Need an Ohio Spider ID
How do you feel about spiders?
Found under the kids’ sandbox when cleaned out on Sunday. Not sure if it is a biting spider or not. I had no idea there were so many types of spiders in the world.
Looked at some photos online but started to feel confused. Hope someone can tell what kind of a spider he is and if we should worry he is making his home underneath the sandbox.
Anyone have a clue?
I remember reading the kids a book when they were little -Be Nice To Spiders.
St. Michael in a Sunny Window
The Weekly Challenge is My Neighborhood. But I am not in my neighborhood today.
The only available photo of my neighborhood is a snow filled park with the benches piled high with snow. I figure I’ll wait until I get back home.
I saw the sun streaming into the window over the door and the backlit St. Michael the Archangel statue along with the deep blue sky and fluffy clouds. (more…)
4 Fireplaces at the Red Light on Fifth Ave and Kirkpatrick Street
Taken with the iPhone. Through my dirty windshield. I was at the end of Birmingham Bridge ready to go up the hill onto Kirkpatrick Street to Centre.
Not ideal conditions but there were those four fireplace openings staring at me as I sat and watched the cars come down Kirkpatrick Street.
Different from my daily route, it was my old route from last year’s school but I’d gotten my hair cut on Carson Street and was headed home.
You might remember Jurassic Pittsburgh from April 2012 if you ‘ve been following for awhile. I took that shot of the dinosaur-like demolition machine on the way to my former school. Added it here at the end cause who has time to back and look. But this is the result of the demolition.
Below are the photos from April 2012 that I took on the way to my former school.
Mini-Celebration in the Midst of Sadness
When we gathered in to Aunt Linda’s and Uncle Frank’s to mourn the passing of Aunt Theresa, there was lots of food to share and it kept pouring in from generous neighbors and friends and relatives.
Anna’s other Grandma, Marlene, sister of Aunt Theresa, Aunt Linda and Aunt Georgeann wanted to acknowledge the excitement and accomplishment of Anna(9) qualifying to swim Freestyle and Breaststroke in the Junior Olympics in Ohio next weekend. Marlene bought a cake- a 3 pound 12 ounce cake! (We read the label, didn’t we Aunt Linda?)
Because the occasion was the gathering in and remembering Theresa who had passed, I never took my camera out of the car.
It didn’t seem like a time to take photos. But of course when the cake came out and Marlene was videoing our singing Happy Junior Olympics to you, I felt compelled to take a photo and slipped out the trusty old iPhone and took one shot. This is it. Of course we are so proud of Anna. On the left standing up and smiling is her Mom, Erika. And cousin Shannon, in the red on the right was very gracious. Lots of love and affection over this past week.
Watching the Box in a Box*
Here are two views of the grandchildren watching”the box” while sitting in a box. A portion of one was in the Lost in the Details yesterday.
Thanks to a wonderful fellow blogger, S - Another Day in Paradise - who wrote this comment on yesterday’s Weekly Photo Challenge and inspired today’s post. ( she is originally from England, now South Africa and Florida)
*“Wonderful selection of photos, Ruth. I absolutely love the “Watching TV in a box.” In England, the TV is often called “The box,” so you could have titled it “Watching the box in a box.”
Winter Supper Still Life
A friend invited me for a winter supper after school today. A nice invitation as the week was winding down. It was refreshing and delicious.
Doesn’t it always taste better when someone prepares food, sets a table and serves it to you?
Vegetable Soup with Pesto. Bread and Olive Oil. Spring Mix, Tomatoes and Olives with Oil & Vinegar.
Pumpkin Bread and Fruit
You Can Submit a Photo of a Photo to Dear Photograph
Today I received an email from my son’s FIL, Donald, about a photo concept and website- take a picture of an old photograph in the same location where it was taken. He must have seen it and knew it would be something I would enjoy looking at. Boy, I’ll say……………..
The website is Dear Photograph and now that I’ve gone and read about it all, I must be the last to hear about it.
Dear Photograph is all over the news. It was even on the TODAY show. There’s a book of photographs using this concept that the young author/photographer Taylor Jones has authored. Simple and satisfying. Touching and fun.
So I looked at what was done and thought I would dig out a few photographs and give it a try. I just skimmed the tip of the iceberg as I limited my search to one box and a single framed photo – the one of the family in front of the house is Fall 1991, the year we moved into the house. Laura was in the third grade, Matthew fifth and Mark a Sophomore in HS.
And then I tried it. I found it tricky to hold up the photo and shoot with one hand. These are shot with the iPhone camera. I’m sure with a bit of balancing and practice the outcome could be improved but it was fun and I enjoyed trying to capture the photo of the photo.
