Category Archives: photography

Oct12

Spirit of 76 Ghost tour in Philly

Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 by Dianne

It’s really hard to take photos at night, but I hope you enjoy my efforts here.

Dr. Philip Syng Physick house, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Here’s a shot of Sean listening to Emma, the tour guide down in Philadelphia last night. We walked about 1.5 miles throughout the darkened streets of the Old City area, something neither of us had done before! Here we are at Dr. Philip Syng Physick’s elegant house and she was telling us about him being the father of surgery and how some gory stuff about waiting for bodies to be disposed. It was rough back then.

Where two thousand people are buried. It looks like a park and has sidewalks. Unfortunately some homeless guys were on the benches. It’s suppose to be really haunted here. I felt a bit weird walking around here. At the far end was the stump left from the ‘Moon tree’. It was grown from a seed that went to the moon and back and planted for the Bicentennial. There is a sapling from it planted now.

Pine Street Cemetery (pretty sure) where Nicholas Cage filmed a scene from the movie ‘National Treasure’.

A quaint home on Pine Street. Not sure what home, but a witch was suppose to reside on this street centuries ago.
A trip to Philly wouldn’t be complete without a visit to The Liberty Bell!

I don’t recall seeing it in this pavilion. We didn’t get to go in any buildings or cemeteries which would have been more interesting. Independence Hall is somewhat shrouded in the front as it goes through renovation

There are still cobblestone streets. Rubber against cobblestone sounds strange

The building where we were suppose to have dinner (grabbed a slice of pizza), but I forgot it closed at 6 pm. It would have been a great place to look around as there were some stores there too.

We did park right next door.
Suppose to be the most haunted street in Philly-Pine Street. Full apparitions were spotted here.

I did see a few pinpoints of light in the two upper window (left and middle) of Carpenter’s Hall. People say they have seen a face in the first window. A few people living here heard footsteps and pounding on the walls.

If you click and enlarge, you can see the lights too.
Awesome statues:

Commander John Barry-Father of the American Navy
and
The Signer-George Clymer-signed both the Constitution and Declaration of Independence

And finally-a graveyard you just don’t see every day-St. Mary’s

Oct9

Moon over farm near Mount Joy

Posted on Sunday, October 9, 2011 by Dianne

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Moon over farm near Mount Joy, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

We went on a little day trip like we did last year up to central PA. It was just Brian and me this year. First we went to York (about 64 miles one way) where I did some stash building at the Heirloom rubber stamp and paper show. I felt a bit rushed last year as I had two guys waiting on me, but I was more relaxed this year as Bri didn’t mind waiting. We then went to a book store and emporium in downtown York (which was the first capital of the country). I would have liked to taken a few more shots of the historic buildings there.Here’s a sampling in the area of the book store.

The book store was packed with merchandise. Since I had just browsed the other place for 2 hours, I was a bit bushed in the book store.

I did find a ‘surprise’ for someone and will mail it along soon.
We then went about 20 miles (toward home a bit) and went to Bube’s Brewery (the first syllable is pronounced ‘boo’) and we ate burgers outside on the patio.

They were pretty good but we waited for them and for the bill way too long. We had seen a Turkey Hill place that was new (their specialty is ice cream) on the way to the restaurant, but they had closed a half hour earlier.

We got to the Strasberg ice cream place 5 minutes before they closed for our desserts. Bri got caramel and I got pumpkin. So we had a full day and it was nice to see something different.

Here’s my post about the trip last year.

