Such Expressive (and Unexpected) Taxidermy
Beware of Fox!
It’s been up on this porch roof for at least a couple of days.
I was driving to the zoo from school on Monday.
The story I heard from the guy out in front of the house next door?
The guy who lives there does demolition and probably got it from some home he was tearing down. It is the season of demolition around the city as you know.
A photographer has no choice but to pull to the curb and shoot the scene. Remember the days of women’s stoles with fox heads dangling and tiny paws with claws? Beady eyes? Ugh. Wonder if they take him in if it rains?
The last book we read in 2nd grade Intervention Group was the Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.
Price Bennett- Street Musician on Liberty Ave
What I Found on the Sidewalk by School
I walked on by-
nearly passed it up-
even thought it caught my eye.
It’s a rush and a hike between schools.
Time’s always short.
But after I stepped past, I turned around
got down on one knee and shot this little gift
to me- hard boiled yolk, a bit dried,
rolled in sandy crumbs,
abandoned on a sidewalk, fell from a lunch bag
or on the way to the nearby dumpster, missed.
Easter is over.
Didn’t make it to the egg salad bowl.
I drove by after school, to see if it was smashed
maybe rolled an inch, more dry, but still there
all those hours later, just not in as good a light!
Yikes- You’ve Got to Pull Over, Get Out of Your Car and Shoot It!
In the distance you can see the Cathedral of Learning at Pitt.
The sparkly Christmas Tree caught my eye . St Patricks’s preparation?
And as I returned to my car, I saw the sidewalk/stairs in the shade.
Cantilevered House,View 2, Friday on the Way to School
You saw my photo through the foggy school bus windshield. Friday morning there was a train going by as I shot this but the cars were flat. Couldn’t wait for that to change. It was a nice touch, to hear it speeding by on the track above.
I shot this outside the window, not through it and since I was the driver this time, I pulled to the side of the road. Not a lot of time to experiment or revise on the way to school and no time to get out of the car. Oh yes, iPhone camera not regular camera.
You read about this home in the New York Times last week. If you wish to compare the shot from my previous post it is here.
It’s a cool view to see every morning. I watched them build it but didn’t document it. Too bad. One for the regret category. Since most blog readers are out of town and can’t swing by to see this more clearly and are relying on my view, I wanted to show this unusual home in a nice light. And the school bus was parked.
Morning sun instead of rain and fog, clears up the view.
How Many Deer Do You See?
Three is the answer.
Steve says he is glad he is not a deer. These are woods IN the city.
The Passenger’s View
Took the eighth grade on a Field Trip to the Carnegie Museum of Art to view the Tennie Harris,Photographer: American Story show. We had a wonderful day. Here’s the view from the passenger seat. (note the sidewalk on the right is stairs!) You can see the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. And the reflection of the school bus in the right side mirror. Shot through glass on a snowy day.
Through the front window. It was great to be a passenger.
Midas Light on Pittsburgh’s Casino
I’ve never been inside. So much controversy about this place when it was to be built. I remember that.
Not into gambling. It would pain me to lose money I’d worked for. But when I was up on Mount Washington I saw this light on the casino, surrounded by a total gray scene and it struck me as worth capturing.
City Sidewalk Stairs
In Pittsburgh there are lots of staircases winding up hillsides and slopes. Paper streets are defined on existing on paper but not in reality but in Pittsburgh there are streets on maps that are actually stairs. Some are incredibly steep and long. The other day I was at another red light in McKees Rocks and saw this sidewalk/steps. The bench ad for Pierogies Plus is true as they are delicious. A book written by an architect librarian and archivist at CMU. Author Martin Aurand‘s book The Spectator and the Topographical City describes the formation of the topography of Pittsburgh’s hills and valleys.
Heinz Chapel Pittsburgh- H.J. Heinz wanted to honor his Mother Anna Margaretta Heinz
Heinz Memorial Chapel on a Spring day. Built in the 1930′s of grey Indiana limestone. The family name Heinz is on a lot of landmarks in Pittsburgh. Heinz Hall, Heinz History Center, the Heinz House, the Heinz Plant (I hear the ketchup is made in Ohio these days) and of course Heinz Field where the Steelers play. It was the grandchildren of Anna Margaretta who had the chapel built. For info about the chapel click here or see what wikipedia has to say click here
100 Year Old Tree Stump Chewed to Mulch
The sycamore’s stump was ground up into mulch yesterday. I saw the equipment in the street but when I got my camera it had pulled away. Even the pile of mulch has been removed as of today. As Beth says it’s the cycle of life. The follow up to I Used to Live on a Tree-Lined Street post.
An abundance of green. Lots of rainy days lately.
Bicycle on Balcony; City Scene
Europe,oui? Nah. Pittsburgh!
Remember When a Television Was Furniture?
South Side, 27th Street, on my way to Tess’s. Taken with the iPhone camera. That’s me in the reflection. This is one HUGE television, waiting for pickup. Now everything these days is flat screen or wall mount, giant and loud but thin. People have entertainment centers and places to house a tv but they are not connected as a single unit. Different finishes. This one could qualify as “Colonial” or “Traditional”???
Architectural Mix at Doughboy Square
From the archives last September. Bike Pittsburgh is in the Art Deco looking building. Wilson’s BBQ is empty.
Civil War Reenactors- Ohio Statehouse Capitol Square
Waiting for the flag bearer. Just driving by and you see something.A picture.One you don't see everyday..
NYC Sidewalk Scene: a Writing Prompt?
