed Slave Cemetery, more widely known as the Lincoln Cemetery, in Mechanicsburg. The remains of twelve Civil War soldiers are counted among its residents. (I'll write about this one shortly)
Now the third was in Carlisle again, and it's called the Carlisle Indian School Cemetery. And that’s all we knew. Well, that’s not totally true. We knew it was along the road – E. North Street. With that in mind we eagerly proceeded to and through Carlisle. Having finally discovered E. North Street, we continued in the direction of a road sign that mentioned a ‘Carlisle Barracks’?

It was just a hunch, so went in the direction the sign told us to go. Lisa and I were so focused on the first 50 feet of properties to either side, a tornado could have been coming our way and we would not have noticed. “The cemetery is along the side of the road…” kept ringing in our heads, so that's where we looked. There was no deviation.

Anyway, just a blip in the corner of my eye, off in the distance I noticed the classic signature of a cemetery…gravestones! Pretty little military styled white stones all in a number of rows. I wasn’t quite sure as to why they were of military design but that little detail didn’t matter. If it is the place we seek, then that’s just great! If not, we were going to stop and scout this little roadside pocket cemetery anyway. Up ahead, just before the cemetery was a left turn, and a drive that seemed to take us onto the property. Just behind the cemetery was an Agway, so this must be a shopping center of sorts we thought. Lisa made the left turn onto Jim Thorpe Road. Jim Thorpe was a Native American - so far so good - and merrily we went our way.

That was until steel barriers lifted from the road surface just in front of us; military police sirens blasted from many locations all around us, and a somewhat angry looking guy in military fatigues screaming from behind…”STOP!”
OK, so who knew that ‘Carlisle Barracks’ meant military barracks, and that this was a military base, and home to the United States Army War College. A minor detail erased from the original conversation. And this government could certainly afford to make that ‘no left turn’ sign on the main road just a little bigger. Well, the young man in fatigues softened his expression when Lisa finally explained to him that we were there to see, and photograph, the cemetery. He told us that, “this happens all the time.”

Be that as it may, we were escorted to the security office across E. North St. for inspection purposes before being released. We were then permitted to photograph the cemetery but, expressed in no uncertain terms, we were not allowed to photograph the military grounds, especially those transformer looking barricades on the road leading in to the base. “No problem General…no barricades.”

Upon leaving the security area, we were freely permitted entrance to the base, though under the scrutiny of the military police that parked just outside the cemetery area.

Now for a little bit about the Carlisle Indian School Cemetery. In1879, permission was secured by Richard Henry Pratt to use a deserted military base as the site of his school of Indian indoctrination. Carlisle Barracks in central Pennsylvania was chosen. Pratt spent eight years (1867-1875) in Indian Territory as an officer of the 10th Cavalry, commanding a unit of African American "Buffalo Soldiers" and Indian Scouts. He wasn’t a bad guy. He truly did care about the deplorable conditions that the Native Americans had to endure and fought bitterly with the BIA(Bureau of Indian Affairs). But he was only one of a few that did, and he only understood it as only a white man could in the late 19^th C.; the Indian could only be saved by indoctrinating them into the white man’s society.

Pratt was driven by his strong desire to see the Indian become an imitation of the white man.

In September of 1879, just 3 years after the Battle of Greasy Plain(Custer’s Last Stand), Pratt traveled west to speak personally with the heads of the Indian Nations. He arrived at Rosebud first to meet with Spotted Tail, Milk, Two Strike and White Thunder. At first they were reluctant but, later, one by one they surrendered their children to this man they knew very little about. The one thing that this man that they knew little of made clear was that no matter what happened, the white man would keep coming and coming.

Once back with his first group of students, Pratt set about lobbying anyone and everyone to support his Carlisle Indian School. He was a determined man in his effort to save the Indian, and finally bring an end to the ‘Indian Problem’. At the school, the students, in addition to the academic and industrial programs, music and art classes were taught at Carlisle. Each child was given a haircut & uniform. The school did have its critics. One of Carlisle’s harshest was Gertude Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa), a famous Indian author and artist who once taught at the Carlisle Indian School. She believed that Indian students were capable of, and should be exposed to, higher learning and academic subjects, and should not be limited to vocational training.

She also disapproved of the military discipline and Christian evangelizing the school imposed on its students. According to Zitkala-Sa, the boarding school system was a “miserable state of cultural dislocation,” that created problems long after the children returned home.

Richard Henry Pratt was relieved of his duty at the school in 1904. From that point on his strict disciplinary ideals were relaxed.

It was sorrowfully discovered that along with all the other programs offered and buildings needed, it was also necessary to have a cemetery. Separation anxiety to small pox and tuberculosis – the perils of first contact with Europeans - were just a few of the reasons behind the 192 children buried on the grounds. Many others were sent home immediately upon signs of illness, their fate unknown.

The school finally closed in 1918. It was then used to treat wounded troops returning from the World War I battlefields of Europe.

Before closing, one individual that excelled at the school should be a familiar name too most all of us. His name - Jim Thorpe. Thorpe, having a mother from the Sac tribe who originally named him Bright Path, began his athletic career at Carlisle Indian School in 1904 playing football and running track. He led the Carlisle football team that bought the school nationwide attention. Later on in his career, Thorpe played six years of professional baseball as an outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Braves and even holds the decathlon record winning six of ten events at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

For additional reading about the school, please refer to the following webpages:

http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/CarlisleIndianSchool.html

http://home.epix.net/~landis/histry.html

My thanks to both for the knowledge & information used, in part, in this article.

John Thomas Grant – author and photographer

John’s first book - Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone - pub. by Schiffer Publishing.

Contact information: jtgrant19@gmail.com

Gallery: www.johnthomasgrant.com

In Memory of.....

2011-09-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

I'll never forget.

The 100 Year Flood - West Pittston, PA.

2011-09-08T22:48:00.000-04:00

Guess what we woke up to? Only the 100 year flood. So, of course, Lisa and I went for a little walk. The house we live in, thankfully, is situated on high ground, so there seems to be no threat to us. But many others were not so lucky.

This photo was taken earlier in the day. The water rose considerably into the evening. Most of the town center went belly up.

Many homes on many streets became consumed in the mighty waters of the Susquehanna River.

The river is at the far end. Actually, it's all river now.

2nd Street & Philadelphia in W. Pittston

I heard many stories of people without flood insurance. Hard days ahead.

This flood is being compared to the flood of 1972 that was caused by the arrival of Hurricane Agnes.

West Pittston Jewish Cemetery in the early stages of flooding. I'm quite sure that it quite possibly disappeared.

Luzerne County called for a curfew from 9pm until 6 the next morning. This is serious.

Poor souls all. This cemetery is attached to the general West Pittston Cemetery which, as of yet, was untouched.

I'm sure that that changed once evening hit and the river crested.

Air pockets were breached - note the bubbles. I had never observed this process. In the 72 flood, the primitive levy gave in Forty Fort, just south of here, and the cemetery was literally gouged out. Hundreds of corpses were littered about the town. Many are still missing and forever lost.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Print of the Day - Three Distant Friends

2011-09-07T12:22:00.001-04:00

Three Distant Friends - There are many things I could say about this photo. There are many meanings that one can infer from this composition of stone to stone. Any number of personal experiences come to my mind, but I've decided not to go with a graphic, or personal, representation; simple and instructional rules today. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment, and I'm not in the mood to dig deep. Doing way too much of that lately anyway:)
That said, I'd thought that I would go with the following, taken from an article I read recently at eHow.com. Do hope it helps you in a like situation. The photo was taken at the Old Graveyard in Essex, Massachusetts.

