Weekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece

Tough challenge this week. For me, at least.

I didn’t want to post a painting from the Metropolitan Museum from my archives or someone else’s idea.

There have been a lot of creative and unusual masterpieces posted by fellow bloggers . And although there’s plenty of grandchildren artwork where I’m vacationing, how could I chose a single piece from one of the four?

In Ohio, there are no majestic tall ships with light on their sails like Frizz in Germany or Colline’s intricate handmade ship models, or Francine’s stunning views of the Grand Canyon or Meg’s post of Capri. Or Madhu’s edible masterpiece.

There are so many others to see and even a brand new grandchild for Gilly

So keeping it simple. Very simple

One more photo from the Ohio State Fair to meet theWeekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece.

Look, an egg!

This Photo is for Frizz

One of my favorite blogs I follow, is hosted by Frizztext in Germany. (The link is right here ) It’s fun to be part of the wordpress blogging community, supporting one another’s efforts. He is always encouraging.

You’ve seen his comments on my blogs or his alphabet challenge on fellow bloggers posts.

His posts are filled with finger style guitar music and interesting photographs, curious cats and philosophers. He publishes a daily paper that promotes photography and photographers, news of the world and provocative thoughts and subjects. He’ll tweet your post and retweet! He has a ton of followers.

Today when I was walking down the sidewalks of Powell, Ohio, I saw this Volkswagen van in the window. He came to mind. He has a VW van in his header.

This photo is for you Frizz!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern

Pattern. This week I actually took a few photos to respond to the weekly challenge instead of sifting through the archives.

It was a wonderful Mother’s Day with an unexpected trip to meet the family at The Wilds in Cumberland OH but stay tuned for that post. No time for uploading tonight. Using the iPhone camera tonight, looking around the kitchen for patterns. Came upstairs and saw the afghan on the bed. Impromptu pattern photos.

Traffic pattern- coming back from The Wilds we were totally stopped on Interstate 70 around Zanesville.

China pattern. I used to like the idea of mismatched china. Service for 12 in twelve different patterns. It was an idea.

Silver Pattern. My grandmother’s Moonglow and some random pattern in my drawer. Used to be you would select a silver pattern when you were getting married. Lots of couples choose stainless these days.

Knitting, Sewing and Smocking Patterns from yesteryear- another life. I used to do all these things when the kids were small. I still knit.

Pattern in Nature

A Chevron pattern– the crocheted afghan that a coworker’s mother made for my mother. I call it the Good and Plenty afghan.

Pattern in the lid of the jam, sitting on the kitchen table

You can see some wonderful pattern in fellow blogger’s posts for the challenge this week

Waterlilies and driftwood

Light through Glass Block Windows

Roofs in the Netherlands

Carpets Architecture Leaves and Details

Patterns in Lisbon

Patterns in Nature

The patterns of Wat Sene

Beach Patterns

and see Rockaway Six Months After Sandy at Nylondaze

Thinking About Pie on National Pie Day

I emailed my friend Rob to see if he had any updates for National Pie Day this year. He is the only pie judge I know. Official, that is.

Just a year ago he was guest blogger with the National Pie Day post. When I went to retrieve the post and his photos with Willard Scott and Keegan Gerhard, I remembered how a fellow blogger helped me out that day. No visible pictures had posted when I published the guest blog, just blue boxes with question marks. I saw them on my computer but no one else could see them on theirs!

Thanks to the expertise of Chicago John from the Bartolini Kitchens Blog we were able to see Rob’s photos last year.

And although I knew it was National Pie Day today, you see what I came up with this year?

The idea of pie. The possibility of pie. Contemplating the making of pie.

What’s available in the larder?

A lone can of pumpkin?

A few apples for school lunch?

Tons of citrus, some grapes. There are raisins in the fridge but raisin pie has zero appeal to me.

So here’s my offering, Rob.

A pretty pie plate in the afternoon sun and the mere suggestion of a pie to be created. Great for the calorie count, if one were so inclined.

Roberto Clemente Bridge at Night

Roberto Clemente Bridge from a different angle. High up! What a view.

Photographed from the lovely Renaissance Hotel’s fourteenth floor – my fellow blogger’s room. The Allegheny River looked pretty chilly.

If you follow me you know how I enjoy working on my night photography. Love all the lights’ reflections, especially in the water. Too bad it wasn’t baseball season as we could have watched the game from her room!

I was telling Kathryn about how the bridge is closed when there are Pirates Games and you can walk across to PNC Park. Thanks for inviting me up to see the city at night. What fun. I think I need to book a corner room with a river view and just take photographs at different times of day.

Photography Show Opening Tuesday Night at 7

If you are in town (Pittsburgh), hope you will stop in to Tula Organic Salon and Spa and see my photographs which will be displayed all of August.

