Bridge Paintings

Posted on November 25, 2019 by vanbraman

I like to take pictures of bridges and have posted many of them throughout the years on either Facebook or here in Braman’s Wanderings.

Two of my favorite bridge pictures have also been turned into paintings.

Woerlitzer Park Bridge, Dessau-Woerlitzer Park, Germany, English Garden in GermanyI really like this picture that I took at Wörlitzer Park near Dessau, Germany. The park is laid out as an English garden and was created in the early 1770’s.

This picture was taken from a rowboat that we were riding in while taking a tour of the waterways in the park. The day was overcast and there were occasional showers. There were swans swimming in the water and also several narrow waterways that were spanned by bridges.

Woerlitzer Bridge, Germany, umbrella on bridge, red umbrellaAbout five years ago my Aunt created a painting based on my picture.

I really like the painting as it captures the essence of the picture.

Burgau Bridge, Burgau Germany, Jena Germany, Stone Bridge, Old Bridge, Saale RiverHere is another one of my favorite bridge pictures, and this one is also from Germany.

This bridge know as the Burgauer Brücke is in Jena-Burgau, which is in the south part of Jena, Germany.

The bridge was built on the site of an older wooden bridge. The older bridge was in existence by at least 1484. The wooden bridge was replaced by a stone bridge sometime in the late 1400’s or early 1500’s.

Burgau Bridge, Jena Germany, Sonja, Fall Picture of bridgeLast week I was scrolling through Facebook and ran across a picture of a painting that my friend Sonja had just completed. Sonja was on the tour that I took to Israel in 2012.

I like Sonja’s interpretation of the picture. She has changed the season and it looks very much like what it looks like in autumn. I have seen this bridge at different times of the year during my many trips to Jena.

Unfortunately, this exact angle is not possible anymore as there is an outdoor seating area for a restaurant that blocks the view.

I am heading to Jena at the end of the week and will probably stop by the bridge to take a few more pictures.

It is really cool to have seen paintings based on two of my favorite pictures.

West Lake - Hangzhou, China - Old Bridge - Reflection - China TourismOf my many bridge pictures I am thinking about which would make good paintings. Perhaps this bridge at West Lake in China would be a good one.

Steven

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Thanksgiving in July?

Posted on November 24, 2019 by vanbraman

There is of course much debate about when the first true Thanksgiving was. Was it in November of 1621, or was it just simply a spontaneous harvest festival?

First Thanksgiving - 1621 or 1623 - Plymouth Colony - Pilgrims - Brownists - Thanksgiving FeastWas it in July 1623 when they set a feast of Thanksgiving in anticipation of the arrival of the Anne and the Little James?

The two ships were bringing much needed supplies to the colony as well as additional settlers. Supplies were running very low and when they heard that the ships would soon arrive they held a fast for several days and then a feast of Thanksgiving.

You may wonder how they knew that the ships were arriving. They had been spotted out to sea and a small craft brought the news to the colony. It took the ships a bit longer to arrive than anticipated and the feast was held before they arrived. Therefore, several of my ancestors were late for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day - Pilgrims - Feast - Plymouth Plantation - Plymouth ColonyAt least three of my ancestors were on the Anne which arrived the day after the Thanksgiving feast. The Little James arrived about a week or so later.

Mary Becket later married George Soule who is my Mayflower ancestor.

Francis Sprague and his daughter Mercy Sprague were also my ancestors. Mercy later married William Tubbs.

Thanksgiving Plate, Turkey and Fixings, ThanksgivingEven though they missed the feast, I am sure that there were leftovers just like today. They were probably glad to finally eat something different than what they had on the ship.

Thanksgiving, Ads, paper, newspaper, Black FridayThe arrival of Ann also sets a historical precedence of going to the stores on the day after Thanksgiving?

Most likely the colonists were digging into the stores on the Anne that same day as they were really anticipating the supplies that were sent.

1623 Plymouth, Pilgrims, ThanksgivingWas this the first Black Friday? I looked up the day of the week that the Anne arrived and it was a Thursday, so perhaps not 🙂

Steven

 

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