Almost everyone goes through a difficult loss at some point in their lives. One of the most difficult things about loosing a loved one is that is seems that nobody- sometimes friends included- has the right thing to say. If you have a friend or a family member in need of some comforting words, read below for good ways to approach this person, tips on what to say and things not to say:

1. If you have a friend or family member who has recently lost a loved one, they are probably going through an emotional roller coaster. Some people like to be around others while others want to be left alone. Regardless of which one your friend is, approach them either in person or by a phone call and tell them how sorry you are that they are sad and going through this.

2. Once you have told them how badly you feel that they are in pain, let your friend know that you are there for him/her if and when he/she ever needs to talk.

3. LISTEN!!! At this point, your friend might open up to you and express how he/she is feeling or dealing with the loss. This might involve the person crying. If that happens, pat him/her on the back, or offer a hug. The friend might choose that they would rather not talk about their feelings at this time. If he/she expresses that, respect their wishes! Give him/her some space and either bring up another subject. You have done the best you can do, by letting the other person know that you are there for them.

Tips & Warnings:

If there was a death in a friend'd family and you know the family well, you might send a card to the family. It's a good idea to get one specifically for your friend as well. It is a bit more personal.

Many people feel that saying something will be awkward or cause the other person to be upset. Sometimes these people make the mistake of saying nothing in order to avoid awkwardness. Saying something and letting your friend know that you care is ALWAYS better than saying nothing.

When a loved one is lost, people usually send cards, bring over dinners, and sympathize for about three weeks. Those mourning a loss know that that sadness NEVER goes away. Check in with your friend periodically to see how they are feeling, and letting them know that you care- even after three weeks.

Always let the person know that you care and you are there for them.

Always offer a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear.

NEVER say you know what the person is going through. All loss is different and people handle things differently. Unless you are them, you don't know what they are going through.

Don't try to make your friend talk to you about their feelings. They might choose to talk to another friend, a family member, teacher, counselor, etc... If they want space or don't want to talk about their loss with you, they will let you know and you need to respect that.

NEVER discuss what they are going through with other friends. Their sadness and loss shouldn't be made the gossip of the day.

Don't try to tell the person how you would feel in their situation or how they should be feeling (or shouldn't be feeling). Their feelings are legitimate.

Thanks eHow.com.

Print of the Day - Mollie

2011-09-06T18:26:00.000-04:00

Mollie - One day it will all fade away. Mollie, Green-Wood Cemetery, you, me, Mother Earth...the Universe. If she could reflect upon this photo, would Mollie have done anything different? Perhpas you'll understand should you exchange her name with yours.....

Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone - Signed!

2011-09-05T13:03:00.001-04:00

The Passion Projects is happy to announce that - FINAL THOUGHTS: ETERNAL BEAUTY IN STONE - can now be purchased as a signed copy. The proceeds will go to benefit the completion of Lisa's book, "The Fashionable Victorians."

With the book we'll include one of our JOHN THOMAS GRANT collectible cards - The Mourning Angel - and the book cover card (both signed). They make good bookmarks, framed pieces, or just save them for posterity. Never can tell what they may be worth on some future Antique Roadshow:)) Your kids will be thrilled!

As some of my fans have expressed it:

"John, your use of your art, the beauty of the images and the power evoked by the written words will do more for cemetery preservation than any group, website, or individual could hope to aspire to." Robin Biddle

"John Grant’s photographs show us that cemeteries may be the realm of the dead, but they are for the living. Get thee to a cemetery. And see it through John Grant’s eyes and heart. View the photographs in Final Thoughts with your heart. They do not speak of death. They most assuredly speak of life." Douglas Keister (author)

The total package for the book & cards, postage & packaging is only $43! All signed!
(International postage will increase postal rate; local pickup or delivery will eliminate postal charge)

To process your order, you need only to select one of the following payment options:

1. Via Paypal - jtgrant19@gmail.com or Lisa@victorianalady.com
2. Call us with your visa, mastercard, or discover card - 570-655-8392
3. Send a check to: John Thomas Grant, P.O. Box 3278, West Pittston, PA. 18643

Allow approximately 6 weeks for your package to arrive. We're doing this so that we can place our order with the publisher. They would still have to receive FT from the manufacturer. But they're on the way!!!!

Print of the Day - Ah...Mrs. White!

2011-09-03T20:31:00.001-04:00

Ah...Mrs. White! - Not only was she the toughest statue I've ever attempted to photograph - and I'm not done with her yet - but she reminds me of my 8th grade teacher back in St. Luke's Grammar School in Whitestone, New York. Her name was Sister Rose Eileen. Sister Rose was a stern and uncompromising toughy. She liked me though, and I was the better for it. Half way through the year she disappeared. We then heard that her nephew was killed in a most unfortunate, and tragic, accident in a train station in NYC. He was about our age, if I remember well. Anyway, he was young.
She did return one day though. Not the same, to be sure, and my heart went out to her. Her once austere manner now meek as the humblest street urchin. And then there was that constant soul searching, vacant look on her face. The question I knew even then, "Why God?"
Mrs. White was taken @ Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport, Ma. "Mrs. White, just so you know, I will be back with a bigger ladder:)"

Print of the day - A Walk in the Rain

2011-09-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

A Walk in the Rain - There's a pretty good chance, that following a good soaking rain, you'll find me in a cemetery. The vibrancy of the color really comes true to form in the stone and the surrounding flora, lichen & moss. This family photograph that was taken in Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport, Ma, is a perfect example of the effect. Life goes on, they say.

Print of the Day - Go to the Light

2011-08-31T07:29:00.000-04:00

Go to the Light - I couldn't resist this one. I knew exactly what I was going to do the first time I saw the lighted stones. The light perfectly still. The stones, of varied sizes and shapes, all marching in the same direction. There was a tinge of sadness that came over me considering the ethnic origins of the departed in this place. The capture is from a Jewish Cemetery in Danvers, Massachusetts. I was, at the time, once again, reminded of the enforced suffering brought to bear upon the Jewish people, for one, during the Holocaust of the last century by the Nazi.
As far as the photo itself, there has been no manipulation of the color, on my part, but for a little saturation to enhance the already present coloration. The stones are exactly the colors shown in the photo.

Astronomy - A tour of Cassiopeia A

2011-08-31T07:05:00.000-04:00

A tour of supernova remnant - Cassiopeia A - enjoy:)

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/tours/tour-cassiopeiaa/

JT Grant & the Cahoon Museum of American Art

2011-08-30T09:53:00.000-04:00

No need to be so sad Mourning Angel, you will soon be on display at the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, Massachusetts, starting Sept. 22, as part of the "Celebration of Life" exhibit that will run through Nov. 6th. For more information, please follow the link. We, at the Passion Projects, are very excited to be part of this very special exhibition. It is the first gallery exhibition of my work. Thank you Richard Waterhouse for the opportunity.

The Cahoon Museum of American Art -Cotuit, Cape Cod, MA

www.cahoonmuseum.org

Laser & Stone

2011-08-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

Lasers have arrived in the death industry, and for some years now the decision has not been which stone to use, but which picture to have etched on that smooth and silky, yet, hard and durable black granite stone.
These headstones are different from all the rest. You can't miss them. Shiny, black headstones blended in with the more popular, if only due to the pre-laser ease of use of the time, lighter gray(weathered) headstones of sandstone, limestone or marble, makes for quite a patchwork of design in any cemetery. Not only are they a different color and texture, they now, generally, feature photorealistic portraits of the people buried underneath them. They're a new breed of monument.
The time it takes to laser etch a headstone will depend on the type of design selected, and type of laser etching machine used - machine or artisan etched(hand-held). Usually a few hours to one day would be a fair estimation.
They do fascinate me, and they do draw my attention when I'm in the vicinity. They're just another step in the remembrance process.

