State House, Cemetery, Snow, Edgar Allen Poe, Tobacco
Snow is one of those spices best taken in moderation -
like cardamom, or cocaine. Too much of it will kill you. But apply just the right amount and the world shoulders a mantle of purified clarity that's lacking on a more ordinary day.
Here's our State House, shining golden in the sun at the far end of the Boston Common, just past the old burial ground where some of our founding fathers are buried.
Say what you want about Massachusetts politics. At least our buildings aren't crooked.
Given the cost of real estate around here (parking spaces have sold for six figures), it's amazing that we allocate so much space in the heart of the city for the dead. I guess they've got a million year lease.
But if it weren't for these open spaces, real estate values wouldn't be nearly as high. The charm of this city is the layering of empty and occupied, old and new, chaotic and orderly.
In certain places, you can almost forget you're in the city, especially on a snowy day like today when everything is hushed and bucolic. (Traffic's light because the weather was predicted to be a lot worse than it turned out to be.)
Back up a bit, though, and there's no mistaking where you are. Look both ways, watch for oncoming cars, wait for the signal. Be alert for falling pianos.
Nah, I'm just kidding. Pedestrians rule this town. Pity the poor drivers who have to navigate these twisted horse-paths and avoid colliding with a litigious pedestrian.
Here's another pedestrian: Edgar Allen Poe
He's been walking past my shop for years. And you know, the old grouch still hasn't come in to buy anything! I guess I can forgive him. He is a bit out of sorts with that raven flying out of his briefcase and everything.
And today he had to suffer the indignity of precipitation!
I'm still filled with gratitude that I get to work in this city, and work at the only shop I've ever genuinely wanted to work at. I bought some of my first pipes here in 1997, on a honeymoon visit with my new bride.
Now I work here, and my commute's nearly over.
Snow can bring such beauty and yet at the same time for all of us that deal with it each winter evoke such emotions as hatred when to much falls.
Wowwww AWESOME Shots today, I love all of them. The first one with the snow only on the one side of the tree was cool.
I enjoyed the musings too, lol'd at the spice you threw in there. It is strange now that I think of it, that so much space in your city is used for cemeteries, pretty unique.
Be on the alert for falling piani's. That one got a guffaw. I am SO glad you do have empty spaces to wander and appreciate. I have no doubt, it it weren't for a few rules and such, the entire area of everywhere would be filled to the brim with houses, shops and factories. "Pave it all". We have an urban growth boundary here, that necessitates keeping it a bit in check, rather than building all the way to the Pacific.
Beautiful shots of a white day in the city. So cool you get to work in the shop as you do. I'm sure you are in heaven, just the scent would drive a pipe-ist no doubt wild. Do they let you light up while working? Seems it would only get more customers fired up to buy. Like in the CD or album store. "Ooh, what's THAT you're playing...I need it". Maybe I'm onto something here, if not the case to date. Can you say "send me 5% of the take on THAT grand idea" ( :
I did drive in Boston. Once. It was truly and experience. I remember the rent-a-car person telling me, "a red light is actually more of a pink light. And stop signs more of a suggestion". I thought they were kidding, but maybe not. It was a bit wild.
I have to say the pic with snow covered gravestones and wods remind me of Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
Beautiful shots.
Did EAP hole up in Boston at some point? I was given to the assumption he was a Charlottesvillian.
If you haven't already, you should look up my friend @j3551c4. She's a professional pedestrian (dog walker) and photographer in Boston. You might enjoy her posts!
Apparently he was born here, although he wasn't fond of Bostonians.
I'll check out your friend's blog. Maybe we'll bump into each other!
It seems like forever since I've had any real time to do any internetting, so this was such a nice glimpse into your new adventure. Glad to see it is working out for you.
I love that Poe statue!
Yeah, it takes me a long time to get to work (about 2 hours) but at least most of that time isn't driving.
The first week, I was so preoccupied with getting to work on time that I didn't even realize the statue was Edgar Allen Poe!
I love the Poe statue! I'm glad you enjoy your job! That's a huge bonus.
In Denver ages ago, they dug up a cemetery to make it a park. They moved the bodies to other cemeteries, apparently, but supposedly didn't get them all. I've always loved that park ...when I learned that, I realized why. I love cemeteries. 😁 Of course, the park (Cheesman) now lands on all the "haunted Denver" tours and maps.
Isn't it strange, the way the dead stick around forever.
In Bill Bryson's At Home he writes about why all the ancient English churches look like they're sunk into the ground. It's because all of the bodies have decayed into the soil and then had more bodies planted inside them!
You know about the City of the Dead in the Paris catacombs?
And I am so naive I was even looking for a piano crashed somewhere! You cheater :D
you share beautiful things with us ,,
thanks