Update: PG42, PG48, PG56 and More

Today's Painted Gentleman segment is some updates of old posts. First of all is PG 42, Mail Pouch in Palmstown. Here is the picture I promised, taken in 1988 with my Canon AE1.




Second is PG 48, Time. This is the front and other side of Hartzell's Electric Store at the northwest corner of Faller Avenue and West Chapel Avenue in Carlisle, PA.

Third is from a couple weeks ago, PG 56, The Barn Between the Corners. Here is what Andy and I were discussing. Apparently Carroll Township ran out of room on the sign for the 'R' in Spangler.

AND WHILE I'M AT IT...

No one noticed when I posted a picture upside down. That's why The Path Less Traveled, from 4/13/2008, looks so strange.

My Second Dam Blogpost

I was asked to take some pictures of some flooding this past weekend. This is an old power generation dam along the Middle Spring Creek north of Shippensburg. I sort of remember fishing nearby as a kid, the structure and ruins seemed familiar. The water was definitely up, probably a foot or more higher than it was observed last week. Apparently the power was generated when the water was forced through an opening in the dam. It then falls maybe 10 feet and is pushed back up into the water pooling downstream, creating an incredible boil. The roar from this is deafening. And scary. This must have been the building that held the generator itself.

Year Two, Day One, The First Annual Cyber Roll Call

That's right, year two, baby. In this election year I've got to say for my second year I promise more of what you've all been enjoying so far. A picture or two or three everyday and some words. I promise to make you wonder to yourself as you are logging on, "What the heck is he posting today?"...and then you'll say, "What the heck IS he posting today??" I promise more Painted Gentlemen, still on Wednesdays but maybe not every single Wednesday. And Fireday Friday, again maybe not every single Friday. And maybe a day off here and there. I'm going out west to play mountain man for a week or so this fall and the "Be Back Soon" sign will hang on the Outskirts' office door but I'll be back with more stories and pictures of my misadventures. So keep coming back and pull up a chair, it's always nice to see and hear from you.

Now about this Cyber Roll Call. I'm asking everyone to hit that button for "Comments" and just let me know who is out there. I'm no comment whore so I'm not asking for anything more than a "Here, Sir" or an "All present and accounted for". You don't need to use your real name, I don't. Use your initials or your dogs name, whatever. I'm just curious who is out there and how many of you there is.

The picture, by the way, is a deer's ass.

Three Six Six

No, 366 is not the cousin of the beast. This is post 366. And it is a leap year. Guess again. Yup, today is the last day of my first year of posting. (I hope that makes sense). I want to thank those of you who have been regulars for a long time, those who stop by once in a while and those who told friends about this corner of that world wide web thingy we call the blogosphere and more particularly this little corner of that little corner we here at the main headquarters call The Outskirts of Suburbia. I hope over the past year you haven't drawn too many bad conclusions about me despite the dry humor, pointless stories and pictures that at time make you say, "Huh?" So come back tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that one and see if I implode or actually make a point about anything. Again, THANKS.

Another foggy picture from Saturday, this one is of the Memorial Lutheran Church steeple in Shippensburg, PA.

This Way Guys

Late Late post, I know. I said last week that on the weekends I try for a 'Live' picture. I took this picture this morning, purely by happenstance. I drove somewhere else to get some foggy morning shots and happened by the Duck Pond on my way to my next place to be. The goslings were an added bonus. I actually got a few good pictures here and I can use them in the future so stay tuned.

Headquarters, Squad 15 is Responding

Another shot from last Saturday's motorcycle accident. As I said Saturday, when I heard the dispatch I ran to my truck to get my camera and found it with the "big" lens on. 'Til I switched to the "normal" lens the Engine was out. When I heard the Squad I ran upstairs, opened the window, sat the camera on the sill and opened the shutter. You can see the lights that were blinking and those that were constant. And little bits of light reflecting off chrome.

More Small-Town Middle-Class Graffiti

You know it's must be hard living the life of a gangsta in a small town. Your peeps not respecting how tough life is in an upper middle class development. Stuck wearing Old Navy when everyone else is wearing Aeropostal. Mom and Dad making you wear those $140 sneakers. Living on the streets, at least until supper time. Makes you want to take your 'board out and tag something. I can't even get a ride to the mall. Man, this sucks.

Repent (PG LVII)

Painted Gentleman 57 proves you can sell anything. In this case eternal salvation. Found this one along State Route 274 west of Duncannon, PA. Actually took this picture through the windshield.

Stand Back of Yellow Line

Road trip to New Jersey. I'll keep it at that. If you are from Jersey, my condolences. When we crossed the PA into NJ state line someone said,"There's no toll east bound, but there is a toll west bound?" My response was, "Who would pay to get into Jersey, and who wouldn't be more than willing to pay to get out?"