The opening is Tuesday July 31st at 7PM. 2629 Murray Avenue- a few doors up from the old Poli’s restaurant.

I think some of the evites went directly to spam. You can see the work whenever the salon is open.

You’ve seen part of this photo- the header on the blog. I am titling it POSTCARD. The rest of the images will be online soon so out-of-towers and bloggers can view the show on the computer. Looking forward to seeing some of you Tuesday evening.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

Inside seems simple enough. Until you start to read all the definitions and think about the multi-meanings

Cut and pasted from Your Dictionary – the dictionary you can understand

noun

the part lying within; inner side, surface, or part; interior
the part closest to something specified or implied, as the part of a sidewalk closest to the buildings
INFORMAL the internal organs of the body, as the stomach and intestines

adjective

on or in the inside; internal
of or suited for the inside
working or used indoors; indoor
☆ known only to insiders; secret or private: the inside story
BASEBALL passing between home plate and the batter

adverb

on or to the inside; within
indoors

in or to the inside or inner part of

within the limits of: inside an hour

Murphy inside the van looking outside.

Cool enough on Friday to take Murphy to the Post Office so I could mail something. He WAS in the back seat. Moved himself up to the passenger seat while Maura and I were inside and wouldn’t budge for the short trip home. Yes, I worried about air bag deployment and the seat belt dinging alarm sound the whole way. We made it. He does have a harness that attaches to a seat belt for car trips.

We were safe inside the house as Mark held the iPad showing the violent storm while I shot the rain and blowing trees outside. This is the storm where Laura and James lost power for 5 days and Marlene and Donald( Roanoke VA) lost it for 8.

Maura waits inside looking outside for the guests.

Here is the inside of the ceramic fruit bowl Mary gave me when I visited her at Easter time.

The Jesus statue contained inside the clear box was photographed on this trip.

Old fashioned hats in Bedford Springs Resort display with the stairway banisters reflected

Challenge- How to show what one is feeling inside?

Born on the Fourth of July, 1952, Brooklyn New York

But I really grew up in New Jersey. New York always sounded better to me and I have held onto that fact all these years. Joisey, the Garden State, just didn’t seem as cool.

Yes, it is my sixtieth birthday today. YIKES! We were supposed to drive to Roanoke VA but power outages from the bad storm last Friday knocked that plan out! You’ve seen a lot of my life these past three years on the blog. The art room adventures, some knitting, my pleasure in the eating and making of food, my family, the city, my travels, and as Arlene says, the ordinary- making it interesting!

I have been talking about turning sixty since I turned fifty-nine last year. Go figure.

My friend Mary Ann told me someone asked her if she was afraid to turn sixty and she told me her response was, “I’m afraid to NOT turn sixty” Many are denied the chance.

If you are born on the Fourth of July you receive a lot of red, white and blue presents. One has to post a little red white and blue on the Fourth of July so here are the two free marzipan macarons you receive when you buy the dozen at Jean-Marc in Millvale*

And here is my mom holding me. My cousin Paul sent me this photo last year at Christmas and it is the only baby photo I really have of myself. Looks like I was bottle fed. How about that wallpaper?

And then there is this prize winner of my wonderful haircut and chubby cheeks, I think I was three, This picture is stuck in one of those “magnetic” photo albums- meaning nasty glue that ruins your photo and you can’t remove it- EVER.

And here is what I looked like last week in the heat at the Pirates Game in Pittsburgh with my three year old granddaughter Maura. A nice woman filling the ketchup dispenser came over and asked it I wanted her to take it of us. She enjoyed seeing Maura enjoy her cone and I had photographed her eating it (of course). I don’t get in many photos which is just as well at this point. But when I think about what makes me happy in my life, my family is at the top of the list. I am fortunate indeed.

Here is a picture a first grader drew of me last year which I photographed on my phone. I am so glad I documented this artwork cause on the rough days and the long days of teaching art in the city, I can read her inscription at the bottom.

Ms. Hendricks is my hero.

It doesn’t get any better than that!

And I found this next photo in New York City when I visited my sister a couple months ago. Once I was visiting a family friend, Naomi, in a home and she said told me how she would think of all she was grateful for in her life and when she focused on a theme of gratitude she just couldn’t feel bad about anything. I remember her words and she died shortly after the visit. It is easy to forget to be grateful. Once I read about thinking three things you are grateful for each day, right before you go to sleep and I try to remember.

I am grateful to my family, friends, fellow bloggers and followers and wonderful commenters who have encouraged me in my photography, blogging and writing.

Today is a very happy birthday! I am surrounded by my family who love me.

Thanks everyone. (And Happy Birthday Suzanne who shares the date!)

*Here is a shot of Millvale,PA taken the day I bought the macarons!