My friend Joanne sent this photo from Florida
”Here’s what I met when I was at the Council of Aging yesterday to drop off auction donations. A little group of therapy dogs tired out from their weekly gig bringing joy to the residents …. their names are Juan Pablo, Ricco Suave, Penelope and Magnolia…..” Photo and text by Joanne
A couple of dear friends flew from Florida to Pittsburgh to see my art show and attend the closing reception. They’d gone online at home and arranged to go on a walking food tour of the Pittsburgh neighborhood, Brookline.
Yesterday, Shuey sent me the photos and captions. They really enjoyed the ‘Burgh Bits and Bites tour. There are tours in other neighborhoods,the Strip District, Bloomfield and Shadyside. In fact, two were already booked up and so they chose Brookline.
Shuey made it easy for me by numbering the photos and text.
Pitaland in Brookline. #1
I’m sending individual pics to tell the story of how pita bread is made. First the secret recipe dough is made fresh, formed into a biscuit of dough and comes out here where it makes a left turn and heads into a machine that flattens it out.
Pitaland in Brookline. #2
After it’s flattened into a super thin pancake it makes a few turns and heads into the oven.
Pitaland in Brookline. #3
In the oven for 22 seconds at 1200 degrees. They are so thin entering the oven that I couldn’t even see them until about half way through they just materialize out of thin air in a second . . . like magic! Out of the oven they continue their journey cooling off.
Pitaland in Brookline. #4
The cooled pita breads drop off the conveyer onto a table where they are manually deflated and stacked then handed off to another worker who bags them up for shipment to stores in 14 states.
Pitaland in Brookline. #5
This is Joe Cuchines, owner of Pitaland and two of his employees. He came to America with 1 dollar in his pocket and . . . he’ll tell his story best.
Thank you Shuey for such a great guest blog. I’m going to have to take the tour.
Shuey was a guest blogger with his fabulous Barred Owl Photo in 2012 https://rutheh.com/2012/03/12/barred-owl-niceville-florida-guest-post/
July has been a busy and satisfying month with the People at Work Show exhibiting at Panza Gallery. There was a well attended opening three weeks ago and now tomorrow (Saturday 7/28) the closing reception is at six.
Early Wednesday morning, my good friend Vincie texted me this photo she took when she opened her morning paper. What a happy way to start my day. It just felt great! Mary Thomas wrote a nice article (with four color photos) about the People at Work Show in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 
V sent me the online version when it became available (link below )
Later in the day, I received another text from From Vincie. Her cousin Paula had texted her the photo below saying “Great article about Ruth in the Post-Gazette today”
Very thoughtful of them both. Thanks Vincie and Paula.
It’s been a nice feeling to have good friends and family who cheer me on and encourage me.
Aphrodite at Ritter’s Diner came to see her People at Work portrait. Her photo was in the newspaper, too.
This is a good time to thank Panza Gallery Owner Mark Panza who (2 years ago) invited me to show my People at Work series and who hung the show beautifully.
Also thanks to his wonderful daughter, Jennifer Panza, whose generous help was essential in making the show a success. And a grateful nod to her fiancé J for getting the beer and ice.
(Mark Panza on left, photo taken by my son Mark)
Thanks to artist Carol Skinger, fellow member of Pittsburgh Society of Artists Guild, who tutored me about publicity for the People at Work Show.
And special thanks to Tom Underiner of Pixel River Images for making me shine by printing my work expertly, using the archival pigment on the Hahnenmuhle rag paper.
Bernie Pintar was the official greeter and encouraged gallery goers to sign the guest book.
Four dead in Ohio. Kent State May 4, 1970.
Sunday evening, Mark and Erika and the family drove back home to Columbus after spending the weekend in Pittsburgh.
These are the photographs Mark texted as he and his family visited the Kent State memorial site
Photo on right taken through the bullet hole in an iron sculpture
Mark said “very chilling.
The kids were disturbed by the whole story.
Complex,confusing.”
Thanks for all the good wishes in accomplishing nine years of blogging and starting year ten. I’ve posted 3,235 times which averages 359 times a year.
More family came to Millvale to see the People at Work show today which was really nice. They drove in from Virginia, Ohio and West Mifflin. We gathered back at my house for dinner.
And a photography classmate of mine came with his wife to Panza Gallery at the same time. Andrew Wagner and I took a few classes together at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. He’s a loyal blog follower, too, having photographed many similar subjects throughout his career- in FILM!
Andrew once said my blog was like a Kodak Carousel slide show and you never knew what the next slide would be. He offered to take a photo of the family at the gallery this afternoon and he took it on my camera so I have the photos right away. Thank you for coming and always being so supportive to me in my photography efforts.
Here are the photos Andrew took today.
Uncle Frank and Maura look at Vintage Car Restorer storyboard featuring Uncle Frank.
Photo credit to all three photos –Andrew Wagner
Maura:
“Dad, we could be guest bloggers if this light idea works.”
(Photos by my son Mark- assisted by Michael and Maura )
I’d say the light idea worked just fine.
St. Patrick Church – Columbus, Ohio
Guest photo by my sister in New York City
Pittsburgh Poet Fred Peterson is the guest blogger today. Fred posted the quilt photos on FB and said he thought he knew I would like them and I did! Thanks for sharing your photos, Fred.
Quilt of Valor presentation of military family (Navy father and two Air Force sons) in Horseheads NY.
Quilt window and television display windows on Market Street, Corning, NY.
The scenics of tree, flowers and barn were taken on ride down western side of Seneca Lake.
The bullseye is Corning Glass logo.
My son Mark photographed the Marine Corps War Memorial when the family visited Arlington Cemetery a few weeks ago. (The memorial is in Arlington VA, not in the actual cemetery)
When he showed me this photo today, I asked if he’d guest blog it for Memorial Day and he agreed. Mark was in the USMC for six years.
We went for a walk this morning and there’s a little white clapboard church about 1/2 mile up the road. Behind it was a small graveyard.
The third photo I took early Sunday in a rural cemetery by a headstone that had a flag in front of it.
This is the reflection (taken with a 70-200 Canon Lens L Series)
I read a moving article in the Roanoke Times (by Dan Casey) about the last of four brothers who served in WWII who tells the story of the other three who have…
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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!
