A dragonfly (or some close relative) lights on a dry grass stem hanging over a pond in the Homewood Cemetery. Old Pa Pitt is no entomologist, and all he knows about dragonflies is that there seem to be infinite varieties of them, and every one is beautiful.
The Sixth Street or Roberto Clemente bridge, one of the famous Three Sisters, seen from the North Side.
Joseph Hone, the department-store baron, certainly had enough money for a mausoleum, but chose to be remembered by this beautiful monument instead. Because the relief is worth examining, old Pa Pitt has given you this picture in a larger size than usual: click on it to load the picture in your browser, then magnify it to full size.
Father Pitt does not know the history of these urns, and would be delighted if any of his readers could enlighten him. This one is set back against the woody hill that slopes down from the reservoir.
Frank Vittor gave us these striking classical dolphins for Pittsburgh’s parks, and a number of them remain in place and working. Some kindhearted soul has set out a water dish for the many dogs who come to walk their people in Highland Park.
A fine piece of glass, though the symbolism may be a bit muddled. The parting of the clouds and the heavenly radiance suggest that the dove represents the Holy Spirit; the leaf in its beak suggests Noah’s dove (Genesis 8:10-11).
We took similar pictures in early spring; now here is the view in the late summer, considerably leafier.
A Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) blooms in Beechview this morning.
Giuseppe Moretti, one of Pittsburgh’s two favorite sculptors (the other being Frank Vittor), gave us the statuary on the Highland Avenue entrance to Highland Park. Moretti loved Pittsburgh, and predicted it would be the Athens of America; Pittsburghers probably laugh when they read that, but if they counted the number of priceless sculptures and great works of architecture they passed every day, they might realize that Moretti was closer to right than they thought.
In early September, countless thousands of Wingstem flowers (Actinomeris alternifolia) line the Salamander Trail in Fox Chapel. Wingstem can grow up to ten feet high when it’s happy. This picture is how old Pa Pitt always wants to remember late summer.
