Goodmorning Fairmount

Some snapshots of my neighborhood this morning.

Most of the city is like Fairmount, a grid of three story brick row houses enlivened here and there by schools and churches. These shots are all within two blocks of my house.

The belfry to the left was built as part of The Masterman Orthopedic School for Crippled Children, which encloses four large internal courtyards while filling a city block. Unusual for city schools, it's all on one level, with ramps sweeping up on either side of grand limestone porticos on the east and west facades. It's like a salesman's sample of 1930's Neo-Georgian architecture, having at least one of every possible variation of period ornament. It's now an elementary school.


This is my block, my house is on the left (the really crummy one). The trees are just budding pale green, but will fill out shortly into a dark leafy cathedral. My hostas out front welcome the shade.


This is across the corner on the same street, looking south. The grey stone wall at the end of the street surrounds the 1820's Penitentiary. These folks have envy inducing crab apple trees lining their block.


These are Madame Lee's lilacs, three doors down. She runs a tiny grocery from the basement of her house. The scent of the flowers rises up to my open bedroom bay window and wafts in on the chilly night time breezes. It reminds me of the house where I grew up.