Wednesday, January 31, 2007

urban legend


I have a neighbor who makes broad verbal statements. Usually the statements contain a kernel of truth presented with a garnish of hyperbole.
My neighbor says there is an ancient law, passed by the Jefferson-enthusiastic people of Albemarle, which prohibits property owners from erecting structures on their land which obscure adjacent land-owners' views of Monticello Mountain. Monticello Mountain is the local Mount Olympus, home of third US President and Constitution author, Thomas Jefferson.
The "Little Mountain" visible through the steel superstructure above is Monticello. Jefferson died at home, on top of that hill, July 4, 1826.
Ah! If only there is a kernel of truth in this story! I checked Snopes.com, but the inviolate view of Mr. Jefferson's mountain is not a national urban legend.
Sadly, the view from Monticello, has been very negatively effected as well by the rush for development dollars. A visit to the mountaintop is a feast for the eye. There is a beautiful view to the east. The western view is largely obscured by trees, except for keyhole cut to reveal the University of Virginia.

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007

vitamin I


When Sophie ate rat poison I gave her vitamin K. Two days ago she got into a bag of ibuprofen, looked like dog food. In general she doesn't like pills, hoping she didn't take a dose.

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Monday, January 29, 2007

development


Real estate developers come in all colors, shapes and sizes. One useful metric to apply when evaluating a r.e.d., does he/she live in the area under development? Will Red live in his development when the project is complete and the profits are banked?
Two interesting articles in the local media today on the subject.
The Washington Post weighs in with:

The Sleaze in Loudoun
Insiders get rich, and the public stays in the dark.

SMALL PLACES rapidly on their way to becoming big are often susceptible to opportunism, abuse and influence-peddling practiced by a closed circle of insiders...

The Charlottesville Daily Progress offers up:

Albemarle's double-edged growth tool
County's control over development scrutinized

Albemarle County?s new effort to direct growth not just into growth areas but within those areas has some developers scratching their heads, some even alarmed.

For more discussion visit Waldo Jacquith's Cville News

Brian Wheeler and Coy Barefoot talk about Charlottesville's growing pains:

powered by ODEO

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Sunday, January 28, 2007

day of rest


Millenbeck, Virginia

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Saturday, January 27, 2007

summer

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Friday, January 26, 2007

nine and ten

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

road mystery


Asheville, North Carolina

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

God's Poem Writer


God's Poem Writer, Harry Jerome Arnold
P.O. Box 592
Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902-0592

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

a place in history


On January 4th, 2007, the City issued a press release announcing the impending "recon-level" survey of the Woolen Mills neighborhood by Virginia Department of Historic Resources staff and volunteers.
In response to the press release the Daily Progress ran a short piece and the local broadcast news folk came to the neighborhood to see what was up.
The TV news pieces aired January 6&7 (WVIR NBC 29)) and January 15 (WCAV CBS 19).
If you are interested in viewing the TV coverage visit you.tube

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Monday, January 22, 2007

my best friend


Jake Webb

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

day of rest


church of the blue dome

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Saturday, January 20, 2007

Felis silvestris catus


People come to the City to live the good life. They leave deer hunting behind. They leave many of the charms of the agrarian lifestyle behind.
The early settlers of the Woolen Mills village had the best of both worlds. They had the social support of a village while maintaining many of the folkways of the country. They had gardens, they had chickens, cows, hogs and horses.
When the Woolen Mills village was annexed in 1963 it came under the purview of Charlottesville City Code. But having a law is one thing, enforcing it is another. As late as 1985 there were cows grazing in the Woolen Mills neighborhood.
Sec. 4-7. Fowl at large.
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons or other fowl belonging to him to go at large in the city; except, that homing pigeons may be released for return to their cote without violating this section.
(Code 1976, § 4-6)
Sec. 4-8. Keeping hogs, goats and sheep.
(a) No hogs or sheep shall be kept in the city except for immediate shipment or slaughter.
(b) No goats shall be kept within the city.
(Code 1976, § 4-7)

While the gardens remain, people no longer keep livestock or hunt within the Woolen Mills. Ah! But there is still a wildness. Grey fox, groundhogs, deer, raccoons, possums, rabbits, rats, hawks, geese, and herons populate this neighborhood on the periphery of Charlottesville's urban core.
Wild predatory species have been run out of town.

