Kurentovanje begins Cleveland's festival year

headdresses of kurenti 

Kurenti are the stars of Pust (the pre-Lenten Carnival of the Slovenes). I think it was the Albertville Olympics of 1992, that Charles Kuralt introduced America to the Kurents. He said these were his people.

Kurent

A little Kurent happy to pose.

A musician that stands above the rest.

Chardon Polka Band was playing in a tent. I was not in a good spot to get good fotos. Parts of the tent were dark, others light. Some places were not safe to stand, when the tent is packed. People who polka, hop and bounce up. You must hop out of the way, to save your foot. The heads and arms in the air, block shots. A father holding his child high was a foto i wanted.

Assorted Krampuses and bishops enjoy Fasching, so they came for Pust.

Crosier goes up.

Princess of the festival

Hamlet would not have had such a device.

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Postscriptum: I have posted about this event in past years. Looking back to 2019, i had a post ready with fotos, but never got around to writing the copy, similar stuff.

2024 Miscellany #2

a Tessa LeBaron mural for a bike ministry, Cleveland west side

This gas station has been empty for maybe decades. It is currently being advertised for just under a million. It is not because once they were built to please the eye, it is because Cleveland Clinic is across the street, and is building on their lots.

detail

January 22nd, Canadian geese landing on Lake Erie shore, Lorain O. 

January 27th, the lagoon is aerated, the surface ice was waning.

February 9th, Cooper's Hawk, i think, Lake View Cemetery.

Summit Lake

Ohio and Erie Canal had a towpath on Summit Lake on a boardwalk where the mules pulled. The first canal boat left in 1827. The railroads took much of the canal business in the 1860s. After that canal system was used as a water source for business and industries. Summit Lake (Firestone) Pump House began in 1911 pumping water for the rubber companies, and waste water was fed into the lake. Some decades ago the pump house became idled. In the summer of 2021, the pump house became a nature center. Akron gave the building to Summit Metroparks, and they made it into a nature center, and are continuing to add and, this is important—upkeep and maintain the park.

Also the lake was a site for parks beginning in the 1880s. Summit Beach Amusement Park was in operation from 1917 to 1958. It had the world's largest tile pool (75'x180'); the health department forbid swimming in the polluted lake. The Wisteria Ballroom claimed to be the world’s largest dance floor. A Ferris wheel, a roller rink, a carousel, and other amenities were there too. Rapid decline in quality came in the 1950s.

coots a.k.a. mudhens

The lake above the buried sediment is clean to have much waterfowl now. My camera was too weak to get clear pictures from a certain distance. Coots (mudhens) were very numerous. When one was close enough to shore, its one note call could be heard. It sounds like a mechanical pulse. Canadian geese were plentiful, a few ring billed gulls, and some individuals of several duck species. Besides the ones shown below, there were mallards of course, but also redheads, canvasbacks, shovelers, ruddy, and bufflehead ducks.

male old squaw (now called long-tailed duck) in winter plumage, a sea duck

same bird with a lesser scaup

male hooded merganser

Parking is an ability some people are not good at.

Between the lake and highway construction some tree removal was done. Some lovely grain, slices would be good for table tops.

transitions

Bolton Avenue Presbyterian 1892-1923, became Antioch Baptist in 1934. For a time, Antioch had the largest black congregation in Cleveland. The largest faith group among black Clevelanders, and nationally, is Baptist. Antioch Baptist is involved with Cleveland Clinic, and is still culturally, and politically important in the city.

 This sign is partly neon, the cross on top replaced a star.

another church neon sign
 

At one time (1926-77) this was St. Archangel Michael Russian Orthodox Cleveland, it is now abandoned. In the brickwork is an Orthodox cross, the next occupant decided to put up a Latin cross up higher on a cupola with loudspeakers. When a church has a new congregation, there is often visual changes in style (often towards of reduced elegance, and when coupled with reduced maintenance, the resultant is entropic deterioration). Instead of an abandoned piano, there is an abandoned keyboard on the lowest step. Orthodox churches are free of musical instruments.

