School’s Out for the Summer!
Well it WILL be out come Monday, June 17th (the final day without students)
The lockers were all opened and cleared out after the students left. What a collection in the lost and found.
I still have to turn in my keys and get signed out. The grade summary reports got turned in Friday. The books packed from the shelves in boxes or cupboards. Ripped down the bulletin board paper and thought about what color for next fall.
This lone work boot and the baseball were in the hallway by an open locker.
Thought about how I could have rearranged the still life to improve the composition but didn’t touch it,
just moved myself and the camera.
Happy Summer- I’m turning off all alarms.
Happy Father’s Day to my Son
Happy Father’s Day!
I’m a proud mom! Here is my son Mark who is a wonderful father to Anna, Michael, Jack and Maura. (Excellent Mom Erika, too)
Bringing Maura home November 2008
No matter the season…………….
Coaching Michael
Sledding with Jack
At the Pirates Game Willie Stargell Statue- Mark with Anna and Maura (and Grandma on camera)
PNC Park Pittsburgh PA
(and if you are new to following the blog you might enjoy this Father’s Day Tribute to my father) (more…)
WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: Curves
The challenge for the week is curves. Tour bus above in the National Park with all the waterfalls- Plitvice National Park – Croatia-
No guard rails on this curve!
Plitvice Lakes Park in Croatia a curved walkway
I knew I had some back seat driver photos from my visit to Croatia and I was able to find a few. Fasten Your Seat Belt!
Roof Tiles in Istria
Light at the end of the curvy tunnel- Croatia Car Trip
On Brijuni – Tito’s Personal State Summer Residence
Zagreb Fountain- the water a straight line but the curve of the back caught my eye
And Back in the States Kennywood Amusement Park a few years back
Anna on the whip in Kiddieland Kennywood Amusement Park
Curved Carousel Horse
Pap puts Anna into the car on the curve at Kennywood – Is this the Turnpike?
Log Flume Ride Kennywood
Glass Paperweight
Don’t Throw- Don’t Drop- Don’t Bruise-Fragile!
Last Saturday night, Steve and I were walking around downtown at the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Behind the line of food tents at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, (actually renamed the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival- who knows how much they shelled out to include in the name ) this pile of fifty pound bags of potatoes caught my eye.
The sliver of orange shirt was a man who didn’t want his photo taken but I said “Don’t worry. I just want the potatoes. “
As far as identifying what state the potatoes were grown, I looked up Top ‘O The Harvest brand and found a distinctive bag in an agricultural museum c. 1960 and if they are still in business, it looks like they came from Unity, Maine. The label says Special Frying Potatoes. Wish I could have found the cooking oil containers to accompany this shot.
Here is the beginning of the line of food tents- the signs seem so generic this year. Like a supermarket brand, to me. They seem to have lost the individual character, a certain sameness except a different color.
Waiting for Barges on the Allegheny River Late in the Day
Standing on the Roberto Clemente Bridge from Sixth Street. Saturday night.
Who Do You Root For? For Whom Do You Root?
Graduation on Saturday. Everything going without a hitch. Supposed to be a solemn occasion. Serious business.
I was standing with my camera, photographing the seniors as they filed in and found their rows.
Mr. Milinski, Health and Phys Ed teacher, Cross Country and Tennis Coach, was at the end of the first row.
Be seated after the National Anthem.
I hear a soft voice, “Ms. Hendricks, Ms. Hendricks.”
Mr. Milinski lifted his robe to reveal some crazy Green Bay Argyles. Of course, I photographed them.
In fact, I think he wanted me to get the shot. He seemed pleased that I captured his individuality.
This morning at school I ran into him in the main office and I asked him if it would be okay to blog his socks.
He said I could even use his name. And I asked him why he was a Green Bay Fan in the middle of Pittsburgh? and his response was
“Because I’m smart!”
It Can’t Be Easy Being a Cheesehead Green Bay Fan (it’s not derogatory anymore) in a Sea of Steelers Fans!
was my original title.
Mr. Milinski and I had a chuckle and here’s the photo of his Cheesehead socks. Everyone has their team allegiance, often due to place of residence or where one was born or hails from….can’t end a sentence with “from” either. Yikes.
