Built in 1900 But Looking Brand New

People at Work. Hard work.

NIcholas Karam leads the team at Karam Restoration of Natrona Heights. They can definitely take pride in their excellent work.

You can see from the photo below how  bright and clean looking the brick is now that it’s been restored and new mortar has been put in. They are good at Brick Pointing for sure.

They would arrive before the sun was up and worked in cold temperatures, long dark days.

Today they came and took all the equipment and cleaned up the place. Rinsed the brick again.   It’s a pleasure to pull up to the house and see it looking rejuvenated.  Plus the porch roof won’t fall down from the missing mortar in the columns. I was thinking the house was built in 1920 but went and looked again and it says 1900.

(Now if only my carpenter would finish the wood that needs to be replaced)

Thanks to Nick and the team for a job well done.  See below for the Before and After comparison photographs
Before photo/

Our first photo was four members of the team

Henry the Airedale Remained Unperturbed

Henry the Airedale sat serenely while Maura jumped around outside for a few minutes. She shed her coat. I had on wool socks, wool sweater, down vest and wool hat. I could hear my mother in my head, warning me about pneumonia weather or catching a chill. Maura thought that the sun being out and her running around made it an early Spring. She kept her hat on her head.   Then put her coat back on. Brrrr. My hands were cold when I got inside.

Henry just sat there, taking in the fresh cool air.  No “sit” or “stay”command given.

And no, I did NOT knit her hat.

 

Maura’s Guest Blog

Maura has wanted to be guest blogger for the longest time. Her brother Michael did the honors yesterday. Today, Friday, was her chance.

I handed her the Canon 6D and said “halfway down, then all the way.” Click Click Click. Here we are- We gathered on Laura’s front porch before pulling away from the curb. We almost forgot to snap a picture. Longtime friends mini-reunion in Columbus OH.

Charlie sure likes that garden owl.

I took this one of Maura holding Charlie. Cousins!

Two Thirds of a Year Already

Eight months old. Seems just a blink since Charles was born, June 25th.

You’ve heard it a billion times, they grow so fast, and they do. It’s true.

Before I headed back to Pittsburgh, I wanted to photograph my grandson with the real camera and not the phone.  He’s on the move. Says “Hi, Dada”

 

Rest Stop in Ohio- I had to pull in and get out and photograph

 

Sunday Night.  Along Route 70 Eastbound. The sunset.

It was the end of a beautiful day.

 

Ohio sunsetEven using the real camera cannot capture the beauty of the sunset. The pair of cars helps give perspective.  When you don’t live where it’s flat, you really notice the sky and the immensity.

Change: From Dough to Cookies

Change is this week’s photography challenge and Friday I posted my children as they are all grown up with families of their own.  I’ve looked at quite a few fellow bloggers posts and didn’t see this one yet but I might have missed it.  So many possibilities for posts illustrating change.  

I was baking some cookies, noticed the mixing bowl of dough, and I thought- change.

I went to the other room and got the real camera instead of the phone.

The light seemed nice in the kitchen.

 

cookie dough

Oatmeal Crisps from the Farm Journal Cookbook (1972 ed.)

 I cut the recipe in half and left out the coconut. You could add nuts and/or raisins.

My minor adjustments to the original recipe below.

 

cookies

1 C butter, room temp ( I happened to have Irish butter on hand)

1 C brown sugar

3/4 C white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C flour

3 C Bob’s Red Mill Oats

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

dash of cinnamon and dash of ginger

Bake about 11 minutes @ 350

 

Thanks to Kristin Snow for the challenge this week. You have to check out her blog Snowmads

Excerpt from her blog is below.  You will be inspired for adventure after reading it.  

“Who are the Snowmads?

We’re Jason and Kristin Snow, a travel-addicted couple who walked away from cubicles and conventional lives two years ago to roam full-time, gaining valuable perspective on life and meeting new friends at every turn. We hope to inspire others to follow their dreams and collect experiences instead of things. Please feel free to share some travel tips right back at us whenever possible — we love hearing from you!”

Swing Like a Pendulum Over the Tree Tops

And at a high speed!

Yes, it’s a thrill ride. Watching it from the ground with a 70-200 lens, you’re mesmerized.

You wonder why a person would want to get buckled in and subject oneself to the sensation.

IMG_7188

IMG_7193

IMG_7186

 

Close

Closer

Closest

IMG_7187

 

 

Actually they look serene.

I would be screaming,  I know.

 

Here’s a youtube post of the ride in action so you can get a better idea.

 

Illuminated but Not By The Dawn’s Early Light

 

 

 

 

 

A few years ago I got a nice shot of the family looking up at the fireworks. Thought I would try again to improve on it. Some of the shots are strangers Some family.

The canisters sure get launched quickly.  I tried to work fast.

Fireworks Illumination 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fireworks Illumination 6

Fireworks Illumination 5

Family

Fireworks Illumination 2

Strangers

erika and maura

 

 

 

fireworkswatching the fireworks

Funnel Cake Stand with Fireworks

Arrived back in Columbus and went straight to the hospital to see new grandson Charlie. Mark and his family (with all four kids) came to visit too and filled up the hospital room fast.

Then on to the Fourth of July celebration at The Lakes.  The ground so wet the blankets felt pretty soggy. We’ve had a LOT of rain.Funnel Cake Stand Frenzy
Stacee Ray Funnel Cake

 

 

 

Ms. Stacee Roy keeps the hot funnel cakes cooking.  (Yes, that is two e’s in Stacee)

Son Cedric told me he’s the muscles of the operation. I’m sorry I didn’t photograph him for the blog.

 

Fireworks and Funnel Cake 2

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier I asked if I might photograph Mr. Ron Roy of Fun’l Frenzy as he cut the strawberries. Knew he would make a great portrait for the people at work series! Thank you Mr. Roy.

Ron Ray Funnel Cake

 

 

 

Fireworks and Funnel Cake

 

Funnel Cake Sign

 

 

 

Funnel Cake Stand

 

Experimenting with camera settings.

 

Fireworks and Funnel CakeRead more about the origin of Funnel Cake here