Patton, Pennsylvania Christmas Parade 2008

Back in the 50's when I was a kid in York, Pennsylvania, I remember all of our Christmas pictures being in black and white. Well, gang, what goes around, comes around. I'm submitting this week's photographs in brilliant black and white. The following 18 pictures were shot on Friday night, November 28, 2008 in Patton, PA. You would be surprised at the turn out for this small town parade. The kids were lined up for a half block to talk with Santa, and although I don't have any pictures to prove it you'll just have to take my word for it that the Patton Fire Hall was filled with children.

This is the only picture that has any color in it this week. Let's face it. Christmas lights don't look right in black and white.

Waiting for the parade to begin.

"Look, Mommy! Reindeer!"

The Patton Fire Department leads off Patton's annual Christmas parade.

Cambria Heights High School Marching Band flag bearer.

Cambria Heights High School Marching Band.

Boy Scout Troop 95

Riders on the local U.S. Post Office vehicle threw candy to the children along the parade route.

One of several tractors brought to town for the parade by local farmers.

So not all tractors belong to farmers.

Too cold to be cool in his go cart.


The man of the hour, Mr. C.

Getting a little knee time with Santa.

"Really, Santa, I WAS good!"

Twins. Which one was naughty and which one was nice?

If I don't look him in the eye, he'll believe whatever I tell him.

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

We caught this doe passing through last Saturday, late in the afternoon. If it wasn't for the snow, we would have never seen her.

Old mailbox used as a yard ornament.

Personally, I like this picture, just because it looks a little strange. But then again, my wife and my daughter aren't so sure about it, because it's a little different. Art is in the eye of the beholder.

A Downy Woodpecker on one of the feeders in the back yard.

With all the below average weather we've had around here in the last couple of weeks, we figured it's about time that we got the water heater out so that the birds would at least have fresh water when they need it.

I hate it when the subjects keep their eye on me.

A male hairy woodpecker flying away from the camera.


Common Raven -- Corvus corax
The ravens started to show up in the area about 5 years ago. They very seldom ever get this close to the house.

Even though the elections have been over for about three weeks now, these two candidates haven't seen the need to take down their signs, even though they are obligated to do so by law.

This is a piece of folk art that I bought my wife months ago. We used a picture of it a few months ago on the blog. I'm sure this is only the first of several pictures I'll take of it over the winter.

One of the sculptural birds sitting out in the snow.

What started out as a picture of a tan oak leaf laying on top of snow, is now transformed into this image with the help of PhotoShop. I never have this kind of picture planned ahead. But, when I find a shot that I like, but I don't like the way the original looks, I just experiment to see what I can come up with. In this case, I took the positive of the image, turned it into the negative, and made adjustments from there until I found something that I liked.