Thursday, July 27, 2006

Patton, Punxsutawney and Other Things

From Patton to Punxsutawney, patiently photographing places, I try to paint a picture of Pennsylvania. Wow, I can't believe I said that.


The recent warm weather and a thirty year old air conditioning unit that bit the dust forced the Patton Borough Office to install this new air conditioning unit, much to the delight of the borough staff and some over heated local residents.


There aren't very many swimming pools in the area with quite the view seen here at the Patton Swimming Pool, the summer centerpiece of the Patton Community Park area. The Park has, in addition to the swimming pool, picnic tables, tennis courts, a baseball field and a train that runs on weekends.


Formerly a gas station, the Twist N Shout is a good place to meet on a hot summer afternoon.


Just on the outskirts of town is the Chest Ridge Golf Center, a small driving range and miniature golf course, the only one like it for miles. You can even find it at golflink.com


While not very big, or very modern, kid's still have a good time bringing Mom and Dad out to play golf.

Driving around Patton one day, I spied a barn, or should I say the red roof of the barn, from about a mile or so away. Well this week, while taking the previous pictures of Patton, I decided to find it and get some pictures. This place sits on top of the ridge, all by itself, about a mile from town and I'll bet not more than a dozen people even know it exists. Driving up the hill, on what can only be called a cow path, the following four pictures are what I found.


This antique hay/grass cutter is the first thing that greets you at the top of the hill.


As the barn sits on this hill, the view is to die for.

Updated 24Mar08 -- Suzanne Ferguson, an artist in California, purchased this photograph and used it as the inspiration for a painting which you can see at http://www.suzannefergusonart.com/art_windows/landscapes/l_countrybarn.shtml


As a photographer, I live for this kind of place!


Everywhere you looked, there was just another picture begging to be taken.


Heading into Punxsutawney, PA, on Route 36 North, this 5 foot tall Punxsutawney Phil is there to greet you, just outside the local post office facility. This is just one of a over three dozen or so Phil figures on display throughout the downtown area.


Turning right onto Route 119 North, you head out of Punxsutawney as fast as you entered it. About a mile or so out of town, you'll see a sign for the Greater Punxsutawney International Airport and Amateur Radio Club Complex. The plane shown here is a 1977 Cessna 337 SkyMaster. What makes it of interest to me is that it is the civilian version of the 337 that was used by the forward observers and flown in Vietnam in the mid 1960s It's one of my three favorite planes from Vietnam.


I found this red barn after leaving the Punxsutawney Airport. I ran across it on some back road between Eleanor and Desire as I was heading toward Panic when I was really looking for Anita. It was originally built in 1880 and the current owner bought it in 1980.


An abandoned barn on Route 219 near Bells Landing, the ad is for Kentucky Club Pipe Tobacco.


Rock Frog


Thursday, July 20, 2006

The Week that Was

Starting early Friday morning, July 14, and ending early Monday afternoon, I covered over 400 miles from Hastings to Boalsburg, to Tipton to Westover, and two trips to deliver video to TV-10 in Altoona. The following photographs cover those days.


Pennsylvania Military Museum at Boalsburg, home of the 2006 People's Choice Festival.


Fuzzy Pencils.


Bob Haffly sews up a hand-made broom.


Emilee, of Em's Gems, starts a new pair of earrings while customers shop behind her.


Silhouette cutter, Igor Nasibyan, shows his artistry with a pair of scissors.


WTAJ-TV10's Chief Meteorologist, Joe Murgo, and evening news anchor, Carolyn Donaldson, cut a teaser just before the noon news.


A Northern Cambria police department officer looks over a Harley-Davidson while waiting for the EMS crew to take care of the rider. A pick-up truck pulled out of a side street in front of the bike causing the accident. Traffic on Route 219 was tied up for about 45 minutes.


The following pictures were taken at DelGrosso's Amusement Park.



Native American regalia hangs on the side of a car prior to the Pow Wow at DelGrosso's Amusement Park. See the previous blog for photographs of the Native-American Pow Wow .



Carousel Horse.



Crazy Mouse


Tipton Waterworks, part of the water park at DelGrosso's.


Altoona-Tipton Speedway at DelGrosso's Park.


Black Cohos/Bugbane - Cimicifuga racemosa.


Sailboats at the main marina, Glendale Lake.


At least somebody was making good use of an almost perfect sailing day.


This is a garage fire on High Street just outside of Westover, PA. Due to the rural area that the garage is in and lack of water, pumper trucks from several other volunteer fire departments were called in to assist.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Native American POW WOW, Tipton, PA

The 9th Annual Native American POW WOW was held at DelGrosso's Amusement Park, formerly known as Bland's Park, in Tipton, PA. Visitors to the park were treated to the full richness of our Native American brothers and sisters. The POW WOW is held on Saturday and Sunday featuring both male and female dancers in full regalia, Native American drumming and singing plus the works of Native American artisans. Native American food was also featured. If you are interested in traditional foods, please visit http://www.nativetech.org/recipes/index.php. This site is a rich resource for indigenous and traditional recipes.


Cheyenne and Ivanette Yearsley, Daughter and Mother
Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape of Bridgeton, NJ


Justice Norwood
Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape of Bridgeton, NJ


John Pingree
Shoshone, Wind River, WY


Chief Mark Quiethawk
Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, Bridgeton, NJ


Singers and Drummers prep the crowd, prior to the Saturday, noon Grand Entry.








A future warrior



Head Lady Dancer: Naomi Powless, Mohawk
Head Man Dancer: Brian General, Seneca




Ivanette Yearsley - Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, Bridgeton, NJ


Thursday, July 13, 2006

In the Good Old Summer Time


Great Spangled Fritillary takes some time to enjoy a marigold.



Bumble bee sitting on a thistle.


A hornet on a Dianthus.


Bumble bee on a marigold.


1929 Wallis 12/20 at the Antique Tractor show at the Carrolltown American Legion Park.


1936 Twin City MM built in Minneapolis, MN.


This is a 1951 Ford 8N conversion flathead six.


The boys from Blair County were back again this year. This time they brought a 1935 Drag Saw. The crosscut was used at the log landings to cut full size trees into more manageable logs that could be hauled to the mill.


The young man in this photo is trying his hand at a push and pull 1 man manual crosscut saw.


A 1955 Chevy Belair at the 19th annual Hope Fire Company Car Show.


Interior of the 55 Belair.


A beautifully turned out 34 Ford Coupe.


Front of the Coupe.


600 horsepower makes this baby turn a few heads when it roars down the road.


Talk about your "Hot Rod Lincoln"! Check out this 1949 Cosmopolitan.