TOP TEN TUESDAY: CITY CHICKEN AND OTHER URBAN DISTRACTIONS

I am very easily distracted. 

Bright green grass hoppers.  Beautiful fireworks displays. Clowns driving Hondas. All of these things bring out the three year old in me and causes me to develop a serious case of tunnel vision.  Even though long drives in the country can provide an array of visual treats (cows, tractors, silos…), city living (especially Richmond, Virginia city living) continuously feeds & distracts my curious mind.

Here are my Top Ten Urban Distractions:

10.  WEATHERED SKIES:   I love the fact that Richmond’s climate has an ever changing cycle.  We get nice, warm Summers & beautiful, snowy Winters.  As a result we are able to experience the some of the most beautiful atmospheric art in the world. 

FOG

RAINBOW

SNOWY STREET

 

 9.  UNINHABITED SHOES:  I have a thing for shoes.  I love to purchase them and strut around in them.  I have a very hard time parting with some of my more beautiful shoes.  So it baffles me whenever I see a pair just lying on the city street.  Not in a trash can.  Just sitting there, ownerless.   Such a pity.

WEIRD!  IT'S LIKE SOMEONE JUST STEPPED OUT OF THESE

SHOES AND LEFT THEM THERE LIKE THAT.

 

8.  METEOROLOGICAL FLOCKS:  If seagulls are gathering in a parking lot, expect to see some snow in a few days.  If a flock of geese are congregating on a grassy knoll, there’s no doubt that either Spring or Fall is near.  Take heed to these feathered weather dudes.

RIGHT BEFORE A BIG SNOW STORM

                                                        "I TOLD Y'ALL IT WAS GONNA SNOW!"

                                                                      GEESE FLOCK

7.  WHEELED WONDERs:  If it has wheels and it makes you say “Ooooo, look”, then it can be classified as a wheeled wonders.

C'MON, YOU KNOW YOU DONT SEE THIS KINDA STUFF EVERYDAY!

6.  ROGUE DOGGIES: During the 70’s, 80’s & 90, I would see poor little stray dogs roaming the street almost everyday. They would roam in packs. They would roam as buddy couples.  They would roam alone.   Now days, Animal Control does a wonderful job of gathering up rogue dogs and finding homes for them.  But, every once in a while, we spot one, trotting along, trying  to avoid being scooped up by the doggie police. 

 

5. SPOOKIE HISTORIC HOUSES: Richmond, Virginia has a lot of historic houses.  This is a result of the fact that a lot of these homes have been around since before the civil war.  Since some of the residents of these homes have played some role in our city’s history, these homes served as historic artifacts. You may be asking where the spooky part comes in - well just look at them.

 

NAME OF BUILDING:  Maymont Mansion

LOCATION:  Maymont Park, Richmond, VA

WHO RESIDED THEIR:  James and Sallie Dooley

WHEN RESIDED:  1893 - 1925,

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE (MY OPINION):  Upon visiting this home, you are able to peep in to the world of the Dooleys and their African American servants.  The home still has a lot of the original interior pieces.

LINK TO MORE INFORMATION:  http://www.maymont.org/page.aspx?pid=330

 

NAME OF BUILDING:  Boscobel or Old Stone House

LOCATION:  Forest Hill Park, Richmond, VA

WHO RESIDED THEIR: Rhodes & Eliza Anne Cunliffe Heth Holden

WHEN RESIDED:  Between 1836 and 1843 - 1857

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE (MY OPINION): The history of the Old Stone House and the surrounding property is a testament to the history of urban development in this neighborhood.

LINK TO MORE INFORMATION: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/richmond/ForestHillPark.html

 

 4.  PASTEL DOGGIES:  In canine society, the only thing funnier than rogue doggies are pastel dogs.  Keep giving your dogs a dye job folks, it amuses me.

 

 

Don't worry, this rainbow pup hasn't gone rogue like our buddies pictured in #6. 

His owner is there, just out of the shot.

3.  TUMBLE WEAVE:  Oh, the legend of the urban tumble weave! A rogue piece of weave rolling down the street in the wind.  Maybe it was pulled out of someone’s head during a fight.  Maybe somebody was getting their hair braided on the front porch and a piece of weave took advantage of it’s opportunity to escape.

 

This piece has some blond strands mixed in.

This weathered piece rolled down the street as a hairy ball.

 

2.  MURALS:  RVA's city streets have become the canvas to many local artists and they are always the cause of my many distractions.  Big or small, these murals have always placed goofy smiles on my face.

Vampires don't have reflections,  but this one appears to cast a shadow.

ARTIST:  Stormie Mills

LOCATION:  Broad  & N. Madison Street, Richmond, VA

Please don't try to make this guy's day!

ARTIST:  ???

LOCATION:  Alley behind Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, VA

1.  CITY CHICKENS:  I am obsessed with city chickens.  I saw some a couple of years ago, casually walking down the side walk right in the middle of the city.  I stopped and took some pictures of these guys.  Our local magazine, Style, then published an article about the new chicken laws and, upon reading this article, I became a semi expert on the subject.  A few years later, I spotted more city chicken in a different location.  I have no desire to raise city chickens, but I’m just a bit obsessed with them.

These guys did not want to be photographed,

so you have to squint a little bit in order to see them.

Honarable Mention:

OUTSIDE ALLEY TOILET: Why would a toilet be sitting in an alley?

 

Just a note, all of these photos (as in all of my blogs) were either taken by me or another member of the Smith Fantastic Four!

Please share your distractions in the comment’s section below.