I think he’s from the South Side of Pittsburgh, nowhere near Lake Michigan but I’ll check on that.
Weekly Photo Challenge:Fleeting
Several ideas came to mind but I’m posting a single shot of the fleeting sunlight on the curtain in my living room today.
Under a cloud, the sun shifts – it’s gone.
“Pittsburgh Recollections” a Mural by Romare Bearden
Port Authority Downtown Pittsburgh- Gateway Center Station
“Pittsburgh Recollections”Romare Bearden Mural
To see and read more about the mural painted by Romare Bearden in 1984 click the article here.
Appraised at 15 million dollars.
Most people who pass by it on their daily commute, probably have no idea. It’s 60 by 13 feet.
I tried the panorama setting again on my new iPhone.
Waiting for a Ride to Commencement
Saturday at 12:30 PM, Pittsburgh Carrick High School’s Class of 2013 will graduate.
Friday morning, the Timpani were waiting for a truck to take them to Petersen Events Center at University of Pittsburgh. Ready for their part in Sir Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance as the seniors walk in the processional.
The bowl of the drum seemed to glow on this overcast day. And yes, there’s a snare drum peeking from behind.
Three More Days of the One-Woman Show, REMAINS, at the New Hazlett Theatre, North Side
My friend R sent me an article from the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette by Sara Bauknecht, about “Remains”, a one-woman show playing at The New Hazlett Theater on the North Side – Thought I might be interested in going. I read the part about going through boxes of memories and stuff from one’s parents and it piqued my interest.
You can read more about the star of the show, Beth Corning, at her blog
“This year’s offering is a one-woman show (starring Beth Corning ) made with Tony Award-winning choreographer/performer Dominique Serrand, co-artistic director of Minneapolis-based The Moving Company.”
and before you know it, R went online and bought us tickets. I’m so glad she did. It was excellent. Powerful. Graceful. Moving. Evocative.
And it’s there for just 3 more days!! If you live in Pittsburgh, you should make a plan to go this weekend.
We went to the performance Thursday night and stayed for the Talk-Back afterwards.
Beth Corning asked the audience if we might Tweet, Facebook and tell friends about “Remains” – (a Glue Factory Project) which is playing Friday June 7,
Sat June 8th and a Sunday Matinee at 2 (June 9th) when you pay what you can for admission.
R and I went to the lobby and then I wondered out loud how to blog about it and R suggested I ask to take a photo of Beth. So we turned around and went back and I took a photo with my iPhone.
A nice man, Alex showed me how to take a panorama with my new iPhone in the theater lobby and showed me where to stand in the corner. A bit dark but fun. Thanks Alex
We headed to Market Square to La Cucina Flegrea where the kitchen had closed but served us each a bowl of delicious minestrone and some bread.
And if you don’t live in Pittsburgh, you could invite Beth and Dominique to come to your city. Maybe they will consider a tour! The show’s theme is personal and universal simultaneously.
Formerly the Carnegie Library Now the New Hazlett Theater
Beth Corning after the performance.
Poster in the Lobby
The Lobby of the New Hazlett Theater
Market Square Scene
A bowl of minestrone at La Cucina Flegrea in Market Square, after the show.
How One Looks at Dryer Lint
Last week I emptied the dryer at my son and DIL’s. Thought I’d help out, fold a load.
When I cleaned out the lint trap, I found a tri-layered catch of fresh dryer lint. The striation helped out by the load of new white towels.
I put the dryer lint on the counter above the garbage and saw the face of a sock monkey.
“Erika”, I said, “let me save the dryer lint and show the kids in the morning, It’s striped and looks like a sock monkey.”
Hmmmm. I decided to take a pic on the phone instead and throw it in the trash cause I didn’t think she was seeing the face and she hadn’t been to the dryer lint art show at the Duds ‘N Suds Laundromat on Centre Ave here in Pittsburgh, a few years ago. I took some friends and it was a memorable and quirky event. The laundromat had that detergent, steamy scent. The people and scenes were all made from none other than DRYER LINT! You know how different loads offer different colors, frequently gray but sometimes a lovely hue, depending on the clothes or sheets.
