Like almost every other substantial building in this part of Oakland, the Twentieth Century Club—once Pittsburgh’s premiere women’s club—now belongs to the University of Pittsburgh. This picture was taken a little more than a year ago.
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More Snow
It was the largest amount of snow on one day in December since 76 years ago in 1944: 9.3 inches according to National Weather Service observations, but closer to a foot in some neighborhoods (the NWS says that one forecaster measured 11 inches in Lower Lawrenceville).
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Snowstorm on a Small Scale
Snow accumulates on vegetation during the snowstorm of December 16, 2020. Go to the Wikimedia hosting page for a high-resolution version.
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World War II Memorial at St. Basil’s
A modestly late-Art-Deco memorial to St. Basil’s parishioners who served in World War II. It remembers their service in the war, but its message is “PAX.”
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Blooming in December
Indian Strawberry (Potentilla indica) and Common Mallow (Malva neglecta) both have long blooming periods, and neither one is willing to give up just because of a few freezes. Here we find both blooming during a warm spell in the middle of December.
Above we see not only the mallow flower, but below and behind it one of the flattened round seedpods that give the plant another one of its common names, “cheeses.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Strawberries are not only blooming, but also fruiting. The fruits look delicious, but they’re flavorless.
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Tower with Falcon
This is the tower of St. Basil’s in Carrick. Old Pa Pitt didn’t notice the bird when he was taking pictures, or he might have tried to go after it with a long lens. If you enlarge this picture to full size, you will see a peregrine falcon sitting on the cross, probably waiting for an unwary pigeon.
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Light Up Night, 1998
Luminarias surround the obelisk on PPG Plaza. We had to forgo Light Up Night this year, but it will be back when large crowds closely packed seem like less of a threat.
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St. Basil’s, Carrick
Currently part of Holy Apostles parish, St. Basil’s occupies a splendid hilltop site from which its great rose window can be seen for miles. St. Basil himself presides over the façade, imprisoned in a cage that keeps the pigeons out and St. Basil in.
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