simplesue

A Schenley Farms, Oakland, Pittsburgh, house all fresh and new in January 1918.
Johnathan Daniel, amazingly found these in the google book archives

The Victorian Turkish Corner and other cozy scenes in Photos and Art.


( …click for more on Victorian Turkish CornersCollapse )

Scio, Ohio…fading away, beautiful ghosts of the past.

I've added 6 African Dwarf Frogs to my little water gardens in jars.







I "rescued" them from Learning Express, a toy store for kids. This new home is not that big but total luxury compared to their old home- with hot pink gravel, a chunk of glass rock and a stub of lucky bamboo in a so called eco-cube 4 inches square. At least they had two to a cube so they would not be lonely. These delicate creatures are not toys for children.
I must say a nice sales girl named Shannon, at the Learning Express at Bakery Square, Pittsburgh, took excellent care of them.







( click here to see and hear more happy frogsCollapse )

Virgil & Lucille Cantini were my neighbors for about 25 years until they passed away a few years ago. They were both well known Pittsburgh artists. But I'm not going to dwell on that aspect of their lives, as there are plenty of articles on the internet, and elsewhere.



I just want to remember them...as they once walked down my street to their studio from their home around the corner. I didn't get to know them as well as I'd have liked to, but I'd been invited into their studio and home several times, and learned how to make Capri salad, and apple crisp from Lucille a long time ago when I was younger and cooking was mysterious.


I remember in their house they had a fabulous vintage 1960s couch that was a mile long, and the same antique oak flat files I have.


They used to give me big bags of watercress to make watercress sandwiches, something I still remain baffled by- a sandwich made from leaves. I remember eating them like a salad instead.


Funny the things you remember about someone. I will always remember that she never wore pants- always skirts and she would have a few crumbs on her shirt just like I seem to always have... and he- always opinionated- would gruffly command me with his Italian accent, "That'a tree, you need to cut it down! You can't see the house!" I was always outraged when he would tell me that and I would try to defend my street tree, I laugh thinking about it now. He was a character and I miss them both.


Over 25 years I watched them walk up and down my street becoming older and slower, and one day with a cane, and then sadly one day without his wife forever. Then one day he was gone too.


I'm afraid of that inevitable stage of life, and it is creeping up on us faster than I ever imagined.


For several years I've been waiting for the chance to photograph their studio, and I was finally given my chance by their daughter who was moving things out for auction. The long oak trestle table with carved lions was already gone but there was still plenty of beautiful and interesting things to photograph.




( Step into the artist"s studio...Collapse )

This is a $375. English Victorian style brass magnifying glass on a stand. Beautiful and expensive.





Today I was I just bought two very similar to this found in TJ Max and Marshall's for only $15.95. each.






I think it has a nice scientific look that is semi-steampunk.

I feel like Kate Bush, "Under Ice" at the end of this video.






When will this cruel coldness leave?







( more, if you are not cold enough yetCollapse )

I've been having fun making small water gardens in glass jars.
This one has 4 snails (I know, I know, soon to be 4,000 snails, but I like them!)
It sits near my computer on my desk and gets some natural light during the day from a northern facing window. It's only about 1 1/2 or 2 gallons.


That green glass at the top is an old depression glass plate I found at a flea market. It makes the perfect lid to keep cats, dust and insects out of the water.







This is a close up. Hmm, just noticed since I made this two days ago, the plants on the bottom that I think might be Whirled Pennywort are looking more natural and face the light now, instead of being sort of jumbled looking.