February 2014 – Page 3 – Ruth E. Hendricks

All Her Ducks in a Row

Saturday afternoon my friend and I came out of the theater where we’d just seen Philomena. A young girl had lined up all of these rubber ducks on the edge of the table in the lobby.

She said she’d won them at the arcade, 6 for a dollar. I asked if I could photograph them.

Looked up the origin of the saying “having ones ducks in a row” found several claims at Wise Geek

It is in the small details but might come from-

*duck pin bowling

*ducks flying in formation

*carnival game targets.

Grainy phone photo but you get the idea

and here is how much a family of four spent at the concession stand at the movies today.

So thinking about the cost of popcorn at the movies and why it seems so much….. why yes, there’s actually a book written by an economics professor (Richard McKenzie) on this topic Here’s the ABC News Story on Why Does Theater Popcorn Cost So Much by Nick Watt on Nightline- says- Americans eat a billion pounds of popcorn a year!

(and it is a 1300% markup at the theater)

February 8, 2014 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: concession stand, ducks in a row, family of four, food, movie theater, movies, Nick Watt, Nightline, Philomena, postaday, refreshments, Richard McKenzie, snacks, Why Does Theater Popcorn Cost So Much?, Wise Geek 13 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie

2013 Word of the Year- Selfie. WordPress’ Cheri Lucas Rowlands posted the challenge with the example of herself reflected in an art work/sculpture.

Selfies are the thing for high schoolers. It’s really their favorite subject to shoot. Themselves!

And I have a few of myself on file. Here is an article written by Dan Zak in the Washington Post about Selfies

Just Ducky Tour Reflection in Side View Mirror

Having lunch alone at Sunseri’s in the Strip District. Tuna Balsamic with onion on baguette ad a ginger ale.

Me in my lawn ball in the snow

me at work (school) in sweater Erika gave me

My hand knit socks( by self) on my big feet.

February 7, 2014February 8, 2014 by Ruth Categories: Weekly Photo ChallengeTags: BVM, Dan Zak, gazing ball, Just Ducky Tour Pittsburgh, lawn ball, madonna, mirror, photography, postaday, reflection, snow scene, Washington Post, weekly photo challenge: selfie 39 Comments

Leftovers – Love ’em or Heave ’em?

-or save them first and then heave them after they get a bit furry in the fridge.

Or eat them cause you feel it a duty, but not enjoy them wholeheartedly?

How do you feel about leftovers? Does it depend on the type of food saved?

Today as I drove home after school, I thought about the spaghetti sauce in the fridge and although freshly made pasta is preferable, warming up a bowl of leftovers with hot sauce poured over top was incredibly satisfying.

A little fresh grated cheese. Mmmm. Eating my way through winter…………..

Didn’t have to start a meal from scratch and it was a relief to know it was there waiting on a shelf in the refrigerator. I looked forward to eating it again.

I thought the spaghetti sauce tasted even better today.

Some people don’t enjoy leftovers or being served leftovers for supper.

And true, certain dishes are better than others in the leftover department. Chili seems to improve, the flavors marry as they say.

I know I have wrapped things up and put them away or I have saved food in a little plastic container and forgotten all about it and then when I unearth it, it’s inedible and needs to be pitched. Storing in clear glass is key to seeing what is there to eat.

Does gender make a difference in leftover preference? Do you have a limit as to how long you will keep a dish?

When I did some research on leftovers I found an article about how Americans waste about twenty pounds of food each month. Yikes, that seems like a lot and is a disgusting statistic. So wasteful.

Growing up you were encouraged to consume everything and clean your plate. My mother had a book as a child The Sunny/ Sulky Book and one of the naughty kids (the book could be turned upside down to read about the good children) always took more on his plate than he could eat. One night he was visited by a Fairy-Eat-It-All in a dream and given a spoon to consume the mountain of food he had wasted. Eyes bigger than his stomach situation I guess.

A moral tale.

One time I posted how to revive a piece of leftover cake

February 6, 2014 by Ruth Categories: Cooking and Eating, PhotographyTags: cooking, eating, family, food, home, kitchen, leftover cake, leftover food, leftovers, parmesan cheese, pasta, photography, postaday, pyrex bowl, sauce, spaghetti 11 Comments

What It Looked Like Four Years Ago Today

February 2010–

There was a huge snowstorm and the whole city was covered with snow… for at least a month. I was supposed to fly to Florida for friend Kristin’s big birthday and take photographs of the event. Greater Pittsburgh Airport was shut down, no flights in or out. I never made it to Florida for the weekend. :-(. (Happy Birthday again, Kristin!)

For those of you who’ve been following the blog since 2010, it’s a repeat.

You know how I like to take a color photograph that looks like a black and white. This is unretouched.

