"The Iron Worker"

"The Iron Worker"

Denton Burrows

Catasauqua, Pennsylvania

April 2024

Boiling Springs Grist Mill

Boiling Springs Grist Mill

built 1784 - burned 2022

Boiling Springs, Pa

August 2015

Baltimore and Ohio

Baltimore and Ohio

Caboose C-2235

Mars, Pennsylvania

April 2019

Always the Bridesmaid

I know you've already seen this. I had it posted a month ago. And , no, there is no song lyrics today. This post is about the picture, not the flower. I entered this picture "Pre-Thistle III" in LA Camera's Summer Flower Photo Contest and like last year I got an Honorable Mention. The wife didn't think entering a weed in a flower contest sponsored by a nursery would stand a chance. Next up is the Shippensburg Fair. (fingers crossed).

p.s. this is what Purple Milk Thistle looks like a day or two before it becomes a big purple pom-pom.

Pleasant Hall, 17246

The United States Post Office at Pleasant Hall, Pennsylvania and the Big Hot Olive Tattoo Shop.  6535 Upper Stasburg Road, Pleasant Hall, Pa. Pleasant Hall is a village in Letterkenny Township, Franklin County. A 2000 census had the population at 2,074 people. The Big Hot Olive? Been around since 2011.

The Blue Moose of Niagara Falls, Ontario

The Blue Moose of Niagara Falls, Ontario. He hangs out at the Blue Moose Trading Company on Clifton Hill.

Independence in Bloom

Renovations are nearing the end here in the Outskirts Main Office and I've been working on some pictures for the walls. These are some of the wildflowers at Independence Pass in Colorado.

The Star Barn

Barn Charm 19. In last weeks comment section Tricia (Ms. Barn Charm) mentioned seeing a post of a barn with a star on it and what that means. I wasn't able to find the barn she mentioned but I looked into it. And from what I see the star is simply a symbol of good luck. On some farms southeast of here in Lancaster County many of the old barns have a 6 pointed star, also called a hex sign (possibly a mispronounced variation of the German word sechs, meaning six). This is the locally famous Star Barn which sits along Route 283 between the PA Turnpike and the Harrisburg Airport (heading towards Lancaster County). It was built in 1868 by banker/farmer John Motter. I took these pictures in May of 2008. First posted here.

To see what Tricia, and everyone else is up to, click on the little barn and you can take a trip and never leave the farm.

Stop Heroin

Can you say, "Right place at the right time?" I knew you could. OK, follow me here. On the way to Harrisburg Sunday morning we jumped off the interstate in Enola for an early lunch. Leaving the restaurant we headed south along the river to cross into downtown Harrisburg instead of going further north on 81. Just past West Fairview and before we got into Wormburg I see a graffiti laden train car. Whoa! U-Turn. Through the empty parking lot. Grab the camera. Fire away. Up the hill. Through the snow and weeds for just a couple more. Creak. Crack. And away the train goes. Heading north. That close to missing it. While I disagree with graffiti and see it as vandalism, occasionally I see something that catches my eye. Something more than some delinquents misspelled name. I am impressed. Some of it could be art if it wasn't for destroying someone else's stuff. Kind of like me driving through and parking my car on private property and accessing railroad property for pictures like this. I do it for you friends.

Getting Rusty

Rusty? Not me. I have found at time the creative mindset is difficult to keep on track. At times I wish I could do something to jump start my imagination. Some days it's just too easy to be content. A rolling stone, they say, gathers no moss. But sometimes that stone needs a push to get rolling again. This spring has been terrible for me taking time to take pictures. The pollen hit me and held me to a point I was content inside. I think that it has finally passed and maybe I can get off my duff and try to get the creative juices flowing again. It's just not like me to not have a bundle of posey pictures by this time of year. Sunday I got out on a drizzle shortened birdwalk along the Big Spring. Hopefully that's just what I needed to get moving. Let's see where it takes me.

Juicy Lucy

If it weren't for that danged Jeep I may have pasted this one off as old. Juicy Lucy sits on 7th Street in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. There is also one in the Cherry Creek section of Denver. I've never eaten here but, hey, that sure looks like a Fat Tire Ale sign to the left of the door. I may need to stop in.

