Skywatch Friday: Kent, Connecticut

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This is a Congregational church in Kent, Connecticut. I took the photo 12 years ago on a Saturday afternoon with my great Uncle Bud. He was a lovely man, and every now and again we'd go out in his Buick for a ride along the back roads to see what was there. This was a regular pastime for this an elderly widower who had spent his long life loving the world around him and taking it to heart through the lens of a camera.

He kept his camera in his trunk unless the weather was extremely hot or cold so that he could snap whatever looked interesting. Of course, snapping came after using the light meter and going through all the other movements of a photographer who wouldn't dream of doing anything automatically or imprecisely. At the end of his life, he had cabinets full of photos of interesting things he saw along the way. Each one was a well-composed work of art.

When we made our travels together, I would watch him sweet talk gallery curators in to letting him photograph displays or asking mamas to let him photograph their children. Or girls on swings. And so many others. These people saw in him exactly what he was: a loving man who celebrated beauty. They responded as people who loved to be found beautiful. That was the magic of my uncle. God rest him.

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73 Comments

  1. Anonymous5:17 PM

    Sandy, please allow me to say this is a perfect way to pay homage to your Uncle.
    Lovely photo.

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  2. Interesting post, very beautiful picture, well done.

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  3. Anonymous5:53 PM

    I like this blog very much.
    Beautiful shot.

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  4. Great blus sky with a heartfelt story.

    Mine are on show now

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  5. Beautiful post! Thank you for sharing with us.

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  6. Anonymous6:10 PM

    The photo is lovely, and so was the story. You uncle sounds like an interesting man.

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  7. Beautiful photo and interesting about your uncle!

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  8. Such pleasant memories. What a legacy!

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  9. Great post Sandy! He must have been a wonderful man.

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  10. lovely tale (and post). thanks.

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  11. Beautiful photo and great tribute to your uncle!! He, I'm sure, would be proud.

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  12. Nice shot from a good time.
    It seems like the times spent with your uncle were adventurous. :)

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  13. Anonymous6:55 PM

    Sandy, what a wonderful tribute to your Uncle. Sounds like he would have been a great blogger sharing all his wonderful photos!

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  14. :) Love the story...and the photo, I love churches pics!

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  15. Your story is heartwarming and inspiring and brought a tear to my eye. It must be so comforting to have memories like this of Uncle Bud. This has really moved me.

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  16. Greetings from south Texas. Beautiful old church.

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  17. Sandy, that is so touching. :) What a lovely, loving man he must have been.

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  18. Very nice photo! I love it:)
    Have a nice and fun SWF:)

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  19. Anonymous8:53 PM

    Love your post and picture, looks so perfect.
    - Cheers.

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  20. What a lovely tribute to your uncle Sandy. The photograph is more beautiful for your words.

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  21. Anonymous10:00 PM

    Your uncle was a great man :)
    I'm sure he left lots of good memories for you.
    Bless his great soul.

    Have a good weekend Sandy!

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  22. Beautiful Sandy, and I loved the story behind it. Sounds like your Uncle was a marvelous man.
    God Bless.

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  23. Inspirational. Thanks for sharing.

    Wonderful photo. Balanced elements and great center focus for the Church.

    One of the best SWF today.

    Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.

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  24. Something about these kind of steeples they always look like there touching the sky.

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  25. And nowadays with the digital camera it is so easy to take good pictures with some phantasy ! I never liked photography because it was too much work with putting in a film etc etc. Now you see right away if it's good or not.

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  26. Good memories make sleeping easy. Lovely church. Amem

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  27. hi sandy, it's a lovely photo! i wish to see sth like that in realmyself and take a shot too.

    i find serenity in this photo.

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  28. Must have been great to have an uncle like that.I am sure you have learned a lot from him.Your photo for today is beautiful!

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  29. Anonymous4:46 AM

    Amazing photo. I like your choice for today.

    Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio.

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  30. Sandy: Great SWF photo but your words and music are outstanding. I could only wish to write as you do.

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  31. Anonymous7:36 AM

    Your uncle must have been so much fun to be around. I remember when people were extra friendly to my kids and I didn't have to worry about it. It shaped their lives from a friendly, loving point of view. Nice memory Sandy, and very peaceful photo.

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  32. What a touching post and a wonderful tribute to your uncle... very well written.

