people at work – Page 7 – Ruth E. Hendricks

Mrs. Wozniak’s Very Last Day of School

The First Grade at Sacred Heart Elementary School is going to need to fill a very big hole, left by the retirement of Mrs. Wozniak. I had the privilege of going to photograph and document her very last day of teaching First Grade.

Our sons met at this school in 1989 and are best friends still.

I got there before the children came into the classroom and got a tour of her room. Each classroom has a different nationality theme and her classroom is Australia.

All of the students walked to 8:30 mass, the church is next door. Father recognized Mrs. Wozniak before his homily and the cat was let out of the bag that she is retiring as the students did not know this information prior to his announcement. The nice part was that it gave the older students a chance to hug and appreciate her, remembering being in her class and all that they learned from her.

When the class returned to their room, they sat on the carpet listening to The Giving Tree and Mrs.Wozniak showed them the gorgeous ceramic farewell plate (with all their names) that they helped make ( the homeroom mother organized that effort)

Thank you for your dedication and service, Mrs. Wozniak. You will be missed!

Enjoy your retirement. You deserve it!

June 4, 2016June 5, 2016 by Ruth Categories: People at Work, PhotographyTags: church, Feast of Sacred Heart, people at work, photography, Pittsburgh PA, Pittsburgh Photography, postaday, reading, retirement, Sacred Heart Elementary School, teacher 20 Comments

Good Plumbers are Hard to Find

A fellow blogger, Yvette, asked me how many of these People at Work portraits are in the series. I have lost count! I started this project a long time ago. I will know soon, though, once I dig in the archives.

Yesterday I posted Piano Tilting, Tuning and Repair as part of my People at Work Series- Primarily Pittsburgh.

What I didn’t mention is that I was invited to have a show at Panza Gallery in Millvale in July -July of 2018! This gives me plenty of time to photograph new People at Work.

I’ve had a lot of people working in my house this year, too.

When I taught photography at high school, I shared my People at Work portraits to students so they could a variety of people doing different jobs. I think that’s how the series started. I’d engage with the person working and talk to them about my project.

Now I’ve made up some postcards and it adds some legitimacy to the project and keeps me on track and determined to work on photographing new and interesting portraits.

You may remember seeing some of these People at Work on the blog already.

Craig Morrow on the Left from Bicycle Heaven, Mark Panza at work, framing,Ron Ray slicing strawberries for his funnel cake business, and at the top right Brye with her delicious baked goods at her and her husband’s excellent coffee shop- Zeke’s. My middle portrait is the cotton candy man from PNC Park.

Today plumber Pete Tomkins returned to replace my bathroom faucets. He already put in a hot water heater. I found him through my electrician Scott, (I still need his photo) who put in the breaker box so Dan McDonald could install my new furnace. It’s a regular family tree.

I had photographed Pete a few weeks ago when he installed the hot water heater.Thanks for agreeing to be in the show People at Work- Primarily Pittsburgh.

PeteTomkins Plumber

Thanks Pete, for entrusting me with capturing your wonderful good nature!

Seriously considering what to do next about my old plumbing???

May 28, 2016 by Ruth Categories: People at Work, PhotographyTags: art show, bathroom, bicycle heaven, hot water heater, Panza Gallery, people at work, photography, Pittsburgh, plumber, plumbing, portrait, postaday, Zeke's Coffee 10 Comments

Piano Tilting, Tuning and Repair

Joe DeFazio is featured today in the People at Work Series- Primarily Pittsburgh

From upstairs, I could hear him playing the piano after it was tuned and it sounded wonderful. (after years of neglect) He’s an excellent musician.

It was my first time seeing a piano tilted to be worked on. I asked if he would be part of my People at Work Series and he graciously agreed.

These photos are not in chronological order.

Drawing angle lines in case the keys fall out they can easily be put back in order.

JoeDeFazioPianoTuner

tighteningscrews

and the gas mask portion of sealing a crack with the seemingly toxic (but not) fumed glue

My neighbor recommended him. Thank you.

If you need your Pittsburgh piano tuned, you can get in touch with him defaziomusicAThotmaildotcom

(Hopefully this listing will not result in his inbox being overwhelmed with you know what)

May 27, 2016 by Ruth Categories: Music, People at Work, PhotographyTags: keyboard, music, musician, people at work, photography, piano, piano repair, piano tilting, piano tuning, Pittsburgh PA, Pittsburgh Photography, postaday, youtube video 29 Comments

Hard Rock Drummer

Remember the post from a few days ago about how Austin Texas is Live Music Capital of the World?