El Hasa Temple №28 Cleveland in the Desert of Ohio  

This was the parish hall. In 1955 a concert was held with Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, and others. There is a rumour, that someone filmed the event. No such film footage has been made public. A Shriners Lodge, in 1977, rented and later bought this building. By visual inspection, all of former St. Michael's is abandoned.

There is a church on Cedar with a flamboyant character in an almost pre-Christian Mesopotamian manner. It has twin towers, and this wonderful diagonal brick bond pattern in the center, between unsound stack bonds. This particular denomination is in several cities, and the chief church is in Washington DC, with many of the same elements. Cedar and Union have stretches that have several black churches. The ones on Cedar are more impressive in architecture. The ones on Union are more plentiful, nondescript, and dilapidated, and some may be derelict. Nearly all are some sort of Baptist, or some sort of Pentecostalist.

ruminations during snow watch

Mid to late January is often enough times the coldest time of the year. No big news bulletin. It is not pleasant to be outside, and for those who can stay inside, it is a good choice. I haven't posted in a few days, and my mind wanders through subjects, some minor, some major.

I see in language differences, some people are surprised that 'bakery' can be synonymous with pastry, or any non bread item that comes from a bakery. We have heard on the media, for years, 'barbecue' used this way. "Hey, Melinda Sue, let's go get some barbecue". There was some other language thing that someone had a snit about, and i have forgotten what it was...well, maybe one day it will pop up in my mind while in the shower.

Something is rotten with the American people. Donald Trump is undeniably evil, yet he is worshipped by millions. Psychiatrists diagnose him as a malignant narcissist with dementia. Someone so incompetent, stupid, and sadistic to be successful as he was in receiving such great political power must be allied with demonic forces. Of course, many psychiatrists have no belief in the supernatural; but logical cause and effect can not explain Orange Caligula. Those in his thrall love the cruelty, even if it destroys themselves. In Iowa he told his worshippers, "You can't sit home. If you're sick as a dog, you say: 'God, I gotta make it.' Even if you vote and then pass away, it's worth it". He also told the trumpster stupids, "And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning...". Well, the original Caligula said, "Would that the Roman people had but one neck!"...so he could strangle, break it, or cut it off. Now, Trumple-thin-skin is repeatedly mentioning Al Capone being murderous if one looked at him wrongly.

Vanishing America, 

Julian Hoke Harris. Keeping Away Death. 1959. Atlanta.

Another tale of vanishing America, never been to Atlanta. This was once on the County Dept of Health. The building is gone, Emory U and Grady Hospital wanted the space.* Harris was an architectural sculptor, and a graduate, and later a professor at Georgia Tech. He had several commissions for public buildings in Georgia. Harris had been an army officer, and the US Army has Hermes' caduceus as the symbol for the medical corps. This was an error, but it can now be looked at as satire/sarcasm. Hermes was a god of commerce. Asclepius was the god of healing, and he carried a staff with one snake, the aesculapion. Some physicians and health workers found this image apropos in the struggle against covid-19.

in the American Sign Museum Cincinnati [not my foto]

Neon signs were common and popular for a generation in America, from the mid to late 1920s to the end of the 1950s. Interests change, and things become passé. Nostalgia rolls in, and curios become dear to compilers. There are neon sign museums in Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Warsaw, Canada, and elsewhere. God’s Own Junkyard sells and rents them in London. 

 

The signs began with the work of a scientist inventor, Georges Claude in 1902. He later became a very willing nazi collaborator.

 

St. Malachi Cleveland c. 2018

Looking at fotos from the Cincinnati museum, i noticed two signs from churches: a Baptist, and a Pentecostalist; and i thought, well yeah. When looking at American religious denominations, there they are: déclassé, and gauche. This American Protestantism gloms on to whatever is current in the larger society. They purposely appeal to the lowest common denominator, any hook will be fished. Most neon signs were used for commercial purposes: restaurants, saloons, and such.

