Better Chinatown Waist Drummer Troupe

Another participant in the Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, Manhattan, NYC, was the Better Chinatown Waist Drummer Troupe. We watched them practice at the Sara Roosevelt park hours before the parade started. All in step, all in time. I wonder if they actually get together between New Years or do they just break out their little drums once a year.

PNC Park, Pittsburgh

Continuing with my old baseball picture, this week we visit Pittsburgh, the steel city. This trip was in 2004 and was Father's Day weekend. We had a ballpark tour early in the day and attended the game later that evening. While touring there was a fun run of some kind going on that morning. At the finish line the kids were able to get pictures with Craig Wilson but were unable to find the Parrot mascot who was around somewhere. Prior to the game they had booths set up and we took pictures of the kids with a lot of the players. Mainly the players with the shorter lines. Jason Bay, Jason Kendall, Jack Wilson and Craig Wilson's lines would have taken forever. The game was an interleague match up with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners won the game 5 to 1, Joel Pineiro got the win for the M's and Sean Burnett took the loss for the Bucs. The pictures I have here show the stadium from the city side of the Allegheny River. The Roberto Clemente Bridge, the front of the ballpark with the Honus Wagner statue, a nice view of the field and the 'burgh in the skyline and the obligatory picture of the score board. Also playing that day for Seattle were Ichiro, Randy Winn and John Olerud, for Pittsburgh were Darryl Ward and Rob Mackowiak.

The Horned Lark

Last weekend while driving to my cousin's farm I saw this guy hanging out in an adjacent field. I stopped the truck in the farm lane and took some pictures. At the first quick glance I thought, "Killdeer". But soon knew that was wrong. But as I went about things that afternoon I thought, "Quail, maybe Bobwhite", it's been years since I've seen one of those in the wild. But I started through the bird book page by page and hit the right page. This is a Horned Lark. The map on this guy shows that it is widespread and travel in flocks during the winter. Again I ask , "If this bird is so widespread and flock up during the winter, why have I never seen one before?"

Fireday - Cumberland County Firehouses

OK, I'm going to be quick with these.

1. Carlisle Fire and Rescue Services. Spring Road, Carlisle, Pa. Cumberland County Co. 45

2. Citizen's Fire Company No. 1, Mt Holly Springs, Pa. Cumberland County Co. 36

3. Old station of Vigilant Hose Co. No. 2, later South Newton Township Volunteer Fire Company. Firehouse Road, Walnut Bottom, Pa. Cumberland County Co. 49

4. Union Fire Company. Louther Street, Carlisle, Pa. Cumberland County Co. 41

Fireday - Name that Station

Check back after noon for the answers to who these Cumberland County, Pa. fire houses belong to.

Click Here for Answers

The Year's First Oriole

Last night I stopped by Dykeman's Pond for a quick walk around. I don't normally go here in the evening but I'm glad I did. As soon as I got there I saw a Green Heron take off. Just knew it was going to be a good stop. But walk around and I have no opportunities except some mallards flying around. As I'm heading to the car and almost there this Oriole makes an appearance. I am happy with the few good pictures I got. All hand held. He was hanging out high up in a large sycamore tree and refused to look at me (see pictures 4 and 5). But I did manage a few good ones (see pictures 1 and 2). And I figured out why we wouldn't look at me (see picture 3). Yes, that would be his lady friend.

Marilyn Spock (PG 143)

This little tidbit of NYC is at the corner of Mott Street and Kenmare Street in Nolita, near Chinatown. It is the restaurant L'asso and is an Andy Warhol-esque mash up of Mr. Spock and Marilyn Monroe. With a little of the Joker thrown in just for color. And if you were to Google Spock/Monroe you would find that there are a lot of other people who found this wall interesting enough to post on their whatever. Also, if you're like me, you said to yourself, "Self," (I assume that's how you address yourself. You'd say, "Self, Just what is Nolita?" Well, you can google that too but I'll straighten that out for you and save you the time. No L Ita, or North of Little Italy.