This is Cody, drummer of the hard rock band Sweat Lodge.

I met him on his way to the studio as he was picking up the VINYL master for the band’s third album.

Yep, vinyl. You all know I have plenty of vinyl in boxes in my house.

Now I’m wasn’t cool enough to know any tracks from Sweat Lodge as of yet but I went and listened and here is the link to their webpage, too.

On my first Uber ride to the Austin Airport, I said I’d be willing to carpool and although our driver Edward could not allow me to photograph him at work, Cody said it was okay by him. We dropped Cody first, I got out and photographed him.

I told him about my People at Work series and I didn’t have a hard rock musician for the upcoming show at Panza Gallery in Millvale–

(did I mention that the show’s opening is in July? July, 2018!!! I’m serious)

Thanks Cody. Check out the music.

As we drove to his destination, he gave an excellent guided tour of a part of Austin I had not seen on the double decker bus tour.

It’s good to change it up on the blog. You’ve seen a lot of my knitting, coffee mugs and tea cups, a lot of food for dinnertime, the grandkids, the recent wedding and the starring dog Champ but I think Cody has the distinction for being the first ROCK musician on the blog. Thanks Cody.

April 17, 2016 by Ruth Categories: Music, PhotographyTags: Austin TX, drummer, drums, hard rock band, Millvale PA, music, musician, people at work, photography, postaday, Sweat Lodge, travel, Uber, vinyl records 11 Comments

Matt Carries Freshly Baked Croissants

He was headed to Enrico’s Biscotti Company. I was headed to Ohio.

Wait, may I take your photo? I wanted to get out the real camera, not the phone.

I was parked just in front of his truck

He was so nice. His name’s Matt. He baked these down on 31st Street and was bringing them to Enrico’s Biscotti. If you saw the movie The Bread My Sweet/ A Wedding for Bella, you’ve been inside bakery.

And this is the part you are never going to believe.

I watched that very movie (renamed A Wedding for Bella) not twelve hours before I ran into Matt taking the croissants to the same bakery in the film. If you click on the title above you can read Roger Ebert’s review. All filmed in Pittsburgh, right in the Strip District.

Matt and his freshly baked croissants

Matt and his Freshly Baked Croissants.

Enrico You can see the sign for Enrico’s on Penn Avenue in this shot as I got into my car.

February 21, 2016 by Ruth Categories: Baking, People at Work, PhotographyTags: A Wedding for Bella, bakery, cafe, coffee, croissants, Enrico's Biscotti Company, neighborhood, people at work, photography, Pittsburgh Photography, postaday, Roger Ebert, Sunday morning, The Bread My Sweet, The Strip district, travel 8 Comments

Certified Chimney Sweeps Chris and Jim

You remember the squirrel (s) in the box gutters post last week?

I needed to have my chimney inspected and cleaned, too. I thought there might be a family of squirrels enjoying the shelter of the chimney bricks, even though there was a screen on top of it at one point. Living across the park with a ton of trees makes this neighborhood squirrelandia.

A few years ago we had a squirrel in the fireplace. Somehow Steve trapped it in a cage. Steve took it down the street in a carrier as he sported a winter parka in July and a couple of oven mitts. Not that the oven mitts would have spared him.

These men, Jim and Chris, certified Chimney Sweeps came today and did a terrific job. I found them through google and read all positive reviews- Advance Chimney- about “professional job….clean up after themselves…courteous… efficient and certified!”

All true!

Not only can my wood burning fireplace be used again (safely) BUT there were no squirrels making a home in the chimney. No roast squirrels!

There’s some pointing needed in the bottom of the fireplace. Mortar is old and crumbling but nothing major. They’ll come back and do that work when I get on the schedule. They said it would take about an hour. Cure in 24.

As they were leaving, I asked if they’d consent to be part of my people at work series.

They were gracious to allow me to get my camera and photograph them as they were ready to head out to the next job. Good sports. Thank you.

Jim and Chris Chimney Sweeps Truck

Jim and Chris Chimney Sweeps Jim and Chris enjoy their work.

p.s. I shook hands with them both. Must have been those 1964 lyrics I remember.

