Permastone or more hoosier rehabbing

This building had a face lift:

Permastone was added to the facade to bump it out and create a frame. I'm guessing it was done because the building owner grew weary of rocks being tossed into the original plate glass windows.

Brick with Black Holes - Pop Quiz

How is it these bricks have black holes?

Check out the original mortar with its flecks of quartz and feldspar. It's almost 100 years old and remains perfect.

The Chicken Coop Tour Photos

Click on the title to see the photos from the tour hosted by TGS resident Gary Pey who wrote:

I think a good time was had by all!

Despite the light rain we had a good turn out, over 20 people. We first went to my humble Recession Tribute coop, where Wilhelmina (a mongrel Americauna) and Miffy ( a Salmon Faverolle high maintenance French chick) held forth. Wilhelmina did her only trick which involves sort of jump flying up about two feet to snatch a grape out your fingers. I showed the folks the difference in color from store bought and free range eggs.

Then it was on to Annaliese's and her home brewer husband's coop (funny, I can't remember his name but I know he home brews). They have sort of a chicken tractor and a lovely collection of a Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, and I believe a Rhode Island Red.

Slywinn was next and has a chick in the oven so to speak and has a nice coop with some Americaunas and some other chickens I can't remember.

Next up was Naomi's brood (literally), she has some adorable children and some ever so cute chicks, which she hatched from eggs using an incubator. Unfortunately, she is leaving the hood and moving to Eugene , Oregon, taking her chicks with her. Best of luck. Everyone liked getting out of the rain for a while, and her house was redolent of strawberries due to a jam session.

On to David Kraus's girlfriend's house (sorry I can't remember her name). They have some Barred Rocks and Australorp pullets.Their coop was a work in progress, and had some nice features, including the use of synthetic nesting material. That was the end of the neighborhood part of the tour.

Quite a few of us went on to view Brandon's coop. The house part was well constructed out of fir flooring and nifty doors with windows. The chickens hate it and prefer to live outdoors in the run and only run in to grab a bite to eat and lay their eggs. He has a Barred Rock, Buff Orpinton, and a Polish chicken with a wild hairdo. I think he also had a Rhode Island Red.

We were down to six when we showed up at the Slow Rocket Urban Farm, on Cherokee in the historic antique section. They were having some sort of history day. There were bands and we saw a couple of women dressed in period costumes: hoop dresses, bonnets, and parasols. Very vibrant neighborhood that I've never been to before. Jaffa and Joss weren't home but we could see their colorful coop from the street. Best of luck.

There were just four of us that made it to Greg Weiland's coop in Shaw and it was probably the fanciest coop on the tour. He has a lovely house and beautiful back yard. He had never hosted a chicken coop tour before, and didn't know what to expect so he had wine, coffee, crackers, and cheese to knosh on (this is the part where I say HA HA). He has three Australorps, one full grown and two that are between pullet and hen age.

We never made it out to Tom Niemeier's coop in Webster Groves. He's an architect, so I was imagining that it had an elevator or something in it! Hopefully next year.
Segwaying nicely into next year, I hope to have another tour next year. Bigger and even better, maybe more area wide and self guided. I learned that there is a St. Louis Backyard Chicken Meet Up Group, so maybe they can take up the cause. I'm hoping that some of the people will now take the plunge into chicken raising, and together we can network for support in husbandry, feed, and innovative coop construction.

I would like to thank my second oldest son Tyler for doing the Flicker thing (I just know it's a woodpecker). All that money we've spent on his education is finally paying off.
Best, Gary Pey

Front Yard

Last year I decided maintaining a lawn was comprising my precious time so I laid down layers of wet newspaper and mulched. Several plants were transferred from the back garden. No more mowing.


Peony and lariope beds:


The tree lawn has been planted with lariope and mulched.



Beau waited on the steps while I did photos and didn't budge. He's an surprisingly obedient dog.

Back Yard

I do a yard share with the vegetable garden in the back of the yard. Nine neighbors invest 35.00 and get to share the bounty. This year I've planted snow peas, beets, various broccoli (including Violet, Cheddar, and plain old white), peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. The zucchini is growing in the front yard to prevent cross pollination with the cucumbers.

Hosta and fern bed

South view of The Veranda

Hosta, iris, and a potted elephant ear

Another hosta bed. I'm waiting on the calidiums, elephants ears, and canna.

Hosta, iris and peppers.

Part of the vegetable garden:

Snow peas and beets. These were elevated because of losing crops to the rabbits. They are on top of cinder blocks on a piece of left over concrete board and the pea pods look quite healthy thanks to the rain and contributions from the floor of my neighbor's chicken coop.

This is a tomato arbor that I made a couple of months ago. There's 18 Early Girl tomato plants on either side. Not pictured is the rest of the vegetable garden which includes 24 pepper plants and even more tomatoes. BTW, I draped and secure netting around the tomato plants. Buy it it a fabric store: 72 inches width and it can be bought for less than a dollar a yard on sale.

One of three Japanese maples in my yard. I raised this one from a seedling.




Stone steps through the iris and hosta beds.
This area used to be all bed but when Beau's friend visited they didn't have leg room so I opened the area. Now Beau and his freinds run around the veranda in large circles.

The Veranda.
Tim calls it the Tea House. I don't drink tea, it makes me hurl.






Back porch

Chicken Coop Tour this Saturday May 15th

Take the free tour!
Hosted by my fabulous neighbor and erstwhile contractor, Gary Pey or Gray Pet as I inadvertently typo his name.

"Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Couped Up chicken coop tour! It's May 15th, 10:00 AM . We'll meet at the GOH Center at Juniata and Bent. I could really use some more hosts. So far including myself, I only have three. One is in Webster Groves, but he is an architect and might have an interesting looking coop"

Poster designed by Tyler Pey.

St. Louis Brick Confidential

Last week I was staring at the bricks on the wall of my former grade school here in TGS and thinking again about doing paintings based on bricks.

Stretching canvas over a frame is tedious work. It occurred to me to collaborate with another painter which was initially exciting: we would share the concept, supplies, and work so I called another painter I know and left a message before leaving for a day of errands.

Once on the road I had second thoughts.
A male painter collaborating with a woman? I already sensed the answer and wondered if he'd recall that we've been in shows together.

Female artists just don't have any credibility in the art world and their/our work is undervalued. I'm convinced the only reason any of my work sold - and it did sell - is because my name is Christian.

The Painter returned my call and was intrigued with the concept but balked at collaborating: If you give me the materials I'll do my own paintings.

Yeah.

The Monte Christo

These magnificent bricks slay me with their rough finish and subtle range of hue. The original mortar was finger tooled into the crevices.



I showed this photo to Tim over lunch and he announced it was the best cornice in the neighborhood.

These photos are of the Monte Christo apartment building near Wyoming and s Grand in TGE.