Oct6

Fun day at Longwood

Posted on Thursday, October 6, 2011 by Dianne

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The Fritzens and me, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

My pal Jennifer brought her son down to Longwood for his 2nd birthday today and was nice enough to invite me. The last time I saw both of them was in Ocean City, MD back in June, 2010. N. was about 8 months and he’s just as sweet and laid back as he was as an itty bitty. He was a bit shy with me at first and warmed up to me later. Longwood has a beautiful train display featuring Thomas the blue-faced engine in his own garden. I don’t think N. could believe the big layout for the trains. He really enjoyed that part, put when he got to the water fountains, he was in heaven! He got to check out several fountains and had to be changed. A true water lover. We had lunch also. I have been wanting their mushroom soup since the weren’t up at the Mushroom Festival last month. It was good. N. wasn’t too hungry, he wanted to ‘drive’ his stroller around which I remember Sean doing way back when.
The pumpkin here weighed about 840 lbs and N. said it was ‘heavy’. He was correct.
Here’s a neat parasol display:

and my little buddy playing:

Such a pretty display:

Good day!!

Oct1

Photo Hunt Yellow and Covered

Posted on Saturday, October 1, 2011 by Dianne

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Very yummy Brandywine heirloom. There are also ‘pear’ tomatoes that are smaller.
We have wild vines all over our yard, but here’s a creeping vine at Longwood Gardens about to cover this structure.

Here’s one from my yard about to cover my bedroom shutter.

Update-This is called a Purple Hyacinth Bean vine and I bought it from an Amish lady in Lancaster, PA.

Sep27

Quaintness

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 by Dianne

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Steps of The Poor Richard Inn, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I don’t remember ever being near the beach at this time of the year, so we got to see pumpkins, mums and other autumnal decor. This is the steps of the Poor Richard Inn where we stayed back in 1999.

Gingerbread trim is so pretty!

The landscaping was gorgeous. Love the Mandevilla on this unique lamppost. This home was built in the 1880s!

You know I love gazing balls.

These are clever decorations. As mentioned below, this is the door to The Virgina Hotel where my maternal grandparents honeymooned in 1921.

Cute elf butterfly catcher

The arcade where we played games in the summer of 1967

The sky was rather ominious!

Cute tour trolley. Missed the horse drawn carriages.

‘The Empress’ what an amazing ‘private home’! I couldn’t get it all in one photo!

The Empress was built with the purpose of opening as a bed and breakfast. And yes, it is as neat and mysterious inside as one would expect– not that we’ve seen it first hand (the owner is out of the country) but we’ve chatted with a couple of people who have been inside and have had a look at the original blueprints. It has eight guest rooms, each themed after a queen – hence the name, “The Empress.” Each guest room has its own luxurious bathroom, also themed with regard to European tiles and decor. At the ground level, blueprints show a spacious parlor with a fireplace, an adjacent living room, also with fireplace, a dining room and big gourmet kitchen.
From: Capemay.com

The garden of ‘The Empress’
I have to say I was so exhausted from having about 7 hours of sleep in 2 days. I had tossed and turned the night before going to the beach and that night, even though we turned the lights off at 12:30, the air conditioning, light peeking in through the slants in the blinds and my mom being noisy (when she takes out her hearing aides, she doesn’t know how loud she is). We had a little trouble finding Cape May (feel dumb-a few towns over) as the GPS wasn’t working that great.
Here are a few scenes from Ocean City, NJ

Not too many 5&10s around! It was a cute store with lots of marked down merchandise that mom enjoyed going through.

Neat window of a consignment shop

Not too bad of a beach day

Where we met the gang for breakfast…mom bought ‘a baker’s dozen’ of their famous cinnamon donuts and they didn’t last long-only had two in three days. The car smelled so good.

If I won the lottery!!

My pal Heather and me. Many of the ladies came down together and hung out together, just like high school. I hung out mostly with Heather (she was solo) and Sue and her hubby.
And last but not least, our photo booth shots-so crazy!

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Sep26

The road home

Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 by Dianne

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Reminds me of a song…, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

We thought the sky was so unusual last night, that I took a photo through the windshield while Bri was driving on the Atlantic City Expressway.
We were tired today, but it was nice to see some familar faces and places. I will get to a post maybe tomorrow about the trip.
We had the heater looked at again. Water is now coming in our chimney, so the repairman thinks. He pushed a button and it came back on again, but we need to get the chimney capped.
I am going to get my dishwasher looked at. I’ve been handwashing dishes (Bri helps) since March. I was just waiting to pay off my microwave and a warranty for the clothes washer. Wish appliances lasted longer than 5 yrs!

