Following Mr. John’s Truck Up the Narrow Road
One day BEAUTY, the next day NECESSITY- Andy said the blog is like a Carousel Slide Show and you just don’t know what’s next–
On the way to school one morning. Shot with old iPhone 4. How about that narrow road Parkfield Street?
Not sure how a toilet got named a John, so I looked it up and found out they are named for Sir John Harrington and that there is even a toilet museum.
One of my favorite posts on the blog is the pink toilet in the snow.
Hail Storm in Zagreb Croatia- Guest Post
In my email this morning-
Dear Mom,
A hail storm broke out in Zagreb today and my friend Maja captured it with her iPhone from her 9th floor office. She was a little bit reluctant to be blogged, but she had this to say about the picture : “It looked so great and it made me so happy that I wanted to share it.”
And it reminded me of the sentence from the film “American Beauty” – “Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can’t take it, and my heart is just going to cave in.”
I think that quote is a great motto for us to live by. You and your blog do a great job reminding us all of the beauty that surrounds us every moment of every day, so I knew what to do with Maja’s picture right away!
Love you,
Matty
Thank you Maja for sharing your beautiful photograph of the hailstorm from the ninth floor window and thanks Matty, too.
Adjectives Illustrated- But Which Ones?
Today I read an ________________________(noun) about creating a self-assignment for your photography.
It made me _________________________(verb) about what I might like to try to photograph.
Then I ____________________________(verb) at what I’d already photographed.
(Chose a word – like Mad Libs ™ (Did you know Mad Libs™ was created in 1958?)
I was looking for images to go with the ____________ (adj) Strawberry I photographed on the _____________(adj. )porch this afternoon- it seemed to have a __________________(adj. )mouth.
I added the ________________________ (adj.) eyes and ears.
Adjective defined by Merriam-Webster : a word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages and typically serving as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from something else
and the Writing Centre University of Ottawa has an accessible definition and examples (not that you need them but I was refreshing my grammar knowledge)
An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words. An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.
In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:
- The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops.
- Mrs. Morrison papered her kitchen walls with hideous wall paper.
- The small boat foundered on the wine dark sea.
- The coal mines are dark and dank.
- Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmasmusic.
- A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard.
- The back room was filled with large, yellow rain boots.
____________________________________________________(adjective) Strawberry face
____________________________________________________(adjective) Stanchions in the elevator when we took down the student art show
____________________________________________________(adjective) Origami on the school steps
______________________________________________________(adj.) sign in Millvale
_____________________________________(adjective) masking tape dispenser in an art room
_____________________________________(adjective) sign
_______________________________________________________________(adj) night light from Divertido
_______________________________________________(adj) iPad fireplace
Sock Monkey in camo sleeping bag _____________________________________(adjective)
A garden gnome for my Daughter-in-law’s garden (just kidding, Erika!) ____________________________________________(adj.)
There might be descriptors for several that are interchangeable. I am restraining myself from writing a list of adjectives to choose from.
Thanks for playing MadLibs™. Hope you will write an adjective for any image(s) you wish.
Fresh Eggs Make the Best Omelet
My colleague brought me a dozen fresh eggs from her chickens. Thanks S.
I loved how each egg had a date written on the end. I made an omelet this Saturday morning with some Cabot Creamery Extra Sharp White Cheddar. Maybe a tad too much butter. Couldn’t cook and photograph with the cell phone simultaneously. I was told you want “sound” when the eggs hit the pan.
I know the chickens are well cared for and eat organic feed. Fresh eggs make the best omelet. It was delicious. If I were a true photographer I would have made a neater looking one and photographed it again but no one else around to eat the wrinkled one. I went on Google images to see how my omelet fares by comparison and I think it is fine. These eggs are too precious to waste.
Yes, a little too much butter. Eat the toast with jam no butter due to excess amount on the eggs!
Hiding the imperfect folds with the farm grain bread toast. Now to polish the French PepperMill that was a wedding gift in 1974.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape
They call it challenge for a reason. Escape. Or trying to.