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  33. Interesting post....very well done.

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  34. Lovely capture, Sandy. I really have enjoyed your building and sky photos. I've never visited CT. This is a heart warming essay.

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  35. He sounds like a beautiful man.

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  36. I love what you wrote about your uncle...it sounds like he was an amazing man! I do love your photo, too!

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  37. Anonymous9:20 AM

    Beautiful photo and a lovely tribute to your great Uncle Bud!

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  38. Great story and wonderful photo! Well done.

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  39. Beautiful Sandy, thanks for sharing you story with us all.

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  40. beautiful Steeple

    Lovely tribute

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  41. Beautiful white spire into the blue. I like it. MB

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  42. Beautiful story.

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  43. what a lovely photo to capture the joy of beautiful things you describe in your uncle! Sorry for your loss, he sounds like a special person. So that his photos don't just get stuck away somewhere, how about scanning some of the best ones and making a web album on flickr to pay tribute to him? I bet family and friends would love to be able to access it in that way.

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  44. That church looks beautiful in front of the perfect blue sky.

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  45. And to think the beauty is out there for all of us to enjoy. We just have to get out there and live life like your Uncle did. Thanks for reminding us how to live our lives.

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  46. a woderful blue sky for a homage from the heart!

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  47. That's beautiful and your uncle was obviously a lovely man.

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  48. Beautiful post in every way. Wonderful tribute and photo.

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  49. This photo is awesome!
    And with the story...even better!

    Petunia's SWF

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  50. What a lovely tribute to your uncle. The picture of the steeple is beautiful against that blue sky.

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  51. Sandy, that is an absolutely beautiful picture! Thanks for your loving story of your uncle... :) \

    Would you like to join "Project Yellow?" I'm finding it a lot of fun. VisitA nna at her site. Or me at Answers to the Questions

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  52. Marvellous photograph, the comment informative, when you see the marvellous top imagines the size of beauty of building of church, that is to say something as iceberg.
    Splendid strong blue sky!

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  53. Beautiful. I love to see church steeples with the beautiful sky behind it.

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  54. Beautiful photo and lovely memories and homage to your Uncle. Well done!

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  55. Got an award for you my dear friend! Come get it!

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  56. Thanks for visiting my first Skywatch! I can't wait to explore your blogs (so many!) I am a woman of faith and a poet too.

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  57. Anonymous6:05 PM

    Sandy, I left this note for you at HR, since I was at work and can't access Blogger there:

    I liked your Skywatch Friday very much! Now I know where you got your good photographer’s eye! I would have enjoyed meeting your uncle, and now, thanks to you, I feel like I know him a little.

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  58. Beautiful photo with interesting subject. What a nice tribute to your uncle.

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  59. Blue sky of the beautiful.

    Denise BC

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  60. Sandy

    The picture was much better with his narration.

    Beautiful!

    Congratulations on the person you are.


    Marcos Santos
    Rio de Janeiro

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  61. I love this idea of Skywatch Friday. I take lots of sky photos - even made a post called Sky Art today by coincidence. Very lovely photo and post.

    I'm going to be perusing this lovely blog of yours.

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  62. Lovely story and photo.

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  63. Hi Sandy
    This is a beautiful post, not just for Sky Watch but for all to see and read...
    You made Sky Watch that bit more special this week.. and I thank you.. I have left you to last to comment on this.. but that is only because I felt moved and by reading through some of your comments many others did to...

    Tom

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  64. Beautiful contrast between white and blue, and through your words I had also the pleasure of meeting a very interesting person: your uncle Bud! Thank you for sharing!

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  65. Escuse me Sandy

    I'm so late to comment here!

    Yesterday, I was busy, all day!!

    Marvelous sky, and tower!

    Have a nice weekend,

    Santilli

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  66. Anonymous8:09 PM

    It sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Perhaps I should start to keep my camera in my car. Great photo by the way.

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  67. Nice. I love to take shots of steeples. Thanks for sharing about your uncle.

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  68. Very nice photo, Sandy, and great story to go with it....

    Cheers,
    Scotty

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  69. Beautiful picture - but your words build as strong an image in my mind.

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  70. Beautiful photo and a lovely story. I was always told the the secret to great photos is having your camera ready!

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  71. Great shadow and light contrast

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Thanks for being here.