Out Like a Lamb

OK, I've been waiting all week to post this picture. Heck, I even thought about it as I turned around to go back and take the picture. Here is the evidence that I did indeed see a sheep grazing right there on the outskirts of town. Credibility, that's what I strive for here at the main offices of the Outskirts of Suburbia, Inc.

ps, The Nats won last night with a walk-off homer by one time Harrisburg Senator Ryan "Zim" Zimmerman. Good way to initiate the new Ballpark.

Goodbye RFK Stadium

Well, at least for taking me out to the ballgame, it's goodbye RFK. The Nationals new stadium opens to regular season play this evening, and RFK Stadium returns as the sole home of DC United soccer team. RFK, known as DC Stadium until 1969, was home to the expansion team Washington Senators from 1962 (the Senators played the 1961 season at Griffith Stadium) until they left for Texas in 1971 and leaving the Capital baseball-less until the Montreal Expos moved down in 2005. RFK has been home to the Major League Soccer's DC United since 1996 and was once home to the Washington Redskins from 1961 through 1996 when they moved to Landover, MD and Fed-Ex Field. The kids and I went to see the Nats beat the Dodgers on May 28, 2006, if I recall Alfonso hit a homer that day. I am now looking forwards to seeing the new Nationals Ballpark along the Anacostia Riverfront this summer, I'll let you know. As for the beginning of the regular season...PLAY BALL!

Blue Up

I don't know if this is artistic or overindulgent. I'm not even sure if I like it. There was just something about standing there looking up at the rust, the cross braces and the ties that I did like. The problem with mediocre pictures that you like is what to do with them to make then more...

Another Generation

Another generation of firefighters began this week. My son is now a Junior Firefighter. As a father who has been there, it's scary. I've said it before, "I Remember". How long the ride will last is entirely up to him. Will the time commitment be too much? Will the 'work' push him away. Time will tell. For now it is learning, watching and doing stuff that doesn't seem important. What he won't realize for a few years, and he'll have to look back on it to see, is that this time is the most important. Seeing the bonds that are essential to being a firefighter, the trust that is needed and the trust that is expected. This time of learning also allows the older guys to see who has their back. They need to learn also from the juniors, that these kids who are humping their drag line and switching out their empty air cylinders are the men who will be on the nozzle in a few years and at the pump panel after that and on down the road they'll be the men directing traffic around the young guys and keeping you, the public from harm. But for now it's learning and testing his limits. I'm starting to know how my Mom and Dad felt way back, 28 years ago. Good luck, Buddy.

Abandoned Again

Another picture from the abandoned farmstead series last January. This was probably my only staged shot I took. I turned the paint can so I could read it.

Orby Water Tank (LIII)

Obry, ha, sounds like one of the characters in Thomas the Tank Engine. What more appropriate place than Orbisonia and Rockhill Furnace. "Home of the East Broad Top Railroad". The tank sits on the south side of town along Route 522.

The Red Red Robin Goes Bob Bob Sledding

Saturday morning gave me an opportunity to get some 'Robins in the snow' pictures. These were hanging out behind the Post Office in Walnut Bottom, PA. The field seemed full of them.

Soccer Hall of Fame - HBS

The National Soccer Hall of Fame is located in Oneonta, NY. Oneonta happens to be where you turn off to get to Cooperstown, NY and the Baseball Hall of Fame. We stopped in here on our way home from the Baseball Hall of Fame last summer, it was getting close to closing time but we didn't need a lot of time. The downstairs is where the wall of the Hall is located. Chances are you have not heard of most of these athletes. Unless you are my son you would only recognize the name Pele'. (Just Pele', like Cher or Madonna) The downstairs also has a lot of the same displays as the Baseball hall, but on a much smaller scale. The upstairs was full of games, video games, ball kicking exercises, speed dibbles and a header cage. We enjoyed it, I'm glad we stopped. The friendly staff told us if we were a little late getting done not to worry, they would wait for us.

Later in July 2007 were the induction ceremonies. This year the inductees were Mia Hamm (Garciaparra) and Julie Foudy. Mia and Julie were both members of the Women's World Cup Champions in 1991 and 1999, Both were also Olympic Gold medallists in 1996 and 2004, and Silver medallists in 2000. Julie, a midfielder, served as Captain of the National team in 2000 and 2004. Mia, a midfielder and forward holds the record for women in goals scored in international play with 158 goals.

Sunrise Services

Happy Easter. This is the Rehoboth Methodist Church. Sitting at the corner of Rehoboth Road and Route 174 on the outskirts of Walnut Bottom, PA. The church was built in 1851, rebuilt in 1870 and razed in 1971. This replica of the original, about 4' x 6', sits quietly among its parishioners of the past. My Great Great Great Uncle and his family are here. He was a Lieutenant in the Union Army. An old neighbor of mine, when I was a kid, is here. Many family names are familiar, some are not. I noticed at least two that died in the early 1860's, aged in their seventies. If my math serves me correctly these ladies were born under Washington's presidency.