Sunshine

Today the sun will shine. The flowers will grows tall and beautiful. and all will be right with the world. HBR

Look to the Sky

This is the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church on the corner of Walnut and Second Street in Boiling Springs, PA. I liked the contrast from previous church dome pictures I've taken. This is a small community church, probably attended by average folks who are there to worship God and not be concerned what others think.

I wish I could have been there earlier in the day and not had the sun behind the church. I also wish I had more time, Boiling Springs is full of old and beautiful architecture.

Emergency Transfer

Sorry for the late post, on the weekends I try and see if I get anything new to post. I stopped at the Station this evening and as I was leaving we got a dispatch for a motorcycle crash. I ran across the street for my camera and followed the engine to the landing zone for Life Lion. They landed at the Shippensburg University parking lot. First picture is the transfer from the ambulance to the helicopter's stretcher the second is the patient being loaded into the bird.

Homework for next emergency: figure out the night shots using ambient light. This is difficult when no one will stand still. I had my tripod, maybe I should have used it.

Grantham Volunteer Fire Company

The Grantham Volunteer Fire Company was formed in 1942 and with the growth of the community and the department they changed the name in 1949 to the Upper Allen Fire Company of Grantham. By the 60's they had a second station along Gettysburg Pike and when this station burned in 1983 they built a new single station along Gettysburg Pike in 1985 and again changed the name to Upper Allen Fire Department. They run as Cumberland County Company 23 and call the web their home here.

PS, I'm only 85-90% sure this home is the old original station along Grantham Road near the park. Any confirmation on this let me know.

Monthly Moon Shot

As seen from this evening's walk.

The Barn Between the Corners (PG LVI)

Back to the Original. I found a Mail Pouch barn a couple of weeks ago. Not that it was lost but I didn't know about this one. And to top it off it was a two-sided Mail Pouch Barn. It can be found by you, too, if you are traveling along Route 34 in Perry County, Pennsylvania, north of Crums Corners and south of Mecks Corner. Get it? Right between the two Corners. PG 56 sits back Spangle Lane, a private road.

Tread Lightly

Again, I walked looking for the Momma Killdeer. I caught her from the corner of my eye off in the pasture near the path. Her nest though now only holds 2 eggs. Where is the third? Kids? Raccoons? I'll never know. Later, nearer to twilight, I saw her flying back to the nest. Too late to sneak the camera over, not enough light. We'll let her alone. I'll try another day.

April Showers May Come A Your Way

Spring keeps creeping in slowly but surely. Tree buds are starting to show, the forsythias are turning yellow and the grass is going to need mowed really soon if the sun shines at all this week. Saturday's weather was just what spring should be all about. Sunday, that's another story. Started out cold and went downhill from there, finally ending with rain.

This reminds me of the old 'Tom and Jerry' cartoon with Tom in his zoot suit, singing to his dream girl, "April shower's may come a your way, They bring a the flowers that bloom in da May."

The Path Less Traveled

Found these tie steps leading down to a cave entrance while on a walk last week. It would look better with a little color. This cave entrance has been closed off to people but there is still a hole for the bats to pass through.

Solar Halo

This is a Solar Halo, actually I just made that word up, I don't know what it is called. I've seen this several times in the last month or so, usually near dusk, and more to one side of the setting sun than the other. It's tough getting a shot looking towards the sun. In this picture the sun is to my left and you can almost see the circular halo effect.

Front Compartment, Driver's Side

Have a nice day.

Busted

This picture was taken a couple weeks ago at an old warehouse that was being torn down. Looks like the local kids are helping out.

Number One in the A.L. East (PG LV)

Last week my Orioles Fanness came into question, this week it's all about the O. This weeks special guest is the B+O warehouse along Eutaw Street at Camden Yards. I know I have better pictures but they must be somewhere on film (I'll explain film to you someday kids). These are the best I could digitally find. I promise to get some better ones this summer. As for the title, you have to shout these things while you can. O-R-I-O-L-E-S!

At 51 feet wide and 1,116 feet long the Warehouse is the longest building on the East Coast and houses the Orioles front offices along with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and the Maryland Stadium Authority. They say a 432' home run down the right field line will hit the Warehouse. Ken Griffey, Jr., is the only person to hit it. His 445' drive connected during the home run derby at the 1993 All-Star game. They put these brass baseballs to mark all home runs that hit Eutaw Street, this is the only one on the wall. The "3000" sign is for Rafael Palmeiro's 3000th hit. This picture was taken during a rain delay just days before his suspension (we were also at that game, 8/1/05).

Twilight

I took this picture from my truck while sitting at the park. I had just taken a long walk and was waiting. Near the end of my walk I spotted a killdeer. A killdeer is a bird. This particular killdeer had made it's nest on the stone path I was walking. In true killdeer fashion it squawked as it walked away from the nest in the stones on the path. Seeing that I wasn't following her like she assumed I would she began phase two. Phase two was the damsel in distress routine. This involved more squawking and dragging a wing. "Oh, big mean man, I'm hurt." And when you get far enough from the nest she leaves you stranded and flys back to the nest. This week I'll take my camera on my walk.

