THE STAY WARM DRIVE - MANN SCHOOL

The Stay Warm Drive for the children of Mann School started a few years when I noticed children walking home from school on a cold day without hats, scarves, or gloves.

I posted a call for warm clothing to the Tower Grove South yahoo group and donations quickly arrived from neighbors in TGS.

I did a call again this year and was so proud of my neighbors! Over 12 large plastic bags stuffed full of new (store bought and still had the tags) clothing for the kids. Many of the bags were left anonymously on my porch.

I dropped off the bags this week and met the principal, Brian Zimerman.
He asked the kids for assistance unloading my car, I asked for photos and here's "Mr. Zimmerman" and the kids who arrived to help.

These are some seriously cute and studious children.
However, I am reminded of a quote from Fran Leibovitz: Stand firm in your refusal to remain conscious during algebra. In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.

These girls get to bring their animals to school!


Entrance to the music room, leaded glass doors.

Music room

The students along with their music teacher, wrote and staged a play called RATS (with a nod to CATS).

As I was leaving I snapped this photo of shiny shoe worn by the school security guard.

CAR ELEVATORS

When I was but a wee lass, I listened as my grandfather talked abut a car elevator he saw while visiting Chicago. Its function was to make use of a small space to provide parking. It was difficult to visualize.

Recently I came across this photo in a book. In the lower right hand is a Burt's shoe store.
More on that later.



Do car elevators still exist?
I went to Google images and found this on an upscale NYC urban planning blog.
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/05/high_line_cars_should_stay_on.html



And in Japan where space is at a premium, why waste space with a ramp when a turn table will suffice?

HEELS OVER HEAD IN LOVE

WOWSA!
My Christmas present from Bruk; hand knitted socks with a Southwestern color scheme (I loves me some turquoise).

Catch her here: http://bruk66.blogspot.com/

I'M A BRICK GEEK

Oh dear.

I dreamed about brick last night. I was walking along Gustine with Simon of Brick City (he's a stone mason and I've only met him once). I was very excited to show him some American Indian designs on the brick work of a house on 39 Potomac.

Not that such a house exists, I just dreamed it.
Sheesh.

Square 12 X 12 Paver Brick on Humphrey and Roger.

BEAU IN THE SNOW

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS

This is a true story.

I take Beau over to the tracks under Morgan Ford to let him run. On this particular early spring day a train came chugging down the tracks. Beau was on one side of the train, I was on the other. Panicked that he would get hit, I tried to cross to his side. The train guys saw us and stopped the train so I could cross!

Then this guy mildly scolded me for being on private property.



This area was once a spur to the main tracks, the rails have been removed. Now it's a dumping area and a trail that I walk with Beau.


Beau's native name is Running Cloud.



This is a rural area in the heart of the Tower Grove South neighborhood that is progressively becoming one massive dump.


I stopped counting at fifty tires.




Looking west towards Kingshighway. Home Depot is on the left.



Looking east to the Morgan Ford Bridge.



Tree growing in retaining wall.
Just try to stop nature!



Graffiti is everywhere and sometimes with mysterious messages. Accompanying the uninspired graffiti, hundreds of empty paint cans.



Beaver.
Say this word and every adolescent boy giggles, grown men become focused and feminists scowl.



Stale horse


St Louis is just like Compton.
(Sure, cause no one changes their style of graffiti lettering)



My favorite:
Revenge. I know 2 much.






The red arrow points to a huge open field that is seldom used yet mowed. Sometimes I see people playing soft ball there. I'm guessing it's five acres.


Pumice rocks scored from along the tracks. Photo'd on a railroad tie.


Decades ago, quartz rocks were dumped along the tracks. I still find them under the newer granite and pumice (lighter to haul) that gets dumped.



I took these photos primarily for my friend Marti Frumhoff before her untimely death.

THRIFT STORE FINDS

There's never anything decent in the thrift stores in STL so once a week I high tail it over to the nether parts of IL where I can avoid the other dealers and pickers.

Scored last week - this signed Raymor box which unfortunately has a chip on the corner. DAMN. In mint condition it would sell for 150-200 clams on Ebay.

I paid 69 cents for it.




At first glance from six feet away I thought, Oh good, a box for Bruk!
Second glance from three feet, Vintage Italian!
Then I turned it over and saw the signature. Whoopee! Even with the chip it should sell.


I also found two framed prints by Jessie Arms Butke of cockatoo's and hibiscus. Too bad it wasn't an original canvas, I could retire.

I may have to keep them.


And this fabulous piece of prison art made of matchsticks (of course).


And a hefty piece of Scheurich pottery.

HOLE IN THE WALL - FIXED!

A few weeks ago I wrote about a car crashing into the foundation of a building. I stopped by today to take a look at Mark's work.

I'm betting it was easy to tell which side the stones faced, they still show the dark purple color of the car that hit it. What a puzzle it must have been trying to ascertain which stone went where. Rather excellent placement. In Chess this is called 'good sight of the board.'



Of course I regret the absence of the original mortar mix...

CSB records back online

Dear Ms. Herman,

Thank you for your email received in the Mayor's Office and forwarded
to me for reply.

I apologize for the inconvenience of the CSB records being temporarily
removed from public view. The records are again available to you.
The records were removed while we reviewed our public records laws, as
I wanted to be sure nothing was being made available that should be
considered a closed record.

Again I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for all that you
and your neighbors do to assist the City in resolving neighborhood
issues and for making use of the service provided by CSB and Geo St.
Louis.

Sincerely,

Cindy Riordan
Citizens' Service Bureau
Customer Service Manager
1200 Market, City Hall Room 234
St. Louis, MO 63103
Ph: 622-4668
Fax: 622-4310
riordanc@stlouiscity.com

SPEAKING OF THE RARE BLUE GLAZED BRICK...

I pass this building located in BPW at least three times a week. Yesterday I got out to take a closer look at the curved brick porch when LO!


Glazed blue bricks, what a treat!
Cool dyed pink mortar too.

An odd location for them, tucked from street view inside the wall of the porch.

JEN'S GANGWAY

How I met Jen.

It started with taking Beau to the Mann school yard at night to let him run. Jen lives across from the school with her pup Peanut. Peanut would hear Beau playing and would bark and wave to us. Eventually Jen came down and Beau and Peanut fell in love.

Sometimes I drop things off at her door: a blanket, some gloves, a scarf and I get to walk this fascinating gangway.

This does not apply to me.


Old elevator loading gates and a drain.



Jen's gangway garden.

Iron grill over window.


Nails in the rotting wood....that'll keep them out.



Interesting place for shutters.


The shutter hinges rock!


Beau and Peanut making out. It's constant, they're in love.


Jen and Peanut come to visit.