My DIL had no idea there was a National Lint Project and that artist Cheryl Capezutti creates art from such a catch. You can go to her website and see her creations.
What I should have done is send the batch of lint to the artist Cheryl Capezutti and she could have created a winged creature or a tiny figure. She finds art in the everyday.
My lint screen here at home in Pittsburgh isn’t as interesting a shape, either. Erika’s is a half moon and mine is a flat, broad screen.
Unexpected Gift
The seniors in sixth period finished their Digital Photography exam. And after homeroom, the seniors were allowed to go home.
One of the young women in the class and my homeroom, handed me this two tone metal dog pin and said, “Here Ms. Hendricks. This is for you.”
I was so surprised. She’d made it in Jewelry Class.
I took the highly polished pin and pinned it on my shirt collar, fastening the safety clasp, thanked her and told her how lovely it was…. but then as I thought about it, I asked her if maybe she should give it to someone in her family, it was so beautiful.
She said, “No, I want you to have it.”
My first year teaching high school is coming to a close. I’m touched when asked to sign a yearbook. They want me to bring my camera to graduation on Saturday.
I’ve learned a lot.
Thank you Jaquea. (p.s. It is really difficult to photograph highly polished metal)
Do You Keep a Junk Drawer?
A couple of years ago I was going to photograph junk drawers. It looks like it has already been done on the google search. There are some incredible junk drawers in the image search already.
There’s even an article about Make Over Your Junk Drawer from overwhelmed to organized
My DIL Erika consented that I could blog hers but that was awhile back so hope she is still in agreement.
After all, this is probably the kind of situation that gives a MIL a bad name.
I blogged my own junk on my old Keep or Pitch blog but never proceeded with the project.
I’m thinking about returning to the project, even though there are a lot of photos out there already.
Just read an article about self-assignment for your photography practice and I was thinking about some of the ideas I’ve been considering.
One thing, no two junk drawers would be the same.
So you do keep a junk drawer in your home? Maybe readers could send photos of their own junk drawers and we could have a collection of photos from around the world. Maybe they are only in the USA.
If I came to photograph it, would you keep it “as is” or feel compelled to tidy it up first?
Just thinking about junk drawers. Cleaning up. Being tidy. Wondering how little pieces gather in a spot, collect.
Thanks Erika.
If you followed my Keep or Pitch blog,you’ve seen these already. Seems only fair to post some of my own accumulated junk.
no room for a junk drawer? A little copper dish will do.
Happy Fortieth Wedding Anniversary- Marlene and Donald!
June 2, 1973. Swissvale Pennsylvania. Happy 40th Anniversary Marlene and Donald.
Marlene and Donald’s daughter Erika is married to my son Mark and we share the grandchildren- Anna, Michael, Jack and Maura. Last year I posted the church they were married in , Madonna del Castello, and all of a sudden a whole year has flown by.
Here’s a photo of the family at Laura and James’ wedding November 2011. V’s idea to find a photo of you and the grandchildren, 40 years after your wedding day. Send me a wedding photo and I will add it to the post. I should have taken a photo of one when we visited Memorial Day weekend or taken a new photo of the two of you with the grandchildren.
(I was going to post my friend Donna’s wedding cake topper from the same era but the bride’s hair was brunette in the photo and Marlene is blonde)
Marlene and Donald with their daughter Erika, my son Mark, and the grandchildren. Columbus OH
Popped on the Stovetop
My DIL bought Non-GMO Organic popcorn in the bulk section of Whole Foods for $2 a pound.
The family hasn’t eaten popcorn on family movie night for more than a year. Since my mom hailed from Illinois we had popcorn when I was growing up- apples and milk on Sunday nights. At Christmas my parents gave bags of strawberry popcorn kernels grown in Durand, Illinois and it was so tender and good.
I know popcorn isn’t the snack food of choice for many and isn’t eaten or popular in some places.
My sister missed the popcorn gene and doesn’t care for it and I don’t remember my dad eating it except when my mom coated it with molasses syrup cooked up until it spun a thread. (not very often) I know I don’t care for microwave popcorn. Have to make it on the stovetop.
