Category Archives: Art

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History and Art on the GAP

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The Great Allegheny Passage is a 150 mile Rail to Trail that runs between Cumberland, Maryland and Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania. Work contstraints had my friends and I doing half of the GAP in the Fall of 2025 (you can see the posts about that ride here and here) and the second half of the GAP just three weeks ago.

We arrived in Ohiopyle, PA the night before the ride, glad to be reunited with the beautiful Youghiogheny River.

Ohiopyle is a super fun “trail town” that caters to cyclists, walkers, backpackers, and river runners. We enjoyed dinner at Falls City Restaurant and Pub and slept well at the Falls Market Inn.

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast with our support crew at the Falls Market Restaurant, we set off!

It was an incredible day and we were so happy to be back on the GAP.

One of my favorite parts of riding a rail trail is learning the history of the people and communities along the way. The GAP runs through the Laurel Highlands region which is “shaped by Native American heritage, pivotal early American conflicts, and coal, coke, and steel booms”.

An unexpected pleasure is seeing public art along the way. “The Connellsville Gateway Arch, with it’s colorful stained glass fanning 16 feet into the air, welcomes eastbound travelers on the Great Allegheny Passage. Built from formed concrete, coal, and riveted steel, the arch features materials made in the town’s own Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass Factory”.

We loved the murals on three industrial silos owned by Youghhiogheny Glass. Artists Chris Galiyas and Meeghan Triggs originally painted the silos in 2008, and due to fading over the years, were restored in 2022 by Galiyas.

“To honor the steelworkers past and present, the Yellow Dog sculpture was developed through the collaborative efforts of sculptor Jim West, George Junior Republic’s Fine Arts program, and the welding program at the William H. Gladden Career and Technical Center on the campus of George Junior Republic”.

We also enjoyed the unofficial pieces of art that bring smiles.

And then we came across the Darr Mine Memorial Mosaic.

The Darr Mine disaster occurred on December 19,1907 and was the deadliest coal mining tragedy in Pennsylvania history, claiming the lives of 239 men and boys. Created by mosaic artist Rachel Sager, “the memorial includes 239 individual mosaic plaques mounted on an old stone retaining wall. Each unique mosaic is built into a vintage film canister—resembling the metal miner tags left behind in the earth”.

The explosion left 130 widows, 300 children without fathers, and 542 people without a source of income. 

Rail Trails follow historic railroads, pass through small and large towns, and preserve the surrounding countryside and history. Next post will be about our fourth and final day on the GAP.

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Hurricane Katrina Live Oak Sculptures

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Recently, Greg and I spent a weekend in Biloxi, MS with our friend Tim, and prior to arriving, as I always do when trip planning, I researched things to see and do (oh my gosh, so much! More on that later). What immediately captured my interest were the sculptures made from the remains of Live Oaks.

Hurrcane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August of 2005 and caused over 1800 fatalities, billions in dollars of damage, and is considered to be one of the five deadliest hurricanes to have hit the United States. The Gulf Coast’s natural spaces and places were also impacted, including dozens of Live Oaks, victims of the saltwater storm surge.

Biloxi’s Katrina sculpture project began in January 2007 when Mayor A.J. Holloway and Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel spoke with Mississippi “chainsaw artist” Dayton Scoggins about sculpting marine-related figures from the dozens of standing dead trees in the median of Beach Boulevard in Biloxi.

“Scoggins’s initial five sculputres — a $7,000 investment for the city — inspired Fort Walton Beach, Fla, sculptor and frequent Biloxi visitor Marlin Miller to approach the city about donating his time and talent to sculpting more standing dead trees in the center medians in Biloxi”.

There are approximately 50 tree-sculptures along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including the world’s largest eagle sculpture, standing at 17-feet-tall, located on Highway 90 in Pass Christian.

My friend Tim was kind (and patient) enough to drive along Highway 90 / Beach Boulevard, dropping me off at various places, and then coming back to get me. Imagine this: me dodging cars to cross the road and then standing amongst biting ants to capture these images. It was high noon so the photographic timing wasn’t the best, but I was in awe none the less. I captured some of the images up close, but others from afar so you’d be able to see the remains of the base of the trees.

These artists created egrets, seagulls, pelicans and dolphins, and seahorses, eagles, and herons.

I can only imagine the comfort these donated works of art offered to a devastated Gulf Coast.

If you are ever in Biloxi, know that these inspiring sculptures, created by generous artists, await to be viewed.

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A Few More From Philly

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View of the City from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge

The Philadelphia Free Library

Authorized copy of The Thinker (Le Penseur) by Auguste Rodin

The Promenade and Gazebo at Fairmont Water Works

The Fairmont Water Works, a National Historic Landmark, at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

See the previous post for more about our 36 hours in Philadelphia

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A Few Hours in Blacksburg

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Last week, my friend Ruth and I visited the Blacksburg Museum in order to view the work of longtime Roanoke Times photographer Matt Gentry. Despite the fact that we have spent the last 6 months checking the CoVid19 status of every business and restaurant and potential activity, we somehow forgot to check this day.

