Wordless Wednesday (almost)

A test request:  Can you leave a word or two in the comment section today so I can see how EASY- Difficult or IMPOSSIBLE it is to leave a comment if you are not a WordPress Blogger.  I have heard from at least two regular commenters that it is not easy to do so.

Nobody has time to experience a hassle. 

The WordPress Elves may have “improved” something in the comment section of the blog. Thank you.

Guest Blog – Phoenix Bus Ride to the Hotel

Phoenix Bus Ride to the Hotel.    

Could be a six word Saturday too.

Guest blogger is portrait artist Sharon Weaver  You’ve seen an example of Sharon’s portrait painting of my daughter Laura on a Dec 2010 blogpost Unexpected Gift Late Christmas Eve link

Laura’s brother Mark titled it Mona Laura 

 

Claims Low Radiation on the Monitor

The monitor inscribed with the claim Low Radiation! Hope so. This looks like it has had some serious usage.

Found on the sidewalk as I parked my car Saturday morning.

Do you have one of these in the basement or the back of a closet? Or maybe you have a printer that no longer prints?

An old HP Pavilion model, not sure the year

Space Station Sighting Sunday Night

You might have to strain your eyes to see it in the photo. The space station sighting on Sunday night. The little white dot to the left,over the neighbors house roof, is the space station. Traveling 4.7 miles per second. Erika’s dad knew what time to see it in the sky, thanks to an app he has.

It tells him where and when to see satellites and such in the night sky. It was really bright. Although it was over Sunset Beach Florida when we saw it, we were standing in Columbus, Ohio.

My iPhone was the camera.

Shillelagh Maker in Pittsburgh PA

People at Work.  Meet Shillelagh maker, Mr. Patrick Byrne.   Today I got invited to his workshop, Byrne Shillelaghs,  to photograph him making a shillelagh.  Irish Walking Sticks, right here in Pittsburgh.  Made to order.  I got to see a work in progress- A Thumb Stick.  His custom designs are gorgeous.  I saw an authentic thorn stick too, with the thorns still protruding from the column of wood.

We met because we both donated our artistic creations to the Kidney Gift of Life Gala.

Shillelagh makerCustom Branding, Embedded Coins, Gems, Nameplates are all a possibility when ordered your custom made shillelagh.  Here is Pat Byrne holding one made of hard maple.

Here is Mr. Byrne, holding the shillelagh that was given to him by a man who said, “You’re Irish aren’t you?” and went into his house and brought this out and gave it to him as a gift. This first shillelagh started his thinking, I could make this!   And he does, beautifully.  His son does the art work and branding on the shillelaghs and made one with a Celtic knot carved design that was stunning.

Tour Guide

Krista Stevens at WordPress creates some interesting photo challenges. This week we’re to show where we live with the theme Tour Guide,   

Here’s a Pittsburgh montage.  Knowing when to stop digging in the archives is the problem but it’s one AM so we’ll start with this gallery tonight.

If you enter the city from the south- Ft Pitt Tunnel and Bridge this is the view when you emerge from the tunnel,

Duquesne Incline and a view of the city

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Statue of beloved Mayor Caliguiri on the steps of the City-County Building

 

Andy Warhol Museum Detail and the old Lobby

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East Liberty Carnegie Library and Presbyterian Church

 

Mr Rogers Sweater and sneakersMr. Rogers Sweater and Sneakers at the Airport Display

The Point and the fountain. Where the three rivers meet, Allegheny and Monongahela form the Ohio River,

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Incline in the Snow

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Carnegie Museum of Natural History\

 

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Carnegie Museum of Art

 

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Carnegie Museum of Art Sculpture Garden Courtyard

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Above-Forbes Field Wall and Bill Mazeroski Statue with Fireworks.  1960 World SeriesBill Mazeroski

 

Immaculate REception

 

 

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Ritter’s Diner

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St Paul Cathedral

St Paul Cathedral at Night

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Heinz Field at Night

Heinz Hall

Heinz Hall at Night

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Prantl’s Bakery-Home of the World Famous Burnt Almond Torte

 

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Heinz Chapel

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Keeping Tabs- Holocaust Memorial- Squirrel Hill

 

University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning

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From the Norhside- Fineview

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Carrie Furnace on the Monongahela River

 

Got Bridges?  Why yes, we do!

 

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Lost Kennywood- Kennywood Amusement Park

 

North Side- Cloud Arbor by the Children’s Museum

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Southside Club Cafe   Live Music VenueSt. Paul Cathedral in Oakland

PNCPArkPNC Park

AMTRAK station downtown

 

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Carnegie Library- Oakland

East Liberty- Motor Square Garden and the Presbyterian Church

StMArysMountSt Mary on the Mount -Mount Washington

Guard rails, hills, and retaining walls.

 

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Phipps Conservatory

Lawrenceville Neighborhood- Arsenal Lanes

 

StacksatWaterfrontimagesArt Rooney Statue

Art Rooney Statue in the Snow

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Shadyside Variety Store

Kaufmann’s Clock Downtown.

 

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Kennywood Amusement Park- Racer

TOUR GUIDE

Up a Tree

How fortunate my neighbors scheduled their trees to be trimmed,

The branches were growing into the side of their house.

After Steve moved the cars out of the garage and onto the street, I thought to myself- “hmmmm- People at Work, right in my driveway!”  Perfect for an interesting photo shoot.  Andrew agreed to allow me to photograph him working. You should see those spikes that help him climb up the tree.  Takes a lot of skill and care.  You have to know what you are doing. Ascend is the word of the week, showing upward movement.

Meet Andrew.  I shot this with the 70-200 Lens.

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Throwing down a branch he cut