Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

I always go through my myriad of images and always find interesting ones. These are Agfachrome 50 slide scans dating from the fall of 1973 and are from the Finger Lakes region in New York State. The camera was a Nikon FTn with a 35mm F 2.8 Nikkor lens

Today, Coney Island is going through a revival and renewal but in the early seventies it was in a period of decline and abandon. These shots date from the winter of 1974 and were shot with one of  my trusty Leicas. 

Fall will be here soon. It actually is a wonderful season. Here's just a taste of things to come.    

We Italians have a very strong attachment for the place we are born. This concept of a home town is deeply rooted in our way of life. Even those who leave and get  totally acculturated have this longing and attachment. The great Leonardo Sciascia wrote that there are two kind of Sicilians those of the sea and those of the sea boulder. Those of the sea leave and are very content while those of the sea boulder are always deracinated. I am one of the latter type. I grow more attached to my beloved Castellammare as I age. This is why I must go there at least twice a year. Do not misunderstand. I absolutely love the United States but it has never been my true home. I call myself a person in voluntary exile. The problem is that after living all these years in The US, I probably would not be very happy living back home. So I dream and make c astles in the air to translate an Italian say.

You know the rest. If you visit often you also know that I love flowers and especially roses. These were photographed in Northampton, MA of all places

Being a bibliophile I'm always on the lookout for used book stores. This amazing barn in Hillsdale, NY is very deceiving. It is completely full of books that are very well organized and the owner knows exactly where everything is. It's very out of the way but it's very busy. A  really great place .