May Ends Bursting with Flowers

By the end of May all of the early spring bulbs are spent. Now the croms, tubers and perennials take over the spring flush of flowers.

There are two hardy geraniums blooming in my garden. On the left is Brookside and the right Claridge Druce

One of the best purchases I ever made was two bushes of Sambucus Nigra - Elderberry - Black Lace. They were planted some six years ago. They have been trimmed very little over those years.

It can be grown as a wonderful screen or trimmed for a more formal look. In the above photograph it has reached the height of 8'/2.4m. The pink blossoms have a heady licorice scent that fills the air. Blackish-red berries follow in late summer. The birds always seem to beat me to the berries. 

Another strongly scented flower blooming in late May is the Madame Isaac Pereire rose.

The antique Bourbon rose variety shares a 15'/4.5m trellis with a  Lonicera - Honeysuckle - Alabama Crimson on the south side of my house.

Madame Isaac Pereire is virtually thornless, which is good because I brush against it as I walk along the footpath. The honeysuckle attracts hummingbirds.

Iris are in bloom. The above white spreads into thick clumps.

This stately tall, dark and handsome variety is slow to spread and
looks
marvelous.

Meadow sage tends to fall over and could use support. 

I found this hoe stealing a sip. The ferns said nothing.

It won't be long to see what blooms in June.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Road Construction Oaks

The Oaks Shopping Center, the construction site across Black Rock Road and the Expo Center all have contributed to a need for increased traffic capabilities of the nearby roads. Hopefully, that need is being addressed with the current road construction.

The Norristown bound side of Egypt Road is being widened as it approaches the eastbound US 422 entrance.

The grass has been scraped from quite a bit of the hillside along Egypt Road.

It looks like new storm drains will be installed along the road.

New utility poles were planted to carry the overhead traffic signals at both intersections along Egypt Road - Black Rock and Mill Roads.

Although the entrance ramp will be wider, it is not likely US 422 will be widened much beyond the entrance ramp.

Above is the eastbound exit from US 422 onto Norristown bound Egypt Road. There is a basin that was excavated to the right of the exit ramp. It is full of water. I spoke with an older lifetime Oaks resident who remembers a spring right where that basin is today. I wonder if anyone did their homework before digging that basin?

Below are a few images I created whilst out with a camera. I can be dangerous, at times.

With all this road construction, surely the roads will not be jammed in the future. One can only hope someone knows what they're doing.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all right reserved

Oaks Shopping Center - Second Week of February

Groundhog's Day has come and gone and I didn't even take notice. Did he see his shadow? I guess I could Google it. No matter. I don't need no stinking groundhog to tell me spring is near. Evidence of spring can be seen if you just are observant.

I stopped by the Oaks Shopping Center construction site on Sunday, eight days after the groundhog's big day. The snow was melting. Puddles and mud covered the ground. Spring conditions if you ask me.

I stayed close to the intersection of Egypt and Mill Rds. The farther I walked the heavier my shoes became with the accumulating mud. I grabbed a few photographs of the construction progress.

The view from the site of the intersection of Egypt and Mill Roads shows a depression created for a large drainage pipe that will run from the back of the site to Egypt Road.

Two manholes, or is it person holes, in the back of the site along that drainage pipe are already underground.

More drainage pipe sits off to the side near the western limit of the site. The stone structure once supported the train tracks above several alcoves that probably held coal dropped from cars above.

Then I set to create some personal images.

I created a few images I liked. I found more evidence of spring. Even amidst the construction.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Geminid Meteor Showers

©Kevin Adams - kadamsphoto.com

Meteor showers fascinate me. Shooting stars streaking through the sky.  Laying out at night or in the early morning looking up into the heavens. I love it.

In my part of the world, the meteor shower season begins in August. It kind of works out that there is a shower near each of my relatives birthdays. That makes it easy for me to remember when a shower will occur. The next shower happens on my second son's birthday, December 13th. 

I have set my camera on a tripod in my back yard, in the past, to try and capture some images of the streaking particles. However, my suburban community is quite polluted with lights from parking lots and the near by county and state prisons. I need to get away to a light free area like the middle of a desert or high on a mountain top or on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean somewhere. Someday.

With that all out of my system, I was notified via email today of a short lesson on how to photograph meteor showers and I want to pass that on to you. Below is the link. Dress for the cold and get out and enjoy nature's fireworks.

How to photograph meteor showers


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

A Good Day in Valley Forge Park

I was in Valley Forge Park the other day hoping to capture some images before sunset. When I set outat 16:15, the clouds were dramatically lit, but by the time I reached the park the sun was already below the hills to the west and no direct sunlight reached the ground.

