Springfield – tim mcmurdo

American Kitsch

Posted on July 25, 2015July 25, 2015 by Tim McMurdo

Here in Springfield, Ohio, we have a little piece of crazy American oddness called the Hartman Rock Garden. I can’t explain it, except to say that decades ago, one man decided to teach his grandchildren about american history through concrete and stones. Throw in a little bit of glass and some ceramic figures and you have it. You can learn about the rock garden here: http://hartmanrockgarden.org/visit.html.

Is kitsch like this only an American phenomena, or can it be found world wide? If you a have some fascinating kitsch in your back yard, tell us about it in the comments.

Have a great day folks.

the moon, the tree, the bird, and the fisherman

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Tim McMurdo

During my day off last week, I took a dawn walk at the lake and came across this lone fisherman at the marina. The temperatures were in the twenties and I wondered how he could endure sitting in that kind of cold. Walking was keeping me warm enough, but just sitting? No thank you. I don’t want fish that much.

rust and decay

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Tim McMurdo

Rusty Door and Decay

I’ve written about Springfield’s urban decay a few times in the past. To be sure, there is plenty of it. However, the city is tearing the old buildings down as fast as they can. New hospitals, skating rinks, and other buildings are going up in place of the old brick factories. I will miss them when they are gone. To me, the old buildings are a photographer’s dream come true. I suppose that there really is no stopping progress.

Have a nice Friday folks. The weekend starts in just a few hours.

just duckie

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Tim McMurdo

Duck in the Park

It’s been a while since we had the opportunity to enjoy a visit with one of our fowl friends. The ducks in Snyder park are conditioned to see every approaching car as a potential source of food. Indeed, sometimes Jodi and I stop to feed them. The problem is that as soon as they see a car coming down the road, they begin to waddle in the street. Sometimes there are dozens of them standing in e road. Driving becomes a little tricky as you try to ease your way through them without injuring any of the birds.

To tell the truth, it feels a little like they are highwaymen and you are riding in a coach. “Throw out the crackers and nobody gets hurt. Quack!”

wittenberg view

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Tim McMurdo

Wittenberg View

This is one of my favorite scenes in my hometown of Springfield, Ohio. I shot the image during a Saturday morning walk along Leffels Creek, near the white water park. The leaves are gone and the white trunks of the sycamore trees really stand out in the overcast light. All in all, a pretty typical December day. Just a little warmer than normal.

Have a great day folks. Get your week off to a good start.