whiskey island evening

family enjoying biking on ramp from Willow Bridge to Wendy Bridge  

train viewed from Wendy Bridge

 

Several interpretive signs have been placed on Whiskey Island/Wendy Park. They have cut steel reliefs. This one shows the results that flowed after the last time the Cuyahoga River caught fire. The event made world news, and spurred the atmosphere to create the Environmental Protective Agency and other measures to correct and improve man's imprint on nature.

mallards in Lake Erie, between a pier and the Old Coast Guard Station

sunset seen from Whiskey Island

Community Arts Center

Robin VanLear. The Rhino. 1990. Cleveland.

Cleveland Art Museum has just opened a gallery on West 25th. They wanted a presence in the Spanish speaking neighbourhood. The building had been a sail factory when built. This building has three storeys, and several other occupants. This art space has the same feeling as Community of St. Peter, which is in the former Baker Electric Car Company. Exhibit space is clean, comfortable, spacious.

This is the inaugural show, and it showcases the museum's June Parade the Circle. It is worth the time to see it. It is a happy adventure. I have seen these marionettes, and carnival puppets before; but usually in the hot sun, surrounded by a too close, and jostling crowd. The first parade was held in 1990, and this (then unfinished) rhino was in it. Albrecht Dürer did the famous rhinoceros woodcut and prints in 1515, and this sculpture is an heir.  Robin VanLear was the founder of the museum's community arts programme, she also started and ran the Parade the Circle, I Madonnari Chalk Festival, and Winter Lights Lantern Festival. One work of hers from the parade that was not here was the black, red, and white, Bantu bush cow masks [see].

Robin VanLear made 24 life size puppets, each a different hue, for IngenuityFest. There are three there, together in a row. The orange one is pictured through a window, in an adjoining room. The yellow one is seen from a hallway; especially from this aspect, it is menacing in the manner of an approaching Dalek.

Voz de Silencio. Pedro Adorno & Angel Flores. 2012 parade 

Those are birds on his face. Visually close up, this reminds me of a mediæval green man, and further away the Jem'Hadar of the 1990s teevee show,  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Jem'Hadar were drugged, cloned shock troops. They had horns on their face to look fearsome. The horns were modelled on rhinoceroses, and triceratopses.

Grasslands white buffalo were made for the 2015 parade.

The building has some new wall paintings, and they are worth seeing. This octopus has drawn the outlines of the skyscrapers of Public Square. Debra Sue Solecki acquitted herself well.

She dates the mural, and gives her web address on the pencil. I like it. And o, that is 3B, and not 38. In pencils, Bs are soft, and Hs are hard.

"Limpia, fija y da esplendor" is the motto of the Royal Spanish Academy, the emblem is a fiery crucible. One pedestrian translation is "cleans, fixes, gives splendor". Perhaps a fancier one is "It purifies, it fixes, and it dignifies". The academy exists to codify the Spanish language. This is on the floor leading to the Latin Theatre.

2021 Miscellany #9

pedestrian viewing ambulance

one of the art benches in Avon O [John's foto]

downtown

True Missionary Baptist Church. Superior Avenue. Cleveland.

Visit to Russian, and Armenian Gardens

There is a new, and currently, unmarked pillar in the Armenian  Garden. During the winter, the top was covered with a black, plastic, garbage bag. It is a lovely terra cotta of the heads of a woman and man.

Alexander Sergejevič Pushkin's 222nd birthday was celebrated in the Russian Garden on 6 June.

Lukomorje was mentioned in the mediæval Russian Chronicles. It was by the Sea of Azov, in the land of the Polovetsians. Now in Russian culture it is identified with the Pushkin poem, Ruslan and Ljudmila. The poem begins:

У лукоморья дуб зеленый,
Златая цепь на дубе том:
И днем и ночью кот ученый
Всё ходит по цепи кругом;
Идет направо – песнь заводит,
Налево – сказку говорит.   

U lukomor'ya dub zelenyy,
Zlataya tsep' na dube tom:
I dnem i noch'yu kot uchenyy
Vso khodit po tsepi krugom;
Idet napravo – pesn' zavodit,
Nalevo – skazku govorit.

By the side of the sea, a green oak,
A golden chain on an oaken tome:
And day and night the cat scholar
Continuously walks on the chain;
Goes to the right - a song starts
To the left - he speaks a fairy tale.

Shasta Daisies in front of Juri Aleksejevič Gagarin

Cuyahoga Bridges

Yesterday, there was the official opening of Wendy Park Bridge. Electricians are still running wire for lights to illuminate the bridge, and laborers are finishing the fencing on the south side. The park people have put up explanatory signs. The new trails are complete. The impetus, now over several years, for the park and other improvements has been the businessman and park commissioner, Daniel T. Moore. He has given a sizable portion of his monetary fortune for this. He actually fits the ideal representation of the American entrepreneur. He is the father of three daughters. His daughter, Wendy died from a skiing accident. He must have loved her very much, and he wants strangers in years to come to remember there was his Wendy on earth.

Two of four entry towers are installed. In this light the color could be called argentine. They are stainless steel. At least one of two artists, Stephen Manka, has a number of vertical stainless pieces around town. His partner in these laser cut towers is Stephen Yusko.

This signal is rather emphatic. 

The other side of the bridge brings you to the Willow lift bridge (1965) in the industrial flats. It is on Willow Street. Other near streets are Spruce, Elm, Hemlock, Mulberry. Actual trees are very sparse. There is a stone supply company, and an entrance to a salt mine. This was the first time, i was on this bridge.

Red has been here for a good while.

This jack knife bridge, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge #464, is out of service. 

The new pedestrian and biking bridge looks successful. Some people are viewing trains that run underneath.

vilification of the doctor

MpT Greene is nuts, a back water Congress critter representing the dumbest of Georgia, and spokeswoman for the GQP. She wants Anthony Fauci removed, as do many wackos, especially Trumpsters. In Old Brooklyn of Cleveland there is is a sign painting business that uses cartoons and ranting literature [that half of the billboard not shown]. She has a bat, Fauci as Dracula, and a duck. With her it should be a cuckoo, or a dodo. She draws well, interesting pictures usually, slightly verbose with grammar, punctuation, and spelling challenged insanity. 

Recently a fellow on his web page ran on the street this sign is on.[click] He is chronicling every street in Cleveland. He mentioned the library, across the street. He mentioned, and pictured other sights on Pearl Road. He did not mention this one.

 

 

near the solstice line

A really great city park is Lakewood Park. It has fields, and stages for many activities. A recent architectural, and astronomical feature are the Solstice Steps. [see earlier posts 2015, 2016, 2017] Facing northwest viewing Lake Erie are five tiers of four steps of white, concrete blocks. Each block is 21 inches high, and the entire terraced slope rises 36 feet. Now, at this time of year, the length of days and the timing of the sunset changes by a few seconds on successive days. The steps have a metal line pointing to the spot on the horizon where the sun drops below. So far no splash, or sizzle. This park is a reclaimed garbage dump, it was not unusual foe localities to dump all sots of debris into the lake. After years of care, it is a great spot to go to; better than the salons, and restaurants of downtown, and the strips.

People come and sit, and chat, and take fotos. Some come with a little picnic. Some come with children, and family dogs. After a sunset, there is usually a round of applause. Karma waits, and rests. As is typical with greyhounds, the tongue lolls out the mouth.

sunset Lakewood Solstice Steps 9.05 p.m. 22 June 2021

Eric Sevareid

Even uglier in person

Along Cleveland Metroparks' Towpath trail, between the steel mill and the river, we went to walk the final portion of this 101 mile trail, at its northern point. Last year, there was placed railroad equipment as a sitting stop. Next to it a large multi-unit residency complex was going up. We, then, did not see the final outside of the building. On June 10th, it was partly occupied. The shock of seeing this dystopian architecture was jarring. Guessing this new space was too pricey to begin with, it was just too damn ugly and nightmarish. A lot of new housing is popping up on Cleveland's near west side. Quick fast profit is the concern of the "developers".  If everything was just brick, it would be better looking, and less models and sketches could be made. Yet, no matter how ugly it is it will be vigorously, even aggressively defended. A chief argument is always "money rules", of course other words favored by unregulated capitalism will be used instead. I saw on social media a very similar foto. The poster wondered, how did this get past the city planners. 

 

The next day, we were walking our hounds in Avon, and saw this quote of Eric Sevareid on a sign. Once when CBS Evening News was great. Walter Cronkite was the main news reader, Dan Rather would report from around the world, Charles Kuralt would be on the road with personal interest stories, and there were other fine reporters. Sevareid would read his commentary as the final piece of the night. I enjoyed his voice. He was one of Ed Murrow's Boys who covered the War against Fascism in Europe.

“With breathtaking rapidity we are destroying all that was lovely to look at and turning America into a prison house of the spirit....The affluent society with relentless single-minded energy is turning our cities, most of suburbia and most of our roadways into the most affluent slum on earth.” — Eric Sevareid 1964

photographs of abandoned places #30

 Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention 1931 – 2011

This building was once a national model for the juvenile justice system. A detention facility addition was built in 1964. It would prove insufficient. There was a remodel in the 1980's. A bigger building was needed.

