As I've mentioned before, Venice, FL, is just PACKED with winter visitors. It's even difficult to walk straight on downtown sidewalks. But while doing so, three women were half a block away, walking toward me. One had blue hair, not common in this stodgy retirement community. So I waited for my chance, but just before they got to me they turned into a store, Drat! But I waited. And waited.

Finally they emerged with packages, and I introduced myself and explained photographing strangers. There was a pause, and I could feel that I was loosing them. So I quickly interjected that I was very drawn to one of them, and my eyes rolled toward Nicole, the blue haired lady. This got them all laughing, and they agreed to be photographed.

Like 90% of people on this street, they were not from Venice. All three were visiting the area from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The rough phonetic spelling is Puh – kip' – see. To New Yorkers, this is considered 'upstate'. New Your City is the southernmost point in the state, so everything else is 'upstate'.

Even though Donna nor Rachel had blue hair, they agreed to be photographed too.

Have you ever been to Poughkeepsie?

Bob