A Change of Pace

Can you believe this is the last day in January already? Seems the older I get the faster the days seem to go by. We are going to try something a little different this week with the blog. Instead of our usual chronological approach to life we are taking a different tack and publishing the photographs in alphabetical order. Don't ask me why, I guess I'm just trying to be difficult at my age.

I think the title of this painting is The 422 Drive-In. It's hanging in the Boilerhouse where art students work on their projects on the campus of Saint Francis University. Unfortunately, I have no idea who the artist is.

Red Triangle - a study in red and white.

Several buildings on a large piece of land are being torn down in Northern Cambria to make way for a new twenty-four hour Sheetz convenience store. This was once a bar known as Davy's.

I guess you noticed the "Danger Asbestos" sign in the previous photograph. Well, these two guys are part of the crew that were removing the asbestos material from the building.

Saint Francis University men's basketball Coach Bobby Jones being interviewed by the Fox Sports channel out of Pittsburgh, PA during the Saint Francis University - Central Connecticut State University basketball game on Saturday 26 January 2008.

Bob's Garage, Route 219, Carrolltown, PA.

Construction Worker.

A home on Sample Street, Ebensburg, PA.

Evergreens in Snow.

A closeup of the glass panel in a 1970s door inside the JFK Student Center.

J.D., a former co-worker of mine when I was a videographer working for WJAC-TV, Channel 6, Johnstown, PA. He was covering Tuesday's fire in Patton.

Jennifer, Art Student.

John F. Kennedy Student Center on the campus of Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA.

Ice skater.

Officer Mike Rematt, Hastings Borough Police Force.

Another of the buildings being demolished to make way for the new supersized Sheetz store in Northern Cambria, PA is this old church. It also has the "Danger Asbestos" warning on the outside.

Photography Student.

My basketball shot of the week shows #11 of Saint Francis, guard Marquis Ford, going for the basket against CCSU players #35 Tristan Blackwood and #5 Aaron Hall.

Central Cambria High School Swimmer.

You know your responsibilities. No other words needed.


Looking out the window of the Boilerhouse.

Winter scene shot along Route 219 heading North out of Ebensburg, PA.

Patton House Fire - 29 January 2008

At approximately 2:30 Tuesday afternoon the home of James Hartman of Patton, PA was engulfed by flames. According to reports, the fire started on the second floor. The home on McGee Avenue in the borough was a complete loss. Although the owner of the house got out without injury, two pets were thought to have perished in the blaze. After the fire was extinguished and firemen were able to enter the structure, they were amazed to find both dogs had survived the inferno. Quick response by the Patton Fire Department (Station 62), assisted by Hastings (Station 55) and Carrolltown (Station 51), contained damage to the Harman residence alone. As always, Patton EMS also responded to the alarm.

221 McGee Avenue, Patton, PA.

Flames shooting out of the second floor window, after first blowing out the window glass.

Firemen prepare to enter the building as smoke bellows from the second floor doorway.

Fireman putting on his gear, prior to entering the building.

Fire can be seen through the porch window on the first floor.

Even though the neighbor's house is in close proximity to the fire, there was no damage to the structure.

Volunteers from Station 55, prepare to enter the building carrying a heat detection unit.

Station 62 personnel changing air bottles.

Firemen unloading a ladder from a Patton pumper. The ladder was used to access the second floor bedroom window on the side of the building.

This is a Carrolltown Station 51 fireman warning people to stand to the side before they blasted water inside the structure that would reach bystanders outside.

Volunteer Fireman, Station 55.

My exiting shot.

Man It's Been Cold Lately

I consider myself so lucky that my life is not predictable. With few exceptions, I have no timetable, expectations or needs to be at any place at any given time.

It's been several months since I've shot a swimming meet but right now it looks like I'll be doing some high school meets in the next few weeks.

Central Cambria swimmer doing the butterfly.

Central Cambria swimmer doing the breaststroke.

A swimmer catching his breath after swimming the free style.




Conemaugh Hospital's MedStar2 pilots and crew train in their new med-evac helicopter stationed at Miner's Hospital in Hastings, PA.

Telephone linemen doing work along Route 36 south of Patton, PA on a cold, snowy, wintry day. I am so glad I don't have to work outside under those conditions.

This picture was created by first allowing an eight foot icicle to develop off the edge of the roof of our deck. One side I sprayed with red food coloring, the other side I sprayed with green food coloring. Snapped the picture, ran it through PhotoShop, got the swirl effect and quit. It should be noted here that this is only about 6 inches of the eight-foot long ice formation.

Mourning Dove and Tree Sparrow enjoying the warm winter sun.




I shot this of one of my classmates in the Art 115 Photography class that I'm taking at Saint Francis University.

Clock on the mall at Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA.

Fireplace in the JFK Student Center on the campus of Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA.

Steel sculpture still hidden behind the old barn on the former Schwab Estate, Loretto, PA.

I spied this remaining apple still hanging on the branch in the dead of winter. Kind of reminds me of the story called The Last Leaf by O. Henry (William Snyder Porter).

Weather vane and cupola on top of the barn on the former Schwab Estate, now Mount Assisi, home of the Franciscan, T.O.R. Friars.

I don't know if it still holds true, but at one time this was known as The Caretaker's House. It is located just across the road from the barn at the Schwab Estate.

Farm located on Manor Road, heading towards Ebensburg, PA.

Fence in snow on the above farm.

Rural Barn
As usual, I have no idea what road I was on when I shot this photograph.

This figure sits atop the Ole Gray Mare along Route 219 south of Carrolltown, PA.

Rabbit tracks in the snow.

Nuthatch in our yard looking to get to the feeder but he isn't sure what he wants to do because I'm standing there taking his picture.

Tufted Titmouse also looking to get at the feeder. I have no idea why these guys are afraid of me. After all, I'm the one feeding them!

With just a little piece of the suet left in this feeder, we had a bit of a competition for the remains between this male Downy Woodpecker and a Black-capped Chickadee. Right after I took this picture, I went out and put a fresh suet cake in the feeder for them.

Tree Sparrow working on a peanut butter based suet feeder. Normally these birds do not take to this type of feeder preferring to eat at a mixed seed feeder or a sunflower feeder.