Winter's Afternoon at the Louisville Waterfront

A partly cloudy winter's afternoon looking at the Louisville, Kentucky waterfront. A brisk wind but sunny atmosphere makes for a nice walk along the Ohio River.

Louisville Zoo Polar Bears Need Our Help

Yikes!  Would not want to be on this bear's Thanksgiving menu.

The Louisville Zoo of Kentucky is building a section called Glacier Run that provides habitat for the seals and sea lions plus the polar and grizzly bears.   If all the money is raised it will also house snowy owls, Steller's sea eagles, and arctic foxes. [Note: No photographers were harmed taking these pictures.]

The zoo has till January 1, 2011 to raise the final $820,000 of $7,700,000 in order to receive a $900,000 challenge grant from the non-profit Kresge Foundation of Troy, Michigan.  The entire project overall has raised approximately $23.9 million.  Parts of the Glacier Run exhibit are already open (the living area for the seals and sea lions).

Allowable matching funds are tax-deductible and can be in the form of

cash or pledges from corporations, foundations and individuals.  Donations can be mailed to:

Jill Kaplan, Director of Development

c/o

Louisville Zoo

1100 Trevilian Way

Louisville Ky. 40213

For information call 502-459-2181 or read the full story at the Courier Journal web site.

These stuffed polar bears are on display at the Discovery Gallery at the Louisville Science Center.  The polar bears were donated back in the 1970s to the museum.

Clement Museum Fluorites

Fluorite specimens seen at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum display at the KYANA Geological Society 2010 Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Blue Fluorite

Blue fluorite specimen was at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum display at the KYANA Geological Society 2010 Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Stiglitz Corporation

An article in The Courier-Journal entitled "Longtime supplier to GE closes" by Chris Otts (September 9, 2010, B8) announced the equipment of Stiglitz Corporation had been auctioned off.  They were one of Louisville's oldest manufacturers which recently employed 56 people.  The article stated their primary customer was GE making parts for their dishwashers, ice makers, ranges, and air conditioners.  The company was founded by Charles George Stiglitz in 1882 though their web site says their company history dates back to 1818 in Louisville after they acquired Bridgeford and Company. 

The company started out as foundry pouring cast iron manhole covers.  By 1949 they started manufacturing appliances fabricated with sheet metal.  They later supplied Sears with gas space heaters and clothes dryers.
The operations were located in westend of Louisville (Portland) until the construction of I-64 moved them to 2.8 acre complex on Mellwood Ave.

Still remaining is their web site http://www.stiglitz.com/ (created in 2002?) which has its domain name paid for till 2017.

The Bridgeford company was profiled in the book The Industries of Louisville, Kentucky, and of New Albany, Indiana.  It was published in 1886 by J.M. Elstner & Co. Publishers of Louisville.  The guide lists them as "manufacturers of stoves, ranges, tin, and sheet-iron and japanned ware.  The facility was located on 6th Street between Main and River.  The entry on page 98 explains that the high grade casting sands found near the falls of the Ohio make it possible to make smooth castings.  The heating stove highlighted is the "Orient" (shown in picture) that was patented in 1884.  Described as "the handsomest, cheapest, and most perfect-operating open stove in the market."

Interesting, the company is listed as being organized in 1880 with $200,000.  The president, James Bridgeford started with a different company in 1829, Wright & Bridgeford.  Facts about the company operation in 1886: 250 employees, 18-20 tons of pig iron used daily, payroll of $4,500 a week and $500,000-$600,000 annually in sales.

Peaches and Jello

The peaches shown in an earlier posting now have been peeled and cut up.

After cutting up the peaches, Peach Jello is mixed up using boiling water and cold water.

Added the cut peaches to the jello in the bowl.

Last picture shows peaches in jello after being refrigerated for 12 hours.

UPS Plane Flying Over Downtown Louisville

Peaches

I harvested 10 peaches from the one of the three trees that produced this year.  In the beginning of the growing season, there were a lot more peaches on all the trees but these were the ones that made it to the finish line.  I found two on the ground that some animal(s) had eaten on.  Maybe a squirrel, rabbit, or chipmunk had eaten the exposed part of the peach down to the pit.  It looked ripe so I decided time to pick.

More pictures posted when they are cut up and used in peach jello.

May Fly at Ohio River

May fly resting at the Ohio River front in Louisville, Kentucky (July 10, 2010).

Red-Yellow Day Lily

Red-Yellow day lily that bloomed June 16, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville Kentucky Skyline 2010

Calla Lily 2010

Calla lily that bloomed June 16, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. In all, there might have been 6 blooms.

Pink Hydrangea

Pink hydrangea flower blooming June 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Purple Balloon Flower

Purple balloon flower that bloomed in June 2010 in Louisville Kentucky.  The plant was stunted from last year.

Creeping Sedum Flower

Yellow flower on Creeping Sedum plant growing in Louisville, Kentucky.

Red Day Lily

The red day lillies are in bloom in Louisville, Kentucky.

Pink Lily

Pink lillies blooming in Louisville, Kentucky. The winter was not kind to these plants.  Last season there were maybe 8-12 plants now there are just two.  I am not sure why so few are left but I think either squirrels or chipmunks were eating them.

Car Fire in Louisville, Kentucky

Car fire that occurred today on South Hurstbourne Lane near Wal-Mart.  The police and fire departments acted quickly and contained the fire before anything really bad happened.

Pink Azalea

The pink azalea bush is flowering probably the best it ever has since planted.  The beautiful flowers are a lovely addition to this Louisville, Kentucky neighborhood.

White Tulip