The Nymphs of Italian Lake

These are the Nymphs I promised last Friday, dancing to the pipes of the satyrs hiding below. The fountain in in Italian Lake in Harrisburg, Pa. I did find out this about the sculpture... interesting, very interesting... "In the lower portion of the lake stands a fountain sculpture named "Dance of the Eternal Spring" and that has a story all its own. Created in 1909 by Philadelphia sculptor Giuseppe Donato, it was originally commissioned by Milton Hershey for his gardens. When the piece was completed the three nude dancing nymphs offended the conservative Hershey and he refused to accept it." Read more on this website and find out how it ended up in Harrisburg and what the Polyclinic graduates traditionally did with it.

The Satyr

This guy is one of three perpetually playing the pipes beneath some dancing nymphs on the fountain in Italian Lake on the north side of Harrisburg. A satyr, of course, is a half goat and half man of Greek mythology. Satyrs often played the pipes and loved to dance with nymphs. If you're really nice I'll introduce you to the nymphs next week.

the alley, 8:54 pm

This should be a no-brainer for all of you bench sitters out there.

Eastern Kingbird

This is the Eastern Kingbird. When I first saw it ther were two of them sitting here. I just assumed it was another swallow, there were plenty skimming the pond. to my advantage they must not be too skittish, I was able to slowly get closer and closer to him. The kingbirg, like a swallow, eats flying insects but they also like wild berries which, like flying insects, they snatch on the fly.

Interstate 79 to Pittsburgh

Working from dark to dark everyday and the rain everyday didn't leave much time for picture taking. Wednesday evening I couldn't sleep so I took a short walk with the camera. This turned out OK, but the big news of the walk was releasing the shutter for the 10,000th time. That picture turned out blurry, oops. This is Interstate 79 looking southbound.

the alley 8:44 pm

Sorry about that. I promised to give everyone a fighting chance. Otherwise there would be chaos.

Year Three, Day One & the 2nd Annual Cyber Rollcall

Yes, today is the day. Today is my two year blogiversity. That's right I've been boring you all for two years. I know there are some of you who check this out just to see if I showed up and what for wacky adventure I have been on lately. I've said before I promise you a picture or two or three and some words every day. Can't guarantee what time I'm posting, just that I am. In the past year I missed two days of posting. Computer/Internet/No Time issues right before I left for Colorado last fall. I made it up to y'all with 4 posts in one day. I did post twice with no words, did that with out even thinking about it. Had guest posters while I was on said Colorado adventure. Thanks again to Cincy Bill, Mama Clep, Sparky and Grizz. Spent a day out shooting with some good friends, thanks Bradley and Shane, we'll have to do that again soon. And along the way I might have learned a thing or two about taking better pictures. Now I just need to remember that stuff. So here's to another year. Lets see where it takes us. And most of all thanks you for checking in every day, or every other day or once a month, whatever, thanks for stopping by.

Now let me know who I need to thank. I am asking for another cyber roll call like we did last year. I know you don't comment all the time or maybe never. maybe you don't want other civilized folks know you've visited the Outskirts of Suburbia. So drop me a line. Just a note. Hit that comment button, leave a short message, even just a "Here, Sir" an "All present and accounted for" Leave a name, a nickname, your initials, your dogs name just a hint who you might be, "Hey, I'm the guy you spilled beer on that that party in 1986." I remember who you are and I thank you for stopping by. It's easy. And stop back again.

Today's pictures are from this past year and are some of the most commented on. The train station at Mount Pleasant, NJ, Sunset over the Cleversburg United Methodist Church, The moon, Jupiter and Venus, Another sunset and Shippensburg University's Old main on an icy cold night. What was your favorite picture over the past year?

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

This is the Cook Tent, again. Falt Tops Wilderness Area, elevation 10,737 feet. Taken the night before opening day.

It's Crocus Time!

Springtime. And some of the first visitors from below... the Crocus'. I don't personally have crocus' at my house, these were literally popping up all over my Mother-in-Law's house. The front gardens, the side gardens and even creeping out into the yard. And just like a Cheech and Chong movie she had white ones and some purple ones and some little bitty yellow ones. These pictures were taken with my macro lens. At times I was nearly touching the flower. And if you look close you can see a focus ring on some of these. The end of the yellow is in focus and so are some of the petals, but the base of the stigma and the tips of the petals are out of focus. And if you hadn't noticed look at the flake of pollen on the bottom petal of the first picture. Cool.