Walking Downtown

Yesterday was a beautiful, crisp (but not cold) October day. Perfect for a walk down to the Sal to buy a couple of items for Mom's Halloween costume. The official fall colors post is already on line, but I couldn't resist this tree collection. The reds are actually berries on a prolific pyracantha; in a couple of months, I know where to find hungry robins hanging out!

Along the way, I tried a short little street that I hadn't visited in years. And was rewarded with this mailbox set! The word cute is in order here.

And this curious Halloween display. Didn't have time to read the epitaphs on the painted stones, as I was being razzed by a couple of the denizens out having a smoke.

It also seemed like a good day to photograph this office building that is peopled primarily by medic types. The colors always catch my eye: mildew (upper) and mushroom (lower & woodwork.) My apologies -- these are good subdued earthy colors that meld well into a nicely landscaped background -- nonetheless, my descriptions stand -- mildew and mushroom.

Wonder how long this admonition has been cast in cement. Nice touch: the hand and paw prints. Note to the folks who are all up tight about the Liquor Barn moving across the street a few feet closer to the middle school -- this inscription is yet closer.

What must visitors from other countries think when they try to understand some of our standard civic abbreviations? Whenever I first see this sign, my two years of high school Latin pop into my mind and ped = foot, which is close! Then there's that intrusion of the religious X for cross into a paid-by-taxes sign. Tsk! Tsk!

Nearly to my goal. The corner of Montezuma and Goodwin is Candidate Central. Oh yes, propositions, too. The only problem with this colorful ephemera is that faded signs will remain after their purpose is long forgotten. A suggestion for the petition passers -- how about promoting a law, with teeth, fining every politician for every day that his signs are standing after election day.


Finally, the Sal thrift store. Home of yesterday's meticuously hand-crocheted projects...

...a good computer department (already including one machine running XP)

and yesterday's hot gizmo fads. This is the place to buy your next food processor ... bread baker ... crock pot ... air freshener ... toaster oven ... whatever. I love the place, but sometimes looking at the cast offs makes me kinda sad for the short life of stuff.