…this year will be coming to a close. Here we are in September and so much has happened since January, 2014. I have been to so many places and done so many things. January 2nd, we managed to arrive to Philadelphia, along with the storm called, Hercules. Actually, we arrived a few hours before this great storm, just in time to avoid travel in a blizzard. Comfortably settled into the hotel in the evening, it began to snow. We decided to venture down the street to a highly recommended restaurant called ‘The White Dog Cafe’, on Sansom Street. By the time we left the restaurant, the storm was really picking up. I took some exquisite street scene photos of the lights, the falling snow on the street. Also, a few of some people, especially of a happy girl drinking a soda or coffee in her hand. She was all bundled up in her jacket with a furry hood covering her head and framing her face. She posed for me and smiled splendidly. A lovely example of positive energy. The whole scene on an old street of brotherly love with picturesque street lamps was beautiful, not only because of the way it looked, but because of the surrounding silence in the night, with the snow falling and the magical tendency snow has to make everything silent, as it blankets the environment. It softens the earth.
The next day, Philadelphia was an absolute frozen mess, with unplowed streets and subzero temperatures, which kept everyone inside. I felt like the world had just ended and I was the only one left from humanity, walking around. That is definitely a ‘forlorn’ sensation. As I ventured along my way, eager to go to the old town where Independence Hall is located, I soon found out that everything was closed, practically, except for a few coffee shops, here and there, one of which I went into, hoping to thaw out my frozen feet. I lingered there when I ran into a delightful, middle aged couple who were visiting from, at this moment I can’t recall, but it was somewhere in Europe. They were very friendly. They were here for a wedding and quite shocked by the weather. When the Philadelphians finally got up enough nerve to get out into the streets and open up the major visiting center, and the Liberty Bell, I too departed the café and began walking around the streets, taking photographs of the historic buildings and sites. There was so much of interest; the old bank turned into a Portrait Gallery, Independence Hall, Ben Franklin museum, which I didn’t care for too much for its overly done approach at resuscitating a man’s character and creating a commercialized hero. It contained very few authentic artifacts, one reason I like to visit museums. We do this so much in this country, and mostly for the sake of historical men. This is not to undermine the importance of historic accomplishment, but to just state my humble opinion of the unrealistic manner in which we place our ancestors on a pedestal, and fail to look at all aspects of their person. I suppose we are all guilty of it.
In sum, what most impressed me about this visit, was walking around the empty streets of Philadelphia, and taking pictures as I navigated by foot, this very interesting city, of course, always looking for an opportunity to get out of the cold.
Without more ado on this subject, the routine of everyday life is beckoning me to move forward in time. A new season approaches with mid September and before we know it, 2015 will arrive. Oh me, oh my! Without rushing the clock too much, I hope to be back with the events of the present year. It’s hard to handle the rapid passing of time.
On Tiffany Creek 