sun's gone

had a reasonably productive morning/early afternoon at the keyboard --- then 3+ miles with dog through lower midtown and the park which, unlike yesterday, was virtually deserted

negrobilia

should anyone suggest that no progress has been made against racism, i would point to these images and the genre it represents --- it's easy to forget how common and easy it was in the first half of the twentieth century, and for far too long afterward, to depict african americans in the most demeaning way ---

you don't see much of it, but there is a niche market, as it were, for all sorts of two- and three-dimensional artifacts from that period --- i don't need to own them, but i think we all need to remember they were part of mainstream culture not that long ago

rock balls

tens of thousands of people roaming the streets for the dogwood festival at piedmont park --- too much going on even to take a photograph when we went yesterday

scotts antique market this afternoon was very quiet and low-key by comparison, but in places stank too much of bad fried food

unusually, i made a purchase, these three wonderful little stone balls --- sandstone, i think, less than 3"in diameter --- purported to be part of a hundred-year-old water filtration system in columbus, georgia, which may or may not be true --- a fine adjunct to the several dozen excellent mineral marbles that were supposed to have come from a marble factory dug up when they were building turner field --- who knows, but they're all wonderful little objects in and of themselves ---

ephemera

i've seen this stamp on early twentieth century hex pavers, but never stamped on a poured concrete sidewalk slab, like this on the prado in ansley park ---

stick-built, disposable architecture on crescent avenue at peachtree place

and larger, more expensive ephemera, costing the public coffers millions and millions and millions of dollars,

wheeee!

made reservations for an excursion to new york in may --- via amtrak, utilizing one of their "vistaliner roomettes" --- staying at a friend's excellent unit in the village while he's away --- how sweet is that?

a natural landmark

dog and i did the 6-mile cherokee trail around stone mountain this afternoon --- nice walk and very few people, since normal people stick to the paved surfaces --- many views of the mountain that are not available tooling along u.s. 78  ---- witch hazel was in full flower, along with native azaleas, dwarf iris, and i don't know what all

lost causes

 

old u.s. 78 ran right along the base of the north side of the mountain, and i sorta remember the little pull-off where you could get out and look at the carving --- i have never had a desire to experience the laser show, thank you jesus

it's a mess now, especially the re-located historic buildings, horribly over-restored, if not rebuilt entirely --- 

off to one side at the base of the godawful carving on the mountain is a memorial to "sacrifice" --- the inscription at the base of the 12' statue reads "the country comes before me," supposedly uttered by the wife of Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard --- over at the end, there is a little bench inscribed "sacrifice"and a little plaque about "our confederate soldiers" answering "their country's" call --- fuk, no, they betrayed their country, killing hundreds of thousands of people in the process

spring in the country

guinness and i checked out pole bridge creek and wilburn farm in s. dekalb this afternoon --- at 5+ miles, it was our longest since my hurt foot --- high spring with the native azalea and tadpoles at their peak

 a glimpse of arabia mountain in the distance

ruins of the farm house, parts of which were probably antebellum (left); two ancient pear trees, some of the largest i've seen (center); and a mid-20th century barn (right)

wiggling!

happy birthday to me ----

i basically dread birthdays, but a lot of people said happy birthday to me today and i got to spend it with two of my favorite people, robert and angela --- thanks y'all

springtime in college park

3578 e. main looks awright from the right angle

maxillaria tenuifolia

the colors are ok and it's not a large blossom, only 1¼" across, but there will be several and for the next month or so my bedroom will be filled with the aroma of coconut

spring fever

 took the train downtown for an 8:30 am meeting at city hall --- riding the train at that time of day reminded me of olden times when i worked for a living --- we selected this year's audc award recipients and then i walked back home --- adult beverages with a conversationally intelligent friend was a nice two hours ---

the oaks are technicolor green, the banksia roses are blooming, and it's gonna rain tomorrow and wash all the damn pollen away

walky walk

walked over five miles today for first time in nearly a month --- yay, me!

blackberries blooming on peachtree, azaleas everywhere, and the air thick with the smells of spring

peachtree place

whas bloomin upstairs?

six of the orchidaceaen alliance are in flower in this moment --- as well as two of the euphorbian alliance and one rude anthurium --- the last three of which never stop blooming, ever, thereby guaranteeing blossomage on the thirteenth floor at all times