Space in 3D

2011-08-25T09:02:00.002-04:00

Print of the Day - Twice Dead

2011-08-24T10:29:00.000-04:00

Twice Dead - There is a certain melancholy for me in finding a fallen stone. For one, obviously, the stone was erected to mark the site of an individual who has passed through life. Though death is imminent, it's still sad enough. Less obvious, though, the fallen stone marks a second death, in a way. In most cases, the stones will probably rest where they fall only to be covered by the advancement of seasons and shifting Mother Earth. And much like the mortal they mark, it will settle comfortably to the depths, never to be scene again.
I am always drawn to these fallen friends of life. A last look; a final goodbye, and maybe a picture to remember them by.
This one was taken in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

Photography - Get Tight!

2011-08-23T11:59:00.000-04:00

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” Robert Capa.
Truer words yet spoken in the art of photography up to this point. What Capa was trying to say is, basically, focus on the message that you are trying to convey. Why did you take that shot? Was it meant to be just a 'pretty' shot? Or are you trying send a message to your viewing audience? Don't get me or Capa wrong, every picture need not bring your audience to their knees. But for those of us that want to encourage our viewers to discover those bound emotional forces within our person, it is of the utmost importance for us, the photographer, to define the focus of your intention behind the lens.

My personal experience has been exactly that. Yes, I can conjure up an emotional response from a panoramic, but it is not until I get in close that the tears, and emotions, begin to roll. There is no mistake as to your message. It is as plain and clear as daylight. "If one person feels, we all feel" I say. Again, you 'can' achieve an emotional response with a wider shot, but, as I have discovered, only if the subject of your focus is framed properly by the natural setting. You can see that in my pictures, "The Mourning Angel" & "The Pony."

Look, it's all up to what you want to do with a camera in the field. But I'm asked time and time again, "How do you do that?" So I'm telling you. I see a composition that makes me feel something emotional. I then determine what the emotion is; whether a memory or an impassioned natural response. With that done, I go in for the kill!!!
Also, you have probably already noted that, at times, I have darkened the surrounding background. That is quite obviously intentional. I do take some creative license, as do many, in truly framing out the focus of my message. Just a little extra fencing to keep my audience corralled. Hope this helps a bit. Don't deny your feelings, or be afraid of confronting the deepest of our humanity, just get in there and shoot!
All three from the same statue in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Print of the Day - John, Emily, and Georgie

2011-08-22T16:32:00.000-04:00

John, Emily, and Georgie - Little ones from Green-Wood Cemetery that passed through life so quickly. This is a recent shot from our visit this past Memorial Day. It a classic. I removed everything that had absolutely nothing to do with the message I am trying to convey. Just focus on the kids for a while. Focus then on yourself.

Photography - Lighting for Mood 02

2011-08-20T08:53:00.001-04:00

Nothing like a great early morning, late day sun. It is not only a warmer light due to the fact that sunlight has further to travel through the Earth's atmosphere, but due to the fact of solid objects, shadows are thrown that could certainly help establish the mood you are trying to set. In this example from a few years ago, due to the sun's position these Georgian stones cast a warmer glow than they would naturally. Also, more of the stone is obviously drenched in sunlight, and the shadowing is richer in detail than you would normally find.
All together, you would have a much better chance at establishing a mood for your work than would otherwise be captured with a midday sun.
The moral of the story is this...bring your breakfast or dinner with you, but get out there!!! :)

This photo taken in St. Paul's Graveyard, Newburyport, Ma.

Print of the Day - Isabel

2011-08-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

Isabel - Last May of 2010, I had the great fortune of meeting Douglas Keister for the first time @ Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. He was given his "Stories in Stone" presentation to a packed house. It was also the first time that I was to meet my mate for life, Lisa Griffiths-Lewis, a.k.a - The Victoriana Lady Lisa. And it was the day that I was to ask Doug to write the 'Forward' for my book 'Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone'.
Following Doug's presentation, we were delighted to take the Green-Wood Trolley tour; highly recommended should you find yourself in the neighborhood on Wednesday's or Sunday's. Anyway, tour completed, Marge Raymond - one of the tour guide/historians for GW - offered to take us on a very special trip around the grounds. They included some of the less often viewed, or overlooked, parts of the cemetery only known to the GW insiders. One of them was Isabel. This Victorian relief under glass was spectacular to see. Such fine shape, protected from the elements by it's covering, Doug took a few and then it was my turn. Enjoy.

Print of the Day - The Italian Bride - "The Honeymoon is Over"

2011-08-17T05:42:00.000-04:00

The Italian Bride - "The Honeymoon is Over" - I'd like all of you to meet the Italian Bride of Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. As the story is told, she was buried in her wedding dress; I suspect, within reason, the one that is shown. Her name does escape me at the moment, but I'm sure that someone in my audience will either know it, or can stop by and report back.
Anyway, this first shot was taken on my old Olympus point and shoot about 5 years ago. A more recent pose is featured below.

Whew....I didn't mean to feature her aging process, but there's no escaping the effects of the big city that she currently resides in. If anyone nearby can get permission, please do feel free to give our darling girl a good scrubbing. Time and time again this happens with disastrous results, and it would certainly be a shame for this wonderful statue to deteriorate any further jeopardizing her strength and continuity.

Print of the Day - The Girl Next Door

2011-08-15T14:57:00.001-04:00

The Girl Next Door - Another autobiographical piece from my youth. There we were, me & Jimmy, blowing off the new 'cute' neighbor. At the time, the birds and the bees were exactly that...birds & bees. She didn't mind though; after all, we were only boys...yuk! Besides, she wanted to play house and show off her doll collection, while we were saving the world by ridding Jimmy's heavily forested backyard of the enemy. "Maybe...if I make it back home...she'll have me...she'll be my wife?" Looking back, I guess we were all trying to impress each other. We did seem to play men games when she was out and about. And she always seemed to wear her very best when we were under fire:))

This is actually one of the first shots that I used the 'blackout' effect. Essentially darkening all but the focus of my storytelling. The kids were not cut and pasted. They are exactly where they are in the cemetery in relation to the headstone. This one was taken in Pine Hill Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts.

Follow me at Twitter:)

2011-08-14T14:49:00.002-04:00

Follow @JohnThomasGrant

Print of the Day - Susan

2011-08-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

Susan - It was this shot that spurred thoughts about a future book on my work called, "One More Day". It will deal with those lost so young, or taken from us in tragedy. To have one more day... Much like Emily in Thornton Wilder's American Classic "Our Town"; read act 3 for a refresher:)

Print of the Day - I Hope She Writes

2011-08-14T11:51:00.000-04:00

I Hope She Writes - And that is all I could think of when I happened upon this fabulous pup during a foggy morning on Cape Ann a very long time ago. As a matter of fact, this picture was shot on film with my old Mamiya NC1000 35 mm camera.
He was very staid in his manner, and didn't flinch as I was setting up for the shot. My friend was very focused on the subject of his intentions. I was not about to disturb his thoughts, so I took this photo and went about my business.

Astronomy - The Necklace

2011-08-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

A Cosmic Necklace Larger than a Solar System

The "Necklace Nebula," also called PN G054.2-03.4, is the exploded aftermath of a giant star that came too close to its Sun-like binary companion. The two stars that produced the Necklace Nebula live in a relatively small orbit about each other. They have a period of 1.2 days and a separation on the order of 5 times the radius of the Sun.

Evidence for the existence of the two-body system arises from the nebula's appearance of a half-light-year-wide equatorial ring of dense material near the inner portion of the nebula. The expanding elliptical ring is composed of bright, dense knots of glowing hydrogen and oxygen gas. Each knot also dons a small tail pointing away from the central star. The clumpy appearance of the ring may have been caused by density fluctuations in the shared material of the binary stars prior to the explosion, or possibly by magnetic field lines present in the giant star as it began to expand and shed off its outer layers.

A fast, collimated outflow of nitrogen gas from the binary system has formed faint lobes and polar caps extending in the direction perpendicular to the ring. Edge to edge, the nebula is nearly 9 light-years long, over twice the distance between our Sun and our nearest stellar companion, Proxima Centauri.

