Up, Up, But Not Away

Another balloon from Green Grove Garden's Hot Air Balloon Festival 2012. This guy got all inflated but didn't stay up through the night glow. He was set up on the hill by himself.

Hot Air Balloon Festival 2012

The Hot Air Balloon Festival at Green Grove Gardens, in Greencastle, Pa, was short lived this year. We planned on going Saturday afternoon but one thing lead to another. We stopped for supper on the way. But with one eye constantly looking to the sky waiting for the balloons. Maybe the wind was blowing them in a different direction than we expected. We then continued to Green Grove Gardens and only saw two balloons inflated. The evening flight was cancelled but we were told the night glow was on as well as the morning flights. We hung out waiting for the glow. And as we waited another and then another balloon was unrolled. In all a total of 7 inflated but one shut down before the glow.

Oh, yes, I got up in the morning and drove down before six AM only to meet a lot of vehicles headed out. Morning flights had been cancelled. Strong storms Sunday evening cancelled the evening flights also.

West Grove Fire Company, Station 32

West Grove Fire Company, Station 32. 1517 New London Road (Route 896), Landenberg,  London Britain Township, Chester County, Pa. This station, the third for WGFC, opened on April 2, 2012. West Grove Fire Company was formed in 1904 and incorporated in 1905, with it's original station in West Grove, Pa. This station houses a 1500 gpm engine, an BLS ambulance and their antique 1928 Hale pumper.

Take Off

It's been a while since I've ventured out to the game lands, so two Sunday's ago with a light mist falling I took a quick spin around the area. Saw a variety of birds including this hawk. I think it was a juvenile Red Tail.

Market Street National Bank, Philadelphia

This is the Market Street National bank in downtown Philadelphia. It's now a Residence Inn. While walking in center city the colors in the trim of this building caught my eye. At One East Penn Square, this building was designed by Ritter and Shay Architects and was completed in 1930. Twenty four floors with a height of 348 feet. The bottom three pictures are from the Juniper Street side, Commerce Street is to the left and Market is to the right.

And Then in the Top of the Third...

So last Thursday a co-worker and I went to see the Wilmington Blue Rocks play the Frederick Keys. Remember that Wilmington is the High A minor league team of the Kansas City Royals. As we waited for the game to start you could feel the approaching storm. Before the end of the first inning the front was creeping closer. And then in the top of the third with little warning the wind went ballistic. 20 miles an hour. 30 miles an hour. The dust off the baseline was blowing so hard towards us that we had to retreat to the concourse. The refs cleared the field and we all waited for what was next. The grounds crew rolled out the tarp and almost went para sailing in the process. (wishing I had grabbed my video camera). Then after a long wait the rains came. And they came with a vengeance. When the ump stepped out, looked up at the announcer's booth and pulled his hand across his throat we knew it was time to hit the road.

Wilmington Blue Rocks

 Finally made my first baseball game of the year. I also added another stadium to my list. The Wilmington Blue Rocks are the High A minor league team of the Kansas City Royals. The park was a lot like most other single A fields here in the Mid-Atlantic, ten bucks buys you a bleacher seat, like, 7 rows up from the far side of the home team dugout. The nearby airport sends frequent fliers over the field throughout the game. As a bonus for me, an Orioles fan, the Blue Rocks were playing the Frederick Keys. And for supper I was too close to the Chesapeake Bay to not have the Rocky Burger with crab meat and old bay seasoning on it. It wasn't too bad, really. 

Judy Johnson Field at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium.
Rocks Manager Vance Wilson and Keys Manager Orlando Gomez exchange line up cards.

Wilmington mascot Rocky Bluewinkle high fives Cheslor Cuthbert prior to the start of the game.