PBR Me ASAP

I've been wanting to take some neon sign pictures, lately. I look and look but this town doesn't have much to offer and i want something more than your typical bar lights. There are a couple unfortunately one is no longer lit. Maybe I can capture it and bring it back to life. The Hotel Doyle in Duncannon, PA was well equipped and this PBR sign made me remember the old days with the Blue Crew at Hombres from many years ago. Guess I just need to get out of town more often.

Two Weeks Late

Is an Easter Egg hunt two weeks after Easter still an Easter Egg hunt? Apparently so. Yesterday the Shippensburg Fire Department and a group called 'Park and Friends' held the annual free egg hunt for area children 8 and under. I personally haven't been to this hunt in many years and was pleasantly surprised at how well things went. I followed the Easter Bunny around and enjoyed watching the children's reaction to him. Some followed as if he were the Pied Piper, some remained apprehensive and even some preferred to be friends from a distance. Best of all, and I think 'Mr. Bunny' will agree, the smiles and hugs made it all worth while.

This IS the Eater Egg Hunt we once spoke of.

Seeing Stars

Walk through any old town and you will find these stars. They may come in other geometric shapes, but they all serve the same purpose. This is what I Googled and found out - "Here's a bit of history for why they were actually very useful: Tie rods and these star-shaped "washers" were often used to connect the gable walls of masonry structures. The floor joists would hold the weight bearing walls from spreading, so these were often the solution for the non-load bearing walls"

Follow Up for a Friend

I've done plenty of follow-ups to my blog posts before but today is the first time I'm doing a follow-up to someone else's blog. My old friend Bradley runs a blog chronicling the Shippensburg Fire Department, kind of a 'This day in History' thing. Well it turns out that Tuesday, April 1st was the anniversary of the original bell being mounted in the belfry of the Council House in 1884, the original home of the Vigilant Hose Company. I remembered going up on the roof, three years ago, to get some pictures of how the bell was mounted and the condition of the bell and mountings. Balancing myself, probably forty feet above the ramp, was more pucker factor than I deem comfortable but I did manage to hold on to get a few pictures, enough to answer my curiosities. As seen in this picture there is wire mounted to keep the pigeons out, but I could still read "Vigilant Fire Co. Feb'y 22d 1843" on the King Street side and "Henry (something) Baltimore Md" on the backside.

Check out Bradley's post on the Shippensburg Fire Department blog.

Flower Power

With spring's arrival I should always have a subject to take pictures of. Flowers are the perfect models, all you need is the right lighting and maybe a bug and you've in like Flynn. If one doesn't work with you walk around the corner and you'll find another, bright eyed and bushy tailed, waiting for you and your camera. For the most part the colors change as different flowers bloom, but unlike fall leaves, where you only have a small window of opportunity, flowers bloom all summer. I recently took some picture of some friends and I asked that they check their picture once I was done. Well I backed up on my chip too far to a picture of some red leaves from last fall and she said sarcastically, "Why do you have a picture of a leaf?", I corrected her and told her, "There are three of them and besides leaves don't complain." I got that "You're a smart ass" look. Not the first time and probably not the last.

Goodbye Yankee Stadium (PG LIV)

This is the final year for two New York ballparks, Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium will both open new parks next spring. But the house that Ruth built gets the nod to hold the Mid-Summer Classic - the All Star Game. This picture was taken, I'm gonna say, behind Yankee Stadium. It was on the opposite side from the main gates. Located back here under the elevated trains (very noisy, by the way. I can't believe you can't hear it when watching a game on TV) there were bars and souvenir shops. Very New York. This mural includes favorites Babe, Lou and Joe, the other guys I can not see well enough. No 'Cheater' Jeter. No 'E'-Rod. And none of them have thick necks and big heads, so we know they ain't Clemens or Giambi. But seriously, Goodbye Yankee Stadium, we'll hate to lose an icon.

The April Fool

OK, I got nothing. Nothing more than my past headers. Remember last October when I realized that my headers go away when I post my new one? Well, here are my headers from November 2007 through April 2008.

• November. This picture is from my 11/8/07 post and is Nellie's Nipple in the White River National Forest of Colorado.
• December. This is from the same trip and is Interstate 70 going over Vail Pass. Taken from the back seat.
• January. The Cumberland Drive In outside of Newville, PA. I think I've seen that movie.
• February. Just me playing with colors.
• March. The doors of St. Paul's Reformed Church in Waynesboro, PA. I originally had a red/yellow/orange thing going on at the sides but it made it look like the gates of hell, so I settled on the blue bricks.
• April. One of the many dandelions dotting my back yard last year because I'm too lazy and cheap to use weed and feed.