Astronomers studying PN G054.2-03.4 predict that the outer lobes of gas were ejected about 10,000 years ago, before the two stars began sharing material. The inner ring of material was created only about 5,000 years ago (and relatively recent on astronomical timescales), and shares the same plane as the orbit of the two stars.

The Necklace Nebula is located about 15,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Sagitta. It was recently discovered in 2005 from the Isaac Newton Telescope Photometric H-alpha Survey (IPHAS), a ground-based H-alpha planetary nebula study of the North Galactic Plane.

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) detector onboard Hubble was used to observe the Necklace Nebula on July 2, 2011. Hubble's WFC3 broadband filters, which show the colors of the galactic field stars, were used along with narrowband filters that show emission from the gases that make up the planetary nebula. In this composite image, ionized hydrogen gas is shown in blue, oxygen gas in green, and nitrogen gas in red. The field stars appear mainly white, with a reddish tint, which is indicative of the older population stars that make up the disk of our Milky Way galaxy.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Print of the Day - Red Tree of Autumn and Stone.

2011-08-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

Red Tree of Autumn and Stone - It was a peaceful scene. Even the traffic noise of Route 1 drifted into nothingness. My heart stilled for a moment when I turned and saw this artistic spectacle. The capture was taken in South End Cemetery in Ipswich, Massachusetts. It seems to be a favorite of many. Thanks.

Print of the Day - All Things Must Pass

2011-08-10T15:25:00.000-04:00

All Things Must Pass - This capture is from Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. It was taken with my old Olympus point and shoot that I originally bought for genealogical purposes, and to sell stuff on eBay. My we have come a long way.
The message I suppose you could say would have to do with the autumn of life. The decay that becomes most apparent if we do not take real good care of ourselves. At least that is what I had thought of when I happened to come upon it. And, BTW, the leaf was already there:)

Print of the Day - Number 258

2011-08-08T14:26:00.001-04:00

Number 258 - I recently shot this one at Shawnee Cemetery in Plymouth, Pennsylvania. It's not the first time that I've come across a marker such as this. The metal markers were issued by the County, and given to hospitals and morgues for the purpose of marking the graves of persons who could not afford a burial. As you can see, they were only marked with a number; in many cases, the names lost to history.
A preponderance of these were produced during the 1918-1919 Influenza pandemic; somewhere between 20 and 40 million people died in this Global disaster. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history; greater than 4 years of the Black Death Bubonic Plague from 1347-1351.

Jennie Wade of Gettysburg

2011-08-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

While Lisa worked, I strolled through Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pa. In all the times that I've had the great fortune of visiting this amazing, yet melancholy place, I have never stepped foot into Evergreen. My misfortune, that is until now. I will report that it does have a lot of character and warrants a return visit in the near future. I will also report that I captured some nice shots in the very brief time I spent on the grounds. The brevity due to the fact that Lisa's show was only about an hour, and it rained cats and dogs with few breaks. Anyway, I did come across a young Lady that I've read about for years. Her name was Jennie Wade.

Born Mary Virginia Wade in 1843, she was known by her family and contemporaries as merely "Jennie". Arguably the "greatest battle ever fought on American soil" commenced in the environs of her native Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863. The three day Civil War battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, and fearing the effects of it, she sought haven at the home of a relative. The "Jennie Wade House" as it is now known in the borough of Gettysburg, was the home of her married sister Georgia Wade McClellan, and it was there that she found refuge from the rapidly escalating battle.

In a short time, the locality of the McClellan home became a battlefield with Union and Confederate forces frequently dueling within site of it. Throughout this ordeal, Jennie repeatedly offered comfort in the way of foodstuff and water to the Union soldiers

who were combating the Confederates outside the home. Sadly, her guardian angel ultimately failed her. The twenty-year old fell dead after a rifle ball penetrated the home's doors on the morning of July 3 and struck her while purportedly at the chore of preparing bread dough. With the cessation of the battle, she was buried in her sister's garden on the 4th of July. In January 1864, her remains were re-located to a cemetery "near the German Reform Church" in Gettysburg. A later re-interment in the Evergreen Cemetery occurred in November 1865.

Within this burial ground is another tragic story which has always been intertwined with her own - the one of Corporal Johnston Hastings Skelly, Jr. He was a friend, beau and presumed fiancé of Jennie's, and he died on July 12, 1863 of wounds received in a Virginia battle and is now buried in close proximity of her plot. The two died without knowing the others fate. For several years, her grave was marked with a non-descript gravestone, however, through the tireless efforts of her sister Georgia, an elaborate marker stands today in the remembrance of Jennie, "the only civilian killed in the battle of Gettysburg".

Thanks Stonewall @ Find-A-Grave for the history.

A Chocolate Lover's Tea on Grandparent's Day

2011-08-05T17:35:00.000-04:00

Hosted by The Passion Projects & The Frederick Stegmaier Mansion

"A Chocolate Lover's Tea" on Grandparent's Day

Sunday, Sept. 11th at 2:00 pm

Imagine moist flaky scones, luscious savory tea sandwiches, tempting mouth watering pastries and a soothing hot cup of tea. This is not your usual egg salad sandwich and cookie affair. We are “Putting On The Ritz” at the Stegmaier Mansion Tea. Don’t expect packaged food service fare, the gourmet menu is made fresh by renowned two time Iron Chef winner and chocolatier to Godiva, chef Jody Klocko.

All of your senses will be delighted, the sight of the incredibly beautiful Victorian mansion, the sound of relaxing music, the smell of fresh baked scones and pastries, the tantalizing food tastes, including homemade chocolate truffles, an extra special treat that you cannot get anywhere else.

You will enjoy experiencing the grandeur of stepping back in time to the decadent Gilded Age. If you have longed to see the mansion interior now is the perfect time! Your hostess Victoriana Lady Lisa Lewis will be presenting a fascinating glimpse into the fashions & tea history and etiquette of the Victorian era.The owner and restoration genius Joe Matteo will entertain you with the Mansion’s history, be sure and ask him about the secret passageway!

This spectacular event is by reservation only on a first come first serve basis. Seats are already filling up so don’t delay. The price for all of this exclusive elegance is $45.50 (tax & gratuity is included in the price.) Come and join us for the ultimate Victorian tea experience!

For reservations call 570-655-8392 and ask for Lisa Lewis. The Passion Projects are handling the event and registration process. Please call or e-mail - lisa@victorianalady.com - and register first. Make all checks payable to The Passion Projects and send to:

The Passion Projects

c/o Lisa Lewis

P.O. Box 3278

West Pittston, Pa. 18643

Children ages 10 and up are welcome.

Thank you for your kind support!

The Hubble Deep Field: The Most Important Image Ever Taken

2011-08-05T10:42:00.000-04:00

Speaks for itself -

Print of the Day - Onward & Upward

2011-08-05T10:24:00.000-04:00

Onward & Upward - This bronze relief was photographed at Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts.

FOREST HILLS CEMETERY is one of the finest examples of the garden cemetery in the United States. It was founded in 1848 to provide a magnificent park-like setting to bury and remember family and friends. Set among the important jewels of Greater Boston’s “Emerald Necklace”—the linked collection of parks and green spaces (the “jewels”) that ring the city—Forest Hills Cemetery is a treasure trove of natural splendor and man-made beauty. In recognition of its unique qualities, Forest Hills Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

More than 275 rolling acres is the setting for art, sculpture, memorials and architecture that are admired around the world. And throughout the landscape, carefully cultivated bushes, trees and plantings contribute to an atmosphere that is both restful and arresting… an enchanting combination that celebrates the living, while commemorating the deceased. It is no wonder Forest Hills Cemetery was named one of the “1000 Greatest Places” in Massachusetts.

Forest Hills is indeed a special place. Wooded heights and shaded valleys alternate from side to side. There are grassy slopes and shaded lanes, a waterfall and fountain—and in the center of things, a serene lake surrounded by mature trees providing dappled shade, as well as comfortable seating from which to laze away a summer afternoon.

