In Memory of Stanley P Hastings

 

When, where and why - are a complete mystery. (Actually, looking at the slide...October 1969.)

Even Who? is a bit of a guess. Maybe it's this Stanley P Hastings, but .... I don't know.

I just hope he doesn't have hayfever..

Bonus - Goddammit.  They've remade another classic movie.

All Hallows' Day

 

All Saints Day, or All Hallows Day, celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are known or unknown. It seems like one of the few days it would be appropriate to post a graveyard shot.

I was going to label this as "Visiting old boyfriends", but my sense of taste kicked in.  

Bonus - Eight Years Ago Today (exactly), one of the most famous photographs was taken. 

Bonus 2 - All Saints Day....may you be blessed.

A couple of days late for Hallowe'en

But still rather cool.


Bonus -  Portraits on Parade.

Bonus 2 - Best Album Covers Ever

Number 8

The Weeds of Capitalism Bear Bitter Fruit

Don't know why that quote came to mind.

That said, it is a VERY obscure quote, and probably mis-remembered.

Character

Bonus - Because I can - Yo La Tengo at KEXP

Bonus 2 - Miss Snake Charmer 2016: Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas 

Prancer's Demise

Yes, in November 1950, Prancer couldn't make the grade at the Sleigh Tryout Trials, and Hank Claus (in red hat) put him out of his misery. After that, a new Prancer was recruited, and served faithfully for many years.

What?  You thought Santa's reindeer were immortal?   Shame on you.

Bonus : Possibly my All-Time Favourite Single Of All-Time.

Riverside Funeral, 1978

Most slides I get are dull.  There's only so many times you can see a picture of Fred Smith looking at a church before you grow weary.

However, there's are sometimes quirky slides, and several of you have seen the Slide Guy calendar.

Rarely, there are a batch of truly beautiful slides, and I recently scanned a few. From a Mr KH Burrell, Sun City, Arizona, this one dates from 1978, but could be from anytime in the past few millennia. The only clue on the slide was the world funeral, and there doe appear to be a funeral pyre at the centre.  So, on the Ganges ?

But, whatever the subject, let's admire the craft and skill of Mr Burrell.

Bonus - Good Aim

Day Of The Dead

Or Día de los Muertos if you prefer. The Mexican celebration to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

In Britain, it's not quite the multicoloured festival of Mexico.

Bonus - Obama vs Romney  - Cassetteboy - The Final Debate

Bobby Lives With Frank...and a Ghost

...or maybe it's a publicity still from the NBC sitcom "My Dead Gay Dad".

Creepy or what?

Bonus - B*stard!

My, What Interesting Floral Displays.

What could they be for? Ah, Yes...

Behind the wooden pole, a rather snazzy coffin. That explains it.

Tho' I'm still intrigued by the sign - LUCY Sovinres & Handi Crafts Shop. Just the thing to bring back to the relatives.

Bonus - Do dogs appreciate Julia Roberts? I guess not.

Not Sleeping, Just Dead

Strange places, gothic chapels.

This place may be creepy, but it's not a patch on Sedlec Ossuary.

Bonus - Parkour Ouch

La tombe de Rabelais

Yes, another Celebrity Grave slide.

This time, a suitably gothic romantic tomb for Rabelair, the French Renaissance writer, doctor and humanist. He was the man who popularised the philosophy of "Do What Thou Wilt".

Even better was his will : "I have nothing, I owe a great deal, and the rest I leave to the poor."

Bonus - The Snow Monsters of Japan

Kit Carson

As we're getting close to Halloween - Heavens, Saturday ?  I must find a skeleton to scare the bejesus out of the kids - I thought you might appreciate a gravestone.

Not  just any gravestone, but the gravestone of Kit Carson, legendary American Wild West frontiersman, and the inventor of the Propelling Pencil !

No particular reason :

It' A Wrap - For The Reynolds

Hey. Not every slide has to be a happy, smiley, silly, cute, scenic or pretty one.

Sometimes, people just need to have a slide to, ummmm...,  project at the end of the evening's slide show of our trip to Marbella.

OK> Something to cheer you up. Or maybe not.

The Maine Grave

How better to follow Santa than with a grave.

It's a grave...right ?   But it seems a little macabre to me. Mabel's already being prepared for the grave, to join her beloved husband. Except...she's not quite dead. Still, might as well get some carving done, while the stone-mason's got a two-for-the-price-of-one offer. 

So what if the memorial stone is off-centre, that's not the oddest bit. Google is my friend, and I've found them !