Awards, Horses, and Fishin' Holes

Working it

Mom and Baby put on a Pose

Two Weeks Old, Bon Appetit

Things back here in western Pennsylvania were quite the ordinary this week. The only thing that was totally reliable was the unreliable and unpredictable weather. Like the worn out yo-yo we had a sine wave for weather highs and lows. Such is a good sign that spring is coming, as the temperature ratchets its way up towards true spring weather. Soon, all of your good trout fishing secret spots will be filled with interlopers, as will mine.

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The weather has been so flighty that some folks have taken to the indoor events to pass the time, and to decompress from cabin fever. It has been too warm for skiing, but too cold to ride a bike … thus, the indoor arena is just right for the fan of equine passions.
The photos speak for themselves in regard to just that. I visited my favorite arena today with my trusty Nikon D2H. As usual, CLICK ON THEM TO ENLARGE THE IMAGES.

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Since the Academy Awards took place this Sunday, I will pass on some of the winners. I do not know how many of these films you were able to view over there, but there were quite a few excellent choices this year. My personal favorites were Juno, Once, and Atonement. All were nominated, and all received an award. Here is a short list:

Best Picture: "No Country for Old Men"
Best Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Blood"
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard, "La Vie En Rose"
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"
Best Screenplay: Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Best Animated Feature: "Ratatouille"
Best Documentary: “Taxi to the Dark Side”
Best Short Documentary: “Freeheld”
Best Original Score: “Atonement” -- Dario Marianelli
Achievement in Cinematography: Robert Elswit, "There Will Be Blood"
Best Original Song: “Falling Slowly” from “Once” -- Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Best Foreign Language Film: "The Counterfeiters," Austria
Achievement in Film Editing: Christopher Rouse, "The Bourne Ultimatum"
Achievement in Sound Mixing: “The Bourne Ultimatum” -- Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
Achievement in Sound Editing: “The Bourne Ultimatum” -- Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
Best Adapted Screenplay: "No Country for Old Men," Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Best Animated Short Film: “Peter & the Wolf”
Best Live Action Short Film: “Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)”
Achievement in Art Direction: “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
Achievement in Visual Design: “The Golden Compass” -- Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood
Achievement in Makeup: “La Vie en Rose” -- Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
Achievement in Costume Design: Alexandra Byrne, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”

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If you want to test your friends on their knowledge of history, ask them how long our national anthem. “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been around. It has only been around for 77 years as a matter of fact. Francis Scott Key penned the words as a poem during the war of 1812, but President Hoover and 71st Congress did not officially designate the poem and tune as our national anthem until March of 1931. Another strange fact is, the tune was written in London years before we declared independence in 1776, and it was originally a British drinking song!

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The Penguins have been making a good run at it without Sidney Crosby who has been sidelined with an injury. They are near the top of their conference. Keep your eyes on their progress. They are going to shock some as the end nears.

Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

President's Day

President Bush, Commander and Chief

Face Plant

The Pittsburgh Incline making the climb back up the mountain.

This has been a rather slow week back here in Western Pennsylvania with the men folk still recovering from Valentine’s Day. The men who spent too much are still reeling from the bills, and those who forgot are still in pain from the illegal torture they have endured behind closed doors. The day did seem to bring in needed dollars to local businesses in the after-holiday-blues in the world of spending.

If I were to say that the weather here has been inconsistent would be as nonsensical as saying that congress has been flighty; both statements bear more truth than one wants to know. The temperature has ranged from 60 to the low teens over the last month. This sliding scale of nature’s injustice to the youthful fans of winter sports has also punched in enough obstacles to the local drivers to cause a normally steady man to go into a hissy fit.

President’s day is here, and your present Command and Chief is in Africa at the moment. The survivors of the campaign to be the nominees of their respective political party fill the daily news with stories of the current run for office. Both candidates should be sorted out soon, and we will know who will represent each side of the isle.

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Sports news:

The Penguins have been making a great run to get into first place in spite of the many injuries to their star players. Go Penguins!

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Photos:
1. I shot this image of President Bush in Colorado Springs during his last campaign.
2. I shot a few images of Pittsburgh for you this week. This one was shot at the downtown ice rink. This skater did a face plant on a very cold afternoon ... "Ouch!"
3. This wintry scene from a few days ago shows downtown, shot from the top of Mt. Washington. The colors are very dull and dismal in this wintry version of this normally colorful landscape.

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

The Day of Love is Coming!

Macy's Valentine's Day window display

The Kaufmann's Clock ... "meet me under the clock" a Pittsburgh thing!