It was a tough decision this morning as I drove east to shoot the sunrise at this old church, I could see the full moon setting behind me. Decisions, decisions. And then as I drove home, just as I got to the "Welcome to Town" sign there stood a sheep, grazing. Right across the street from Burger King and the Moose lodge. Right beside the mobile home dealer. A sheep. Grazing. That has got to mean something. Something good I hope.

This is all Art (?)

Art. I've seen art before, this is vandalism. I'm not saying that in a "Sometimes you've got to do something bad, to know you're alive" way that graffiti is bad. Graffiti can be an expression, or extension of your being. And, yes, at times, can catch you saying "Wow". But this is just misguided youth being 'gangsta'. This is doing something bad, to do something bad. This is the kids who say they have nothing to do, and when offered an alternative don't participate. Is there a cure? Maybe. Start with staying at home sometime with them. Start with turning off the TV and the X-Cubes and 360 Game Boxes. For the most part some discipline and responsibility should have been instilled by now. It's 2008, do you know where your kids are right now?

Fireday, March 21, 2008

Just a couple leftover pictures from the Pennsylvania Pump Primers Antique Fire Apparatus Muster along Riverside Park in Harrisburg, PA. The first is the "Mom and Dad's Fire Department in Neffsville, Lancaster County, PA. The second is an old General fire engine from Stockton. Just Stockton. Maybe someone out there can tell you more.

The weather needs to start mellowing out so I can restock my 'to be posted' file.

Springtime in Paris

Welcome spring. Of course, winter doesn't seem to want to let go. I heard on TV that if all the rain we got over the winter, here in south central PA, would have been snow (at an average ratio of 1" of rain = 10" of snow) we would have gotten 12.5 feet of snow. So I don't want to here any complaints, I think I only shoveled the drive twice. They are calling for snow this weekend but, hey, I'll be mowing the lawn in less than a month.

This is the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Not too much to add to my last reminiscence of my weekend in Paris, oh so many years ago. My memory is rusting on some of the details of this trip, especially at times like when this picture was taken. It was a free afternoon so I just wandered the streets drinking in the fact that I was in Paris. I window shopped, I ate, I drank and I remember a perfume factory (So, yes, I know what a French perfume factory smells like). The park, the public areas such as when I was here all were just information overload. The museums, the Louvre, and gardens of Versailles I remember better, I'll probably post some more pictures some other time.

Rita's is Open (PG LII)

Yes, Rita's Italian Ice is open. And to top it off tomorrow is the first day of spring. And that means... FREE ICE! No kidding, Rita's give away free ice on the first day of spring, what flavor will it be? Root Beer? Mango? Strawberry-Kiwi? Birthday Cake? Passionfruit? Yep, I'm hoping they have Passionfruit.

This Painted Gentle-woman is actually hidden, most people probably don't even know it's there. You can't see it from the road, but you can see it from the fairgrounds. Ah-Hah!

Branch Creek Bridge

aka, Indian Head Bridge, for obvious reasons. Built in 1911, it carries West King Street (US Route 11) over the Branch Creek. These views are taken from in front of the Shippensburg Public Library which sits on the northwest corner of the bridge and creek.

Branch Creek Vintage Postcard

Another picture from yesteryear, I mean yesterday. This is from the Branch Bridge on West King Street in Shippensburg, PA, looking south, towards Orange Street. I got to messing with this picture and I hit a point when I thought, "That looks like on old postcard". We'll just say it was taken back in 'Oh Eight' and leave it at that.

Good and Evil

Finally got out this morning to do some shooting. The sun was hit or miss. I had a few objectives and, of course, there is always the ones that just materialize. While taking some other pictures I turned around and saw a graffiti'd bridge. Among other images and foul language I found these two.

Over the next couple of weeks you will see others from this morning and even this bridge. Stop back.

Springing

Spring must be just around the corner. It's been a race for the past week between the daffodil's and the crocus'. And the winner is this lily. At least I think it's a lily. I'm sure there will be more to follow.

ps (3/17/08) These are Galanthus, also known as Snowdrops.

Late Night Over the Interstate

Don't try this at home kids. This was my first attempt at night highway pictures. Actually the second picture is my first attempt. I figured that I needed to stabilize a little better. After 10 or 15 more I was starting to get the hang of it. I'll try this again soon. Click on them they'll look better.

Seneca Lake Marina

This is the marina at the north end of Watkins Glen, NY, right on Seneca Lake. Peaceful.

Gardner Music (PG LI)

This one is located to the rear of a pizza shop I no longer remember the name of. It is just south of Memorial Square in Chambersburg, Pa. on the east side of Main Street. Lord only knows how long Gardner's has been gone.

Fact is folks, I'm in dire need of a road trip to get more pictures. Cabin fever is slowly taking its toll. I'm going stir crazy. With any luck this weekend isn't wasted inside. Wish me luck.

One Hot Car

This 'Vette was at the Car Show at the PA Farm Show building in Harrisburg, PA. I took a bunch of pictures at the event but nothing really jump back at me when I downloaded them. The weather is starting to break finally, new subjects could be just around the corner.

