Second on the 2nd: Skull and Cross Bones Gravestone

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. Today is Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, so I thought this skull gravestone from October 2015 would be fitting.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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This is 2 of 4 posts of photographs that I took at Greenfield Hill Cemetery in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This skull and cross bones gravestone is my favorite one! Unfortunately lichen is covering part of the bone, which was clear back in May of 2011.

This gravestone is on the left side of the cemetery, relative to the center entrance.

Second on the 2nd: "Rustic" - Spirit Talking Board

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. This is from October 2016. I had visions of grandeur for producing and selling my own Ouija Spirit Talking Boards and Planchettes, but it was too impractical and expensive to do. Plus, I don't know how to market anything, and the demand for these is probably low. At one point, I tried contacting Arthur Hamling at Hasbro via my LinkedIn account about my Ouija board design, but he didn't respond. He probably gets inundated with messages like mine. I own two Hasbro Ouija boards, the classic one and a rustic one.

I'm neutral on whether or not Ouija Boards really work. I recently looked at this Spirit Talking Board that I had made back in 2016, and the air pockets are still there, which I'm not happy about, so it was a partial failure anyway.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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I used Vistaprint to print my "Rustic" Ouija Board design. The poster arrived a few days early, so I was able to complete the board this weekend, in time for Halloween. I had to use an oversized poster (16" x 20") and cut it down to fit to 12" x 16". I also needed to cut off the 1/4" margin that I had allowed.

I used an Elmer's Washable School Glue Stick to adhere the poster to the hardboard. I mistakenly didn't coat the full back of the poster, so there were some air pockets, but not enough to interfere with the poster laying flat and working correctly as a "Spirit Talking Board" (Ouija Board).

I used the following for the board:

Pro Art Hardboard Panel, 12"-by-16", 12x16

The total cost was on the expensive side, so if I want to "mass" produce boards, I'll need to find a way to get my costs down.

Also, I need to produce an accompanying planchette. I have a design for one, but it needs to be cut out of the wood I applied it to. But I need a more practical production method for that, too.

Second on the 2nd: Statue of Boy Fishing on Stone Dock

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. This is from January 2016. Note that this is a tidal creek / salt water estuary that feeds into Long Island Sound, so it doesn't normally freeze during Winter.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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This is 1 of 6 posts of photographs that I took in the Ash Creek Open Space walking area in Fairfield, CT this past week.

This statue of a boy fishing on a stone dock is at a house next to the path. He fits in perfectly here.

The first photo is my entry for the following:

Weekend Reflections

Second on the 2nd: Great Egret Reflection

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. Back in October 2015, I took some photos of a Great Egret at one of my reliable locations to find them, Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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These are some photographs that I took of some Great Egrets at Southport Beach in Fairfield, CT this past week.

Sometimes I manage to capture stunningly beautiful shots (in my opinion), and the first photo was one of those times. The contrast of the white Egret against the dark water background came out perfectly.

The first photograph is my entry for the following:

Wild Bird Wednesday
Weekend Reflections
Camera Critters
I'd Rather Be Birding
Saturday's Critters

Second on the 2nd: Bathroom, Bookcase, Breakfast Porch

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. Back in July 2017, I spent a few vacation days in Rhode Island, just before the Fourth of July. One of the places I visited was the Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol, RI. You can see all of my Blithewold Mansion and Gardens photos here.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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This is 2 of 4 posts of photographs that I took recently at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol, RI.

Second on the 2nd: Old Dutch Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. Back in September 2017, I went to Sleepy Hollow, NY for a day trip. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving, is one of my favorite stories. As a child, I didn't realize how close the town was to me in Connecticut. As luck would have it, when I went on this trip, the Old Dutch Church was actually open, so I was able to go inside and take photos. What a thrill! You can see all of my Sleepy Hollow photos here.

Below is the contents of my original blog post, that I am sharing again today:

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I took these photographs on September 22, 2017 inside the Old Dutch Church, in Sleepy Hollow, NY.

Second on the 2nd: New York City Christmas Reflections

This is my entry for Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme. I made a day trip to New York City this past Christmas (December 2018), and found the extraordinary in the ordinary. (In hindsight, I wish I had also taken a photo of the green window, which made me think of Saint Patrick's Day, but it was very crowded with people at the time.) Below is the contents of my original blog post:

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I took these photographs in New York City (Manhattan, NY) this past week.

The first two are Christmas windows in Saks Fifth Avenue. They had double reflections of the buildings across the street from them. There is an outer reflection, then an inner rounded snow globe effect reflection. The third is Saint Patrick's Cathedral reflected in the building next to it.

The first photograph is my entry for the following:

Weekend Reflections #482

Second on the 2nd: Mill Pond Park

I just learned about Altered Book Lover Bleubeard and Elizabeth's "Second on the 2nd" theme, so I did a quick search of my blog labels and found only a single entry for Mill Pond Park, which I visited in July 2017. I don't recall how warm it was that day. It is a beautiful small park in New Canaan, Connecticut, United States, that I should try to get back to again. Below is the contents of my original blog post:

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I recently took these photographs at Mill Pond Park in New Canaan, CT.

I think the bird in the first photo is a Spotted Sandpiper. The white bird is a Great Egret.