Valentine’s Day is but a few days away. In the spirit of the pending day I have included an image that I shot today downtown at Macy’s, formally Kaufmann’s. This is what is going on back here, back home for some of you over there. I debated on whether to even address this holiday in this column since most of my readers are overseas, and this presents a quandary for me. I do not want to make those so affected lonely, nor do I want to ignore those who are as such either. You will be aware anyway, so I will do my best to address that.

I know the feeling of being away from home on Valentine’s Day. Those who have a loved one back home will no doubt think deeply and long about her, or he, and there is nothing you or I can do about it. I also know the concentration it takes to survive up and close personal conflict with armed folks. This is where I am going with this, as I want all of you to make it back and enjoy another Valentine’s Day with that loved one.

All it takes is a part of a second to a daydream, or lose focused concentration to an emotion to allow any advantage that your superior skills may have over the enemy. I sincerely hope you do not do this under any circumstance when engaged, as silly as this may seem, it happens all the time. It is OK to reflect on this day of the romantic, but only when in a safe position. The best Valentine’s Day card that you can possibly give her is a message that you are OK. When the day is over and you drift off to sleep, she will be with you, but you must make it back for her to do so. In your dreams may you enjoy the best Valentine’s Day ever, just knowing that you did just that, for her, for you, and for us all over here!

The other image is the Kaufmann’s Clock … now Macy’s … “Meet me under the Clock”

Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

GROUNDHOG DAY!

Walking Towards The Inner Circle

Punxsy Phil is Introduced

Phil Strikes a Pose

Phil Speaks

The Proposal

Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there

The road was icy, dark, and very uninviting as I approached Punxsutawney at 0230 hours. The gate at Gobbler’s Knob was open to the Press with a pass; I drove by a large group of revelers who were already lined up waiting for the official opening at 0300. These hardy folks standing in line after making the walk up Gobbler’s Knob from town in below freezing temperatures were there not for the groundhog, but for life, and living it. The area is country and out of town, located on a high hill that overlooks Punxsutawney. It is heavily treed, with the arena divided into two main sections, one for students, and other for adults. This is the outer circle. The inner circle is a small area down by the stage that is for the Gentlemen of the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle who puts on the event, VIPs, and a smaller area right up against the stage for the Press. This is where I set up shop.

I have been to Punxsutawney after the morning tradition of Phil coming out to do his prediction, but never to the actual all night party and social event. These days alcohol is not permitted on the grounds, which has toned down the wild parties of old, and is now a very suitable event for the whole family. By 0330 hours a couple of thousand people were already in the venue … standing room only … you have to stand until 0725 hours before Phil is brought out. The crowd grew by the minute, and by 0430 hours there were 10,000 people already packed in, a new record for this event. The venue is not that large, so it was filled to the boundaries, not to mention the many who were standing at the huge bonfires keeping warm a short distance from the main area.

One of the pleasant surprises that I discovered, was all of the activities that go on all night long. A team of young women dancers, hand picked from local students, danced all night, and also helped with other smaller events within the main event. A few of the Top Hat wearing inner circle members entertained all night as well, doing game show games such as The Newly Wed Game, where married couples were picked out the crowd. One couple was from the country of Wales, another woman was from Iceland, and other visitors who made the world travels to see Groundhog Day represented so many other countries.

Time passed by while the fun kept me warm. I found the all night outing to be beyond my expectations of just a cold night; it was so much more. Being a part of this small town USA celebration was very refreshing, and a nice break from all the politicking and realities of the below world. This fun time has been going on since February 2,1887 when the first official trek up the hill to Gobbler’s Knob took place; this night was the 122nd Groundhog Day.

Finally, a half an hour before Phil was to appear the lights went out. Then, as usual for Western Pennsylvania, a very nice fireworks display took over in the late night sky. It felt very strange to be at a fireworks show at 0655 hours.

0725 hours, Phil appeared, than talked sublimely to the President of the Groundhog Club—Mr. Cooper--at a whisper level, then came his official forecast:

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Here Ye!

On Gobbler's Knob on this fabulous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.

After casting a weather eye toward thousands of his faithful followers,
Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:

"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of winter it will be!"

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Photos:
1. Walking towards the inner circle.
2. Punxsy Phil is brought out of his little stump house and introduced to his believers.
3. Punxsy Phil strikes a pose.
4. Punxsy Phil talks to the reporter’s microphone.
5. A man who by deception in cahoots with the inner circle, brought his girlfriend up on stage, and proposed to her! Three parts: He gets down, he offers the ring--she is shocked, the hug.
6. I shot this image during the fireworks display in the dark. I noticed the flag flapping and the explosives reminded me of our National Anthem,
"And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there."

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania