Reading Viaduct

Yesterday I visited the Reading Viaduct in Philly. It's an old elevated train line that's been abandoned, but you can sneak up onto it and explore, and as you can see by the pics, many people have before. There's a lot of gorgeous graffiti, flowers (mostly weeds, but still), and fun swings that people have rigged up. There is a conversation happening in Philly about making this into a park like the High Line in NYC (readingviaduct.org) but there are property ownership and funding issues to tackle first. Enjoy the pics!

A walk in the woods.

Today was my first day off from work since Easter and I'm happy to say I made the most of it. I got to spend time outside with a few of my favorite family and friends, hiking in the Wissahickon, barbecuing, and eating ice cream. Perfecto!

Visit from Jaja

Jaja came to visit this weekend and we had a blast!  We went to an incredible workshop at the Center for Art in Wood, in Old City where we created a "cabinet of curiosities" out of a cigar box and with great instruction and inspiration from the staff at the center.  We created a portrait for the front, and of course I chose to draw my cats.  Yes, I'm a cat lady.  I really like how it turned out:

 

They had great supplies for us to use, and the boxes already had elaborately patterned paper around the edges that we could use as a jump off for inspiration.  Apparently cigar stores just smash these boxes and throw them in the trash, so it's easy to get them if you're there at the right time.  Which I will obviously be doing now that I know how beautiful these boxes are without any decoration at all.

 

We also went to a work day at Farm 51, which is run by my friends Andrew and Neal.  We destroyed some raised beds and harvested broccoli, then had a bonfire and ate delicious home made coffee cake and cookies.  Their house next door is gorgeous and another constant source of inspiration:

 

 

 

An amazing and inspirational weekend and a great way to start the new year!

Sorry

In front of the Municipal Services Building.

Morning Sky

I'm trying again to stick to a morning schedule so I can get myself to work by 8 and leave at 4 when it's still light out.

Waking up in the dark is the worst, but the sunrise in my little part of West Philly is pretty spectacular :)

Lunchtime Library

I got inspired by our recent trip and visited the travel section today, 917.8804.

This is the Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Branch, Social Science and History section.

Back in the Saddle.

Leaf peeping weekend

This is the last weekend I have free from work until Thanksgiving, so M and I decided to head outdoors and enjoy the incredible fall weather. We managed to catch the end of a grass-fed beef competition at Wyebrook Farm in Honey Brook, PA, enjoy a housewarming party at a friends' farm in Southwest Philly (complete with marshmallow roasting!) and peep some leaves at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge near the Philadelphia airport.

* Heinz NWR *

 

 

 

 

 

* Heading out to the Farm *

 

* Our jack-o-lantern didn't make it to Halloween :( *

 

* Wyebrook Farm *

Morning :: Center City

Morning :: Cedar Ave.

Morning :: Love Park fountain, Philadelphia

Morning :: Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Looking northwest from the tenth floor of my office building.

A Walk in the Wissahickon

M and I did a little hometown exploring this weekend. We joined a hike in Wissahickon Valley Park led by a volunteer Trail Ambassador from the Friends of the Wissahickon, a non profit that works to improve the park. We learned about the history of usage in the park - the mills that used to line the creek, the geology and quarrying, and the amazing structures that were built by the WPA during the Depression.

The Wissahickon is one of five watershed parks in Philly, and we've spent some time exploring it in the past. This time we drove to the far northwestern edge to walk along Forbidden Drive, so named because at the turn of the century they decided not to allow cars on it.

The Wissahickon is home to some incredible features, including this covered bridge, the only one left in a major American city.

There are also two statues set into the hillsides along the creek - this is the "Indian" statue, sculpted out of marble in 1902 and meant to depict a member of the Native American tribe the Lenape, looking westward at the departing members of his tribe as they are pushed out of the area by the colonists. He has a feather "war bonnet" on, which is historically inaccurate for the Lenape.

After being locked up in my office in front of the computer for the winter, it's nice to actually be out in the park exploring and learning about it!