The famous and lesser known are at rest here—at peace in a truly beautiful setting. From the beginning in 1848, Forest Hills has been the resting place for some of the community’s most outstanding citizens, honored for service to their country, or for their success in politics, literature or the arts and sciences. It is also a resting place for every citizen, of any origin or accomplishment.

Today, Forest Hills is still an active burial ground, and is also a historic site, an open-air museum, and a 275-acre greenspace and arboretum. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, the distinctive Victorian landscape design features meandering paths, scenic vistas, and lovely lake Hibiscus. Many prominent historic, cultural and civic figures are buried here, including the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, suffragist Lucy Stone, poets Anne Sexton and e.e. cummings, playwright Eugene O’Neill, and sculptor Martin Milmore.

Forest Hills Cemetery continues to be the choice of prominent and significant Americans, nearly 165 years since its founding.

Postcard/Bookmark now available:)

2011-08-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

Postcards are now available Guys, and I'm thrilled to be able to offer them to you. THEY ARE FREE TO YOU!!! The front design is the cover of my book - Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone. Here's what you do:
1. Send me a self-addressed stamps envelope. I'll sign it and get it off to you immediately.
2. If you would like more, please let me know how many and I'll get you a postal price. If anyone is a member of a cemetery preservation group, historical society, or the like, I would most certainly appreciate you getting one to each member. If you would like more just to hand out, the same applies.
Send to:
John Thomas Grant
P.O. Box 3278
West Pittston, Pa 18643
Makes a fine bookmark too. Many thanks for your support everyone.

Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone

2011-08-01T14:47:00.000-04:00

Great price right now on Amazon for Christmas time gifts:)) Are there any cemetery lovers, and lovers of life itself, in the audience?

Print of the Day - The Infants of 1718

2011-07-30T09:39:00.000-04:00

The Infants of 1718 - I found the infants in First Parish Burying Ground, Gloucester, Massachusetts. This place has since received National Historic Landmark status, and is in the act of cleaning up its....act! Kids should always have a nice home.

Print of the Day - Pretty Stones

2011-07-28T19:40:00.000-04:00

Pretty Stones - I can just about feel the autumn wind. Honestly, I can't wait for the change. It's by far the best time of year. It is not only the most beautiful time of year but, I do feel a kinship with autumn. In life, it is where I am.
This particular shot was taken in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, several years ago.

Print of the Day - Once A Bride

2011-07-25T20:15:00.000-04:00

Once A Bride - I've have yet to come across a picture memorial quite so angelic. Mary was a beautiful bride.
This was taken in a cemetery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Onward and Upward w/ Twitter now.

2011-07-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

Follow @JohnThomasGrant

My Beloved & Beautiful Redhead

2011-07-23T16:45:00.000-04:00

How I love you so Lisa. Forever and a Day SC:)

Print of the Day - Hide and go Seek

2011-07-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

Hide and go Seek - As you may have already figured out, I will, sometimes, express visually in my work moments of time in my life through the positions of the stones. In this particular picture I just could not help but remember the many times as a youngster I played the game hide and go seek. Back in the day you could find many places to hide. Even in my old neighborhood of Whitestone, Queens, New York, just a stones through from mighty Manhattan, there were lots and fields a plenty allowing you any number of choice shelters.
I keep looking back as my work carries me forward....

"One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind"

2011-07-21T14:36:00.000-04:00

It was 42 years ago today that humanity, in Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, first stepped on a celestial object other than Mother Earth. It's bittersweet to me knowing full well that I'll probably not see another accomplishment of this magnitude in my lifetime. Our petty, primitive distractions have delayed our inevitable destiny for how long I do not know. We have the intelligence & talent, but not yet the maturity. The Universe can be truly ours if we want it....

Print of the Day - Lights, Color, Action!

2011-07-21T10:25:00.000-04:00

Lights, Color, Action! - When you have only a point and shoot to work with, it can pretty tricky securing the kind of quality you desire. In my case that is all I had at the time these shots were taken. I did have one slight advantage contained in my arsenal of photo processing equipment, and that was photoshop. I don't care who the photographer is, every photo ever presented has been processed, to some degree, by one sort of photo manipulation devise or another; in more recent times it is photoshop. My secret is no difference.

The above photo was taken in All Faith's Lutheran in Queens, and the one to the left in Walnut Grove, Danvers, Ma. They were both shot on my Olympus 3020 point and shoot.
You might also notice that I like color. It was at about this time that I noticed some differences between my work and the work of others. Where others were more concerned with dark, gothic artistry in their work, mine were busting with color. I was never one for the misty veil of darkness bestowed on cemeteries. Yes, it is death that marks these story fields, but it was once life that we should now celebrate. And continue to celebrate I will.

How we spent our 4th of July:)

2011-07-20T19:54:00.001-04:00

Just as the parade was stepping of in Rockport this past 4th of July, guess who came to join us...Mother Nature. She could not have timed it better. The parade in town starts at 6 with the bonfire on Back Beach starting at approximately 9.

Lisa and I were planted firmly in First Parish Burying Ground which happens to be along the route. Then, off to our left(west), the crowd begins to notice a slight darkening of the sky. The weather people had predicted only a 30% chance. A young girl flips out her iphone and starts surfing the web for a weather radar.

Having located one - mind you I'm looking over her shoulder from a short distance - clear as day appears our monster heading right for us. It was decided that once we hear the sounds of thunder we would head home. It didn't take long.
Check it out. Lisa and I are sitting in an relatively empty burying ground, on top of a hill, under a tree. Recipe for disaster?
Hey is that a forming tornado? Lower left above the dark mass. The light, tubular cloud. That's how they begin. With a little updraft these swirling, tubular clouds become full-fledged tornados. We were lucky.

Staying not too far away at Mom's, we headed back for some eats and rest, hoping for a clearer evening so that we can, at least, see the bonfire. We would not be disappointed in that appointment.

It can be a wonderfully, majestic sight to behold though.

Print of the Day - The Moon, Tomb, and Me

2011-07-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

The Moon, Tomb, and Me - This one was taken in The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. It's one of my simpler shots from a long time ago; the beginning as a matter of fact. It was shot on the Olympus point & shoot. You may notice that the Moon is between the finials on the tomb. It was 42 years ago today that we first landed on the Moon. One more thing, there is a message here. Can you see it? For those of you that would like us to continue the journey into our most hopeful future, it should be easy. Thanks.

July 20, 1969 - Man lands on the Moon

2011-07-20T10:54:00.001-04:00

42 years ago today humanity landed on the Moon. 42 years ago tomorrow we walked into history, and the future. That is if we have the spirit to follow our destiny.

Astronomy - Crab Nebula: a Dead Star Creates Celestial Havoc

2011-07-18T16:07:00.001-04:00

Source: Hubblesite.org
Ever have one of those days? Well this poor star is. The Crab Nebula is the shattered remnant of a massive star that ended its life in a supernova explosion. Nearly a thousand years old, the supernova was noted in the constellation of Taurus by Chinese astronomers in the year 1054 AD.

This view of the supernova remnant obtained by the Spitzer Space Telescope shows an infrared view of this complex object. The blue-white region traces the cloud of energetic electrons trapped within the star's magnetic field, emitting so-called "synchrotron" radiation. The red features follow the well-known filamentary structures that permeate this nebula. Though they are known to contain hot gasses, their exact nature is still a mystery that astronomers are examining.

The energetic cloud of electrons is driven by a rapidly rotating neutron star, or pulsar, at its core. The nebula is about 6,500 light-years away from the Earth, and is 5 light-years across.

