Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Songs for Franklin Rd

 Franklin Road is a very wide street in Ponsonby. Great trees arch across the road and intertwine their leafy canopies throughout the summer. There is also something else that is special about Franklin Rd.
 Little by little, over the years, the residents have adopted the practice of 'lighting up' their houses for Christmas.
 Some of them have a modest approach
 but everyone does something, and some are quite elaborate,
even providing a seat for people to be photographed on,
 and inventive, using every bit of fence and verandah as a prop for lights of all colours.
 I took these photos just as the light was fading. I was on my way to the Voice Club party, in a house on Franklin Road. There we feasted, laughed and talked, relieved that our big concert was over last week,
but we still had plenty of songs inside us. And so, as is our tradition, we stepped out on to the street and sang for the crowds of people, mostly young, who walk up and down Franklin Rd once darkness falls. The atmosphere was festive, with everyone gaping and pointing at the brightly lit houses, and then stopping to enjoy our songs.
It must take a lot of coordination for everyone to light up their houses like this, and they give so much pleasure to young and old. It's a fun place to sing, and a good way to bring a year of hard vocal work to a happy conclusion.

8 comments:

Penny O'Neill said...

Song and gaily lit houses - the perfect companions! These light displays are wonderful, Juliet, and I imagine how they must sparkle when darkness falls.

Juliet said...

Penny, thank you. The whole street becomes magical, and was the perfect place for our songs.

Diana Drent said...

I love christmas so much. You have a very inspirational blog, I love it!

The pictures of the beaches are so beautiful and your personal text too.

Juliet said...

Diana, welcome to the blog and thank you so much for your comments. It's always such a support when people take the trouble to let me know that they're reading and appreciating the blog.

Lynley said...

Wow what a nice confluence - Xmas lights and a wonderful choir singing in the growing dusk.

Christmas can be celebrated so simply. What a nice thing to participate in Juliet.

Hotly Spiced said...

I love wandering the streets at this time of year and seeing all the pretty decorations and lights, lights, lights. I think it's fabulous that you took to the streets and gave a free concert. I remember a Salvation Army truck driving down our street when I was growing up. Everyone would run out of their houses and donate money xx

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Juliet .. they look a better selection than many .. and warms your heart to see as you go past .. thanks for showing us ..

Cheers Hilary

Juliet said...

* Lynley, it was great fun.

* Charlie, I remember the Sallies coming by at Xmas too.

* Hilary, the lights are full of originality, so much to see. The whole street gets into it really fully.

Thank you Lynley, Charlie and Hilary, good to see you here.