Blogfinger

Firemen’s Park. August 24, 2021. Paul Goldfinger © Ocean Grove, NJ   Click  once to enlarge.

Paul Goldfinger,  Editor Blogfinger.net

Some years ago, every Choir Festival Day, the vocalists arrived early  for rehearsals.  Many had a ritual of setting up picnics in Firemen’s Park.  It was a sort of tradition, and we, across the street, enjoyed it too.  Sometimes they did a bit of rehearsing or reviewing the music.

Then, it abruptly  stopped. We guessed that the CMA decided to feed them.

This park has wonderful trees, many of which were donated by the neighbors. We also donated the boards for the benches.

The picnic above was set beneath a stately Shademaster locust tree which we planted about ten years ago with the help of the Neptune DPW.  It grows 2-feet each year.    It reaches 50- 75 feet tall.   It’s too bad that they don’t prune those trees.

This park attracts so many dog walkers–it is a subculture in the Grove, and many of them are newcomers who have bought homes or are renting to escape the troubles in the Big Apple.  Someday there will be a dog park in town.

This image looks like a family affair, and in recent years there has been an influx of young families, and that is terrific.  The park is used for Wiffle ball games, catch with Dad, kids, 2 mitts, and a hardball, little kids learning how to skateboard along the cement paths, tree climbers, strollers, beach goers,  bench sitters, and bikers taking the shortest distance between 2 points, and, yes picnics.  Moms with toddlers love to enter the park.

I wish more musicians would come to the park as well as some cultural events such as story telling, poetry reading, and art shows.

And maybe some firemen might take down that disgraceful, ugly,  locked iron fence with  dangerous shrubs  surrounding the bell.  File this post under “Ocean Grove life-styles”

The movie Picnic starred William Holden and Kim Novak.  It is from 1955 and is set in a little Kansas town over the Labor Day holiday.

THE McGUIRE SISTERS:  “Theme from Picnic.”

Audience rose to honor a first rate performance of Saint-Saens Symphony #3 (“Organ.”). Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove, NJ, USA.  8/3/23.  Click to enlarge. Paul Goldfinger photos.  Blogfinger.net.

A standing O for this splendid orchestra. All photos by Paul Goldfinger. Blogfinger.net

Bass and tympani players congratulate each other. Fine low notes with this orchestra.

Gordon Turk introduces his program from the choir loft.

Here is a link to Maestro Jason Tramm taking a bow at this event:

https://wp.me/pqmj2-RTG

Paul Goldfinger,  Editor Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove    8/3/23.

Editor’s note:   It is amazing how magnificent concerts such as this are presented in the Great Auditorium year after year by Gordon Turk, Jason Tramm and the OG Camp Meeting Association for $17.50 per ticket.  And they can pull off a highly professional performance like this with such little promotion.

That room should have been filled with music lovers.  Why don’t they invite music students from high schools and colleges in the area–either for free or for discounted tickets?

The MidAtlantic Symphony Orchestra was superb, and I couldn’t help but notice many young players.

Byung Kook-Kwak is familiar to OG audiences, and he was a fine concert master and violin soloist.  And Gordon Turk put the Hope-Jones-Shaw organ through its paces, taking this magnificent instrument from a whisper to a roof rattling roar.

What does the Saint-Saens  (“Organ” ) Symphony in C Minor sound like?  Here is a portion by the Chicago Symphony .

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ

Another Saturday in the Grove being smothered  by outsiders who want to exploit our small Jersey Shore historic town to raise money.

As we have said on Blogfinger many times, Ocean Grove residents lose out during the most wonderful times of  year, usually Saturdays,  to satisfy fund raising by money grabbers for everything including flea markets, arts and craft, harvest festivals, car shows, 5K runs, Chamber of Commercial  “events” which also include shutting down streets, and extensive nice weather events by the Camp Meeting Association and other groups.

We do more such tourist-driven money-grabbing oxygen-sucking events than any other Jersey Shore town in this region. But there is little to satisfy  our  residential community in the Grove.

Our town welcomes these happenings  because Neptune is indifferent, doing favors to groups or people other than the tax-paying residents and renters here. The Neptune Committee  has had little interest we-the-people of Ocean Grove.  For them it’s who you know not what you know.

Fun and games at the Mother Ship in Neptune Township. Posing for a Blogfinger portrait 2014.

No OG organizations pay attention to our issues, and there is no citizen group to focus on our Grover issues.   The former Home Groaners have changed their name to bury their prior mediocre record on behalf of OG residents. And the CMA has never acknowledged  the “Secular Community of OG residents.”

And furthermore:

a. Click once to read:

b.  The Quick Check at Rt. 33 and Jumping Brook Rd is closed.

c. The Coaster is asleep at the wheel when it comes to covering the Grove.  If you have some worthy issue, send us an email and we will try to wake a sleeping giant.  Blogfinger@verizon.net.

d.   Have you been “Primed?”  Whole Foods Market  on Rt 35 in Wall Twp.  has initiated home delivery to Ocean Grove. It’s a good deal from a first class retail grocer.

Our OG porch. Eileen and Paul.

e.   Nagle’s will be open to 9 pm starting in November.

From Oliver: “Food Overture.”

US Navy Band visits the Grove. 8/16/25. . Paul Goldfinger, LCDR, Medical Corps, Ret..   Paul Goldfinger photograph.

Below are  Kenny Vance and the Planotones who used to play the Great Auditorium during Doo Wop concerts. Perhaps these Navy musicians are aware of the music from the 50’s and 60’s when everyone was looking for an echo.

“Those Oldies But Goodies…”

“The Three Graces.”  Paul Goldfinger photo. 2009. Ocean Grove Auditorium Pavilion.

SARAH BRIGHTMAN.  “Lascia Ch’io Pianga”.  from George  Frederic Handel’s opera. Rinaldo.