Black and White

Undead yard ornament

WmX — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:10:06 +0000

Former Slabtown neighbors had cut-out pastel porpoises on a stick welcoming inbound motorists. New neighbors installed an undead thing.

seasonal migration

WmX — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:54:15 +0000

Humans have a highly developed brain and are capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving. This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees the hands for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other living species on Earth.–Wikipedia

(UVA’s finals exercises this weekend. Walking erect, smart phones in hand, they leave. We are all so sad.)

gizmos

WmX — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:22:05 +0000

gizmo [giz-moh] noun. Definition: gadget
Synonyms: appliance, contraption, contrivance, device, doohickey, instrument, machine, mechanical device, thingamabob, thingamajig, tool, whatchamacallit, widget

westing

WmX — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:10:02 +0000

Cyclists participate in the “Ride of Silence”. A slow quiet ride through the streets of Charlottesville and 323 other cities, a rolling meditation, remembering bikers killed in crashes with motor vehicles.

May 14 the City of Charlottesville was granted silver status as a bicycle friendly community.

key

WmX — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:42 +0000

The key is on the shelf by the window.

sod it

WmX — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:04:36 +0000

One hears about road devolution, unfunded mandates and reductions in force. Insufficient funds at the state level. Why is there enough money for sod as University of Virginia beautifies for finals exercises this weekend.
Why not grass seed and straw in a time of austerity?

The cost of installing a lawn does vary depending upon how much work a homeowner is willing to do himself. It also depends upon the market. Price of sod can run between $0.50-$1.00 per square foot, with installation running between $150 and $300 per pallet. Grass seed costs about $0.01 per square foot. Installation varies widely depending upon the method used. Seed can be spread with rotary spreaders, or can be blown out of a hose with a material that keeps it in place. The cost of professional seeding is much lower than sodding, as it is less labor-intensive, and requires less energy to transport the materials.–lawncare.net

Ix

WmX — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:50:53 +0000

The Elby Brass Rock-Marching Band performs at the Closing Day Gala of the Tom Tom Founders Fest.

day of rest

WmX — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:20:39 +0000

St. Luke’s Episcopal? Anyone know? 1.2 miles southeast of Monticello on Route 53.

Alley

WmX — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

al·ley [al-ee] noun, plural al·leys.
1. a passage, as through a continuous row of houses, permitting access from the street to backyards, garages, etc.
2. a narrow back street.–Dictionary.com

Back before fire engines achieved the leadership role in urban design, back when streets were a part of the public commons, there were alleys. In Charlottesville several neighborhoods established before the apotheosis of the Automobile have alleys. The alley above is in Belmont, parallel to and north of Hinton Avenue.

Dear Charlottesville Planning Commission. Please consider the reintroduction of the alley into the urban form.

dead maples

WmX — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:44:36 +0000

I thought acers were bullet proof, but I’ve seen a number of them around town with dead wood in their crowns, not thriving.