Aug29

For you

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 by Dianne

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These were some of the sparse flowers I grew from seed. With the unusual growing season, only certain things (thinking tomatoes and zucchini) shot to stardom in my garden.

I had a few visitors on this Monday; our parish priest and a house painter, though not at the same time. Father only stays for about 5 minutes for family updates. We talked cars a little since he drives a Chrysler Sebring (a gift from the parish a few years ago). He asked if my car was a ‘mustard’ color-I replied ‘Inca Gold’.
The painter’s sign was seen up in Kennett-we need the short sides painted and over the roof. I hope he’s not too pricey as the paint is peeling over the roof.
Brian is over with his dad as he couldn’t get his cell phone to work right. We go to the concert tomorrow night. It’s a bit cool tonight, so I better take a jacket with me tomorrow. Can’t wait. I love to go to at least one concert a year.
It was a glorious day here and will be for a few more days.

I put up a sunflower wreath and added the sparkley metal one to it:

I’ll be taking down the beachy decor soon, but since I just dusted it, I took a few shots of it:

Aug22

For the horses

Posted on Monday, August 22, 2011 by Dianne

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Well how could I not talk more about Chincoteague Island, VA? It’s a quaint little town that I’ve (well all of us) have never seen before.
I’ve always been curious about the wild ponies and I shared one of the photos of a herd we saw on the way to the beach. But we got to get up close and personal to a group of horses near the hotel that ranged in age from foal to 30! The sign said they were for sale. The tourists could buy them treats of alfalfa pellets and corn and put it in a few feeding boxes. The horses loved that! The little ones even started to fall asleep with their heads in the boxes.

One of the old mares had lost an eye this past winter. We felt so sorry for him, but he still begged for food. I think he’s in the back.

Their backs are really sunk in!
We thought this group of Mallards were comical. They apparently hang out near the horses and get the tiny pieces of treats. They were laying here resting with their headed tucked under their wings-well of course I stirred them up when I came to take their photo!

This seagull was hanging around the sliding doors of our room. Since he was so persistent, I tossed him out a Pepperidge Farm goldfish.

When he didn’t get anymore, he walked away in defeat:

We checked out and headed to the Museum of Chincoteague which just opened in April of this year. That was an interesting place! I would have loved to have some of the photos for collage. We participated in a scavenger hut to be entered in a drawing. This was a fabulous idea because we really looked at all the exhibits many times. We also got help from other guests.
These were probably the first taxidermy ponies I’ve seen (but have seen other animals in other museums). It was a bit weird to see Misty, the pony from the M. Henry book called ‘Misty of Chincoteague’. I didn’t know Ms. Henry bought Misty and she lived in Illinois for 10 years and went around to schools, etc. The other pony (darker) is Misty’s baby Stormy(both have been deceased for over 30-40 yrs).

A quilt with citizens names dated 1918!

Taxidermy duck:

Leaving Chincoteague, you see all these huge white satellite dishes. NASA has a place there! We zoomed past the museum and turned to go back.

Some fun shots of Sean:

We stopped off in Ocean City for lunch and then headed to Seashell City/Shipwreck museum in Fenwick Island, DE. This is one of those beachy gift shops I would have gone ga-ga for as a 10 yr old. They have tons of everything. I’ll show you want I bought in a later post. We always go upstairs to the ‘free’ Shipwreck Museum. The displays are so nicely done and it’s amazing what the divers find. I think some must have gotten very weathy from their finds.

Little childrens’ cups and saucers.

Dishes encrusted with coral.
Remember riding these outside of the supermarket. The dolphin is so cute!

