City Stairs Renovation on the North Side

October 15, 2020

October 16, 2020

In 2011 I posted about the City Sidewalk Stairs. And again in July 2018

CITY STEPS IN PITTSBURGH.

from July 2018

”Pittsburgh has more public staircases (800+) than any city in the United States. The City’s steps connect communities and provide residents access to transit and other amenities” http://pittsburghpa.gov/

A3335182-92FA-4B9B-B167-F089D90FD769 Garfield The Steps to Ft. Pitt School

Sidewalks can be steps, too.

Book by Bob Regan Photos by Tim Fabian 588B00B2-BDC7-4C68-BE5A-A04539FF0555

Pittsburgh topography requires innovation- how to get from the bottom of a hill to the top. And in 2010 the snow covered stairs students climbed to Ft. Pitt School.

Author Martin Aurand’s book describes the formation of the topography of Pittsburgh’s hills and valleys. The Spectator and the Topographical City examines Pittsburgh’s built environment as it relates to the city’s unique topography. Martin Aurand explores the conditions present in the natural landscape that led to the creation of architectural forms; man’s response to an unruly terrain of hills, hollows, and rivers. From its origins as a frontier fortification to its heyday of industrial expansion; through eras of City Beautiful planning and urban Renaissance to today’s vision of a green sustainable city; Pittsburgh has offered environmental and architectural experiences unlike any other place.”

October 19, 2020October 20, 2020 by Ruth Categories: Photography, Pittsburgh PhotographyTags: architecture, arlington, Bob Regan, city, city scene, city sidewalk, Garfield, landscape, neighborhood, North Side, paper street, sidewalks, Spring Garden, Spring HIll, terrain, Tim Fabian, topography, urban 8 Comments

Snowman Down

I haven’t written a lot about the weather on the blog. Some blog readers live in a different hemisphere are enjoying summer temperatures and swimming. I heard from K that it got up to 44, even if Florida. Deb wrote that we’ve got ice on the rivers.

Storms, low temps, windchill? I know two people who had to get a new furnace.

Weather? You see it on the news. The computer. Experience it first hand. Shovel your driveway or your walks. Listen for two hour delays or school closures.

Tying to not feel down like the snowman, but hey, it’s WINTER!

Weatherman’s prediction is start at 4 AM and snow until 5 PM. Dress warmly.

My sister had 11 inches of snow in New York City. What are you experiencing?

January 24, 2014 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: arlington, city scene, decoration, inflatable, neighborhood, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, sidewalk, snowman, weather, winter, winter scene 16 Comments

Cowboy Ignores Sign Posted

May 31, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Photography, Pittsburgh PhotosTags: 70-200mm lens, alley, arlington, Canon 5D, childhood, horse, humor, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh, postaday, postady, rocking horse, signage, toys, urban scene, vintage 11 Comments

Such Expressive (and Unexpected) Taxidermy

Beware of Fox!

It’s been up on this porch roof for at least a couple of days.

I was driving to the zoo from school on Monday.

The story I heard from the guy out in front of the house next door?

The guy who lives there does demolition and probably got it from some home he was tearing down. It is the season of demolition around the city as you know.

A photographer has no choice but to pull to the curb and shoot the scene. Remember the days of women’s stoles with fox heads dangling and tiny paws with claws? Beady eyes? Ugh. Wonder if they take him in if it rains?

The last book we read in 2nd grade Intervention Group was the Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.

May 23, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Photography, Pittsburgh Photos, vintageTags: architecture, arlington, art, city scene, decoration, demoliton, design, fashion, front porch, humor, lawn art, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh Photography, stuffed animal, style, taxidermy, travel, vintage 8 Comments

Note to Self: Leave Home Ten Minutes Earlier

Two school buses and a garbage truck stopped on the narrow street as I made my way to school. A standstill, brake lights on. Do you worry? No, you photograph the scene. Write a note to self.

May 17, 2012May 17, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Photography, What I Saw on the Way to SchoolTags: architecture, arlington, car, city street, early morning, garbage truck, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh Photography, school, school bus, traffic jam, transportation, travel 9 Comments

Yikes- You’ve Got to Pull Over, Get Out of Your Car and Shoot It!

In the distance you can see the Cathedral of Learning at Pitt.

The sparkly Christmas Tree caught my eye . St Patricks’s preparation?

And as I returned to my car, I saw the sidewalk/stairs in the shade.