Escape defined : Break free from confinement or control (School is out June 17th)
Need to get away. Get out. Break free.
Attempted escape. Some of mine seem like “trapped” or “escape is necessary” . It makes me consider posting a photograph of our jail that they built along the Monongahela River, spoiling the scenic view. Escape from reality. A fire escape?
Me in the mail chute at the City County Building today when we took down the art show.
Fencing so the Cheetahs Can’t Escape!
Kayaks on the Allegheny River Photographed from the Roberto Clemente Bridge
Fence and Branch at the Softball Game
Did you ever feel like you can’t escape when you are in the middle of the car wash?
Take the keys and lock her up! Little sister tries to escape
A hopeful escape from reality and the rat race. I guess I need to buy a ticket. Oh well.
The Book Loft- Columbus Ohio. Reading is a terrific escape!
A roller coaster is good for a brief escape
at Kennywood Amusement Park
Ready for the get away
A Couple of Fire Escapes ( I was shooting the Bitter End, I think)
Central Park Pastorale
See others bloggers escapes-
JOIN
You Write the Story
Here’s the scene.
Found on a New York City Sidewalk on Bleecker Street- Night time- a tad grainy and soft.
High Chair and TV Tray Table.
The Wilds, Cumberland Ohio
Mark and Erika called Saturday night and suggested we meet up at The Wilds. Cumberland Ohio. I took the New Concord Exit on I-70.
I said, sure I’ll meet you there! I was excited cause it was unexpected. And who knew this place was so interesting?
It was about 130 miles for me to drive there and they drove about 90. We took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride tour throughout the 10,000 acres and saw lots of wonderful animals. Most are endangered in the wild and this conservation facility(non-profit) gives them the protected place to reproduce. It was a beautiful day.
Bactrian Camels- Mother and Child (Yes, this was photographed in Ohio)
Przewalksi Wild Horse- a female
Sichuan Takin
Zebras- Buck and bray a bit while the one looks on
Bison running away from our bus
25 cents in a machine and you can get food for the catfish. They act like they have never eaten before or will they ever eat again. I know these were Jack’s favorite.
The catfish are not particularly attractive to me.
Rhinoceros family time. Our guide says there skin is really soft. A group of rhino is called a CRASH.
All photos taken with a Canon 70-200 mm L series lens on a Canon 5D
Our knowledgeable guide Rob.
And an ordinary rabbit. Not endangered.
And if you want to travel with us on the bus, Anna captured a two minute segment of the tour! Thanks Anna for the videoing,
City County Building Hosts Pittsburgh Carrick High School Art Show
Update: 5-13-13
Just added this gorgeous panorama photographed by Instructional Team Leader for the Fine Arts Department -Michael Dean.
The Pittsburgh Carrick High School student Art Show is hung and waiting for the Monday opening reception at 5:30.
Anyone who works in this magnificent building will get a sneak peek during the day. There were ten of us working most of the day Saturday to hang the art and place the tags by each piece.
Awards ceremony is Monday evening at 6:30 PM. Sponsored by CITIPARKS!
How about those Tiffany columns? The marble, the windows, the painted ceiling? And all the student artwork? Wow!
I can’t wait for the students to see their artwork on display in such a wonderful setting.
There will be refreshments at the reception.
Everything looks great!
You have to see it in person to get the full experience.
If you are in the city, please come see the amazing student artwork.
(Parking downtown gets cheap after 5)
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P.S.
Remembering our mothers every day of the year
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Not Quite Gilligan’s Island and The Ruins of Something Along Route 28
It was late when I left for home cause I went to photograph the girl’s softball game and
because the Bigelow Blvd. ramp was closed, I had to follow a lengthy detour.
I found myself in bumper to bumper traffic at a standstill on one of the most awful roads- Route 28. It is ALWAYS under construction.
And there I saw this abandoned boat along the busy highway.
It took my mind of my impatience at not being home yet, having to wait.
I wondered how it got there. To whom did it belong?
