orchidian success

this little unit from the oncidium alliance began opening day before yesterday --- some of the blossoms measure 10" long --- two stems, a dozen blossoms on each, the best it's ever done --- 

peak fall

margaret's leaves are rocking!

this red-tail hawk flew back and forth across the trail at the river, then sat on this limb until i got bored and left --- i hope he found the rodent for which he was looking

winter is coming

my succulents are at their best right now --- as are the fall leaves all round

the other side of town

showed robt the westside beltline trail yesterday, all 6 miles of it --- one of the best things about it are the big trees along the way --- the white oak et al were at the peak of their fall flush --- like the east side trail was in its early days, the westside trail is not yet thronged, but there were significantly more walkers, runners, and what not than when i walked it in late september --- best trail feature: the coarse granite band used as a center line --- the eastside trail needs a retrofit 

post-holiday snoozing

the socializing on t'giving cut severely into dog's naptime (dex greeted everyone, nodded, and went back to napping) ---

last minute ticket to hear the symphony and chorus do verdi's requiem --- an aisle seat made for perfection

robt had never seen morgan falls dam or hyde farm, so me and dog took him out there yesterday --- we had planned to go to gold branch, but the parking lot was packed ---

fall follies

they wasted the georgia dome yesterday morning --- by my count it was atlanta's fourth demolition of a major sports arena, representing who knows how many billions of dollars, much of it public money --- cracker stadium (1923-1966), atlanta-fulton co stadium (1965-1996), the omni (1972-1997), and the dome (1996-2017)

maintaining the unit

big room, kitchen, and office painted --- a slightly warmer white, with an eggshell finish on the walls and semigloss woodwork --- replaced the cheap-ass brushed aluminium door sets with cheap-ass nickle finish sets in a somewhat prissy design --- alterations to office shelving, and lighting improvements --- as was the case on sinclair avenue, my place always looks best after dark

signs and such

lights!

it's too early for xmas, but not too early for spectacular light and sound in the garden after dark --- the tree canopy walk is simply spectacular --- only comparable i can think of is the fremont st experience in vegas, but without rock n roll ---

things from olden times

robt hadn't seen the carlos, and i never mind going back, if for nothing else but to root around in one of the city's best book stores --- all in all, it's my favorite atlanta museum i think --- the art of the americas is really wonderful, especially the incan stuff ---

"church, after church, after church"

the cathedral basilica of saints peter and paul (1846-64) and the mormon temple 2014-16) were across the circle from the hotel --- we went in the former but the latter was closed up tight as a drum ---  

the mormons just finished their temple last year

the arch street presbyterian congregation is almost gone, but a magnificent building (1855) remains

first methodist church in america

the know nothings burned down the catholic churches in 1844 --- this is st augustine's (1848) 

christ church (1727-44), first episcopal church, with an interior dating to the 1770s --- the baptismal font dates to the fourteenth century or some such

the cemeteries were a little disappointing since most of the markers were sandstone, now eroded to illegibility

the best of the churches was gloria dei, the old swedes church, completed in 1700 --- wonderfully intact building