#Creativesprint Warm-up at Voodoo Brewery- Homestead

Ellie Valentine* is one of the nicest people I know, so when she invited me to attend this event I said if I’m in town, I’d go –#Creativesprint what it’s all about.  Check out the link and anyone can sign up. Free.

She thinks I’m perfect for this 30 day challenge. That it will be easy for me. 

Hope so. (The last challenge I signed up in the new year,  I abandoned the effort early on, uh-oh)

 Voodoo Brewery is located in the old firehouse in Homestead on Ninth Avenue

   I had Pierogies and onions on greens, hummus and pita and veggies. A bold brown ale. They are into Brewology at Voodoo. 

  

  Pallets are the tabletops 

  The old fire bell 

  

  

 Voodoo Brewery in the old Firehouse 
Met some other nice people who came together tonight -warming up -before taking this creative challenge. 

I’ve posted about *Tin Front Cafe in Homestead PA. And her church is the one with the 24 foot statue of St Joseph in Church Parking Lot

A Fourth-Light

The theme for the photo challenge this week was Half-light.  I’m back in the Burgh after a Spring vacation to New York City and Ohio. 

By the time I left the University Commons, I missed the half-light

It was almost dark. 

I titled this series a fourth-light. 

I like the dark blue sky backdrop for a few of Pittsburgh’s iconic structures. 

I’d enjoyed my friend Cj’s poetry reading at Carlow U. Tuesday night. 

   Walking down the hill to the parking lot
Workmen on Fifth Avenue 

    Forbes Avenue view of Cathedral of Learning at the red light 
Cathedral of Learning – University of Pittsburgh 
  Heinz Chapel Silhouette 
 
St. Paul Cathedral  in Oakland 

(All shot with the iPhone camera)

Big Bell on a Flatbed Trailer 

My sister Mary caught this photo for me on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as we drove from NYC to Columbus.  

The guy was  driving so fast  we could not get any closer on the winding road through the Laurel Mountains. 

It’s not often you see a big bell on a flatbed trailer along the highway. 

See photo two below – the cropped version 

   
 Tuesday morning -Blogged from the phone in the Amtrak parking lot. Mary is catching a train to NYC after our lovely vacation. 

Airedales and Baby on Easter Walk

Yesterday’s post it was formal portraits. Today it’s candids. Capturing the day with a few casual images.

A sunny Easter afternoon.  We went for a walk around the neighborhood.

Michael and Jack had Airedale duty.  Anna carried Charlie.

When we got back to the house the children hunted for hidden eggs in the backyard.  Some of the eggs opened with a fortune cookie message inside ” A special day with Charlie.” “You pick what’s for supper”  “You pick the family movie”  “One day of no chores” “Two hours of Ipad time”  and some eggs had dollar bills, quarters or dimes.

easter egg hunt 1easter egg hunt 2easter egg hunt 3easter egg hunt Chrles

 

 

Easter Portraits, 4 in Half-Light

Half-light 

A wonderful term.  Took individuals of the grandkids about 7:30 PM. We were headed to Easter Vigil which started at 8:30 PM.

Took Anna and Michael again in the church parking lot as the light was even more lovely when we arrived.

Charles’ was taken on his front porch Thursday, ambient light but not exactly half.

MIchael in half lightMichael in Half- Light in front of St Patrick Church

Anna in Half Light

Someone’s brake lights added the red highlights to Anna’s hair.

JAck in half light 2Jack’s photo was taken first.  Still bright.

Maura in half light

Maura at dusk in the front yard

CharlesEaster

Charles on the front porch

And the following poem comes to mind for the challenge- except a small fat grandmama I am not- I’m a BIG one! And instead of Banbury Cakes we brought out four dozen Hot Cross Buns from Rocco’s Pasticceria on Bleecker Street.

My mother used to read me this poem from The Bumper Book by Watty Piper

The Cupboard

by Walter de la Mare

I know a little cupboard,
With a teeny tiny key,
And there’s a jar of Lollypops
For me, me, me.

It has a little shelf, my dear,
As dark, as dark can be,
And there’s a dish of Banbury Cakes
For me, me, me.

I have a small fat grandmamma,
With a very slippery knee,
And she’s Keeper of the Cupboard,
With the key, key, key.

And when I’m very good, my dear,
As good as good can be,
There’s Banbury Cakes, and Lollypops
For me, me, me.