It’s like being in a coffee shop and suddenly understanding why someone writing a screenplay is sitting there, working. A snippet of conversation overheard. You write a script. You get ideas.
I heard the guy say to the woman at the next table, “You have a certain lyrical unexpectedness.” (inaudible response from her) Him again, ” I played in a bar last night.”
So what’s the story of the boat? And the next scene just a few feet later, a few more car lengths down?
or the next scene when the traffic stopped again. These scenes just make you wonder.
Or if I hadn’t been stopped, would I have seen them?
Divertido – If you Need Russian, Chinese, Hebrew, French or Greek Building Blocks
Divertido means fun in Spanish.
Saturday afternoon I drove down to the Lawrenceville neighborhood to photograph this fun shop on Butler Street. I’d met the owner, Mary Ellen, when she attended the Christopher Jones house concert at my home last October so this had been on my “to do” list for a time. I knew visiting the store, photographing it and blogging it, would be a good project. Six months can fly by before you know it, though. I needed a college graduation card, too, so what better time to go shopping and blogging? The greeting cards are definitely out of the ordinary and this was a special one for my friend’s daughter.
I loved the Uncle Goose wooden building blocks with the different languages- French, Russian, Chinese, Hebrew and Greek were some of the languages represented.
Everything about the store is fun! The front windows with the swim noodles and inflatable swim rings as well as the trophies in aqua displaying the jewelry in a case are designed by Sean L. Miller.
The turquoise trophies took on a life of their own, like an installation art piece.
I took the window designer’s business card from the counter which has the words imprinted -Think Outside the Box. He definitely does and gets you thinking that way, too. The eye catching colors and design were so inviting.
Mary Ellen wasn’t sure she wanted her photograph taken but she graciously consented. Here she is in front of the counter with a cool, antique door on the front.
Thanks Mary Ellen. Another shot for my People at Work series.
You might have visited the store when it was down the street but Mary Ellen has been in business for nine years. And if you live out of town, no worries, she has online shopping at her website and you can LIKE her on the DIVERTIDO page on Facebook, too.
Pittsburgh Marathon Photos – Almost Mile Twenty
I got down early to catch the first marathoners in the wheelchair division. It was a perfect day for a marathon.
There was a street sweeper operating at the intersection of Highland and Bryant when I got down. I knew the wheelchair participants started about 6:45 AM and I calculated when they’d arrive at almost mile twenty down the bottom of our hill. I didn’t have too long to wait.
When I witness their effort, a catch forms in my throat. It’s inspiring. Accompanied by a bicycle escort, they “run” the course with determination and hard work.
I am dividing the post into galleries. The first shots I stood across the street from the local coffee shop – Tazza D’Oro.
DICK’S Sporting Goods flew about 3 dozen marathoners to Pittsburgh from Boston so they could run the marathon. These runners were ones who were unable to complete the marathon due to the attacks.
There were thousands of runners today for the Pittsburgh Marathon so this is just a small sampling of the day. Perfect weather!
Here’ s the first gallery-
The Wheelchair Participants
The lead runners just flew by, almost effortlessly (well, it seemed easy watching them) Soooo fast. So smooth.
There were lots of dogs in attendance today.
And then there were the fun runners, the monkey, the man with the trumpet.bugle?, the guy in a kilt and sandals, women wearing tutus who were texting, and some wild hair and outfits. Many patriotic displays and one guy running backwards. A man wore a Chicago Runs for Boston shirt.
One man ran the whole marathon blindfolded, tethered to a co-runner. He did this to raise awareness and to experience what his 7 year old daughter must experience in life- she’s legally blind. To read about his efforts click here and another article about this father’s running the entire marathon blindfolded- here
A few more runners
And all the volunteers and the workers who made it all possible
The street sweepers, the garbage collectors, the police, the paramedics, the course marshals, the volunteers who passed out water and picked up the cups from the course. The bus who came to sweep up the runners who needed to ride for the remainder of the course. All photos shot with a 70-200mm Canon L series lens on Canon 5D SLR camera
And the partiers, the cheering section, and as neighbor Mike coined the term the CHAIR-ATHONERS. for further coverage you can go to the Post-Gazette
This Little Piggy- Wait, It’s THIRTEEN Piggies- Guest Blog by Marlene and Donald
Down on the farm in Virginia. Mar said it was dark in the barn. Thanks for a fun guest blog. We don’t see this in the city!