Alligators have a thing they do when potential biped or quadruped mammalian meals walk by. They size up the meat. It is a great sin to anthropomorphize, to put thoughts into the alligator's peanut sized brain, but the alligator evaluates, "can I fetch that prize?"
In the Woolen Mills, domestic cats share the top level of the predator pyramid with the automobile, no gators here.

Oh! Look at that cute kitty on the porch! What is he thinking?

Friday, January 19, 2007

Long Beach


Dawson Avenue, Long Beach, CA. WWJD. What would Jesus drive?

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Thursday, January 18, 2007

musicians

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

bigdogs


Ecclesiastes 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Dealing with big dogs is frightening. What does the little dog bring to the field? Intelligence? Agility? A ground level point of view? The little dog rests in the everlasting arms.

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

teardown


Tempest afoot in NYC. How can properties that contribute to the unique character of a city stand against real estate development interests?
Washington Post provides coverage today.
Writer Tom Wolfe had an op-ed on the subject in the 11/26/06 New York Times.

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Sunday, January 14, 2007

day of rest


( is there a way to have google search source code?)

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Saturday, January 13, 2007

badlands


uncharted territory ahead

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Friday, January 12, 2007

first time


Holloway House, Woolen Mills Road. Edna Holloway died in her 109th year. Charles and Mamie Holloway lived here before Edna and Arthur Holloway. Charles was in charge of wool sorting at the Mill, Arthur was a "loom-fixer".
Part of the recon level survey involves photographing all structures in the proposed district with Film. The negatives go into VADHR's files. Eventually this requirement will be changed to some sort of digital media, but what sort? Archivists are able to look backward and appreciate the proven track record of properly processed "real" b&w film (not C41). It's hard to look forward and know what'll happen to CDs, DVDs.
Used a Nikon F4 which my favorite camera store assures me has absolutely Zero trade in value. A wonderful camera. Ergonomic. Tough. No menus to dig through.
For the first time in life I am giving away negatives, nine rolls, they'll be stored in Richmond.

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Thursday, January 11, 2007

keystone


Marchant house c.1850, keystone of the residential Woolen Mills village
Wrapping up a recon-level survey of the Woolen Mills village. Heart felt thanks to officials from the City of Charlottesville, County of Albemarle and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for their hard work making this happen. Thanks to the residents of the Woolen Mills for the warm welcome they showed the survey teams. Thanks to UVA architecture students who participated!

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

shoulders of giants


The guidon falls? Pick it up and move forward.
gui·don Spelled Pronunciation[gahyd-n] ?noun Military.
1. a small flag or streamer carried as a guide, for marking or signaling, or for identification.
2. the soldier carrying it.

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Monday, January 08, 2007

cover


Emma is back from Senegal, on the cover of the Sun this month.
Founded in 1974, The Sun is a non-profit, ad-free monthly magazine that publishes an eclectic mix of personal essays, fiction, interviews, poetry, and photographs.
Black and white.
Thanks Julie, Sy, Robert and Andrew.

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Saturday, January 06, 2007

home place


Hampton,Henry and Clay Marchant in front of Pireus, Woolen Mills neighhborhood
"Life is real, life is earnest..."
real adj 1. Not imaginary, fictional or pretended; actual. 2. Authentic or genuine. 3. Essential; basic.
earnest adj 1. Serious and determined. 2. Showing or expressing deep sincerity or feeling. 3. Of an important nature.

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Friday, January 05, 2007

Dasypus novemcinctus

Thursday, January 04, 2007

God's Poem Writer


God's Poem Writer, Harry Jerome Arnold

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Wednesday, January 03, 2007

ruins


I hate the way the New Year is recognized. Goofy glasses, stilts and balloons, clowns, silly hats, football, television. The passing of a year is weighty. So much left undone. I wish we could sit quietly, in conversation, contemplation and meditation. Say goodbye, say hello.

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