Tonight while visiting the family, I made the first batch for the grandkids, opening the brown paper bag and finding a variety of colors and sizes of popcorn kernels.
It was so inviting. My phone was handy.
Tried to catch it popping but didn’t get past the second kernel exploding. I used a larger pan than I would at my own home, more like a pasta pot.
A single kernel bursts open
the second kernel burst. then it was get that lid on quick!
Look at the variety of colors. No butter on it to make it that yellow. Just plain.
Maura age 4 1/2 photographed Grandma, using the phone as I took the popcorn off the stove.
What I used to cook the popcorn. A generous tablespoon melted on medium high heat. About 3/4 c of popcorn. I stirred the kernels with a wooden spatula so it wouldn’t burn.
It was a fun time and the house smelled fragrant. Only one out of four grandchildren wanted salt on it! I thought that was interesting.
With what snack do you like to treat yourself??
Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says
When I went to look in my files for signage, I wasn’t surprised to find a ton of them.
I know I’m attracted to writing and the reading of it.
This week’s challenge arrived in my inbox Friday May 31st and I am wondering how it is going to be June in a few minutes. Last day of school is June 17th.
Little Italy
The Strip District Pittsburgh PA Penguins Hockey
Sign by Ghost Bicycle
Weekly Photo Challenge: In the Background
Oops. Between going away for the holiday weekend and my consternation about loyal and regular followers not being able to receive the blog in email, I forgot to do last Friday’s Weekly Photo Challenge: In the Background. Tomorrow there will be another challenge so this one is in just under the wire
This challenge was just that- a challenge.
Fishmarket Chinatown NYC
A class trip picture in Central Park
Breadmaking at Eataly NYC
The horse’s eye at Booker T Washington Monument Park Virginia
From the giant Lego store- Prometheus
Eataly
Chicken through the fence
Washington Square Park
(Thanks to everyone who wrote and commented about my ongoing frustration that many friends and followers can’t even subscribe to the email to receive it. What’s up with that , WordPress? I have tried to send the link or forward the post and they don’t get it either. AND from three different types of email- mac, yahoo and a virgin gmail account.)
Big Dreams
It seems from the emails from friends and followers that comcast.net and verizon. net are the largest group not receiving my daily post via my gmail account. There are a few others, too.
Even a new email address and a different provider the next time I sent it, for some reason these addresses think the blog post is the processed meat in a little blue can. (I don’t even want to write the name of it – )
Why after almost four years of daily blog sending it is refusing my emails is something I don’t understand. No bounced back email, no sign of it in spam. People have difficulty subscribing to the blog at wordpress, not receiving a confirmation email. So what changed?
Did someone get in my email? I’ve changed all the passwords and there are no signs of compromise that I can detect. At least a few people wondered what happened to me and others have let me know they are receiving it just fine without a hitch. Did wordpress change something? What is suspicious these days? Who knows. Seems other wordpressers are in good shape but the email situation is exasperating. Thanks for your patience. I did read in an article How To Tell if you are Boring Someone, and one tip was -don’t talk about computer problems. Thanks for your input xxooxx Ruth E.
And the Post Today————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Photographer Martin Weber had a show at Silver Eye Center of Photography called A Map of Latin American Dreams about three and a half years ago. I remembered the faces of the people he photographed and how he documented their dreams and desires on a small chalkboard in every image. He is the inspiration for this project.
We used black construction paper and white chalk. I showed the students his photographs first. Then talked about dreams. I encouraged the students to write specifically.
Today I can’t show you the faces of the students who did this project in my Digital Photography Classes but I wanted to share some of their dreams.
We converted all the dream photos into black and white and then made a display in the classroom. Of course the faces of the students amplify the effectiveness of the composition and evoke emotion but these are just the handwritten dreams of a select few students as we come to the close of the school year (last day for me June 17th)
This could be a good project for many levels of students These are 9-12th graders. I wrote down my dream, too.
Catching Kids on the Fly
Hardy, Virginia (near Roanoke) weekend at the other Grandparents’ home.
Grandkids and their cousin on the move.
Grandma has to be fast with the camera – lens and shutter, barely time to check focus. Everyone growing up before my eyes.