White Tailed Deer  buck checking the wellbeing of his doe downhillAs I drove along South Inner Line Drive, I noticed in my rear view mirror behind me several deer descended the hill, crossed the drive and continued down towards the log huts near PA rte 252. I got out of my car to grab a photo of the fallen tree that I thought was blown down by Super Storm Sandy. Once out of my car the one buck trailing the doe stopped, just behind the fallen tree. Even though it saw me, it didn't flee. It was watching me. It seemed to be guarding his doe. It stayed there for a few minutes, watching, guarding.

At that point in time there were several thoughts going through my head.

1. Don't get too close to this deer with sharp horns on its head
2. It is rutting season and the buck is in a possessive mood
3. It might attack me
4. An attack would cause pain
5. I don't like pain
6. This could be dangerous
7. This is exciting
8. There is no one else around
9. If I were lying on the ground in pain and bleeding could I get to my mobile phone easily
10. If all else fails and I am on the ground in pain and bleeding, the park ranger will find me when he closes the drive after dark
11. My health care is paid up
12. I hope my camera isn't damaged in the impending attack

I turned to find a location along the drive to capture a few photographs of the log huts. A car to two drove past as I had the camera to my eye. When I looked back towards the fallen tree, the buck was gone. I shed no blood and had a few photographs, my camera was still in good condition and the buck had his doe. It was a good day.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Valley Forge Radisson Hotel and Casino at Night

I was busy all day Sunday. By the time I was free, the sky was clear and dark with a quarter moon shining brightly at the peak of its trip across the sky. I immediately thought about Valley Forge Park and the National Memorial Arch and the moon. I didn't hesitate, off I went to the park.

The park closes at dusk each day. However, there are four roads through the park that are open to traffic at all times. Those roads are as follows.  PA rte 23 that runs east to west.  PA rte 252 that runs north to south. Gulph Rd that is one of only three roads into a developed housing community in the southeast corner of the above map and County Line Rd that almost bisects the park north from south.

I entered Valley Forge from the west on PA rte 23, very close to General George Washington's Headquarters. Where rte 23 bends to the left I stayed straight onto Gulph Rd. Gulph Rd passes within 100' / 30m of the arch and then continues into the developed housing community.

I slowed my speed to a crawl as I traveled past the arch. I looked for the location of the moon. It was behind the arch but high in the sky. I was also aware there was a car approaching from my rear. I thought it might be a park ranger. You've read of my ranger encounters. Not wanting to confront a ranger, I continued on Gulph Rd towards Thomas Rd and the housing community.

The car was still behind me. I couldn't discern whether it was a ranger or not, so I continues on Gulph Rd past Thomas Rd and into the community. I was probably half way to the intersection with Richards Rd when the car turned off onto a side road. It wasn't a park ranger. I quickly made a U-turn and proceeded back towards the arch.

When I was again directly in front of the arch I could see the moon wasn't in the right position for a great photograph. I drove on. At County Line Rd I turned right. I thought there might be a place along that road that would give me the correct point of view to bring the moon closer to the arch for a good image. I drove slowly down the road ducking down and looking over my right shoulder to see out of the side window towards the arch and the moon.

There are several tall trees planted close to the arch that blocked a clear view of the arch as I drove. I thought I came upon the spot.  I stopped the car, opened my door and stepped out to get a good look back at the arch. I leaned on the roof of the car and took a long discerning look at the arch. I and the moon were too far from the arch to get a good photograph. I was disappointed. I got back into the car and continued towards rte 23. Keeping a sharp eye to the road not wanting to hit any deer.

So there I was, driving through Valley Forge Park at night. The park was closed. I was avoiding whitetail deer on a dark unlit curvy road. My mind was racing. I didn't want to waste my time or the trip. So I changed my goal.

Sometime within the last week, I decided I wanted to get on the rooftop of either the Valley Forge Casino or the nearby Radisson Hotel. I thought there might be some great images of the park from up there. Especially near sunset with the sky all red and orange and the park spread out between the casino and the fiery sky. In order to get to the rooftop, though, I needed to speak with someone at the hotel or casino. Someone with authority.

It was getting late in the evening. It was 20:30. I didn't think the person with authority would be working on a Sunday at that hour. I hoped, however, there would be someone at the hotel desk that could give me the name of the PR/marketing person and their phone number. So I headed to the Radisson Hotel. The taller of the two buildings.

I entered the hotel without my camera. I introduced myself as a local blogger writing about the park and explained how and why I desired to get onto the roof. After rejecting the suggestion I talk to someone in security, I requested the name and phone number of the PR/marketing person at the hotel. Without any further questioning I was given a name, phone number and hours of the day when I should call. Goal accomplished.

As I walked away from the hotel, my mind and eye turned to photography. I began to see possible images. I returned to my car, grabbed my camera and walked back to the hotel. I began to  

create some photographic images of the hotel

and casino.

Trip not wasted!


