Five Star Imperial

This 1950 Chrysler Crown Imperial limousine carried Gen Douglas MacArthur to and from his office at the Dai Ichi insurance building in Tokyo during the latter part of the Occupation of Japan. When MacArthur returned to the United States in 1951, the Crown Imperial was shipped to him in New York City where he continued to use it until 1963, when it was returned to the U.S. Army motor pool and subsequently given to the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk Virginia. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 35mm focal length.

Night Fountain

Norfolk's Chrysler Hall viewed from across the fountains in Scope Plaza. We attended the Tedeschi Trucks Band concert there tonight. Chrysler Hall was opened in 1972 and named as part of an agreement with Walter P. Chrysler Jr. to bring his art collection to the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences which now also bears the Chrysler name. Chrysler, whose father, Walter Sr., founded the Chrysler Corporation, devoted much of his life to building a multimillion-dollar collection of paintings and art glass. Canon ELPH 110.

Well Worn

This picture of a well worn manhole cover is in response to a comment I got on Facebook regarding yesterday's demon rat photo. So Alice this one is for you, no halloween today, just a beautiful manhole cover. There are so few of us who truly appreciate the beauty of infrastructure.

Canon G11, 1/250 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400.

Hell's Demon Rat

This giant demon rat is part of the Halloween decorations at Hell's Kitchen on Granby Street in downtown Norfolk Virginia. I just couldn't resist taking his picture. I'm sure some followers of this blog will be happy after October 31st has come and gone. I have gotten a little carried away with the theme this month.

Canon G11, 1/6 sec sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800 handheld. Converted to black and white with a little focal color left in the eyes using Google's Picasa.

Billiard Boy

Twelve ball in the corner pocket. My grandson Robert loves the Billiard tables at Tortilla West in Norfolk Virginia. He hasn't graduated to the using a cue stick yet but that time will come shortly if my supply of quarters holds out. Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 800.

Cat House

Even the Lambert's Point feral cat colony house is getting in on Skull Week action. Fully decorated for Halloween and proudly displaying the skull and crossbones with the "Enter If You Dare!" message. The decorations went up a couple of weeks ago and initially included some fake crows. Unfortunately the residents didn't take too kindly to the black birds hanging around and finished 'em off pretty quickly.

Canon ELPH 110HS, 1/60 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 640 with a little fillin flash.

Here Lyeth

This 17th century grave marker bears the skull and crossbones and is located at St. Pauls Church in Norfolk Virginia. On July 1, 1875 the stone was brought to Norfolk from Weyanoke on the James River. It was found amid the ruins of an old colonia church. Today the stone is attached to the south wall of the old church.

Did you notice the year of William Harris' death is noted as 1687/8? So what's up with that? Were they not sure what year he actually died in? No, according the the USGen Web project "the practice of double dating resulted from the switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Not all countries and people accepted the new calendar at the same time. England and the American colonies didn't officially accept it until 1752. Before that date, the government observed March 25 as the first of the year, but most of the population observed January 1 as the start of the year. For this reason, many people wrote dates falling between January 1 and March 25 with both years." Now you know.

iPhone 5, 1/144 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, Camera+ app using the Clarity adjustment and Pinhole FX Effect.