Lots of new life appearing at your neighbor’s farm.
Springtime action in corrals and pens and barn.
See proud future Dad. His “wife” is sitting on 17 eggs. (Not sure if Turkeys mate for life like other species you hear about. hmmmm)
Future Thanksgiving Dinner?
Future Dad Turkey
Future Mom sitting on 17 eggs!
Waiting for baby horses- another blog, another day
Click on Video below -A little dark in the barn. That is if you want to see 13 new piglets scramble at feeding time.
Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above
There’ve been a lot of directions in the challenges.
Up, down. Round. Forward. No inside out. Yet
this week it’s FROM ABOVE.
I stand over garbage, see a lone glove on the road-
take a shot. A single baby shoe in the gutter.
Weddings from a church balcony, the mezzanine.
Not often, though. Directly above is rare, more likely above from an angled side.
Have they done sideways? I like that movie.
Here’s my From Above Gallery, though not celestial.
Laura and James at Marjorie and Dan’s Wedding Reception. Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.
Seventh (Andy Warhol) and Ninth Street Bridges taken from the Renaissance Hotel.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Shadows at the entrance of school
John and Angie’s Wedding
Franklin Park Conservatory Columbus OH
Anna, Baby Jack and Michael March 2007
Roberto Clemente Bridge and PNC Park from the Renaissance Hotel
Last Year’s Rose
French Fries on Carson Street
Porsche Engine
Batteries from a week in digital photo class.
Dunkin Donut apron in the school parking lot.
Flowering Pear Blossoms Fall Like Snowflakes
There were thunderstorms and heavy rains. then it cleared a bit.
As I pulled out of the school parking lot, a strong wind came up and the blossoms swirled and fell like snow.
April Showers, Richie Havens and Here Comes the Sun
It was MIXED BAG (vinyl) in my dorm room in the early seventies. Over and over. Richie Havens sang Dylan better than Bob.
Here’s an email in response to the one I wrote in December.
Subject: A Message of Gratitude
Last Christmas Matthew was back from Croatia and we were sitting in Mark and Erika’s living room in Ohio, remembering the first Richie Havens concert I forced him to go to as a teenager. We saw him together years later in New York City at the Knitting Factory, too. Matthew and Aunt Mary braved a Connecticut snowstorm to see him together and sat right under him.
——————————————————————-
Hi Ruth
Thank you so much for taking the time to send along such kind thoughts. I will make sure Richie sees your email.
Best wishes for 2013!
Leslie
Stormy Forest Productions, NYC
—–Original Message—–
From: ruthehendricks
To: stormyforestprod
Sent: Sat, Dec 29, 2012 3:50 pm
Subject: Message of Gratitude
This is a message for Mr. Havens as I sit with my 32 yo son tonight (home from Croatia where he lives) listening together to RH on youtube. When Matthew was 14 I forced him to go listen to a Richie Havens concert in Pittsburgh Pa at the Carnegie Music Hall. Oh he was mad cause who wants to go anywhere with their mother at that point of their life? We waited in the corridor afterwards and met Mr. Havens and my son said he emanated positive energy right out of himself into him. Matthew saw him in concert at least six times after that and he said tonight that Richie Havens was able to communicate to his soul. We saw him together at the Knitting Factory years later. So powerful and I wanted to express gratitude for his musical gifts and these wonderful loving memories we share of listening to Mr Havens music and energy. Xxoo Ruth Hendricks
Paris in Pittsburgh
Sunday afternoon, Steve and I were walking across the Schenley Bridge on our way to the Carnegie Library in Oakland. We saw lots of shiny things reflecting the sun. As we got closer, I saw combination and key padlocks.