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

East Inner Line Drive - Artillery Park

I drove to Port Kennedy a few days ago, primarily, to get a few images to add to the blog showing how US 422 cuts through the old village of Port Kennedy, separating Kennedy-Supplee Mansion from First Presbyterian Church of Port Kennedy.

While I was there I figured I would get a few more images in Valley Forge Park.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20pa1776&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co%20=hh&st=gallery&sg%20=%20true

I decided to go to site of the old Valley Forge Observation Tower built on Mount Joy in 1906. The tower was disassemble soon after 1976 because the trees had grown taller than the tower and people found looking down was just not interesting. It was shipped to Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, near Wellsboro, PA, where it was reassembled and stands today.

I remembered that there was a parking lot near a trail that led to the site. I didn't have the official park map, or any map for that matter. I was left to my own devices to find that parking lot - memory and Mt. Joy rising in the west.

My route started at the entrance to the park near the Visitor Center. I drove over North Outer Line Drive past the log huts to Gulph Rd. I turned right onto Gulph Rd. and then left at the next intersection onto East Inner Line Drive.

I traveled a few hundred feet on East Inner Line Drive, when I noticed two cars parked on the right side of the drive heading in the same direction as I. I turned my head to the right and saw five people near a log hut. Two of the five had professional sized cameras and lenses, one looked like a bride, in her wedding gown with no jacket, one a groom and the fifth was a sensibly dressed women in a long skirt and red wool jacket. The high temperature for that day was 62ºF / 17ºC and they were outdoors two hours before sunset. It was getting chilly for not having on a jacket. Ah, what price fashion! 

Traveling on, the two-way road soon came to an end at a stop sign. The road before me was a one-way road in the opposite direction. The only legal thing I could do was turn into the parking area for which I was searching. I had arrived.

I saw several cannon near the far end of the lot.  I drove to that end of the lot and parked. I threw my camera bag strap over my head with the bag on my left hip. Down towards the cannon I strode.

This collection of cannon is called Artillery Park. There were quite a few cannon, sixteen, if I remember right. All painted blue and yellow.

It was about two hours before sunset. As I photographed the cannon, the sun was soon to drop behind the fully leaved trees on Mt. Joy. Only small pools of sunlight played peek-a-boo from behind the scattered clouds. That kind of light could be really dramatic. Patience is needed waiting for the right opportunity. An opportunity that may not materialize on any given day.


As I turned to return to my car, who should be walking in my direction but the wedding party. I had to stay in the area just to capture a few images of the photographers creating wedding photos of their party. I am interested in photographing photographers in the act of photographing. I am not sure it is something psychological or it is revealing behind the scenes magical secrets. I am neither a psychologist or magician. Why do you think I do it?

I was loosing the sun quickly behind Mt. Joy and all of its trees. As I had a pressing appointment, I packed my camera into my car and headed out of the park. I never did find the old observation tower site that day.

The park is 3,500 acres / 1,400 ha in area. There will be many days spent photographing the park in the future. I will get to the old observation tower site at some point in time.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Valley Forge Survey - Kennedy Supplee Mansion

I actually started my survey of Valley Forge National Historical Park with the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion. I see this building every time I travel west on US-422 after passing through King of Prussia. I admire the architecture of this mansion that was built in 1855 by Alexander Kennedy, owner of a limestone mine in Port Kennedy, that existed in what is the park today.

Port Kennedy was a thriving industrial village in 1954, built around the limestone mine and the production of lime.

The mansion and First Presbyterian Church of Port Kennedy, are all that remain of the village of Port Kennedy, that today is cut in half by US-422.

In 1978, the National Park Service acquired the mansion through eminent domain. In 1986, the mansion was leased by the National Park Service to Kennedy Supplee Associates LP for fifty-five years. The KSA, LP restored the building and operated it as the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion Restaurant. The private company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005. The mansion is now vacant. The grounds are becoming overgrown and the building is showing signs of disrepair.

 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS [or HAER or HALS], HABS PA,46-POKEN,1--2

In 1959, the National Park Service sponsored a survey of the building by the Washington Office of the Historic American Building Survey. Above is one of the photographs from that survey.

Philadelphia Business Journal by Natalie Kostelni, Staff Writer

Date: Monday, May 29, 2006, 12:00am EDT

In 2005, the Philadelphia Business Journal did a story about the closing of the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion Restaurant in which was included the above photograph. Quite a bit of change can be seen from 1959 to 2005. 

In just seven years, since the closing of the restaurant, nature is taking over.

The details of the ironwork are still in good condition on the exterior of the building.

As appears the interior plaster work. This image was captured by placing the lens directly on the pane of window glass from outdoors because the building is justifiably closed to the public.

The trees are beginning to grow and cover the sign painted on the side of the building visible from US-422. I fear the mansion will be forgotten except by vandals and the occasional photographer. I hope that with the addition of the Valley Forge Casino and Resort within walking distance of the mansion, it will soon be put back to use.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved