random sunday

after endless days of rain, today was spectacular --- walked to inman park and back to meet some friends and check out the opening of the new edgewood avenue bridge over the belt line --- i was thinking that the kodak landmark on ponce can't last much longer --- 

this is one of the great houses on piedmont, especially since it has always been well maintained and little altered --- i had fun in that second-floor bedroom there one night in 1975 ---

the sun is rushing northward on the horizon and i've had to close the bedroom blinds

the stench of spring

 

holly blossoms are the definition of non-descript, but the air is redolent with their scent --- one of the best contributors to the excellent stench of spring these days

meanwhile in my bedroom the maxillaria tenuifolia blossoms are also small, if not non-descript, but they have the  place smelling like the middle of a pile of freshly grated coconut

meanwhile, the non-odiferous phaleonopsis and oncidium alliance continue their show

tired of sitting . . .

i've sat at this desk for 10 or 11 hours each of the last two days, and a good 40 hours more over the last couple of weeks but i've got a swell little architectural history drafted --- my client will be thrilled . . . .

this is a bit of a surprise . . .

i made a detour this afternoon to see first-hand what was going with the old st. john methodist church (1912) on georgia avenue --- it was damaged by a marta bus running into the east tower last november --- all of a sudden a week or so ago, rumor had it that it was being demolished --- it's obvious how over-wrought were the initial media reports --- clearly the tower structure is essentially independent of the rest of the building --- the upper part of the towers may even be wood frame with a brick veneer ---

they wouldn't have kept the street blocked for this long if they were going to demolish it, but i would love to know the decision-making process this far --- the club owner had probably put a truck load of money into the place already and wouldn't have a business without it --- the insurance company may have decided it was cheaper for them to pay for repairs rather than demolition --- either way, it looks like it might be staying a little longer ---

i'm wondering what the state is considering, haven given away its archives --- the building is perfect for any use that requires absolutely no natural light in the place --- it should be maintained as outdoor sculpture 

a new one from the the oncidium alliance

flower time

dead-tree watch

well, this is really depressing: the grove of five great tulip poplar trees at the north end of the piedmont park oval has been a landmark for decades --- one of them was struck by lightening and taken down last year --- three of them are shown here, with another just out of view to the left ---- two on the right are leafing out very poorly and i'm sure not long for this world ---

it's gone

they cut down the wonderful american elm on cypress street, yesterday, and i feel somewhat ill now whenever i look that way --- i loved that tree

a big ol' empty place in my view --- sigh

new prettys

the new pc, 12 gb ram and 1 tb hard drive, is up and running and just transferred the last files from the old one --- was gonna keep my old monitor, but it was too crowded all up on that desk ---

all in all, this was one of the more painless pc transitions i've made ---

dex wasn't much help, other than providing a calming image through much of the process









i was gonna get all this adobe software, too, but the pc made me feel poor, so i won't do any new software just now

eighth street

they absolutely should tow your ass if you park here

ending a fine, productive day

topped off by 90 excellent minutes on the phone with my second husband, with whom i had not talked in over a year --- we were 30 minutes in before i even put him on speaker --- yadda, yadda, yadda --- there's nothing like an old friend, huh

vernal equinox blooms!

huh?

a recent survey of metropolis residents included a question as to whether or not items had been dropped on to balconies from above --- best answer: "i have not even opened the door to my balcony in several years so i couldn't answer."

but how is that possible, even if one were to live on the viewless north side of the building ---

equinoccio de primavera!

the weather is even cooperating, at least for the time being ---atl bot gdn will be fine this afternoon --- more pictures anon 

stumps

stumpy can sit on a stump, and seems like there's plenty to choose from these days --- this is one of the water oaks along charles allen drive in front of grady high school --- probably planted shortly after the school was built in 1924 ---

a little more green coming on every day

sixth and juniper

 

view southwest

view northwest --- ranks of parking garages don't do much for the streetscape 

gotta love spring flowers

if of thy mortal goods thou art bereft
and from thy slender store
two loaves alone to thee are left,
sell one, and with the dole,
buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.

muslihuddin sadi (1184-?1283)

"the appalachification of our world"

The word is a polite one, but “inequality” is what we say when we mean to describe the ruined downtown of your city, or your constant fear that the next round of layoffs will include you, . . . . or the way you had to declare bankruptcy when your child got sick. It is a pleasant-sounding euphemism for the Appalachification of our world. . . . . Its tone is also needlessly clinical, giving the whole debate a technical and bloodless air.

The fruits of the toil of millions are boldly stolen to build up colossal fortunes for a few, unprecedented in the history of mankind; and the possessors of those, in turn, despise the republic and endanger liberty. From the same prolific womb of governmental injustice we breed the two great classes—tramps and millionaires. Omaha platform, Progressive Party, 1892. 

some things don't change, i guess, but that doesn't mean we should quit trying

peachtree

our proposal for a panel at the preserving the historic road 2014 conference in savannah this fall has been accepted! my part will be the origins of peachtree and how it changed through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries --- i now have a great excuse to pull together all the bits and pieces of research i've done over the years --- including this, among the earliest photographs of peachtree street as country road

omg! it's spring!

guinness has been thinking that it's way past time for fresh, spring, dog grass --- today he found it!

and the willows are greening, too!

this is atlanta's champion dogwood on charles allen drive --- we will return in a couple of weeks when it is in bloom