Here are the results. Thank you Taylor Jones for the cool inspiration. I know the blogging community probably knows all about you and your website already but I’m glad Donald sent me the link to your website this morning. See what you can come up with using your old photographs. Having moved9 times in 16 years, there are a lot of photos of places I can’t return to and take the shot.
My pans have changed a bit from the Farberware to the All-Clad. Not totally but the rack is the same. Different stove. I still have the vase, too.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Home
Michael and Murphy
Home Game Home Plate
Homes on Hillcrest
Steve and the Newpaper
Croatian Homes and Roman Ruins
In the Sun Room in Omaha
Beechwood Boulevard Home
Maura and Mark at Home Asleep
Christmas Home
At Home Before Church
She’s Leaving Home
Over the Top Home in Daylight
Running to Home
Neighbor’s Home in a Lawn Ball
I can’t believe it took me so long to start responding to the Weekly Photo Challenges. All those challenges unanswered.
This week is home. The WordPress Weekly Challenge allows me to go through some archived files and think about the theme.
What I’m drawn to. What caught my eye.
No shortage of photos to post for home this week.
When I drive into my driveway after work I feel I am truly home. What makes you feel at home?
The gallery option isn’t really cooperating for me today. (Ooops. I read in the article Are You Boring? Seven Tips for Knowing if You ‘re Boring Someone on the Happiness Project blog by Gretchen Rubin to never mention computer problems)
What the Kids Like Best on Christmas
Maura finds the exterior box of the pressure cooker a great toy!
Mark Tests My New Remote Cable Release in the Snow
Here I am in snowy Ohio and I didn’t pack boots to come out here for Christmas vacation. Must have been lulled by all that Spring like weather we were having in December.
Mark is the guest blogger cause when he got home at ten Saturday night he showed me a photo he had taken with his phone of the Christmas lights in the snow. I asked him to go back out for me and take one for the blog.
So he took out my camera(Canon 5D with a 50mm lens) and the new remote cable release that just got delivered via UPS and it was set at ISO 400 f.1.4. 1/60 shutter. I thought the result was excellent . First time using a cable remote and now he knows how to reduce camera shake. Tripod in the back of the freezing car and no way we’re setting up unless the snow stops falling.
Thanks Mark. Maybe tomorrow night I will borrow Erika’s boots and trudge around in the snow.
Angel Lava Lamp
No kidding.
Plugged in and sitting on top of the piano at Mark and Erika’s house.
And I found myself watching it for a long time, the sparkles rising and falling, catching the light. Now photographing it was a challenge.
Too much light and the sparkles disappeared.
I was fascinated by the glittery colors inside floating and glimmering. This is the best I could capture it. I thought it was a lot of fun.
Laundry on Line in Croatia
July 2008 From the Archives
Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate
This week’s challenge is delicate. I held up this tiny crystal swan to catch the light from the dining room chandelier.
The swan’s neck is delicate. 
Weekly Photo Challenge: Change of Seasons
Friday night in Laura and James’ living room, I was telling them what the weekly photo challenge was.
Laura said, “I have pumpkins on the front porch and Christmas decorations in a box.” So I went out onto the front porch but when I saw the neighbor’s Christmas lights and a mini-bus drove by, I knew I had the shot for the Change of Seasons challenge.
Change of Seasons. And the temperature is 50 degrees making it feel like a Spring evening.
Setting the Table for Sunday Breakfast
The holly bush outside provide a few branches. Photo by iPhone.
I have 3 Christmas plates in the Naif pattern but they made it feel festive.
Menu was scrambled eggs with a bit of extra sharp Cabot cheddar, toast. Coffee and orange juice. The tangerines looked beautiful but the taste was a bit disappointing.
Nothing fancy, simple but good. And the individual butter dishes from my elegant friend J in Omaha. They inspire me to entertain.
Filled with Irish Kerrygold Butter! You can’t go wrong with Irish butter.
South Side Window Scene
I took this on the way to my car after a football game this fall.
It reminded me of taking city walks in Philadelphia where my parents lived.
When we headed south on Ninth Street, we’d see ceramic window decorations and many were religious.
It was as if the residents dressed their windows for others to see and enjoy.
Blessings for passersby. Theadora of People places and bling blog from Paris wrote and identified the holy statue as the Infant Jesus of Prague
Maybe I’ll return and see what’s in this window for Christmas time.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Thankful
Thankful for Family. There is much to be thankful for but I feel this sums it up for me.
