Winter Sky on the River

Since the days are longer and the weather is warmer, I have started to go to work on foot. I walk to the Mon Incline and hop a bus into work. As I was walking through the dusky morning,  I noticed how beautiful the city was.

The sky was still winter grey, but the translucent light was casting some interesting shadows on the the city and on the river.

I crossed the street to snap a picture with my phone. The color photo didn't really capture what I wanted, but turning to black and white really brought the bridges to life.

Celtic Cross at a Galway Cemetery

One of the things that amazes me about Ireland is Celtic design. They are so intricate. If you have ever tried to replicate one, you will quickly realize most of them are difficult and very mathematical.

I visited an old Graveyard right on the outskirts of the city. It had been pointed out to me when I was on a previous bus trip and I had been wanting to go back there for awhile.  I was totally blown away by how many Celtic crosses there were. It was the standard for a headstone a hundred years ago.  The graveyard was littered with them.

This Celtic cross in particular was of a HUGE scale in comparison with the other. It also had cravings on all four sides, indicating it is more expensive.  Modern crosses often only have the face carved.

Due to the position and scale of this cross, I was able to shoot it with the cemetery chapel in the background. It also shows that it is a modern graveyard because there are standard slab headstones, some very recent, in the background.

Claddagh Boats in Galway Harbor

On my recent trip to Ireland, I went back to Galway. It is one of my favorite cities, and looks like what a Tourist 'thinks' an Irish city should be.

Another of the cool aspect of Galway is that the small town of Claddagh is there.   Yes, the famous Claddagh ring was conceived there for poor fisherman and their wives. 

When I was walking around the harbor, I noticed a series of row boats tied to the shore. This one especially caught my eye. 

Lego Liberty Bell

While I was in the Philadelphia airport last week, I walked past this replica of the Liberty Bell. The best part of it was that it was made of Lego. I grabbed my camera and snapped a shot.

The Steeler's House

As most people know, Steeler's fans are a pretty avid group of folks. You don't get a moniker like Steeler Nation without having some pretty heavy support for the team.  These people wear Steelers stuff all year.  They put they babies in Steeler jerseys, they wear that stuff to church.

Let's just say . .  they are devoted.  As I was walking to get some lunch the other day, I took a different street than usual and notice this  . . the Steeler House.  Can it be called the Terrible House (after The Terrible Towel)?

Now, I really love the Steelers, I wear a game jersey on game days, but holy macaroons, this is pretty invested - wouldn't you say?

Winter Sunrise on Grandview Avenue

The weather earlier this week was incredibly calm. One of the results was a series of crystal clear skies. This is a photo I shot when I got up to work out in the morning.

When I looked out the window, the pink horizon in the sky totally caught my attention. The early morning was a combination of the bright lights of the city and the incredible colors behind it in the sky.  I had to snap a quick pic!

A Little Patina in Lower Manhattan

On a recent trip to NY, my friend and I had experienced the city when it was a ghost town. I know that is a little hard to believe, but the week after NYE was so quiet, that Manhattan seemed like a deserted island.

We had to walk around for about 30 minutes to find a place that was actually open. Finally, we found a gem of a place in the village called Anyway Cafe. It was the type of hidden, petite place that makes Manhattan so special. The atmosphere was incredible, and the building was either built to look old, or just really old. I shot this photo of the door inside the bathroom.

The lock was old and metal and amazing. The patina of time gave it incredible charm. Loved it!