A morning at the Boston Metro Hi-Railers Train Club

At the invitation of Trevor Hartford, the son of long time friend Marty Hartford, Marty, Alex and I went out to visit the Boston Metro Hi-Railers, a train club.  They had an open house, and it was great to watch Alex get so excited.

One of the layouts at the club.

This was amazing.  A trestle, assembled by hand, stick by stick.

It will be moved into place upon completion

A detail showing the construction.  

I swear to you, Alex was excited.  Honestly!

A snowplow, for blizzards.  Impressive. 

Thank you so much, Trevor, it was great to visit your club. 

Glen, Heritage, Harvard Art Museum

We had our annual visit to Heritage Gardens in Sandwich, which is all about lights for Christmas; Glen came to visit and Erin arranged a dinner in Burlington;  I took Mark Slawson to see the Harvard Art Museum, and focused on faces, reflecting on what the expressions might be saying.

The lights at Heritage Plantation

Susan, Alex, Cheryl, Carter in the cold.

Jackson, Erin, Ken, Oliver, Alex, Scott, Glen, Carter  (thank you, Barbara!)

"I wonder if he remembered his trombone?"

"Bust of a Bodhisavatti Surrounded by a Monk and Divas"

Wall Painting, Chinese, 8th. century

"Please, please, remember your pills!"

(Kneeling Attendant Bodhisattva)

Chinese, Tang dynasty, 7th. century

"A greeter at Walmart"

Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768

"Bodhidharma (Daruma)"

"Style is everything, my dear!"

Mask (go ge)

Liberia, Mano, late 19th century

"I am always thinking faster than I can speak!"

Head with feathers

Liberia or Republic of Cote

"The sight of anyone in good health fills me with rage!"

Master of the Catholic Kings

"The Presentation in the Temple" (detail) c.1500

"Youth is wasted on the young!  Why, in my day..."

Tilman Riemenschneider

"Saint Anthony Abbot"  C. 1510

"What did I do with my I-phone?"

Joos van Cleve

"Saint Jerome in His Study" 1521

"The Sopranos had a serious argument about pitch with the tenors"

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

"Fortitude" 1559

"Well, it could be played that way!" (quoting Ron Baron)

Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder

"Martin Luther"  1546

"Oh! How I love the sound of my bass trombone!"

Krishna playing the Flute

India, 13th-14th century

"You payed WHAT for that bottle of wine?!"

Alexei von Jawlensky

"Head of a Woman" c. 1911

"Now I know where the term 'nutcracker' comes from!"

George Grosz

"Nutcracker"  1931

"Why the hell does the cat sit on his lap?!

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

"Self-portrait with Cat" (detail) 1920