A Buncha Stuff

Um, yeah, Park Week wore me out!  Yesterday, instead of a park we went down to the convention center to pick up my race packet for the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay that I'm running in tomorrow morning.  I will be helping our five-person team, Run Ragged, by running 18% of the marathon.  Hopefully I'll have a photo I can post up here!

I'd never been to the new convention center (that opened in 2003.)  It's in a wonderful location with a beautiful waterfall lined ramp to walk through in the middle down to the Allegheny River's edge.  This location will be added to places we go when friends come to visit, at least when it's warm enough for the waterfalls to be flowing.  Again, I didn't have my camera, but here's someone else's photo for you to enjoy.

We added a quick trip to the Pittsburgh Children's Festival this week as well, to catch a free carousel ride and petting zoo.  I DID take my camera on that outing!

 

This final photo's impact is obscured by the water in the tub, but you can see a bit of the results of Park Week on the kids' legs.  I think one could argue that they used the play time well!

Have a good weekend!

April School Field Trip

Last school-day of each month we have special breakfast and go on a field trip to one of the many Pittsburgh attractions.  Today it was scones on china and the zoo.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

From this beautiful city:

These are photos taken from our seat's at yesterday's game.

Come to Pittsburgh in the summer and we'll take you to a game too!

To go to this one for the weekend:

 Well technically I'll be at a conference center most of the time, but will take the T over the river a couple of times! 

Thanks for your prayers for the retreat.  I'll do my best to update not too long after getting back.

Have a great weekend!

What I've Been Taking Pictures Of

a favorite meal

(click for link; you can simplify by omitting the extra spices in the sauce)

my children

Flowers

(inside at a flower show)

  

What have you been photographing lately?

Morning Run in My City

The moon's business is done
as the sun rises to the sound of birds chirping,
coloring the sky with soft, cotton candy pastels.
Friends gather to run,
the exercise jarring bodies awake
before the day's duties begin.
The path is clear,
the air crisp,
the chatter constant,
as feet pound the pavement and breaths quicken.

We cross a river in this city of bridges;
from below, geese honk out commands in formation.
The glassy waters speaks peace,
the previous days' wild winds forgotten
in her clear reflection
of the shore's trees and structures.
An endless train clickety-clacks to its destination,
the rhythms of city life continuing
around the clock.
Skyscrapers in the distance reflect the sunlight
in metallic splendor,
the bridge before them a faithful sentinel.

Barges remind of the time this city was dominated by
steel, smoke, and smog.
Shores previously lined with filthy factories
now replaced
by sleek office buildings,
popular restaurants,
lovely walking trails.
Nature and industry dancing through history
in this city I called home,
this beautiful city I call home.

What Pittsburgh Has To Offer

Last summer, Wednesday mornings were our weekly outing time; this summer it's been Thursdays. We do the circuit of what the city has to offer: children's museum, science museum, art museum, zoo, etc. In Pittsburgh there are so many kid-friendly attractions. Here's where we've been so far:*

ZOO

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

AVIARY

PHIPP'S CONSERVATORY

CARNEGIE MUSEUM

OF NATURAL HISTORY

Still to come this summer:

• the other 1/2 of the zoo,
• the art museum, &
• the science center.

*The purpose of this post is to entice those of you who have never been to Pittsburgh to come and visit us. And, if you were wondering, the other little boy in some of the photos is my nephew. You can meet him if you come to Pittsburgh, too!