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.

Skywatch, the Harrisburg Senators & Life Lion

While preparing to enjoy my first baseball game of the year (I know it's 2 months into the season) and sitting in the new cheap seats we stood for the National Anthem. Followed by a fly over by Penn State Hershey Medical Center's Life Lion (I've posted Life Lion before here, here and here) It caught me a little off guard but I was able to fire off a few picture. The Harrisburg Senators (see them here, here and here) are the AA affiliate of the Washington Nationals and play in what is now Metro Bank Park. MBP in located on City Island. City Island is just what it sounds like , an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River. The park is undergoing much needed renovations and Friday marked the opening of the new Boardwalk that circles the outfield and includes seats under the new video board and the "Cheap Seats" in left field.

This is my Skywatch for the week. For everyone else's hit the icon on the right side of your screen.

The Shaw Building, Mars (PG 107)

This is the last of the Painted Gentlemen of Mars. It was my favorite. I have no idea what the Shaw Building is, it looked like a house to me. You can see the impending storm brewing in the background. I later got wet.

Turtles Galore

Yes, I go there for the bird pictures but this spring it looks more like turtle central. I've known there were Eastern Painted Turtles here, you just have to know where they'll be and sneak in slow. They like sunning themselves on the rocks. Or you'll see them swimming around if you're lucky. Last week I saw a couple glimpses of Common Snapping Turtles but none as big as this ole boy. That shell had to be a foot long and trust me when I tried to slip around to get closer he was very quick to return to the pond. I think he was heading over to the wetland pond for the day. This is the same area I saw the Eastern Box Turtle swimming.

Memorial Day 2009

Sorry this post comes so late, I wasn't sure how to approach today's post. Should I post pictures of monuments? People I served with? But as the honey-do list was being whittled down I remembered how I posted last Veteran's Day. So, I went into town for the parade. I would have anyways, and I would have taken pictures. The parade was short but still longer that the Veteran's Day parade. There was a lot more people than the Veteran's Day parade, maybe because it's a holiday, a day off. But it was good to see the turnout. The second picture is a moving wall with the names of the war dead in the middle Atlantic states. Pennsylvania , I think has about 225.

Song Sparrow

What a morning! Started with a walk along the Big Spring. A little cloudy and cool but by the time I made it back to the truck it was clearing a little and warming up. Didn't see a lot to get pictures of but what I did get turned out pretty good. Of course, I can't resist snapping a shot of a bird on a sign. These are Song Sparrows. Very common. If you see a sparrow, it's probably a Song Sparrow.

Make A Wish 2009

Today was the 7th annual Franklin County Truck Convoy for the Make A Wish Foundation. Again this year it formed at Cressler Trucking in Shippensburg. Following a picnic and small games the convoy left Cresslers for the ride through Franklin County. I didn't count the trucks (I did catch hell, apparently I was suppose to) but I would guess 50 more or less. Including Tractor Trailers, Flatbeds, Implement rollbacks, Cement Trucks, Recycle trucks, Fire Trucks and Dump Trucks. All washed up with their wheels all shiny and with banners and balloons. Lights, sirens and horns. They took off at 11:30 am and I heard the horns again on the return about 2:45 pm. A nice ride for those deserving and those volunteering to help raise some money for a good cause. The police escort was followed by the Fire Chief's Buggy from the Vigilant Hose Company and Engine Tanker 5 from Mont Alto (Pa.) Fire Department.