Then i remembered. We often are vexed at things we have done ourselves. Around 1995, another fellow and myself were caught in a foto published by Cleveland Plain Dealer. We were on a steeple removing neon lights about the cross, it needed regassing. Years before, during WWII, the original church burned down. Malachi's could be seen from the lake, and i heard that its steeple was used as a landmark. When the new church was built after the war, the cross was meant to be seen from the lake. I do not know when the original installation of the light was. Back to the picture, i was suspicious about the photographer. The sky was beginning to look ominous, and dumdum had an aluminum ladder. This was the time when OSHA was made to be a bogeyman. I made sure my back was to the camera.

I remember once in the twentieth century an OSHA man came to construction at the new baseball park, and once to a hospital building going up. Foremen were only worried about extension outlets. There was a job in Beachwood, where i was working for a replacement contractor. Every other trade was scab, some from out of state. They were hiring off the streets. It was a very unsafe job site. One day we were working, and we noticed all the other trades were gone from the building. We saw them standing in the parking lot. OSHA was on site. They can't cite you, when you are not working. Me and another journeyman showed the guy around, and pointing out hazards. All he did was put caution tape around the porta potty. Some miscreant shat in the pisser portion, and gravel was strewn about. That didn't effect me, i went to a nearby fast food joint anyway. I quit that job, the shop was full of creeps. I never saw OSHA in this century.

Well, many churches had sign boards, before and after some started using neon. Now with led and plasma screens that can be programmed, many churches of all denominations have lighted electrified signs.

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*The sculpture is now inside of Grady Hospital.

2024 Miscellany #1

 

Fullerton School Cat

Scranton Flats & five skyscrapers

Karma

downtown Cleveland

casting a fascist

Growing up Catholic, i understood the Devil doesn't like to be mocked, therefore, he must be mocked. Very early in the Trump régime, his chief spokes liar Spicy Sean was subjected to ridicule, which led to his dismissal. SatNiteLive had Melissa McCarthy parody him, it was most excellent. I read this upset Donnie McPervert, in that a woman mocked his underling. My reaction, as others did think, they should have had Rosie O'Donnell play Trumple-thin-skin. They actually had a brilliant mini-film with Leslie Jones. Then they dropped the ball. So often, SatNiteLive lets the crop wither in the field, and then offers crap instead. Leslie Jones should have had the rôle permanently.

Someone posted a chat about what prison would be appropriate for Orange Caligula. My answer was Arkham Asylum. Cheatolini as a super villain. That treasonous shitgibbon would make a proper villainous inmate at Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Though, it has been noted, they have many escapees; but Stinky from Merde a Lardo is not too nimble of foot. He would need help. The rest of Batman's rogues probably would be sick of him. He is insufferable.

photographs of abandoned places #44

Parma High demo

Auditorium building of Parma High on January 1st 2024.

This was in the top hole above. The mouth had a pool of water.

There were several large and expensive vehicles on the property.

While we were there, a few pick up trucks came to take a look, and at least one husky.

Parma High demolition larghissimo, no piano yet.

names on a chalkboard

 

seasonal decorations

A Christmas Story was partly filmed in Cleveland, and the film has been accepted as part of Cleveland. One of the bits in the movie is a leg lamp that comes in this sort of box. It was a major award.

This is an example of what used to be called 8# of sh*t in a 5# bag.

Some Hallowe'en decorations can be adapted to Christmas use.

This is what the House on Clifton did. Sometimes the addition is minor, but effective.

Christmas has been invaded by Krampus. Krampus is a Germanic Alpine human/goat/demon, that sometimes tags along with St. Nicholas.

Twelve foot skeleton with branches doubles as a horned Krampus figure.

Cleveland does have museums

 

Mid-October, the new visitor's hall opened in Cleveland's Natural History Museum. Banners around Wade Oval advertise. Eight (nine if counting the triceratops) exhibits are featured.

Still have not fixed Steggie, [click].  Argument holds, millions for expansion and renovation.

O no! Kryptonite! I'm feel...ing  we.....

Next door at the art museum:  better than a disco mirrored ball, a golden Neferteti bust. Awol Erizku 2022.