The big snow was the impetus for my beginning a photo of the day, and I’ve just kept at it since then.

p.s. concerning yesterday’s post of French Pastries here are the details on the “dark chocolate something“- heard from Lisanne at La Gourmandine Bakery and she said”The chocolate cake is called “Royal” and made of dark chocolate mousse with a layer of crispy praline and sponge cake”

February 5, 2014 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: blizzard, car, city scene, crispy praline, dark chocolate mousse, Feb 2010, Florida, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, Snowstorm, sponge cake, winter 18 Comments

Tartelette aux Framboises and Dark Chocolate Royal

We made an evening run for me to pick up something at Target. Little plastic containers for soup.

On the way to the parking lot, Steve asked me if I could drive by his work so he could get something he left there.

Someone had brought two delicious French pastries from La Gourmandine Bakery as it turned out.

He brought out the box and opened it in the car and there they were. Two lovely pastries.

When we got home, I cut the raspberry one in half and ate it, intending the other half for him later. Ooops. I ate the other half too. Here is the description on their website

Tartelette aux Framboises
(shortbread crust filled with baked almond cream and topped with fresh raspberries) and the description of the

The chocolate cake is called “Royal” and made of dark chocolate mousse with a layer of crispy praline and sponge cake.

chocolate one courtesy of baker Lisanne

in the box so glad he remembered they were at work and they didn’t go to waste! Happy to swing by and pick these up.

close up

I saved this one for Steve.

February 4, 2014February 5, 2014 by Ruth Categories: Baking, PhotographyTags: almond cream, bakery, chocolate, dark chocolate, desserts, food, French Bakery, French pastry, La Gourmandine Bakery, Lawrenceville, neighborhood, pastries, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, praline, Royal, sponge cake 17 Comments

Central Park Snow Scene via Joe in NYC

Here’s today’s guest blog-

This afternoon I received this photo from blog follower Jack. His son Joe took this “Central Park- South East corner…there is a small pond that is iced over and covered with snow…it looks really peaceful”

I wrote to Joe (who also follows the blog and he was happy to contribute today’s post- Thanks Joe!)

He gave me permission to share his picture. And thanks Jack for sending Joe’s Central Park Snow Scene.

February 3, 2014 by Ruth Categories: Guest Blog, PhotographyTags: Central Park, Central Park South, frozen pond, guest blog, New York City, postaday, snow, snow scene, travel, walking, weather, Winter in New York City 21 Comments

Punxsutawney Phil Declares 6 More Weeks of Winter

Groundhog’s Day 2014-

We were there to see Phil the Groundhog rousted out of his slumber, and taken out from his cozy stump to see his shadow amidst the brotherhood of the Inner Circle of Gobbler’s Knob. The men were all dressed in top hats and formal attire.

Twenty four years ago (before the 1993 movie) my sister Mary and I drove in the middle of a foggy night to see the groundhog. I can tell you that it was a much different this trip. Last time we just parked on the side of the road and walked up the hill to Gobbler’s Knob. The whole event was well orchestrated and incredibly efficient, especially with the number of people coming to town. Lots of dedicated people making a concerted effort to insure everyone’s safe and happy experience! Everyone pleasant and a festive atmosphere. We had fun and were really glad it was rain rain and more rain instead of ice and snow snow snow!

Laura thought she’d like to go last year since it was on a weekend but it was super cold and I had an photography show opening that weekend and it didn’t work out. “Next year”, I said. “Next year.” Laura wanted to cross it off her Bucket List.

Mary came out from NYC on the train Thursday night and Laura drove in Saturday morning from Columbus OH.

We went to bed at 8:30 PM Saturday night and got up at 2:40 AM.

Pulled out of the driveway around 3:20AM and drove the 74 miles to Punxsutawney PA. Not to0 much traffic but when we got there the Wal-Mart parking lot was already filled up. We were able to find a spot behind the County Market in Groundhog Plaza and walked two blocks to a McDonald’s where we got $5 round trip tickets for the bus to Gobbler’s Knob.

Just like Shuey had told us (he went last year in the bitter cold, driving his MOTORCYCLE from Niceville, Florida) it was “easy peasy.” The crowd was estimated at 30,000 and yes, it rained on us the entire time but the temp was about 37 so no ice, no snow and none of us felt cold or miserable. I’d wrapped the camera in a couple of plastic bags and rubber bands on the end of the lens. At one point we were asked to all pull out our cell phones an light the place like a concert with a lighter. A fellow art teacher plays the bass fiddle in a band The Beagle Brothers and they played a few sets starting at 3AM. Oh, the Star Spangled Banner, too.

We stopped in at County Market to buy a couple of magnets and use their nice restroom. The clerk had been there since the night before at 10:30 and her shift ended at 6AM.