Late summer afternoon walk

No, if it appears I haven't been walking very much, that's quite true. Too dang hot; I don't do summer heat well. However, with our monsoon moisture skittering away, we had a sunny day with autumnal breezes and temperatures. A perfect time to head over to Grove Street to inspect the Moroccan fountains and otherwise to see what was to be seen along the way.

The time: late in the afternoon, as shadows of the stones in the roadway should attest. However, despite unseasonal dryness along the way, this big Park Avenue trumpet vine was lush. (FYI: we have had absolutely lousy rains this summer.)

Here's the historic white house which was gutted, then waited and waited for the expansion/remodeling to begin. Finally, the job is almost complete; below is a handsome new set of doors at the front.

Another handsome door, this on Grove Street.

Of course, there's always infrastructure that's in need of repair -- and no federal bailout money available for the work, either. I guess for that you need to be a bank or a government operation, not just people.

Along the way, I found the auction sign, tucked away in a planter by the sidewalk. Waiting, no doubt for the next auction to be announced; I believe they happen at least once per week.

I'm still trying to puzzle out just how (or why) this juniper got scalped. Was it possibly growing higher than its mate (below), and so cut back to the same level resulting in this misfortune? Any landscape experts out there? Will new leaves cover that barren understory? How long should it take?

A more pleasant sight along the streetside next to the gutter: pavers in circular patterns.

Then there's the question of that large square building at the northeast corner of Sheldon and Grove. It appears to be 1) empty and 2) the victim of vandalism, unless all that boarding up of what had been plate glass is/was to create more privacy inside. I wonder, too, about those circles: paste-on decal graffiti?

Right across the street is this Prescott College building currently being remodelled. At the moment, however, it looks like an extra big package was just dropped off by FedEx or the boys in brown.

I guess tonight is my night to be querulous, as I have yet another query. To wit, how do two competitive C-stores both survive when plonked down cheek-by-jowl? I don't get it. They both appear to stay in business. While we're stopped here, do note the flower in the lower right hand corner of the pic (enlarged below). It's a healthy volunteer snapdragon, one of the garden flowers that does extra well in Prescott, wouldn't you agree.

By this time on my walk, Grove Street had segued into Miller Valley and I could get a picture of that lovely stone building which is, once again, looking for an occupant. Too bad. Catty corner at the CVS, I was reminded that there will always be a marketing man: specifically, the sort of charlatan who invents a so-called "collectible" out of whole cloth, signs up a factory in China to make the geegaw and sets about making his fortune off the clueless. Neat toys they might be, but "collectible"? Come on.
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