February 16, 2016 by Ruth Categories: People at Work, PhotographyTags: architecture, Chimney sweep, fireplace, home, home repair, people at work, photography, postaday, squirrels, wildlife, wood burning 8 Comments

Squirrels Can’t Make a Home in Mine

Sometimes you need to call an expert in their field.

A DIY project, when it comes to wildlife encroaching on your territory, doesn’t work

Living across the street from the park and having beautiful deciduous trees makes it a terrific place for squirrels to live. Great. So long as they stay in the trees!

I am really glad it isn’t bats.

The box gutter had a large hole around the downspout, chewed by a critter(s). When I got home from my midwinter break I heard the scurrying of little paws outside my bedroom window but inside the wooden box gutter. It’s an old house.

Yesterday, I had to call Pete Cappa of Cappa Wildlife Control Services. Within 24 hours he arrived to assess the situation.When we were settling up, he told me about being bitten right down to the bone of his thumb by a squirrel and how much it hurt.

I asked him if I could photograph him for my People at Work series and he graciously agreed. Thanks Pete. And you might notice on his website he does not deal with cats or dogs.

“Specializing in the humane removal of nuisance wildlife!”

PeteCappa

He got out this critter in the trap from the back of his truck for the photo. From someone else’s home.

I didn’t want my home to become Grey Gardens.

February 5, 2016 by Ruth Categories: People at Work, PhotographyTags: architecture, box gutter, Cappa Wildlife Control, home, home repair, people at work, photography, postaday, squirrrels, wildlife, wildlife removal 14 Comments

My Year 2015 in Photos

Thank you for visiting the blog and clicking the ‘like’ button and/or leaving some good words. I appreciate your taking the time to look at the photographs. If you’ve been with me this year, you’ve already seen these images but after reading the Annual Review of my Blogging Year from WordPress, I wanted to capture 2015 myself. What I notice is I like weather, people, family and night photography.

I wish you a new year filled with good health and happiness.
A few of my favorites from 2015- I skipped over most of the food photos. Will take new ones in 2016!

Pittsburgh in fog

The weddings

Grandkids visit “Cloud Arbor is made up of 64 steel poles reaching 32 feet into the sky, embedded with nozzles that spray a fine mist of water, creating the effect of a spherical cloud suspended in the air.” (artist Ned Kahn)

Some of the family photos-

Charlie’s Hand

Charlie’s foot

Charlie’s Ear

People at work and play

Franktuary

Places

December 31, 2015 by Ruth Categories: Family, PhotographyTags: 2015, art, babies, blogging, Cloud Arbor, dogs, family, Ned Kahn, people at work, photography, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Photographer, postaday, weddings, year in review 28 Comments

Filling the Claw Machine

Before Thanksgiving vacation, I was looking for the game Scattergories. It was sold out in two places I’d looked. (and it wasn’t in this discount store either) It’s still on my list.

When I see a Claw Machine I think of random news reports about small children getting up into them somehow.,

I asked if the Claw Machine was popular which was a dumb question cause there she was refilling it with loads of stuffed animals. Turns out there is a lot of info about the Claw Machines and the mechanical cranes. Here is an article about The Science Behind the Claw Machine Will Enrage You at Buzzfeed

Then I looked up How to Win at the Claw Machine, not that I want to win any of the stuffed animals but wondered if there was a strategy. click- Win at a Claw Machine

I’ve not attempted to use one……..yet.

In fact, I didn’t even know there was science or strategy behind it!

December 20, 2015 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: buzzfeed, claw machine, discount store, humor, mechanical crane, people at work, photography, Pittsburgh, postaday, stuffed animals, toys 3 Comments

Coffee is Served

October 26, 2015 by Ruth Categories: People at WorkTags: available light, coffee, Croatia, espresso, food, mall, people at work, photography, postaday, travel 11 Comments

Tag: people at work

Mrs. Wozniak’s Very Last Day of School

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Good Plumbers are Hard to Find

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Piano Tilting, Tuning and Repair

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Hard Rock Drummer

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Matt Carries Freshly Baked Croissants

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Certified Chimney Sweeps Chris and Jim

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Squirrels Can’t Make a Home in Mine

“Specializing in the humane removal of nuisance wildlife!”

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Filling the Claw Machine

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Coffee is Served

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“Specializing in the humane removal of nuisance wildlife!”

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