SEPTEMBER MOON: When the nights are so warm and beautiful and in the starry shade above there shines the moon so very bright one can't help but try (at least) to get a picture. I've a new camera. A Canon Powershot A75, and I think it can do everything but swim (and I haven't checked that yet).
This photo was taken Tuesday evening. Some magic had to be applied using Adobe Elements software - but it's very close to reality.
I know that "Viewers" in Florida/the South are having a rough time right now, weatherwise, and I do empathsize. But were on the edge of winter here where conditions can be less than ideal - so we gots to enjoy it while we can, and send our condolences south. I'm sure those folks will reciprocate when we're under 12 feet of snow and ice later in the year.
Or maybe not.
One milestone in "Views" that I missed 361 "Viewers" back was that this page has now been visited over ten thousand times. I find that to be amazing. While I note that many of those hits were repeat visitors it doesn't really matter. That is an extraordinary number for such an insignificant webpage. And it was done for no other purpose than fun.
THE DOVE: I really don't have anything to say about this particular photo other than I like it. I know that it's a tinted photograph, but it almost looks like an artificial rendering of summer life in the early 20th century. It is, as it says, a cottage in Mitiwanga, Ohio lovingly named the Dove. It may be that some "Viewers" can enlighten us - tell us - about this particular place. But right now it's just a pleasure to look at.
CAROL & NANCY: Here is a relatively well known photograph (it appeared in the The Vermilion News Centennial Section part of that paper on August 19, 1937. Pictured are Carol Trinter-Bechtel and Nancy Alice Tarrant-Emery. The caption over the picture was: Two Young Ladies Filled With Joy. They were first and second prize winners (I assume respectively) in the "doll carriage parade".
Carol sent me a copy of this photo to give to my sister (Nancy). I scanned the photo to make it larger than the original to bring out some of the details that aren't so obvious in the newspaper photo.
One thing I really didn't note in the original (at first) was that Nancy has a toy dog in her carriage. Those who know my sister know that she's always got an animal or two (or three - or four - etc.) in her life. So even at that age it's not surprising to see one there.
To refresh some memories Anna Belle Derby-Kuhnle was the Centennial Queen (forever a very pretty lady); the Vermilion Public Schools and Vermilion Grange floats tied for first place in the parade; Dorothy Ann Niggle and Don Poyer thrilled everyone when they paraded their pet lamb towing a small covered wagon in the pet parade; Englebry's window won first prize in the window display catagory; and Vermilion's "Old Timers" posed in front of the old bandstand in Victory Park during a reception for them at the Founder's Day Services.
And a good time was had be all.
VHS BASKETBALL 1919: My friend Anita (with the bluest brown eyes I've ever seen) Ollis-Mehnert loaned me this photograph. I've not a clue as to the identity of any of the players in this picture. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will attend a Churchmen United breakfast at the Pit Restaurant where I will (hopefully) see another friend, Amos Feiszli, and perhaps he can put some names to faces here. If so - I'll get back here with those names.
I can say who I believe some of these gentlemen look like but I find that to be less than an accurate identification tool. It's akin to my ability to accurately predict the weather. A meteoroligist I ain't. A soothsayer I ain't. And an identifier of people in old pictures I really ain't.
One thing I found (discovered for my self) in this photo is the name of Rudy Moc's Vermilion studio. It was (plainly seen) the Rembrandt Studio. That tells me something about the photographer that I find remarkable. Moc obviously thought of himself as an artist as opposed to just a businessman. Later it would be Rudy Moc's Studio. But then it was Rembrandt.
And why Rembrandt? Look at the works of Rembrandt. They were very accurate. They told a story. They were not simply accurate representations. Interesting.
MAIN STREET: There's not anything particulary surprising/new about this picture. It's been used repeatedly in various ways during the years. What I find interesting here is that it seems to be exceptionally clear. One gets a better idea of the shops along the west side of Main Street than one finds in other photos. The rail road tracks and the guard house is somewhat visible. The dog in the street (in the foreground) is, like the previous picture of the Okagi Restaurant in "Views" very Vermilionesque (be there such a word).
Baumhart has not yet built his store. The Erie County Bank (now city offices) has not yet been built on the corner. Pelton's store still owns the site.
It's about 1900 and all is well in the village. I can hear the horses clopping down the hardened dirt streets, the clap of a hammer behind the stores, and a rooster crowing down the block.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: Again members of the Vermilion High School Class of 1959; your class reunion will be held between October 8 and 10, 2004 here in town. Those looking for more information on the subject can now visit the Class of '59 website by clicking on the highlighted text. To my knowledge Roger Boughton is responsible for this site. I will mention that a visit to this particular website is worth ones time. Roger informed me that he now uses some Vermilion pix from some of my websites on his electronic newsletter. Maybe you didn't belong to this class, but I'm sure you know someone who does. And I think you'll enjoy reading some of their memories of those days. Note that Roger will not be sending out a newsletter by snail-mail any longer. The webpage will be the reunion notification/information center from now on. He's got new stuff on line as he gets it - and it's interesting. So take time to go there.
Also Buffalo Bill Hlavin has asked me to find a 1958 football program for him. I'll look. But I'll also ask class members tuned into this site to also look and let Bill, Roger, or myself know if you have one.
A gal named Shelly from the Class of 1985 tells me that "the VHS class of 1985 will be having a 20 year reunion in the summer of 2005......no further details. The name of the organizer is Kim Schultz."
Persons interested in having their VHS (and vicinity) reunion plans posted on this site are welcome to do so. I can't provide anyone with webpages to post their activities in depth, but I can provide a link to existing pages and/or post some activity items here. All anyone need do is contact me at my email address and pass along their material electronically.
As news regarding VHS reunion activities comes to my attention it will appear on this web page. So stay tuned.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the bookmarks. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine let me know and I'll send them to you.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vol.2, Issue 27, September 25, 2004
© 2004 Rich Tarrant