We stopped several more times-the Rehoboth Beach outlets-went in The Gap store and got a few things; also walked around the Atlantic Book warehouse which is slowly shrinking in size. I only bought 3 books which are very nice. We ate a deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Uno and headed home. Whew! That was a long day on Thursday!
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Today I had to go to the eye doctor to get my eyes, mostly my right eye checked out. Both have been red, but the right one was terrible this morning. It’s inflamed and I have to use steroid drops in it for 2 weeks! I think some hair product was getting in my eye when I was asleep as I have that little bang on the right.
Sean and I will try to get down to right outside of Philadelphia to see the live taping of a local show called The 10! Show on Wednesday. You have to get there by 9:30 a.m., no small task for us. It’s about a 90 minute trip one way. Sean thought it would be a fun thing to do and a bonus for him, ace Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee is one of the guests! They are having a contest on the show’s facebook page and will pick someone tomorrow to introduce Cliff on the show. I mentioned that Sean hasn’t been able to afford to go to a game (which is true) and it would be a treat for him. Crossing fingers.

Aug21

Delmarva trip part 2

Posted on Sunday, August 21, 2011 by Dianne

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I’ve had a few days to unwind now, so I thought I’d continue my vacation post.
On Wednesday we checked out of our Ocean City, MD hotel and headed to the O.C.Inlet area. I love this area as it’s mostly ocean everywhere you look. We got comfy and a young lady lifeguard told us it was a ‘surfer’s beach’ to a certain point. If more than a couple surfers showed up, we were to move behind a certain area. They never did. There is a jetty in this area where people were fishing and a foghorn that goes off every so often.

We are pretty much the whitest people on the beach-lol! We all got some sunburn-Brian and Sean’s was more blotchy on their chests and tummy.

This it the parking for the inlet and boardwalk. Incidently, Sean is on the way home from O.C. from an overnight trip with pals. He stayed in a place that had an indoor skating rink!
So…we stayed here about 1.5 hours and then went for lunch and a little shopping before we headed to Chincoteague, Virginia. Sean’s phone GPS took us down some very rural back roads. We passed several decrepid houses, about 4 ancient cemeteries and acres and acres of corn or marsh. Another home had several ‘bottle trees’ like they have down in the south. I think they weren’t real trees, but like faux Christmas trees that were probably hand done. This is something I only saw for a few seconds.
This is what we saw when we were headed to the island:

We got to our hotel and were pleasantly surprised by this homey place:

The pool was half enclosed and there was a hot tub nearby. I’m the only one who splashed around in the pool!
We headed to the beach as we were early for check in. It’s about 5 minutes or so away. What a beautiful place! Even more ocean than O.C.!

We did see a herd of wild ponies on our way to the beach. That was a treat!

and with a zoom:

I wanted to see the Assateague lighthouse so we stopped there as it was minutes away from the beach. We were told while shopping to get ‘Off!’ by a helpful store clerk and didn’t think to spray ourselves before we started the trek to the lighthouse! I’ve never seen so many hungry mosquitoes. We did get some bites, I think I got about 7 that took a few days to show up. Here is the 140+ year old lighthouse. (We didn’t get to climb it though).

I’ll stop here and finish up tomorrow where I will show you the Chincoteague Museum with taxidermy of the real Misty the pony! I read ‘Misty of Chincoteague’ over 40 yrs ago!
PS-for Zoey!

Aug20

Photo Hunt-Drink

Posted on Saturday, August 20, 2011 by Dianne

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Orangey 4" x 4" Collage card, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

This is a collage card I made last year, one of the first 4″ x 4″ ones. I did a woven background and used a ‘drink’ label.
This was my birthday a few years back. It’s the middle of November and I remember it being bitterly cold, like January. We almost had the Mendenhall Inn to ourselves. This was the place my high school had it’s proms back in the day (didn’t go) and always wanted to see it.

I’m ‘almost’ a teetotaler, but like a nice Apricot Sour or Martini once in a while. Just had a strong Peach Martini down in Chincoteague on vacation-here it is!