Month: December 2015

the sacred and the profane

headstone
Headstone in the oak woods near Jarman’s Gap road.
There are varying ways to interact with the natural world. The graveyard up top is in a harmonious interaction, an elemental gracious return to earth. And then there are the rest of us, the oafs.
There are varying ways to interact with the natural world. The graveyard up top is a harmonious interaction, an elemental gracious return to earth.
And then there are the despoilers. Same woods, same hill, different mindset.

still point

Town Creek sunrise

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
–T.S. Eliot, The Four Quartets, Burnt Norton

Susan

Susan Reid
Susan Reid moved south in 1991. She is a teacher in the mountains NNW of Veracruz. I want her to move to the Woolen Mills. No luck so far.

Holly

Holly Edwards
Bumped into this lady January 17, 2000, first national celebration of M.L. King day. Didn’t know her at the time. Seven years later she was elected to Charlottesville City Council where she served with high distinction.

Ruthie

ruth tisdale ravenel
Christmas is a bittersweet time, thinking about people missing from the table. Ruthie was one of William Bee Ravenel’s three daughters. She had a kind heart, loved dogs and pictures, was accomplished, wicked smart.

Lady Bird Johnson would be pleased

planting trees
The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards are working with the Charlottesville Tree Commission, VDOT, Albemarle County, Monticello, and Piedmont Community College to plant trees in the median of Route 20 between the City Limits and Route 53, roughly 80 total, over the next 2-3 years.
toting q. bicolor
Tree Commissioner Paul Josey and Charlottesville Planning Commissioner Jody Lahendro shoulder a swamp white oak across Moores Creek. Landscape Architect Paul Josey is the person who created and fought for this project. Lahendro has advocated for an increase in CIP outlays to plant trees in the City.
bare root q.bicolor
The first phase is entirely funded by the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, and trees are being purchased from Bremo nursery, which is donating one of the Swamp White Oaks.
working in the median
Working in the median is challenging.
many hands, still hard work
These trees will help to retain rainwater, create habitat and food for birds, clean the air, and improve the scenery along this roadway.
tree stewards at work
To become a tree steward, you must first complete the training class. The class is a 10-week course consisting of lectures on a variety of topics as well as several field trips with information on tree identification and pruning techniques.

tool addicts

snappie
Once a week the shop would receive a visit from the sainted Snap On man. Tools for sale.


snap on box
The tools are very fine. The first items to disappear from a yard sale. Big ticket item from Snap On is the toolbox…