Upon arrival at the Alexander Black House, which was built in 1897, we learned that the museum was temporarily closed due to CoVid19.  Despite our disappointment, the outdoor exhibits and the Queen Anne Victorian house were still worth exploring.  I did the best I could with my cellphone and was thankful for the beautiful day.

The exhibit Glass Reflections, created by artists Kate Golden, Paula Golden, Diane Relf and many community volunteers, is made of “serving plates, bowls, saucers, salt cellars and other glass / crystal dishes collected from antique stores and combined into flowers as garden accents that remind us of our parent’s and grandparent’s gardens”.

This next piece, Tryptic in Glass by Diana Relf, is created from “pieces of glass, many unused, discarded, and no longer valued. When combined they are both beautiful – and strong”.

Through the trees, I saw the house next door. The Thomas-Conner House, c.1878, is registered as a Virginia Historic Landmark.

Our next stop was the Hahn Horticultural Garden on the campus of Virginia Tech.   The garden was founded in 1984 and covers 5.8 acres. “The garden was renamed the Hahn Horticulture Garden in November 2004 in honor of Peggy L. Hahn who was First Lady of Virginia Tech from 1962 to 1974 during her husband’s tenure as President.  Their generous gift and bequest for expansion has had a significant impact on the garden – from the construction of the Peggy Lee Hahn Pavilion (2006) to the Hahn Meadow Garden (2008), as well as in other ways too numerous to list”.

My post-surgical status kept me from exploring as much as I would like so I look forward to going back!

Next time, we’ll pack a picnic and spend much more time exploring the gardens

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Osceola & Renegade in Monochrome

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My contribution to Monochromia this week.

A friend and I traveled to Tallahassee for the Virginia Tech / Florida State game last weekend and during a tour of the beautiful FSU Campus, saw the famous statue of Osceola, the historic leader of the Seminoles, and his Appaloosa horse, Renegade.

We enjoyed Tallahassee and even better, won the game! Go Hokies!

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Light the Way

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I’m unsure if this is an airport runway cover or an antique insulator but my friend Wilson collects them, and I think they make for lovely art as well as photo subjects.

Today is the day: I look forward to taking a visit around WordPress today!

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Gift from Pauline

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An extroidanary gift arrived at my home last week.

Dear friend Pauline had given me a birthday gift, born from her heart and crafted by her talent.   If you look closely, you’ll see many lovely details, and I’m going to take a tip from Alys and Boomdee and highlight various parts of it.

 Unknown to Pauline, the quote at the bottom of the painting is one of my favorites, and one that I’ve had hanging on the wall of my office for years.

Look at the exhaust pipe.

Pauline noted that the bike’s exhaust “exhumes little dots of glimmery stuff that then floats off around the canvas”.

Of course I had noticed the camera (can you see that it says Her Story on it ❤ ) but it was Alys who pointed out the cheering people along the bottom of the canvas.

Aren’t the colors just stunning?

And then there’s the wine glass 🙂

I am so thrilled and honored and touched by this gift, and I cannot wait to put it up on my office wall.  I know that my patients will love seeing it and I look foward to telling them all about my friend Pauline.

Please visit Pauline at The Contented Crafter.  She is a gem in my life, one of the many WordPress gems that I have come to know, and who have enriched my life.

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Sit For a Spell

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Last night, I actually did sit for a spell and visit many of your blogs (although I have many more to visit!). For now, I’m off to volunteer at a Dress for Success workday, and THEN I will attempt to work on the photos from my brewery ride last weekend.

** 36 hours / 620 miles / 3 breweries / old friends **

For now, I’ll share this image from Warrenton, VA.

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Is “sit for a spell” a term that you use, or are familiar with?

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Images of Greensboro

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Weekends during the month of June were packed with travel, and my shutter finger worked overtime!

I’m still glowing over my time in Atlanta with my son, exploring public art and architecture, cocktails and cuisine, and green spaces. Then last weekend I was able to spend the weekend in Greensboro, NC to photograph a wedding.  Some of you have visited Karen’s blog about hiking, and she most recently posted about her daughter’s wedding.

I am not a professional photographer, and definitely not a wedding photographer, so I was a bit nervous (to say the least).   I’ve known the bride since she was a young teen, and despite my nerves, it was an honor to try to capture the joy of this fun loving couple.

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The time I had to photograph downtown Greensboro was limited, but I wanted to share a bit of it with you.  Some of these images were taken with my camera, and several with my cell phone.

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The city is a wonderful mix of old and new architecture,

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with a proud and tragic history.

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During my morning walk, I learned that Martin Luther King was scheduled to speak in Greensboro on April 4th, 1968.  He cancelled his visit to stay in Memphis one more night where he was assasinated that same day.  If only …

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Within a few minutes walk from Elm Street, the main drag in downtown Greensboro, is the Isley House.  Built by German immigrants, circa 1845, the log house was moved from its original location when the historical museum took it apart and reassembled it here.

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My morning walk took me past public art,

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and along the train tracks.

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Finally, just a few random images.

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Believe me, a cold beer tasted great after hours spent with the camera.

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Thankfully, my friend Tim was there to help me!

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I’m home for a couple weekends but the next trip in two weeks will be on the motorcycle!