A Sly One

This fellow was sitting along an old fence row last year. I spotted him from across the open field and by keeping the wind in my favor I was able to sneak in close enough to low-crawl the last 20 yards. He got a little suspicious so I only managed a couple shots. Or, would you believe, he was at the Eastern Sports and Outdoors show as part of an amateur taxidermy contest.

Start Paining Your Eggs Now

Yes, it's almost here. Eater is only two weeks away, so start paining your eggs now. Peter Cottonail will be hopping down that bunny tail before you know it.

Vanna, I'd like to buy an 'S'.

Redstone's Coke Ovens

These are the beehive coke ovens along State Route 133 in Redstone Colorado. They were used around the turn of the last century to turn raw coal into high grade coke used for making steel. Between 1899 and 1903 there were nearly 250 ovens here, today only about 144 remain. The area behind these ovens is Coal Creek Basin, so that and the nearby railroad and Crystal River made this the ideal place for the ovens. That is Chair Mountain in the background of the second picture.

C4 C5 C6

These CRT's (Crash Rescue Trucks) used to run the runways at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, back in the mid-eighties. I don't really know much about CRT's so I'm not going to fluff my way through this post. I used to watch them fly by from my office on the taxiway. From what I can remember the driver sat in the middle of the front seat and there was a turret mounted on the roof for driving right up on a fire. They all look like they may be Oshkosh's with C4 being an older one.

Dreaming of Elk

Plans are underway for another return trip to the high country this fall, all I have to do is get this spring and summer out of the way. In the mean time here are some trips from the past. The first is from 1989 and this spike bull ran between my brother & brother-in-law and me. I took a half dozen shots as he ran by, in some you could see them in the background. I liked how this cloud lined up with him. The second was from 1990 and only about 300 yards from where the spike ran by me. From this set up I saw cows and calves all day, but no bulls within a half mile. This cow was only 30 yards downhill. Just 8 months and counting.

We Will Not Forget (PG L)

PG L, that just sounds weird. Painted Gentleman 50 is on the side of a store in downtown Chambersburg, PA, just off Memorial Square. As a kid I would go here to get stuff to make model cars, at that time it was Uptown Sales. More recently it was C's Sportsman's Warehouse. Now it has become, like much of downtown Chambersburg, Los Reyes Mexican Store. Very nice painting, very nice message. It faces what used to be "Recruiter's Row", That's were I did my thing. Now even the recruiter's have moved out, moved to the mall. Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.

The Seahawk

The Seahawk sits in the Chincoteague Bay very near to where the new causeway and bridge will join with the Island, near Main Street and Maddox Boulevard. It kinda has a feeling of the Barnacle, from the John Candy movie "Summer Rental". Maybe I should have checked for the old Captain and the oriental chef and his freezer full of fish sticks. The Seahawk sits next to the now defunct Landmark Crabhouse Restaurant, I'm not sure if it ever was part of the restaurant or just there for atmosphere.

This Do In Remembrance of Me (Night Services 5)

Last night I noticed a light on, moving quickly and silently I stood on the sidewalk with my tripod and snapped a few window shots. This is the Grace United Church of Christ on the intersection of East Orange Street and South Prince Street in Shippensburg. This window I had never noticed lit up before, I think because it sits on the side street not along the frontage street. It is, of course, Da Vinci's Last Supper. Again I mirrored the image so you can read it and see it the way it was intended to be seen. My other problem with all of these is leveling the camera in the dark, I often need to rotate 2 or 3 degrees to straighten the image. It didn't help that Prince Street sits on a downhill slope.

No Swimming

This is the Long Pine Run Reservoir in the Michaux State Forest, Adams County, PA. Long Pine sits near the intersection of Birch Run Road and Milesburn Roads, both dirt mountain roads, and is part of Chambersburg's water supply. This time of year it is frozen, but as you can read there are a lot of restrictions to it's use. There was some open water last weekend and I'm surprised I didn't see any waterfowl.

In Like a Lion

No weather report here, today's posted pictures are from a weekend tour I took in Europe. It was early February of 1986 and took a loop through Switzerland, these pictures are all from Luzern. The first picture is the Lion Monument or the "Dying Lion of Luzern". Carved into the hillside in 1821 to commemorate the 700 Swiss mercenaries killed in Paris when French Revolutionaries stormed the Royal Palace and Louis the 16th ordered the guards to lay down their arms. A massacre followed. The second is of the original Kapellbrucke and Wasserturm over the River Reuss, built in the 14th century it was the oldest road bridge in Europe. I say the original because I have since learned that in August 1993 a small boat fire near the bridge burned most of this bridge down, a replica was quickly built to replace it, although , some of the damages can still be seen. The last picture is a typical tourist picture of a downtown building showing gargoyles and what look like maidenheads.

I hope you enjoy these pictures, all from back then are scanned from 35mm pictures that were developed in Germany and spent 10-15 years in a magnetic photo album, the kind with the sticky stuff and clear plastic cover. Often my German processed pictures discolored towards yellow and green and the albums turned the pictures brown on the edges. I have since gotten most of these into more archival albums.