Print of the Day - Jennifer

2011-07-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

Jennifer - Thankfully I have never had to experience that telephone call, and I hope I never do. I could not imagine those few terrible moments upon hearing of my child's death. The pain, the years of misery ahead; never again to lay your eyes on, or to hear the voice of, your dearest loved one. Forever gone.
It was the unfortunate experience of the parents of this beautiful young Lady. Jennifer is interred in Moravian Cemetery, in Staten Island, New York. She was killed in car accident sometime in early 90's. I came upon her tomb 6 years ago during one of my earlier cemetery outings. I'd just started to seriously photograph cemeteries based on your response to my work to date. I was gratified at the response, of course, but I wasn't exactly sure as to why I approached cemetery photography so differently than most of the other photographers in the genre. That was until, I met Jennifer. It then became ever so crystal clear as to why. Names on stones to me were emotional enough, but to put a face, an actual visual, brought the message home to me loud and clear. Her life became real to me. And she spoke for the many that were absent of a similar likeness.
There's a saying, "Out of sight, out of mind." That is probably true for most folks as it pertains to cemeteries. I can unquestionably state that it is no longer that way for me.

Print of the Day - A Babe in the Woods

2011-07-15T09:03:00.000-04:00

A Babe in the Woods - This one was taken in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery which is at the northern end of Rochester, N.Y. It's a favorite of mine, both the photo and the cemetery. It lies on either side of Lake Ave., and just its neighbor is Riverside Cemetery. The trees are magnificent in the eastern portion, and there are certainly some very nice statuary pieces.
John only lived one day, and will appear in a future publication I call 'One More Day'.

Lincoln's Washington

2011-07-14T11:59:00.001-04:00

Lincoln's Washington - Might just have to sell these properties real soon. Whatever one might think about insider Washington, outsider Washington is still pretty good looking. This one was captured on old kodachrome film with a Mamiya NC100 35mm camera; the perspective is from the Lincoln Monument. In the background is the Reflecting Pond, Washington Monument, and the Capitol, respectively.

Strange Neighbors

2011-07-13T12:44:00.002-04:00

The hundreds of millions that have come and gone over the years in this Country, had to be put somewhere when they died. Right? Even if it did mean that they had to share their backyard with a new development or front yard with a McDonald's. I could glory in a stroll through one of our many Victorian Gardens, but when I'm fortunate enough to come upon a rural pocket burying ground such as these, my adrenaline goes into super high gear! The black and white, sort of, was taken in Lancaster, Pa. Lisa and I were actually looking for an Amish cemetery that I'd found on google maps when we found this little gem. I couldn't get out of the car fast enough:)

The 'McDonald's' shot was taken in Canajoharie, N.Y. I was on my way back to Rockport, Ma., when thirst struck; actually I was falling asleep at the wheel and needed a coffee. Pulling off the exit, I entered town center all the while looking for a DD's when I spied the golden arches at the top of the hill across the Mohawk River. What the heck, a vanilla iced coffee will do me just fine. Clutching the coffee I removed to the front hook of my car for a breather from the tiresome road. It's actually a very nice view of the valley below from the parking lot. Scanning from left to right I was dumbfounded to find, not 100 feet from me, this little roadside pocket burying ground! The road, the coffee and Rockport will have to wait. I couldn't believe my good fortune. You see one of the results:)
The one thing that struck me was just how much care was given these vestiges of living history. Someone remembered that they were all just like us once a long time ago. Stories in time, I say.
BTW, should anyone know of such a location like these, please let me know. In future roadtrips I would be more than glad to stop by for a look. If you have a pic of it please send it along to me at jtgrant19@gmail.com. Thanks

Astronomy - Happy Birthday Neptune!

2011-07-12T15:55:00.000-04:00

My daughter just reminded me that it is Neptune's first birthday today:) Neptune celebrates its very first birthday because exactly one Neptunian year -- or 164.79 Earth years -- will have passed since its discovery.

Neptune was mathematically predicted before it was first telescopically observed on 24 September 1846. Astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle and his assistant Heinrich Louis d'Arrest used Urbain Le Verrier's calculations to locate the planet. It was found to be within a single degree of where Le Verrier had predicted it would be and it was the first planet to have been discovered deliberately.

Its position was worked out because astronomers had mapped the orbit of Uranus and detected irregularities in its path that could only be explained if the gravity of a further, separate and unknown planet was disturbing its path around the Sun. This triggered a hunt for an eighth planet.

Once Neptune was discovered, it took just seventeen days for William Lassell to find its moon Triton. None of its other 12 moons were found until the 20th century. Neptune is the fourth-largest planet in diameter and the third largest in terms of mass -- 17 times that of Earth -- in the solar system. It is also the farthest planet from the Sun since Pluto's demotion in 2006.

The gas giant is often lumped together with Uranus under the label "ice giants" due to the fact that they are smaller and have a higher proportion of "ices" (such as water, ammonia and methane) then Jupiter and Saturn. Its atmosphere is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium and it's pretty chilly, with temperatures approaching -218 degrees C. It's also pretty windy, with gusts reaching speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour.

Neptune's only earthly visitor has been the Voyager 2, which flew past the planet in August 1989. Nasa has researched possibilities for Cassini-Huygens-like probes, but budgetry contraints have so far failed to allow one to be funded.

Print of the Day - Ole St. Pete

2011-07-12T09:58:00.000-04:00

Ole St. Pete - This first picture seems to be attracting quite a bit of attention so I thought I would post the grouping. It's the Old Van Cortlandtville Cemetery on the corner of Oregon Road and Locust Avenue in Cortlandt Manor (formerly called Peekskill), Westchester County, NY. This cemetery is next to the Little Red School House, adjoins Hillside Cemetery and surrounds Old St. Peter's Church. The Cemetery is often referred to as Old St. Peter's Church Yard.

Behind Hillside is Assumption Cemetery and just across the street from this burying ground is a Jewish Cemetery.
Old St. Peter's Church and Old Cemetery, also known as St. Peter's Church of Cortlandt is a historic Episcopal church and cemetery at Oregon Road and Locust Avenue in Van Cortlandtville, Westchester County, New York. The church was built in 1766 and measures 28 feet by 36 feet. It is a wood frame building sheathed in clapboards and was restored in 1964.

The nearby Elmsford Reformed Church was built in 1783 and is a close replica. The adjoining cemetery, known as Van Cortlandtville Cemetery or Old St. Peter's Church Yard, contains over 1,500 graves that date to the 18th century. The largest gravesite is the Paulding Monument (1827).

The church served as a military hospital during 1781-1782. The cemetery includes graves of eight French soldiers, from Rochambeau's army, who died there.

The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Print of the Day - Shy Willie & Final Thoughts

2011-07-08T11:16:00.001-04:00

Shy Willie - is ready to come out of his shell and sell some books. Why? Because he's one of the leading characters in the pages of Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone.

FT is now available as a pre-release sale at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The links are as follows. Oh...please feel free to leave a comment should you like to, thanks. Every bit helps:) Anyway, to the links:
Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/3emrgla
Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/3cmbm47
This is a pre-release, so FT will not be shipped to you until the end of November of this year, just in time for the holiday. But both are being sold at a great special price right now; a good time to stock up:)) On November 28th, if not sooner, Final Thoughts will be released to bookstores nationwide. In the U.K., and Europe, it will be released through Bushwood Books.
Should you like an autographed copy, you will have to wait until they arrive at the Schiffer warehouse for me to pick up. They will, however, be full priced + shipping; I will be taking care of this personally. Or you can wait until I have a bookstore signing, speaking engagement, or visit a cemetery near you;-)
It's my first book baby, and I sincerely hope you like it. It is some of my finest work since I started on this amazing journey, combined with some of histories most emotional Final Thoughts.

My sincere thanks to Douglas Keister for kindly writing a wonderful Forward. You must also check out his new book "Stories in Stone New York" due out in October.

