Signs from the Pandemic

 Torrington, Connecticut, 2/28/21

KINDNESS TRAVELS FASTER THAN A VIRUS

Seymour, Connecticut

Positive thoughts during a pandemic.

DOS EQUIS

Waterbury, Connecticut

Thank You Notes in New York

New York, New York

More Signs

Torrington, Connecticut

LGBTQ + BLM in Watertown, Connecticut, 6/27/20

Watertown, Connecticut

When I saw on a list published online by the Connecticut Democratic Party that this event was scheduled for Saturday at noon I knew I wanted to be there.

As with other BLM gatherings here in rural western Connecticut the participants were mostly not black, because hardly any blacks live here. However, this one had a big extra element. It was that LGBTQ+ partisans, allied with BLM, had organized it, gotten it listed on social media, gotten the Watertown Congregational Church involved. A lot of LGBTQ+ people live here. Like everywhere.

It was well organized by the young people who put it together. It began with a musician playing and singing some songs to get everyone in the mood. The Watertown Green is tiny, but has a gazebo in the center. They'd set up some minimal sound equipment.

Several of the young people who had organized the event spoke, with an interpreter signing with them. Once again I was struck by the fact that this was organized by young folks, though the turnout to participate crossed all age groups.

Connecticut's U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal showed up, unannounced. The organizers of the event and others around were a little stunned by this. They asked if he would speak to the gathered crowd after the scheduled speakers. Of course, he said he would.

One of the organizers asked for everyone to either lie down or take a knee for 8 minutes and forty six seconds. It's a powerful mechanism. I'm used to dealing with time intervals like this because of my alternate process photographic darkroom work, but as I moved around and tried to respectfully find positions I could make pictures from, I began to feel that this was the longest eight minutes I'd ever experienced. I think that's the point. It works.

Senator Blumenthal took a knee for the whole long moment.

The rainbow imagery combined with the BLM was really strong. For the Senator and the other speakers.

As always, just click on any one of the pictures to get a much larger and clearer view of them if you are using a large screen.

More Signs

Woodbury, Connecticut

More Thank You Hearts

Naugatuck, Connecticut

Torrington, Connecticut

Torrington, Connecticut

Winsted, Connecticut

FAITH HOPE LOVE, on the Fence

Torrington, Connecticut

At the parking lot for a church school building.

Heart on Rt. 63

Litchfield, Connecticut

Memorial Day, without a Parade

Torrington, Connecticut

This morning I went up to Torrington around the time that, in any ordinary year, a large Memorial Day Parade would be forming to move north on Main Street, circle around a couple blocks to the west and return to Main at The Five Corners intersection. Around the residential streets pandemic and support signs have become ubiquitous.

In from of City Hall there were flags and on the lawn a lot of what appeared to be knitted or crocheted veterans poppies. Other years, a big reviewing stand of metal bleachers would fill the sidewalk here.

There were very few cars on the street, but a lot of honking was coming from the Five Corners where a small group of pro-Trump (judging from their signs) demonstrators were gathered. Almost none of them were wearing masks.

There was little traffic but quite a few of the cars and trucks honked their horns.

Click on any picture for a larger, more legible view of the set.

Looking north up Main at Five Corners—a far cry from the usual parade.

CUSTOM COTTON & SILK FACE MASKS

Litchfield, Connecticut

Click on any picture for a larger, clearer view.

Torrington, Connecticut