Coal Miner’s Memorial and Heritage Park, Quinwood, West Virginia
On my way home from Hardy VA, I stopped at the Coal Miner’s Memorial and Heritage Park in Quinwood, West Virginia, built where the old company store used to stand according to this site.
The names read like poetry. There are names chiseled on both sides of the stone markers.
The day was overcast and chilly, more like football weather instead of the end of May.
I was thinking about the sign on Bleecker Street, NYC, advertising coal oven pizza and wondered where they get coal for their ovens.
May 26, 1976 Fort Knox Kentucky
Ireland Army Hospital.
The family has gathered in to Erika’s parents to celebrate Mark’s birthday. You were a bicentennial baby and my father’s mother knit you a red ,white and blue afghan.
This afternoon we went to the farm next door to see how the pigs are growing. We were playing with the runt named P.P. and watching her root in the mud. No truffles found, though.
Mark and his sons Michael and Jack were walking back home. Of course I had the fixed lens (50mm) on the camera. I almost missed them though. Erika asked me “Did you get it?” We saw the three of them at the top of the hill at the same time. The next frame they’re in total sunlight and it isn’t as strong.
Happy Birthday Mark. I searched the card racks for the right words but the card writers this year didn’t capture what I wanted to say.
When I see you grown up, loving your own beautiful family, my heart is full.
I love you. Ma
Mazeroski in Moonlight, After the Prom
Pittsburgh Carrick 2013 Senior Prom was held at the Lexus Club at PNC Park tonight.
I went and took pictures of the kids and it was a great evening. My friend Steve picked me up and then had to turn the car around to be in the homeward direction.
This is what we saw at the circle by the Bill Mazeroski statue-
I got out into the chilly air and took a few shots. The clouds kept drifting over the moon, making the clouds luminous.
p.s.
In case you don’t know about the Greatest Home Run Ever Here’s the youtube video of Bill Mazeroski running to home in the 1960 World Series
Who You Gonna Call When Your Neon’s Ailing? The Neon Doctor
Neon. An inert gas. 2/3 the density of air. When put into electric signs it glows, catches your eye. You can read about Neon Signs here.
Not sure how much neon signage you have in your neighborhood but there’s a lot around the city.
I was filling up my car’s gas tank and looked across the street.
After I screwed on the gas cap, I got my camera out of my school bag. I had the long lens.
Another day I’ll go and visit the interior and ask if the Neon Doctor is in.
Good to know there’s a place that can restore and repair the neon signs.
From across the street. Shot with a Canon 70-200 lens L series.
Cropped shot. I will get energized and go and actually visit the place after school one day. 
Analog Clock Faces Smile at 10:10
My old clock fell off the hook and a new battery couldn’t help it recover.
I found this turquoise retro looking kitchen clock last Saturday in Shadyside. Oh how I love a second hand. I really like to look at a clock with a face and get a visual as to how much time is left. Most students like a digital clock for telling time.
My colleague used his Phillips screwdriver to remove the bolted kitchen clock out of the box. I ‘d bought it for my classroom. I never really noticed the time at which the clock was set when we got it out of the box.
Mr. B (Bob) told me that clocks for sale are always positioned at the time of 10:10. Huh, I had never really noticed that fact. I thought it would make an interesting post to think about. Maybe everyone else already knows this. Is it the same in other parts of the world. I guess 9:09 or 8:08 or 3:03 wouldn’t look as good.
And sure enough there is information all over the internet about it and why. Timex says they set their timepieces at 10:09:36 exactly.
It shows off their name and is symmetrical. Mental Floss has an article all about the myths and truths of the default setting 10:10 on watches and clocks for sale.
So I started thinking about digital clocks for sale and many of them online for sale are set at 12:34. Who knew? This is just something I haven’t thought about.
Thanks Mr. B. (See Bob and Whiskers 1955 post) He told me that even a broken clock shows the correct time twice a day!
Here’s the packaging for the kitchen clock for the classroom. You can see the three holes where the clock was screwed into the cardboard. I thought of going to stores and photographing a multitude of clocks at the 10:10 setting but decided at this time of the school year, one photo of the photo on the packaging would suffice.
(an iPhone photo of a photo on the packaging)
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