What photo to put up? A dilemma. There’s the ongoing documentation of the storm, the damage done- like the aluminum canopy over gas pumps all twisted as if in a tornado, buckled under the weight of the snow. Or an Alpine mountain (i.e. huge pile) of snow that looks like Geology class. So many layers, the striations from the different days. The bottom layer almost black sedimentary rock- coal! A dusting of confectioner’s sugar on top. The snow I shoveled today felt like the stuff in the movies, that ersatz fluff in the Nutcracker that floats down onto the Snow Queen. If you need to Create Fake Snow Falling from a Ceiling for a School Play there are instructions. Tomorrow’s shovelfuls might be like concrete. And it’s snowing as I think of what to share. Lots of comments and emails about Spring and the hope for pictures with green in them. Hmmm, what to do? I’d set this up on my front porch after returning from a happy Valentine’s wedding in D.C., souvenirs from a lovely celebration.
Charlotte & Joel married on her Grandparents' Wedding Anniversary (wed 2-14-1942) Their photo on back of program
When I left Tess’s house after Book Club, the snow and streetlights created a dramatic winter scene. She pointed out the giant icicles on the neighboring house. Walked to the corner and took a shot but just not enough light to make them interesting. A car came down the hill. I was able to catch some of the light from their low beams as they backlit the giant icicles that almost touched the ground.( Well, the deep snow covering the ground). The term chiaroscuro surfaces as I look at the shading now, the darkness, the light. An article about the use of it in photography Lighting is All About Chiaroscuro explains what I was trying to achieve with the use of available light. The car’s lights timing saved the shot.
Caught the light just as the car approached the stop sign.
Unusual back up on Bigelow Boulevard and no traffic from the oncoming direction. Saw the wild turkeys eating the corn put out for them. Usually you would fly by doing 45, no chance for a shot. I was driving from school, surprised by the long two lines of cars as I approached Herron Hill intersection. Fluffy large flakes and an increase in wind? Just driving and thinking. Inching up to the light. Thinking. The huge TV at the gym explained the clog. Showed the scene I’d just driven by but I’m not reporting on that. Today it is just Wild Turkey in the Snow.
Wild Turkey in an Urban Landscape, No Still Life Today
When you are little there are lots of “firsts”. First tooth, first words, first steps, first day of school, first time on skates, first time for any number of things. As we age the number of “firsts” decrease. Everyone cleared the rink. Michael was mesmerized by the “Mighty Machine” (his favorite show) that drove out onto the ice. You see an ice machine the word Zambonicomes to mind. He barely blinked as he watched the man drive the Zamboniaround the ice.
Erika hoists Michael, skates and all, to watch the Zamboni clear the rink
It is not all gloom and doom, piles of dirty snow. A break in the Cabin Fever on Saturday. Sledding down the Firehouse Hill on Orange Road in Columbus, OH.
Usually "unpeopled" photo of the day, grandson Michael as he came down the snowy hillside.
Family, friends and neighbors suggest pictures for me to shoot. Tess said, “Ruthie, you have to get a photo of the giant Snow Cyclops!” But he was over on the South Side and for 9 days I wasn’t driving anywhere.
Thursday night I left the Art Institute downtown and headed for Book Club on Josephine Street, and there he was waiting for me. Not melted yet! Deep and dirty piles of snow so nowhere to park. Pulled into the bus stop, pushed the flashers button. Got out of the car completely, careful of traffic on Carson Street, and felt like photographer on assignment. Self-imposed! Thanks Tess. Kyklops Tattoo for all your tattoo needs!
The temperature rose today so I was lucky to catch him before he started to melt
Tim's Poem Came to Mind as I Admired the Concrete First Time in Two Weeks
*NOTE to poet(s) not knowing HTML code I am restricted by the format of this blog template and or the limits of Text/Edit from word.doc to Mac? and the poem will not publish in the original format. It is a five stanza poem and the breaks occur after -out. -Way. -human. – eternal. Hence the hyphens for space and breath.
Timons Esaias is a writer and poet living in Pittsburgh. His short stories, ranging from literary to genre, have been published in fourteen languages. He has had over a hundred poems in print, including Spanish, Swedish and Chinese translations, in such markets as 5AM, Bathtub Gin, Main Street Rag, Willard & Maple, Elysian Fields Quarterly: The Literary Journal of Baseball and many others. He has also been a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award, and won the Asimov’s Readers Award. His poetry chapbook, The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture, sold out two editions. He is Adjunct Faculty at Seton Hill University, in the Writing Popular Fiction M.F.A. Program. This poem was originally published in hotmetalpoets.com when it existed.
Some Ft.Pitt Elementary students have to climb these city steps up the hill to school. The blue sign says Rosetta Street. When I got to school, I could see two city trucks and a crew clearing the steps for the children to walk. I thought their efforts should be documented. The unsung heroes of the storm. What a lot of snow to shovel. The clock tower peeking through the trees is where I teach on Mondays and Tuesdays. Photographed Tuesday Feb. 16, 2010
City Crew Clearing the Steps for the Students on TuesdayCity Steps to Ft PItt- View from the bottom.City Crew Shoveling the Steps so Students Can Walk to School