Thanks Guys:)

Print of the Day - Remembering Mary

2011-07-07T09:52:00.001-04:00

Remembering Mary - Just one of the few where I present the name of the deceased. This is Mary, and she's interred in Mt. Auburn Cemetery,Cambridge, Massachusetts. It's a wonderful piece of stonework dedicated to her memory. If memory serves me well, her parents are the two foreground stones. It still in pretty good shape considering its age, but it must have been a stunner at the time. You will be remembered Mary:)

Astronomy - A Universe of Never-Before-Seen Galaxies

2011-07-06T14:47:00.000-04:00

So who believes that, perhaps, on some faraway planet in some faraway galaxy, the young are having just as much fun as they are in my last blog post?
Yes folks, all that light you see in the picture is coming from galaxies millions of light years away. Every speck of light is a galaxy, and each galaxy may contain as many as 500,000,000,000 stars! That's 500 billion per folks! And there are billions and billions of galaxies in our Universe.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has made the deepest image of the universe ever taken in near-infrared light. The faintest and reddest objects in the image are galaxies that formed 600 million years after the Big Bang. No galaxies have been seen before at such early times. The new deep view also provides insights into how galaxies grew in their formative years early in the universe's history.
Anyway, I, for one, believe that the Universe is teeming with life in one form or another. After all, we do exist and if we are all there is, what a terrible waste of space it would be. There's more for us out there. It's our destiny to journey to the stars, and I hope that someday we'll realize it.

The young of Rockport - 4th of July, 2011

2011-07-06T13:19:00.000-04:00

Lisa and I went home to Rockport for the 4th of July this year. It's a great town to be in for the holiday. With a parade and bonfire, the whole place is pleasantly festive and welcoming.
While touring the town along the harbor, we came across this happy band of young adults.

The weather was just great! Sunny and warm, calling for just what you are seeing. Ahhhh...how I remember those days.

Behind these daring cliff jumpers you can see Front Beach, where the more docile of us congregate. Behind them is First Parish Burying Ground.

KERPLUNK!!!

Print of the Day - Cemetery Noir

2011-07-06T11:39:00.001-04:00

Cemetery Noir - Great to hang on the wall when you have the babysitter over.
Anyway, my suspicious friend posed for me at West Parish Garden Cemetery in Andover, Ma. As you all may have noticed, I try ever so hard to bring life to the statuary that I photograph. I'll sit there for quite some time just analyzing each statue that attracts my interest, looking for that spark of memory, or life. For this effect, I had to squeeze my little(HA!) body into this creepy dirty shell of a tomb. The light was just right, and with a little of my own touches...voila! It does have that flavor of the old noir films popular in the 50's. In my book Final Thoughts, my friend is placed on the perfect page:))

GraveYard Rabbit Online Journal - A Soldier Remembered by John Thomas Grant

2011-07-01T12:56:00.000-04:00

GraveYard Rabbit - A Soldier Remembered by John Thomas Grant

A piece I wrote for the GraveYard Rabbit online journal. Do hope you like. Please leave a comment if you can. Thanks. J

Print of the Day - Sisters

2011-06-29T16:10:00.000-04:00

Sisters - Photo taken at Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill, New York. It's a rather large piece of property on a hilly terrain.
Now I should have taken some additional information but all I have is this shot of four sisters from the same family. Mom and Dad were just to the right in this picture. My classic blackened background highlighting the stone. I'm not big on distractions that have absolutely 'nada' to do with the photo. This one does appear in Final Thoughts which I just found out will be out in November.

Astronomy - Feasting Black Hole Blows Bubbles from Galaxy NGC 4438

2011-06-28T13:21:00.000-04:00

Source: Hubblesite.org

When a supermassive star comes to the end of its life, it usually ends as a black hole. A black hole is a region of space from which nothing, not even light, can escape. It's a pretty dense piece of property, you might say. Basically, any matter in the area is sucked into the event horizon - point of no return - and then crashed to an incredible density. That said, black holes do emit radiation. You can see the radiation jets leaving perpendicular to the actual black hole itself. You can also view the swirling matter around the event horizon getting ready to be inhaled by this most powerful of creatures in our Universe. And you thought you had an eating disorder:)

Old Pittston Hospital

2011-06-28T11:14:00.000-04:00

In the process of looking for photo lighting equipment, Lisa and I were invited to a place rarely scene by the general public, the Old Pittston General Hospital; specifically the 4th and 5th floors. The equipment was on the 4th floor nestled away in a couple of rooms used for storage of old artifacts, maps, and other assorted bits collected & preserved by Pittson Historical Society member/administrator, John Dziak.
(operating room)

John had some photo equipment stored that had been used in prior film & photo sessions dealing with the history of Pittston and surrounding Wyoming Valley. Lisa had actually appeared in one of his films called "Haven on the Hill." It's the story of Esther Tinsley who was to become the first female Hospital administrator in the United States.
(another view of the operating room)

The Pittson Hospital is just along the Susquehanna River, south of Pittston, and not too far from the location of one of this regions most notable mine catastrophes - the Knox Mine disaster. The River Slope Mine, an anthracite coal mine owned by the Knox Coal Company, flooded when coal company management had the miners dig too close to the riverbed. Tunneling sharply upwards toward the Susquehanna River, the miners reduced the thickness of rock between the mineshafts and the river bed to about 6 feet (1.8 m) -- 35 feet (10.6 m) was considered the minimum for safety. This caused the waters of the river to break through into the mine. It took 3 days to plug the hole in the riverbed partially, which was done by dumping rail cars of sediment into the whirlpool formed by the water draining into the mine. 12 people died; 69 others escaped.
(the Susquehanna River with West Pittston on the opposite shore)

For the most part, the floors had been cleaned out, but there were a few interesting artifacts left behind. And not just those few pieces could send the 'willy's' up your spine, but the whole idea of the lives that came and went down its corridors. The living and the dead could still be imagined with every turn. The feeling of finality was tangible standing in the dim light of each room. Now I'm not used to urban exploration, nor is it my preference, but there I was, and so was my camera, and this opportunity would not go unnoticed.
(an autoclave)

On the other hand, Lisa was having a grand time of it. Poking around here and there like a child in F.A.O. Schwartz.
(one of its many corridors with Lisa on the hunt)

Terminator or Freddie Kruger, this mechanical hand/finger stretcher caused me to be joyous in the new, reformed, and highly technical medical times we live in ... that is if you can afford it. I was actually quite surprised to see it still lying there unattended. CLICK!

The feeling of finality. How many lives walked from this bed; how many were carried. This was the last view of many I suspect.
Thank you John Dziak.

Print of the Day - The Blooming

2011-06-26T11:05:00.000-04:00

The Blooming - And sometimes I'm just struck the position of life over a gravestone. A celebration, of sorts, of the once life in bloom. It's almost like Frederick is trying to tell the rest of us that we should forget him. I have not Frederick.
This one taken in Beech Grove Cemetery, Rockport, Massachusetts.

Astronomy - Mystic Mountain

2011-06-26T10:53:00.000-04:00

Source: Hubblesite.org

Welcome to a 'star' baby chamber! Hubble has taken this highly detailed photograph deep within the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Carina.

What we're looking at is a turbulent stellar nursery at the very top of a 3 light-year long pillar of thick gas and dust. This is where baby stars are born, feeding off material inside the craggy tower. From the outside, material is being eroded by savage winds of energetic particles and intense radiation from young stars in open space.

The pressure on the dusty pillar caused by the emissions from these stars is triggering stellar processes inside, seeding more newborn stars that will eventually eat their way to freedom, "hatching" from their nursery like their cousins before them.

Streamers of hot ionized gas can be clearly seen blasting from the edges of the pillar, products of the violent birthing of stars. Two of the most prominent streamers -- one at the very top of the longest finger of dust (originating from the bulbous pinnacle) and one in the center of the image (known as HH 901 and HH 902, respectively) -- are caused by swirling disks around newborn stars, dragging material onto the stars' surfaces and blasting it out as energetic jets.

The aging observatory remains the best there is to show us how stars are made deep inside violent star-making factories.