March 14, 2012March 16, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Photography, What I Found on the Way Home from SchoolTags: architecture, arlington, Christmas Tree, city scene, humor, neighborhood, Pittsburgh Photography, postaday, school, sidewalk, slopes, south side, travel, urban scene 20 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Possibility

The challenge spoke of doors and paths, travel. This is what Arlington Avenue looked like on the way to school Thursday morning. The October light made the brick building seem to glow. That is the color it was when I saw it. No retouch on that brick. Just morning sun. I like to think that the start of the day offers POSSIBILITY.

October 15, 2011October 14, 2011 by Ruth Categories: Light in the City, Photography, Pittsburgh Photos, What I Saw on the Way to SchoolTags: 70-200 mm lens, arlington, city light, neighborhood, October light, Pittsburgh PA, postaday2011, school, weekly photo challenge: possibility 13 Comments

What I Found Across from School

If you have followed me in the winter you might have seen the pink toilet in the snow. I saw that one on the way to school. This one not quite as dramatic and a different season but the view is directly from the school parking lot and the art room. You know how people’s garbage fascinates me!

September 15, 2011September 15, 2011 by Ruth Categories: Photography, What I Found on the Way Home from SchoolTags: alley, arlington, garbage, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Photography, postaday2011, school, toilet 16 Comments

A Broken Bluer Brick Brings Bricks to Mind

Brick by Brick

When I was in younger
you could make a bookcase
with some boards and bricks.
Once at the Hallmark store I won
a football helmet and a foam rubber brick
to throw at the tv if you didn’t like the ref’s call.
I live in a brick house.
I don’t like it when people paint brick.
Just thinking about bricks.

Just thinking about bricks. We all love the yellow brick road and the smart pig brother built his house of bricks When I went out to my car Friday after school there was a broken brick in the road by the curb on Arlington Ave. Not sure where it came from but had a fresh piece out of it. Couldn’t read all the words on this particular brick but brickmaking and brick molds and their imprints are interesting to me. There are people who collect bricks. I couldn’t have set this brick up better than the lines surrounding it. Just waiting there ’til I got out of school and photographed it. There are photographs of bricks from different regions online so people can identify their origin. Lot of brick homes and still some brick streets in Pittsburgh but couldn’t find a list of old Brick Works in the area. Will keep looking. There is a house down the street that has eleven colors of brick in it! I found a listing for a brick manufacturer in Harmar Don’t know anyone who is into serious brick collecting. Anyone into bricks? Quotes about bricks? He was a brick short of a load. Augustus Caesar said “I found Rome brick and left it marble.”

Walkways and walls are good fund raisers as people are willing to donate for a brick with their name or a loved one on it as a memorial.

March 13, 2011May 24, 2011 by Ruth Categories: Pittsburgh Photos, What I Found on the Way Home from SchoolTags: architecture, arlington, brick, brick manufacturing, brickmaking, photography, Pittsburgh, postaday2011, structural materials 5 Comments

Windy With a Chance of Sunlight

A beautiful day. And though inside from 7:30-4:00 I was able to catch the unfurled flag from the second floor window AND the flag shadow on the asphalt during lunch. Right through the glass.

The Cathedral of Learning in the distance, the light fluctuating as clouds rolled across the sky. Had to tilt the camera to get both the flag and the shadow- the angle a technique I don’t use often.

Windy

In the daytime look out the windows.
Branches bend, papers blow across the yard.
Ripples or waves on water.
A pile of leaves caught up in a whirl.
You can tell it’s windy.
At night, listen.
A train along the river whistles.
Calm, a burst, a roar.
Earlier in my car on the bridge.
Wait for the light.
Feel it. Vibrate.
Bounce bounce bounce
right up through the tires.

Flag and Flag Shadow — Eye level to the top of a flag pole- a cool perspective.

February 19, 2011May 24, 2011 by Ruth Categories: Light in the City, Pittsburgh PhotosTags: architecture, arlington, Canon 50D, Cathedral of Learning, city, city scene, neighborhood, Oakland, photo of the day, photoblog, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Photographer, postaday2011, shadow, sidewalk, University of Pittsburgh, urban scene 5 Comments

Tag: arlington

City Stairs Renovation on the North Side

CITY STEPS IN PITTSBURGH.

Like this:

Snowman Down

Like this:

Cowboy Ignores Sign Posted

Like this:

Such Expressive (and Unexpected) Taxidermy

Like this:

Note to Self: Leave Home Ten Minutes Earlier

Like this:

Yikes- You’ve Got to Pull Over, Get Out of Your Car and Shoot It!

Like this:

Weekly Photo Challenge: Possibility

Like this:

What I Found Across from School

Like this:

A Broken Bluer Brick Brings Bricks to Mind

Like this:

Windy With a Chance of Sunlight

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: