Emergency Aircraft

Lifeflight Helicopter, I believe, from San Diego. Take n at the air show at Marine Corps Air Base El Toro, April 1985. MCAS El Toro was near Irvine, California. It has since been closed and is the site of some of the taping for the US version of the Top Gear television show.

Sikorsky S-62C Seagaurd Amphibious Helicopter. The HH-52 had 99 of them, they served the USCG from 1963 until 1989. Number 1402, from the USCG Los Angeles,  was withdrawn from use and dumped in the auxillary field at Elgin AFB, Florida. Taken at the air show at MCAS El Toro, April 1985.

C-9 Nightingale, an aeromedical transport aircraft. Basically a  military version of the DC-9. Taken on one of the taxiways at Hill AFB, Utah. This was the view from my office. This is sometime in the Spring of 1985.

Christmas Sunset

A near rainbow of colors painted the skies Christmas evening. Just proof that some of the gifts of the season aren't under the tree. Some are up and over the trees. Just gotta get off the couch and find them.

Stevens Cannery, Roy, Utah (PG 174)

Here is proof that I've been shooting Painted Gentlemen for almost 28 years. This is the Stevens Cannery in Roy, Utah. Roy sits between Ogden, where I lived, and Hill Air Force Base where I  worked, if you go around the northwest side of base on Interstate 15.  This was taken in the spring of 1984. The Stevens Cannery took over the Varney Cannery in  1955 and operated here until 1980. (2757 West 6000 South, Roy, Utah) You can faintly read Varney under Stevens. I did read that they canned tomatoes here, what else, I don't know.

Roof Work

A Fannett Metal Fire Company firefighter working from the roof at a Christmas Eve greenhouse shed fire.

Emanel United Church of Christ

Another buying opportunity in Lansford, PA. The former Emanuel United Church of Christ is just another of many empty churches throughout the Coal Region of Pennsylvania. Sitting on the corner of Ridge and Spring Garden Streets someone has already started the process of converting it to a private residence.  Can you imagine living with all that stained glass? And a 1922 pipe organ? Just $60 grand and it could be yours.

Merry Christmas 1983

Merry Christmas one and all from everyone here at the main offices of the Outskirts of Suburbia. My Christmas card to the blog-o-sphere this year comes courtesy of 1983. My first Christmas away from home, Hill AFB, Utah. The tree is courtesy of Gram and followed me for the next 3 holidays. May your season be bright and your day be merry and I hope you have a stack of gifts taller than your tree.

Decorating the VHC for the Last Time

The lights at the Vigilant Hose Company in Shippensburg aren't what they once were but next year we will be in a whole new firehouse and starting new traditions.

Summerdale Fire Company

Digging deep for pictures today. I took these last fall. This is, or should I say was, the Summerdale Fire Company, Cumberland County Company 20. It's been about a year now that they joined forces with the Citizen's Fire Company of Enola (Company 18) and formed the Northeast Fire and Rescue. I was through this part of East Pennsboro last fall and caught the apparatus sitting out on the ramp, thought I'd burn a few images.

Morning Light

The Assateague Island Lighthouse, taken from the channel bridge over Assateague Bay about a half hour after sunrise.

Henderson Gymnasium at Ship U

Henderson Gymnasium on the campus of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. (from SU's website...) "The Henderson Gymnasium houses the Department of Exercise Science and is located in the historic part of campus behind Old Main and Horton Hall. Henderson was built in 1937". This was taken from David See Field in the Robb Sports Complex.

Baltimore to New York or Washington

This is a picture I took from the concourse of the nose bleed section at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Just playing around I made it look old and like someone printed it backwards. Why? Because I can. And it makes it look more interesting.

Christmas at Children's Lake

Don't you just love last minute decisions? Saturday night I was at the camera shop, 12 miles southwest of home. While talking we decided to go check out the floating tree at Children's Lake in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. 25 miles northeast of home. It was cold and it was cool, but I may have to go back at try the picture thing again. The long exposure was not the problem. It was a light breeze the was my problem. There was just enough wind to move the lights and screw the focus. Anyways, the tree floats out on the lake and the lake is surrounded by luminaries. We drove home looking at some of the ridiculous, Clark W. Griswald wanna be Christmas decorators. Wow. 

And, no, that is the old mill back there, not a barn. So, no barn this week.

Pink

Taken last August  on Assateague Island, Virginia.

1985 Scans

From late 1983 until early summer of 1985 I was stationed in Utah. Camera-wise I started with a old Kodak Disc camera that I finally upgraded just before leaving. My upgrade was an Olympus 35mm point and shoot. This was probably about the time that they finally put 35mm roll film into a point and shoot. These are from that Olympus. The first is the fire department I belonged to while I lived off base. This is the Washington Terrace Fire Department. I lived 4 or 5 blocks away, along Route 89 by the high school. Nothing real significant happened during my time spent with these guys. I sure they don't remember me. I can remember a couple of the guys. There were the Father and Sons, the boys were Phil and Bart, I think. Roger and Toby. And the Chief, I think he was Peterson. There was weekly training and meetings and a few calls, but they weren't near as busy as I was back home. They ran two of these Van Pelts. One was really old. And there was another piece of apparatus I no longer recall. The only pictures I have are three of this unit. Before leaving Utah I visited my cousin ion Huntington Beach, California. I guess she actually lived in Santa Anna, but we visited Huntington Beach were this Lifeguard Jeep was stationed. Got to love the tail step with the hand holds. And the last one is a Crash truck that was sitting out at  El Toro Marine Corps Air Station at an air show.

Monday Sunset

Did you ever drive past some place and say to yourself, "Self" (I'm assuming that's what you call yourself what you are talking to yourself). "Self, sometime, when the time is just right, I'd like to get a picture of that." I can't tell you how many of these locations are stored in my Swiss cheese brain. Monday on the way home from work I saw that the sunset was gonna be a nice one and when I saw the scattered cirrus was glowing with an awesome pink/purple tinge I swung by the house and grabbed my camera and tripod. Of course in the 5 minutes it took me to get here the color was gone. I was left with the tail end of sunlight and fading blue skies. I have no complaints. (to be honest as I was watching the sunset form while on the road home I wanted to go to another location to get some pictures that I saw in my mind. But those pictures need a clear sunset, no clouds. Maybe this weekend) This is, by the way, the Cumberland Valley Co-Op. Sitting along Mount Rock Road just off of Interstate 81 near exit 24. And the Big Old Paint Can.

at Mile High

I dug another oldie from the dusty files of my 2005 summer vacation to Colorado. And for "Larger Than Life" I give you football equipment that is bigger than Tim Tebow himself. While in Denver we drove past Invesco Field and saw this equipment in the sidewalk from the parking lot. That is a big mouth piece and facemask and collar and chinstrap. How did I know six and a half years ago (two years before the Outskirts came to be) that I would need fodder for some random Wednesday post? I'm a genius I tell you. A genius.

My People Picture Rule Gets Broken, Again

You may recall the number one rule here at the Outskirts... "I Don't Take People Pictures". Well sometimes you gotta bend the rules.  I had a friend ask to take some family pictures and some of her high school senior son. He wanted them taken at the cabin in the fall and as nice as the leaves are in these pictures two weeks earlier were much better. One week earlier it was a lot whiter, though. So one Sunday afternoon the family and my wife and I walked and climbed around the acreage surrounding their cabin. We kicked up a few turkeys on our hike, too (the feathered kind). And the whole day ended with warm homemade apple pie. Like I said, sometimes you gotta bend the rules.

Save Your Green (PG 173)

Barn Charm 17. Painted Gentleman 173. I dug into my old files looking for something I haven't posted anywhere yet. This barn sits near the intersection of Sleepy Hollow Road and Route 286 near Clymer, Pennsylvania. Why do I have a picture of a random barn in Indiana County? It all about the faded ad.  I love getting pictures of old faded ads, especially Mail Pouch. I call them Painted Gentlemen, I play on the terms Painted Lady and Gentlemen Farmer. If you haven't already clicked my label in the sidebar for Painted Gentleman, try it and see where it takes you. This barn though is a small mystery. It is nearly too faded. I can make out the words "Sales & Service" and "Save Your Green Rt 286 S Indiana Pa" It's the top line that baffles me. is that an "F"? It could be an "F" for the word Firestone. It is close to the same style. Unless someone remembers It will remain a mystery.


For more Barn Charm follow the link below to Tricia in Southeast Missourah.

Footer Review 2011

December means it is time for my yearly review of the footers that have grace our presence on this here web log.

January 2011 - This is a Black Vulture sitting on a light post at the Conowingo Dam from last November. The moon came from somewhere else. IDK

February 2011 - This is one of the dragons along the sidewalks of Philadelphia's Chinatown. Taken last year between Christmas and New Years Eve.

March 2011 - A detail of my old Kodak No. 2 Premo camera. The post with that camera still is one of my highest hit posts. Next to anything about the FDNY.

April 2011 - Detail of the phone booth I stood near during the NYC Lunar New Years parade. Near the intersection of Mott and Canal Streets.

May 2011 - My Kwanzan Cherry tree in bloom.

June 2011 - Another from Chinatown NYC. Cleaning up after the parade. Remember to Keep the Outskirts of Suburbia Clean.

July 2011 - July 4th fireworks here in Shippensburg. This one I did a little twist to.

August 2011 - Some flowers I ran onto out in the State Game Lands.

September 2011 - The mascot for the Harrisburg Senators, Riverside Rascal, showing some Outskirts love.

October 2011 - My favorite hot dog stand. This sits on the lower concourse of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

November 2011 - Yes, baseball three months in a row. This is the scoreboard from Coca Cola Park in Allentown  when I whooped up on the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs. They never stood a chance.

December 2011 - Interstate 95 through southern Maine. We looked and looked. My daughter complained about false advertisements.

Best Decorated Firehouse in Town

The click click click you hear on the rooftop is just the workers putting on the roof. The construction guys obviously feel a little Christmas spirit. Dear Santa, I want a new firehouse for Christmas.