fall sunrise

there's been a plethora of good wishes thrown my way the last few days --- a bunch of wonderful people on saturday night and then ceremonial cake, nps plaque, and gifts from my division today --- i'm horrible at expressing my gratitude but i'm truly humbled to realize that, in my stumbling erratic way, i have been a positive influence at the nps --- i made a difference, i think, and that's all you can do: make a difference --- not a big difference maybe, but another little nudge in the right direction --- that's why we are here

getting loose

the week has rocketed by --- winding it all down even as they try to figure out a way to keep me working part-time --- a good part of me just really wants to walk away from it all, but my little mental banker says i need the work and, if i did make a clean break, it would make work life harder for two people that i really like --- i've been a little amazed at the people that get all weepy about my leaving

a big party tomorrow night, my last day on monday, and then a week in the desert doing anasazi ruins and dark night skies --- i should have a clearer vision of my future after that

fall sky

the skies are getting interesting again --- the entire western horizon was crepuscular this evening

happy birthday, ma!

22 september 1921 - 29 november 2012

morninglory blue

magnificently fall-like this morning as dog and i put in 3 or 4 miles to, on, and from the belt line ---

atl bot gdn -- harvest moon edition

 next-to-the-last cocktails-in-the-garden thursday for the season --- ms. troy makes it fun

capped off by egg and grit at the majestic

crum & forster

purty sad, but it could have been worse i guess --- at least it doesn't look as bad as the poor spring street substation, a contemporaneous building that is now painful to look at as one drives south on spring --- the crum & forster building maintains a commanding presence on spring street and, at the very least, will not look architecturally awkward in its altered state

still a waste of a perfectly good building

an expressway artifact

very little remains of the city's original expressway system that began construction in 1949 --- the two railroad bridges are the only bridges left from the old northeast expressway

the fifth street bridge in 1950 --- destroyed during subsequent widening of the freeways

then i ran across this today while walking the dog: another artifact from the original "north expressway," now part of the Downtown Connector --- it may be partially buried, but is a great example of the guardwalls and rails on the original expressway --- this was obviously built to mark the end of fourth street on the west side of the expressway --- the metal medallion would have held red or silver reflectors --- 

monitoring the view

skyhouse south is altering my viewshed

supposed to break ground in october, across west peachtree street from plaza midtown --- it will kill my view of the freeway if this rendering is correct --- but it will get rid of that giant, block-square parking lot, which is a major plus!!!

staying alive

six years after installation of a stent, i'm off the blood thinners --- now, maybe i'll lose the bruising and won't look like i've been fighting or falling over or whatever --- my maternal grandfather dropped dead of a heart attack when he was 54, ten years younger than i am now --- my stroked-out paternal grandfather was drooling on his shirt when he was my age --- my father was a cranky s.o.b. when he was my age --- i am lucky

streets alive!

parade!

the belt line lantern parade was a great success --- we walked nearly to highland avenue and then back with the parade --- six miles in all

next year i will bring my tripod

worthless cat

late summer sunset

now if it would just cool off

the eye misses nothing . . .

five stars, redux

a friend gave me this to prep me for my sojourn in the desert --- the author basically walked most of the route that i'm driving and saw indian ruins that nobody ever sees

another five-star keeper

by the same author that wrote "zealot," a bio of jesus  --- both five-star keepers! i feel that i finally have a glimmer of understanding of what's going on in islam today --- think of the thirty years war between catholics and protestants that killed half of the population of germany in the early 17th c --- oddly encouraging read in the end ---