Not sure when these locks started showing up on Pittsburgh Bridges but this was the first time I’ve seen them.
Love Padlocks or Lovelocks, they’re called.
They signify “everlasting love” according to the entry at Wikipedia. And they aren’t just in Paris. There is a whole list of cities – Prague, Rome, Zurich, London, Moscow, Dublin, Sydney. The padlocks are controversial as some deem them unsightly and akin to litter. Eyesores. Too much weight on some bridges.
Other citizens are outraged when they’re cut off from public bridges around the world. Not sure what the stance is here in Pittsburgh-these additions to the Schenley Bridge over Panther Hollow. Guess time will tell.
We were able to see names or initials inscribed on them, dates. Most of the padlocks hung from one section of fencing.
Just now I read that the padlock keys are thrown under the bridge.
I remembered seeing a photo of a ton of padlocks on a Parisian bridge in a Weekly Photo Challenge from WordPress: LOVE (click to see photo of Paris Bridge)
and if you want to read the list of locations around the world and see more photos of love locks, click here.
If you look at bridges around the world sporting Love Padlocks, Pittsburgh is going to have to go some to catch up!
Do you think a sword was pulled from this stone?
Steak Hibachi Dinner at Ginza
It was Steve’s idea that we should try the new Japanese Restaurant. He brought home a menu that said Grand Opening.
Turns out it opened at least a year ago, but they had a lot of menus printed up with that on the front.
So we headed over for dinner on Saturday night. A clear soup, salad, Steak Hibachi with vegetables and rice added up to $13-
The food was fresh, nicely prepared and delicious.
The server told us there was a bad review on YELP but I checked it out and they are mostly favorable, especially about their Sushi.
Lunchtime meals are about 6 bucks. Really reasonable.
It ‘s a BYOB but we had no B to bring tonight. We are planning a return trip to explore the menu. It’s in the Italian section of the city, Bloomfield.
iPhone shots of the exterior and my dinner below.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
Up! Crane your neck a bit.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1—–Maura is ready for rocket launch!
Greenwich Village Night in the backyard by the garbage cans
Jane’s Carousel and Bridge- Brooklyn NY
Jack Erika and Mark at the Rock Climbing Place
Birds on a wire Route 51 
Bleecker Street Store Ceiling at Night
Rockefeller Center
The Black Widow on the upswing at Kennywood
Headed upstairs to the brige
Maura Rock Climbing
Pittsburgh 
The Skycoaster at Kennywood
Pizza Chef Again in E.Rossi & Co. Windows- Grand and Mulberry Streets
Taken the week before Easter, on Spring Break vacation in New York City. Found the second window picture with the nativity scenes tonight and the pizza man reappearing which I’d missed the first time.
The little girls’ mom is pointing out the Mary riding on the donkey with a hand on her expectant figure. 
Bob and Whiskers – 1955 – Guest Blog Post
This guest post is in response to Murphy the Airedale’s passing. We are grateful to so many friends and followers for their lovely email and text messages and comments on the blogpost, too. Many of you have experienced pet loss and understand how painful it is.
On Wednesday morning, my neighbor Bob (from across the hall at school) brought me a copy of this wonderful photograph with 1955 written in the margin. It touched me so. Later in the afternoon I asked if I could please share it on the blog.
Here is what Bob wrote for the blog when I asked if it would be okay to post………..
This picture of my dog Whiskers and me was taken in 1955 with an second-hand camera that had light leak. My oldest sister took this photo. He was a mixed terrier. On July 4th, 1957 my pal was attacked by a very large German Shepherd and he passed away 2 days later. I was 6 in this picture. My buddy was 5.
After 58 years, I have never forgotten what a great family member he was and I still miss him. This is on the Southside of Pittsburgh.
My face and hands and my pup were as dirty as the air we breathed back then.
There was a song on the radio that came out just about the time of my dog’s passing. It was ” I’m saving my money to buy you a rainbow“. Whenever I hear or think of that song, it takes me back to those wonderful days with my dog Whiskers, when “life was in black and white”.