- Garbage that didn’t make it into the truck on pickup day? I have photographed other shoes and flip flops found on the street. Makes me wonder who was walking around in them before they were abandoned.
..of a Different Color
Today I went for a spontaneous “meeting” with Cj at Buffalo Blues in Shadyside. And I found the long lost relative of yesterday’s horse I posted. Today’s horse bright and well cared for, but no freedom as he is corralled in his wooden frame which is probably to deter theft. So I don’t see a single old rocking horse for years and then two in two days??? If one were to believe in signs… Looked up horse sayings seeking the origin of this Different Color phrase and we all know about the gift horse. A quote about switching horses in the middle of the race and the kids at school like to horse around. Horseplay is actually one of the boxes you can check on the discipline referral. We know about leading horses to water and on occasion I have eaten like one. If you missed the old gray mare she was posted March 31st. This spot outside the Oh Yeah! Ice Cream & Coffee 232 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 200-5574 Open 7AM-11PM
I like to change up the blog post themes from day to day but two rocking horses in two days? There was no other possible post.
After the Hail Storm, Before Elton John
Traffic- downtown Pittsburgh, in every direction! I was on my way to class, not the concert.
You know how I like to take photographs when I am stopped at a red light. It was Wednesday night on my way to class. I had just come through the hail storm from the South Side. What could the traffic be? Rush hour for sure. The storm. And I see a guy on a corner I NEED TICKETS. Penguins? Nah. Elton John Concert traffic on top of everyone’s commute home. There is never a good way to get from Point A to Point B in Pittsburgh, especially if you are in a hurry!
Add to the List of Things Out of Your Control
If the Tree is Straight, the House is Crooked
A couple of blocks from school there is a tree that grows out of the ground on a angle. This is the effect it has on the object below, when I straighten it out in the viewfinder and shoot.
Angles
There are the geometric ones-
acute, right, obtuse or
how we look at things.
Differently.
Almost looks like it is floating away
Count the Pigeons on a City Rooftop
At first glance you think you are seeing architectural details, all along the roof ledge. There were at least fifty of them. Part of city life- the pigeon. Today’s photo/post evokes the poet Timons Esaias whose chapbook title is The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture For a copy ($8.50) contact Tim via his website.
You may remember Timons Esaias was guest poet on the blog for his poem. By Their Sidewalks You Will Know Them (click here) posted about this time last year.
Birds in the City
Not in a tree this time
or flying above.
People have feelings about them.
Carson Street on the South Side. A beautiful blue sky.
The Newspaper said “Little to no accumulation…” but-
A friend called and invited me for a slice of cherry pie for President’s Day. Hot tea. I walked down the hill wrapped up in hats and scarves and boots. A good thing- I couldn’t believe it when I came out of her front door two hours later and the snow had accumulated and was piling up. That 60 degree weather on Saturday and now this? YIKES. I trudged home, shoveled the walk and it’s blowing and snowing and really cold. The snow was wet and heavy and a 2 hour delay has been called already for school. How they will clear all the streets before the school buses head out is a puzzle to me. (edit 5:30 AM. All schools are CLOSED! At least they didn’t wait to call it at 7 when everyone is already there. My friend just called, teaches instrumental music and gave me the news auf Deautsch singing Schnee Tag )
Not Spring Yet!
It isn’t that we aren’t ready for the crocus
and blossoms.
We got an unexpected snowstorm.
Shoveling again. And again.
Burrowing in the flannel sheets.
Florida friends, I am thinking of you!
Back to bed.
View from my friend's front porch as I started my walk home up the hill.
Heard from many friends and family who knew and loved Lori today. And from friends who didn’t know her but were touched by her story and loving image with Fredi. I tried to write back little notes of thank you to those who emailed or posted and I told her sister Sara about the overwhelming response but she can’t bear to look at it right now, understandably. A sad day.
Windy With a Chance of Sunlight
A beautiful day. And though inside from 7:30-4:00 I was able to catch the unfurled flag from the second floor window AND the flag shadow on the asphalt during lunch. Right through the glass.
The Cathedral of Learning in the distance, the light fluctuating as clouds rolled across the sky. Had to tilt the camera to get both the flag and the shadow- the angle a technique I don’t use often.
Windy
In the daytime look out the windows.
Branches bend, papers blow across the yard.
Ripples or waves on water.
A pile of leaves caught up in a whirl.
You can tell it’s windy.
At night, listen.
A train along the river whistles.
Calm, a burst, a roar.
Earlier in my car on the bridge.
Wait for the light.
Feel it. Vibrate.
Bounce bounce bounce
right up through the tires.
Eye level to the top of a flag pole- a cool perspective.
What You Should Never Eat- But Tastes Great!
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Hungry
Sometimes you are hungry
for something that is just not good for you.
And you eat it.
And regret doing so.
Or not!
Wednesday nights I take a class at Manchester Craftsmen’s and eat an early dinner on the South Side, driving down the slopes from Arlington. The last two weeks it was Carson Street Deli sandwiches but then I started thinking French fries. Undoing all the work at the gym yesterday.
So I crossed at 16th St and went into Mario’s, the only patron at that off hour but not for long. Cory was hosting and tending bar and took my order for an Alpine burger (don’t ask) and their house cut fries. A tall ginger ale. I asked if I could photograph the stained glass windows. Designed by Williams Stained Glass of Bethel Park. It was a good time to photograph the architectural details. Woshner’s was once “haberdashery” and is now Mario’s. I was too early for Karaoke night. Had to get to class.
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