A Temple to Water Filtration

Yesterday our local water utility had an open house to show off the restoration of their 1879 limestone gatehouse at the Crescent Hill Reservoir. The slate roof was replaced in its entirety, and the terracotta tiles in ceiling were thoroughly cleaned. The iron stairs appear to have gotten a fresh coat of paint and everything just looks shiny and clean.

Some of my favorite details are on the outside of the building. It's obvious that the stonemasons employed on the job knew what they were about. All the limestone ornaments are beautifully carved, and as far as I could tell, all different. I hope to get there more often and look at things more closely. Until then, though, enjoy these photos I took in the short time I was there last night.

Lovely limestone stair.

Carved limestone lintel over the window.

Wrought iron stair. We weren't allowed to go higher than the first landing.

Pretty sure this capital is marble; it hasn't weathered as well as the limestone.

Terracotta ceiling tiles & simple rose window.

Trefoil dormer window, with terracotta tiles.

Window, second landing, and underside of stairs to third level.

The security camera amidst the ironwork in the widow's walk is an anachronism.

Gorgeous.

Another marble capital, different than the ones on the opposite entrance.

Stairs, from first landing to the second.

I love that they put a pitcher on top of this gable. I had to look it up, but the squared bit it rests upon is called an acroterium.

Another pitcher, different from the first.

Detail of the limestone balustrade.

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing

My mother is visiting this week, which doesn't lend itself to coherent blog posts, so I'm sharing the photos of our visit to Riverside, an historic home on the Ohio River in southwestern Jefferson County Kentucky. I promise that once I have my house back to myself, I'll post an update on all my recent knitting. Enjoy these pics! Until next time, Friends.

The front of the house, which faces the River.

The stairs were built nicely.

They had to send to Pittsburgh for the glass for the windows.

The view of the River from the upper porch.

The back of the house, with the Ell that was added later.

The kitchen building.

Inside the kitchen.

It's almost like I went somewhere.

Last week I had an opportunity to do a little volunteer work at a local non-profit called Family Scholar House. Their mission is to help single parents complete their college degrees. They provide housing and childcare in addition to quality-of-life kinds of classes like cooking, crafts and aerobics. I was there as part of the Mayor's Week of Service, along with a few others. We spent the evening organizing Halloween costumes for the kids as well as all kinds of donated kitchen goods for the families. It was a productive night!

As I had gotten there early, and the building wasn't open, I took a little time to check out the neighborhood. It turns out that Family Scholar House is just two blocks from St. James Court, a lovely bit of Old Louisville, where they have a gigantic annual art fair. I generally make a point of avoiding crowds, so I have to admit that I've never been to the art show. I couldn't go this year because I was taking a test, but I wouldn't have gone even if I didn't have something else to do.

Anyway, the evening I was there, it was raining a little, but there was enough light that I could get some nice photos of all the grand houses. Or I could have - if I'd had fresh batteries in the camera. I got exactly one picture taken before the battery died. Damn. I went back Saturday afternoon and there was lots of great light and color. There were also lots of squirrels foraging, though none of the little buggers would hold still long enough for me to take their picture. I got plenty of photos of the houses, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites and hope you like the architecture as much as I do.

In knitting news, I finished the second Cascade cardigan - even the buttons. I can't wait to give it to its intended recipient! This pattern knits up so quickly that it seems like you have a finished object in no time at all. I definitely recommend this one if you need a baby gift in a hurry.

Since I finished the other cardigan, I started another, this time it's the Provence Baby Cardigan, by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. I'm knitting this on in some Rowan Revive DK, the same yarn as I used on my Peasy & Vesper. This is a seamed cardigan, which is a departure from my usual top-down raglan cardigans, but the back of the sweater is moving fast and I'll probably be able to cast on for the fronts tomorrow or the next day. The nice thing about a baby sweater is that the seamed areas are tiny, so it's not so bad as doing an adult-sized sweater. I hope I get this one done in time, as I think this baby is due any day now.

Well, I guess that's it for tonight. Until next time, Friends.

A Walk Down Main Street

The underside of a ramp onto the interstate. I have no idea why these girders are so meticulously numbered. I found it curious, so I took a picture.

So, last night, I met up with a few knitting friends to watch our Louisville Bats play against the visiting Gwinnett Braves. One of the reasons I was looking forward to it was because it was $1 Beer Night. I was also looking forward to it because it was a Stitch 'n' Pitch of sorts, albeit on a very small scale.

A Corinthian capital to fluted column. Both cast iron, I'm sure.

Happy hour(s) started at 5:00, and since it was only a couple miles from my office, I decided to walk there, which would kind of count as exercise, even though I was about to drink away any possible advantage I might have gained from a 2 mile walk in 90+ degree weather. From Seventeenth Street, I walked east to the stadium at Jackson Street and took photos along the way. Today's post is mostly photo journal, with just a little commentary from me.

This plaque is in reference to the original occupant of the building behind it. There are many more on this block and the next.

Base of a cast iron pilaster. I could look at these things all day!

Obligatory photo of the giant bat outside the Hillerich & Bradsby factory & museum. If you go inside, you can take a pencil rubbing of a major leaguer's signature, so long as he owned a Louisville Slugger.

American Life building, designed by Mies van der Rohe. I am a modernist at heart, although I love old things as well. Plenty of people dislike this building, but I like it better than Michael Graves' Humana building across the street.

Our new basketball arena. Pretty matter-of-fact from this side. The view from the north is much more dramatic.

Whiskey Row, as it's now called. Only recently were most of these buildings saved from the wrecking ball, because the "developer" wanted have them for a parking lot. I've never met the guy, but I suspect I'd be rude to him if I did, so better that I haven't.

This makeover seems to be going well.

So glad these buildings are being saved!

I've liked this building for a long time. I can't wait to see what becomes of it.

I like the composition of this elevation - they definitely maximized the amount of light. The empty space to its right used to be a building, until it collapsed from neglect.

Louisville Slugger Field, adapted from what was previously a depot.

Plenty has been written elsewhere about most of these buildings. Broken Sidewalk, in particular, is a great place to start. I took a few photos at the game, but funnily, no one had their knitting out. I was too busy drinking beer and eating fried bologna and Dippin' Dots to knit.

Mary and her Mimi. Sorry I cut off your head, Cindy.

Little Miss in her Knit Nook shirt about to be delirious from the sugar. She ate the whole thing.

This must've been during the warm-ups. Our guys lost this one, but got 'em back tonight.

An American Ruin

I've probably mentioned once or twice that I work for a non-profit affordable housing builder. Our construction offices are located in the Portland neighborhood in Louisville, which has a lot of late-19th century buildings, some of which have been well-maintained, and others not so much. Just south of the Portland neighborhood is the Russell neighborhood, which has plenty of old buildings too. One that I see on a regular basis is the old Ouerbacker house, which was the home of a coffee merchant and is now in an advanced state of decay.

I think it would make a lovely B&B, if only the preservation group which owns it could raise the funds to restore it. They could renovate the carriage house as a residence - it's surely as big as the house I live in. Anyway, I don't have much information on the house, but I took lots of pictures, which you can view without commentary from me. I love old buildings and I hope this one can be saved.