Pyramid of LED Lights on the Gulf Tower, Change with the Weather
Dear Blog Readers,
Thank you for the thoughtful expressions of sympathy, your comments and emails yesterday, on the passing of Murphy the Airedale.
It means a lot to the whole family to read such an outpouring of love, care and concern. Your words offer comfort and understanding. xxoo Ruth
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For years the Gulf Tower Building ( built in 1930) had a beacon that displayed the weather- red lights for fair or blue lights for precipitation
Now The Gulf Tower has a fancy installation of programmed LED lights that change with the holidays, sporting events and special occasions but still tell the weather at five minutes before the hour. The combination of lights can produce any color.
Designed by Cindy Limauro, professor of lighting design at Carnegie Mellon University and husband, Christopher Popowich, partners in C&C Lighting LLC.
Read more: at the Post Gazette article with a chart telling how to”read” the lights.
This photo was taken from my car window while waiting or my sister to buy her train ticket back to NYC at the AMTRAK station downtown.
Get in on Knit the Bridge Project NOW! Deadline is June 1st.
My friend Ellen sent me an email about the Knit the Bridge project. You know how we Pittsburghers feel about our bridges.
The Knit the Bridge project is a YARN BOMB thing planned for the Andy Warhol Bridge and is an outreach project for Fiberart International 2013 Knitting Communities together one bridge at a time
We even got together with another friend and knit a bit one evening. Well, not much. We were catching up on one another’s lives now that we don’t teach in the same school anymore. I was reluctant to commit to knit for the project as I had so many projects started. I thought I would knit one 17×17 inch square to help out. It has to be in acrylic yarn and bright colors are desired. I even went to the Red White and Blue Secondhand shop looking for donated yarn to purchase. No luck. The knit or crochet pieces/panels are due June first. There are directions and suggestions for the knit and/or crochet panels at the Knit the Bridge (wordpress blog) and all kinds of information if you want to consider participating. You can mail me your knit pieces and I will turn them in at a drop off point. Of course I plan to photograph the bridge when it is KNIT!
Now I have signed up to knit an entire panel. I’m just starting. It will be 72″ x 34″. Oh my. They need almost 600 panels!
What have I done? I bought some yarn and started my granddaughter Anna (9) on a square 17×17. Then Maura (4) wanted to sit on my lap and learn how to knit so I started her off and amazingly she seemed to “get it” right away. Both granddaughters are left handed so I didn’t know how to do it any differently from how I already knit.
Just got in from visiting the family in Ohio this weekend and so took a quick pic of the bag of yarn to knit in the foyer after I unpacked the car. I put the phone camera down into the bag of yarn and the hall light on the desk illuminated it through the white plastic bag.
Some crazy colors that should show up nicely.
I like to do plain knitting, back and forth, back and forth, watch it grow.
It calms me, sucks out my anxiety. I am going to be very peaceful and relaxed when it ‘s complete
with all that knitting required!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Change
Have you ever tried to?
Change your mind about something or someone?
Change-the only constant of our lives.
Oh, you changed your hair.
“You’ve got to change, baby”
Change trains.
I have a friend who can change the subject on a dime.
Many people don’t enjoy change.
I can change a diaper. Four quarters for a buck. Switch directions in the car when necessary. Change lanes.
But change?
Really truly change. Change my ways. Change my habits. Change my thinking?
Lots of people are worrying about Climate Change.
Subtle change, drastic change.
Here are some suggested change illustrations-
Hot Dog Vendor checks his supply of change.
Architecture changes over time.
The window dresser changes the window.
Waiting for the red light to change.
And you can always count on the weather to change,
the seasons to change-
although sometimes the pace is agonizingly slow.
Thanks to everyone who sent good words for the milestone 1300th post. Now what? Can’t change it up now, so here’s #1301.
This is a sad change- what it looked like about 7 years ago
On the way into school Friday morning. Steeler umbrella, daffodils, new green grass and a Spring rain NOT snow! A change for the better.
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