Make Sure You Get My Best Side

Sunday morning I saw two muskrats. They were on opposite sides of the pond. This one was along the stream. I walked up on him with out being noticed and took some pictures. Then I got closer and took some pictures. Then I got within ten feet and sat down to take more pictures. All along staying unnoticed, but he was busy munching on the clover. A whistle. Nothing. Some lip smacking. Nothing. Finally he turned sideways and a quick, "Hey!" brought the head up out of the grass. Snap a couple pictures and he was gone. Hope I got his good side.

Stay Out of the Honeysuckles

Hey look, the honeysuckle blossoms are a pinkish purple color. Something I've never really taken notice to before. Some are starting to change to yellow already which means that... AHHHH! HOLY CRAP! THERE'S A SNAKE IN THERE! That's right there was a snake hanging out in a honeysuckle bush. Three feet off the ground. And. And, I forgot to actually take any pictures of the blossoms. I went back later in the afternoon and took those. After looking to make sure the snake wasn't in them.

The Vet, Philadelphia

I think for the next few Sundays I'm gonna take you out to the ball game. I've scanned some of the pictures I have taken at some of the various baseball stadiums I've been to in the past 10 years. Today we will start with Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia. This was our first time to the Vet and after the game there were only 3 more games to ever be played here. The date was September 21, 2003. The opponent was the Cincinnati Reds. The final went to the Reds 4-3. Vicente Padilla took the loss and Dan Serafini, a relief pitcher for Aaron Harang, recorded the win. In the second picture you can see Jim Thome taking one long in the bottom of the fourth. We, of course, this late in the final season, managed to get seats in upper left field. Nose bleed section. And steep, it was a little scary to even to stand up. No souvenirs were bought, the lines to get into the fan shops were ridiculously long. We did follow through on the baseball twofer by going to a game in 2004 at the new Citizen's Bank Park (out with the old, in with the new). Somewhere I have some pictures I took a couple of weeks after the imploded the Vet. Just can't find them now.

Two Geese-A-Laying

These are some of the geese I saw last weekend along the Big Spring. The first is definitely nesting among the cattails the other is assuming the nesting position but is clearly in the water. What does this mean? This afternoon I saw this again. A Canada goose appearing to nest in the water. We haven't had any serious rain lately so I'm guessing that it's not a flooded nest. Thing that make you go, "Hmmmmmm?"

Ever Vigilant

Engines 152 and 252 sit ready and waiting. Waiting for the bells to sound, for the volunteers to come running, for the diesel engines to roar and for the sirens to wail. The longer they sit the more anxious they seem. But they know that the longer they sit the better job of prevention the fellas are doing. But sitting and waiting, they're use to that. And knowing that they are ready is satisfaction enough. And until they are called upon they will sit. And they will wait.

Italian Lake Bridge

This is the Italian Lake bridge on Italian Lake in Harrisburg. I took this last spring. Went back last fall but the picture gods weren't smiling and they didn't turn out so well. You know, they found an alligator in here a few years ago. I'm just saying.

Year 4, Day 1 and the 3rd Annual Cyber Rollcall

Greeting from the home office of the Outskirts of Suburbia. Today in history this blog was born. It has been three years of this nonsense and I'm not done yet. I never thought I'd make it this long, never thought I'd have this much to say, never thought I'd take that many pictures, never thought that bringing you this diversion from reality would take me to places I've never been but always wanted to go. Above you see pictures that you've seen before. These are some of your favorites and mine. The number one comment getter for the past year was this scene from Gettysburg I lucked into just at sunrise (one of my favorites) with 15 comments. With 12 comments was the mash-up of Life Lion taking off. And with lower comment numbers but some of my favorites are the reflection of the Dykeman House on Indian Head Springs, the panorama of Manhattan from Brooklyn and the Shippensburg Public Library during Snowmagedon.

This past year has taken me to new places and old places with a new outlook. I hadn't been to Maine since I was 15 or 16 but last summer I got another taste of it and look forward to going back. In baseball news we visited Fenway Park in Boston for the first time. We only toured the landmark ballpark but I hope to soon sit through nine innings in one of it's seats. Year three had me back in Elk County, a place I had been visiting since 1992, before my son was even born. This year I spent time with Bradley getting in close (at times too close) to the fall rut. What an awesome experience. I drove down to Conowingo Dam in Maryland for the first time to see the eagles. Wow, I wish it was time to go back again. And I will. And one of my favorite places that I need to explore more and more is New York City. I've been to Times Square before but there is a whole lot more there for me to discover and I look forwards to doing that with my buddy John. All totaled last year was 368 posts, 11,580 shutter releases from my Canon Rebel, I posted 7 crappy videos for the first time and I only wish I would have kept track of the miles. Then again it's probably for the best that I don't.

And last but not least THANK YOU for wasting part of your day here when you're suppose to be working. Without you I would be doing this for no one but myself just like when I started in 2007. Thank You for your comments, both on this sight and in person. I know I missed a few more days than normal this year (three I think) and I won't promise there won't be more. The band-aid I put on this computer could go at any time. But I promise to try my best to give you a random picture and some random words nearly every single day. Now I ask one thing from you. It is Cyber Roll call time. If you stop by everyday, if you stop by on the weekends, if you stop by every once in a while or if this is the first time visiting click on the comment button below and let me know that you are out there, and again and ahead of time THANK YOU!