Look at the stone work bas-relief sculptures. They look like ornaments for a school, or library.

Sunday, July 5, 2020 just after dark, a fire took place inside. Firemen came, and put out the fire. to a suspicious mind, it looks like arson. The timing, during the quietest time of a three day holiday. The building sits in what the city calls the campus district (CleveStateU, CuyComCol), and is next to St. Vincent Charity Hospital campus. The building has been up for sale, and deals have fallen through. The plywood seen above, covers some metal work that was visible before the fire. This is above the main entrance.

When i was kid, other kids and adults would scare you about JuVee.

This building appeared in the 1949 movie, The Kid from Cleveland. In Mexico it was called Los indios de Cleveland. The Indians won the 1948 World Series, their last such win. Many of  the Indians played themselves in the movie, and film of the Indians and Braves was used in the movie.

[supra, infra] there is a pair of each, like bookends

third visit to abandoned place #13

Warner & Swasey Observatory

Have been here before [click 2013], and [click 2018]. Travelled on Euclid Avenue to get there, and miracle of miracles, it was smooth. For years that stretch of road (or any road) in East Cleveland was full of craters. A nice job of black top was about complete, and it was drivable throughout, there was other work still being done on cement curbs and walks.

I have read, the photographer Johnny Joo and some friends had cleaned and made shine this floor. What is under the dust, fallen plaster, a large refrigerator, aerosol paint cans, and other rubbish was a circle of the signs of the zodiac, and perhaps other markings. It is hard to see any of that now. It had to pleasantly surprise the first visitors that came after. I brushed away with my shoe to see Aquarius, the water bearer.

When i came to visit Wednesday, there were two other people touring. Jessica and Devon from Willoughby.
 

relentless

Anonymous Deplorable. "Arrest Fauci". 2021. Cleveland.

foto 18 June. Broadview Road, Old Brooklyn

 

Ronny Jackson was a navy physician assigned to the White House. He became known publicly, when he in January 2018, claimed Trump was 6'3" and 239 pounds. It was obvious that that was false. Also, at the time it was widely publicly spoken of [and known] Trump as mentally impaired. Jackson said that Trump had a perfect score on a  test (Montreal Cognitive Assessment)* to gauge dementia. For his reward, Trump nominated him for a cabinet position. News came that Jackson indulged in beyond normal intake of alcohol and drugs. Jackson also was called a "candy man" with prescriptions. 

Department of Defense Office of Inspector General investigated Jackson. Trump stalled the investigation. Jackson's behaviour was wretched in many ways. His use of recreational chemicals spurred unbecoming actions. His behaviour, especially towards women, was bullying and piggish. Of course, Trump approved all of these things about Jackson. And above all Jackson wanted to be a Trump minion.

Now, Jackson is a congressman in Texas. He wrote a letter demanding President Biden submit for mental evaluation. Thirteen other deplorable, magat congressmen co-signed. Yes, they do project.

Jackson is also one of the fourteen Repukes voting against the Juneteenth holiday. He is one of two in both groups. Jackson is not ashamed to be considered a racist.

Jackson is against the prophylaxis of mask wearing. Jackson is a physician, but allegiance to Trump supersedes Hippocrates.  Dr. Fauci is not a trumpster. Jackson, and other such Repukes hate Fauci. They participate, and foment a campaign against Fauci.  Why is Fauci so marked? Fauci is a diligent public servant, a doctor that follows science, but most of all--Fauci will not lie for Trump. Relentless. Trumpsters are relentless. They are unyielding, impervious, and invincibly ignorant. They are also demented, and seems incurable.

_______________________________

*Trump described the test as "Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV" several times on July 22, 2020 on Fox.

14 House Members Voted Against Juneteenth Holiday:
Mo Brooks Alabama
Mike Rogers Alabama
Andy Biggs Arizona
Paul Gosar Arizona
Tom McClintock California
Doug LaMalfa California
Andrew Clyde Georgia
Thomas Massie Kentucky
Matt Rosendale Montana
Ralph Norman South Carolina  
Scott DesJarlais Tennessee
Ronny Jackson Texas
Chip Roy Texas
Tom Tiffany Wisconsin

Letter to White House Physician, and Dr. Fauci:
Bob Gibbs Ohio
Jeff Duncan South Carolina
Andy Harris Maryland
Brian Babin Texas
Jody Hice Georgia
Claudia Tenney New York
Gregory Steube Florida
Tom Tiffany Wisconsin
Kat Cammack Florida
Jerry Carl Alabama
Pat Fallon Texas
Diana Harshbarger Tennessee
Ronny Jackson Texas
Beth Van Duyne Texas