Thank you Discovery News...

Print of the Day - Best Friends

2011-06-26T10:44:00.000-04:00

Best Friends - I haven't had a dog in many years. My last 25 captured by the sweetness of two cats - Cassiopeia and The Rebel. They each lived to be 20 years old. Since their passing, I have had no desire to own another pet of any kind; though a bond between myself and Lisa's parakeet - Toby - seems to have taken on an emotional dynamic. Anyway, in light of some recent newspaper articles dealing with the cruelty, and barbarism, of one human over their pet, usually a dog, I wish to dedicate a favorite photograph to these best of friends.
This shot is actually quite a few years old. It was shot on film with my old, and beloved workhorse, Mamiya Nc1000 35mm.

Print of the Day - Little Boy Lost

2011-06-25T10:58:00.000-04:00

Little Boy Lost - One of the few simply black and white with my signature black background, and one where I composed it in such a way that the boy seems to be in motion; just about to pass to my left. I love when that happens. That feeling of life given back again to one that left way to soon.
Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y.

The Letter - Civil War - Edwin Hale

2011-06-23T18:38:00.001-04:00

Here's another interesting letter, this one written by Private Edwin Hale of the 111th Ohio Volunteers Infantry, Co. F. He was promoted to Corporal and then Sergeant. It's almost soap operaesque. Duels, aiding the enemy, all the makings of some good campfire gossip.
Edwin survived the war. His wife's name was Fidelia. He lived in Hartland, Huron County, Ohio. He was writing to his cousin Miss Eliza Tainton, from a camp in Louisville, Kentucky. I have aken the liberty of leaving some of his spelling and punctuation as was written. Anyway...

Louisville K.Y.

September 8^th/62

Dear Cousin

I tak this spare time to write a few lines to you to let you know where we are and how we are getting along. We have got down as far as Louisville K.Y. We left camp Toledo on the eleventh day of this month and came to Cincinnati and then we went over to Covington and laid there very near two weeks and then we came on a boat down the river to Louisville and we do not know how soon we may leave here. We may stay two weeks and we may leave here in the morning or night.

There is about two hundred thousand soldiers here at this time. We were organized under General Nelson but he was shot yesterday by Major General Jefferson Davis of Indiani. Nelson had been accusing some of the Indiana troops of cowardice and Davis heard him and they got to quarreling and Nelson struck Davis in the mouth and called him a liar and several other names and Davis drew his revolver and shot him dead on the spot.

General Buel has been relieved of his command as it has been proven that he has been aiding the rebels all the time when he appeared to be doing all that he could to destroy them. He has been accused of selling 2000lbs. of flower to General Bragg when his men were on half rations. And when he had Bragg almost surrounded he laid still all night and let him get away with all his force as General Bragg is his brotherinlaw.

Please write as soon

As you get this

Yours in haste

Edwin Hale

Direct your letters to

Louisville K.Y. 111Reg O.V.I.

Co. F, Care Cap. J.E. Hill

Astronomy - Bloodshot Jupiter

2011-06-23T18:26:00.000-04:00

Source: Hubblesite.org

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a storm that has been present for centuries, first observed by Galileo 400 years ago. The storm lies in the southern hemisphere and is about 30,000 kilometers by 14,000 kilometers, much larger than the planet Earth! As a matter of fact, you can fit 3 Earth's side by side within it. It is an anticyclonic storm and has a high-pressure center (unlike storms on Earth that have low-pressure centers). Its winds rotate counterclockwise and have a period of about 6 days. Scientists do not know what drives the storm or if the storm will ever dissipate. One theory suggests the Great Red Spot is continually fueled by the smaller storms that merge with the giant storm.

Print of the Day - A Native American's Final Home

2011-06-23T18:18:00.001-04:00

Discovered within our local Forty Fort Cemetery, were found the graves of two Native American's from the Delaware Tribe. There is not much known about these two poor lost souls. If anyone has any additional info. please leave it as a comment.
FYI, this cemetery was a large burial ground for individuals living in the communities on the west side of the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley. Interestingly, the Forty Fort cemetery was the site of the first breach of the river levee during the Agnes flood of 1972. The result was that 2500 of the gravesites were washed away. People returning to their homes after the flood found caskets in their backyards and even in their homes.

Astronomy - Supernovae Remnant - SNR 0509-67.5

2011-06-21T18:54:00.003-04:00

Source: Hubblesite.org

This little guy is 160,000 light-years distant in the constellation of Dorado. Its dimension is approximately 58 light-years wide. Basically it's what is left of a super giant star that, in its death throes, exploded. This remnant will continue to expand until it becomes completely diffused in interstellar space.

Let's ask an Astronomer about Supernovae:

In a sense, stars are like people: they are born, they live and they die. A star "lives" by fusing lighter elements into heavier ones in its central regions. The pressure generated by this "combustion" holds the star up against the enormous gravitational force that its outer layers extert on the stellar core. The supply of elements that the star can fuse is limited, and when this runs out the star "dies": its properties change rapidly and violently, and a new astronomical object is created. Supernovae represent the most catastrophic (and picturesque!) of these stellar deaths.

Anatomy of a Supernova
Stars of all masses spend the majority of their lives fusing hydrogen nuclei into helium nuclei: we call this stage the main sequence. When all of the hydrogen in the central regions of a star is converted into helium, the star will begin to "burn" helium into carbon. However, the helium in the stellar core will eventually run out as well; so in order to survive, a star must be hot enough to fuse progressively heavier elements, as the lighter ones become exhausted one by one. Stars heavier than about 5 times the mass of the Sun can do this with no problem: they burn hydrogen, and then helium, and then carbon, oxygen, silicon, and so on... until they attempt to fuse iron. Iron is special in that it is the lightest element in the periodic table that doesn't release energy when you attempt to fuse it together. In fact, instead of giving you energy, you end up with less energy than you started with! This means that instead of generating additional pressure to hold up the now extended outer layers of the aging star, the iron fusion actually takes thermal energy from the stellar core. Thus, there is nothing left to combat the ever-present force of gravity from these outer layers. The result: collapse! The lack of radiation pressure generated by the iron-fusing core causes the outer layers to fall towards the centre of the star. This implosion happens very, very quickly: it takes about 15 seconds to complete. During the collapse, the nuclei in the outer parts of the star are pushed very close together, so close that elements heavier than iron are formed.
What happens next depends on the mass of the star. Stars with masses between about 5 and 8 times the mass of our Sun form neutron stars during the implosion: the nuclei in the central regions are pushed close enough together to form a very dense neutron core. The outer layers bounce off this core, and a catastrophic explosion ensues: this is the visible part of the supernova. Stars with masses greater than about 10 times the mass of the Sun meet a very different fate. The collapse of the outer regions of the star is so forceful that not even a neutron star can support itself against the pressure of the infalling material. In fact, no physical force is strong enough to counter the collapse: the supernova creates a black hole, or a region of spacetime that is so small and so dense that not even light can escape from its clutches. In this case, the details of how the ensuing explosion actually occurs have still to be worked out. Observationally, supernovae are found by patiently observing the sky and looking for bright objects where there were none before. At its peak luminosity, the supernova resulting from a single star may be bright enough to outshine an entire galaxy.

A Cosmic Cycle...
Supernovae play a fundamental role in a great cosmic recycling program. We believe that almost all of the elements in the Universe that are heavier than hydrogen and helium are created either in the centres of stars during their lifetimes or in the supernova explosions that mark the demise of larger stars. Supernovae then disperse this newly synthesized material in the interstellar neighbourhood. From this material a new, enriched generation of stars will form, and the cycle begins anew. This is how we think that the heavy elements in the Sun came to be. Since the planets in the solar system formed from leftover material in a disk around the proto-Sun, all of the heavy elements in the Earth (including those in humans!) must have come from the same source. This means that in the most literal sense, we are stardust!

Thanks Cornell U.