'The best of..."

-sigh- It looks like I missed the theme day, of the first of the month, again. :-(

But... Better late than never...

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And I choose my very first entry, on this blog. Long before I tried to join this
Daily City Photo Blog...
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Which entry, I then called "The Lady In The Snow."
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Snowy morning, in Park

Please click on photo, to enlarge

Perhaps you remember my photo of a pond in Autumn? This above, is approximately the same view.

I say 'approximately' because when I took the Autumn view, I could walk over from the path, on to the grass, and avoid that pole I guess.... But I wasn't going to trudge over in the snow. We did lots of trudging through snow, to get other shots, though. Which will be coming...

And it was not done in black and white. You can see the bricks of the Casino, showing pale through the falling snow. I simply took the picture, while experimenting with the 'snow setting' on the new camera. {Ohhhh sigh! I have so much to learn, about the new camera!}

Built in 1870...

Yesterday I showed you a more recently built place. Modern, and not my favorite. Today, I show you a quick shot of one, built in 1870. I like this better. :-)

The beautiful Canfield Casino was built as a gambling casino in 1870. It is on the National Register Of Historic Places, and has been a museum since 1911. It is owned and maintained by the City of Saratoga Springs. This building was originally intended for gambling and elegant dining, but reformers closed it in 1907. Visitors to the museum can take a tour through time, as they see exhibits on three floors, displaying different aspects of Saratoga Springs history.

The History Museum has a web site... Click here and when there, select the category of "Canfield Casino Images," for 4 pics of inside.

Late afternoon, in the Park...

Late afternoon ~ One of the numerous ponds, in Congress Park ~ It's actually Autumn, as you can see from the leaves which have fallen into the water, and the reflection of a Maple tree, whose leaves have turned to red.

Please click on the picture, to see it larger...

Pine needles and leaves...

Fallen leaves and pine needles, on steps in Congress Park...
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Some answers to some questions asked... I probably missed some, but please ask again.
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All the buildings I show {except those in Congress Park} are privately owned and maintained.
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Our mineral spring water contains iron, sulfur and various other minerals. Each spring is different. Most just 'come up' but we have a real geyser. Which I will show someday. There are no hot springs here. And yes, they have been looked on as healing, ever since the native American Indians viewed them this way. And... I only know of one, which is ... drinkable for me. Eeek... ,-) But that doesn't stop people from drinking them, and from bathing in them, in the Bath Houses. {Where the water is heated, of course!} :-)

Italian Gardens...

"Spit 'n Spat" :-))))

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"The Spirit Of Life"

Daniel Chester French's "The Spirit of Life" began as a commission for a memorial to Spencer Trask (1844-1909). Trask was a summer resident in Saratoga Springs, New York and a founder of the committee which was charged with renewing the city's reputation as a health resort. Saratoga Springs was, and remains, known for its fine spring water.

Henry Bacon designed the setting for French's statue. It was designed with a reflecting pool, and can be contemplated from a stone bench on a little raised stone platform, in front of it {and out of the picture}. The only other statue/setting on which French and Bacon collaborated is
the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington DC.

Remember 'The Lady in the Snow'?

Remember 'The Lady In The Snow'?

Here she is, in Summer...

She is "The Spirit Of Life," and I'll tell about her, in tomorrow's entry.

Sunday, in the park...

Have a picnic...

Feed the ducks... Although they are not supposed to...