If you are a follower of the blog you’ve seen this photograph from last August when Matthew was back from Croatia.
Just one photo in response to this challenge.
We aren’t in the same geographic location this Thanksgiving so I am reposting the summer family shot when could be together!
32 Years Later
Happy Birthday Matthew. Remember when we pulled off Interstate 80 on the way to NYC last August?
Here you are last summer in front of your first home in Clarion PA. The house we brought you to from the hospital, 32 years ago.
Of course I didn’t send a card, just like last year! So this is my birthday wish for you. A day filled with love!
You sure give all of us a lot of love. (Matthew’s the one who says about my photographing people, It’s annoying now, but later you’re glad)
Thinking of you today and everyday.
love. Ma
The Paper Anniversary- The First
Happy First Anniversary Laura and James. It was a happy wedding. There’s a list of traditional and modern wedding anniversary gifts for each year here. I knew that the first anniversary was paper.
Laura took this photo of the paper items I sent to them to mark the occasion. James said he came home from work to find some large boxes on their front porch and had no idea what was in them. I know I had fun thinking about sending the paper products and figured it would be a gift that would get used. Actually, used up! Shipping was free!
James had the idea to call me on SKYPE and here they are at home talking to me.
Last week at breakfast in Columbus at First Watch
and the weekend they came to help me with the House Concert in Pittsburgh
with Penny the Golden Doodle
The Six Months Photo Shoot in Short North Columbus Ohio
Red Pears by Candlelight
This winter will be the winter of photography by candlelight. I mean you have to have a plan. Try something new. Challenge yourself. The early darkness seems a good opportunity to light candles and experiment with low light. Bought some red pears. They don’t look red in this photo but my goal is to not manipulate the images. Find the right white balance. Not going to poach these orbs in wine or make a pear tart. I’ll pack them in my lunch bag for school and slurp their refreshing juice at the end of my lunchtime – hurriedly before period 8 starts.
Will be doing some more candlelight images and dm looking for some human volunteers for portraits by candlelight, right in my dining room.
Music Makes the House Come Alive
Saturday night, Christopher Mark Jones accompanied by David Hart on Mandolin.Expert musicians played two sets to an appreciative audience. Their music made the house come alive.
Laura and James came in from Columbus to help host. I couldn’t have done it without them. We made a Gourd Tree on the cupcake stand my friend Joanne sent last birthday. I baked a New York Cheesecake, the kind with no crust where you start at 500 degrees then turn it down to 225 and let it bake undisturbed into the night after you turn the oven off.
L said it was the best house concert she had ever attended! Everyone seemed to be in agreement that it was a wonderful concert and lively evening. Friends and neighbors joined in singing a few choruses with the sing along portion and the house lent itself with a warm, welcoming spirit and ambience.
They left their umbrellas at the door. The threat of five days of rain with Sandy coming up the East Coast didn’t prevent anyone from coming.
It was a lovely, musical event. Thanks to Christopher and David! The candles provided a warm glow.
Flag Spinning Skills Take Practice
Here we are in Aunt Linda and Uncle Frank’s front yard. Murphy resting in the grass.
Abigail was a flower girl in Mark and Erika’s wedding almost exactly ten years ago and now she is going into high school. Here she is demonstrating how to spin a flag- there are butterflies and figure eights and she has to do it left handed and right handed and toss it in the air and catch it. Anna and Maura were watching and I know I couldn’t do it. Even with practice. Her silk flag flowing in synchronized motion will add a lot to the half time show come fall.
Overbought on the Floral Tape- DIY Flower Pens
One roll would suffice. It was on the list of supplies for this crafty kitsch!
Last week in Pittsburgh, granddaughter Anna saw a pot of flower pens that Aunt Lala made years ago. They are corny but cute and definitely appealed to an 8+ year old.
The old pens still wrote after all those years!!
Anna was fascinated with the pens in the pot and asked if we could make them when I came to Ohio. After a fun trip to the Crafts store for the supplies and brief instructions from Laura, we set up shop. Didn’t even use a full roll of floral tape.
There are rolls and rolls left. We made a pot for her mom, her other grandma, for Aunt Lala, for Anna’s desk and a new one for me which I might take to school again for our sign-in counter. Laura made some for me to take to school years ago, too.
If you seriously want to make them for any reason I found instructions just now online here at show
After making them with Anna and looking up instructions, I see people create them as favors and as pens for wedding guest books and such.
You can see her peeking through the finished pots of pens.
So do we buy more fake posies, pens and pots and glass pebbles and make more flower pens? I’ve a ton of floral tape!
Recent Comments