When A Wookie Breeds With A Bluestone Crab ...

...This is what results.

Very cleverly disguised as dried thistles,

they remain hidden in fields and gardens while their

parents go about their respective businesses -

crawling up on beaches to be eaten or, more sadly,

signing autographs at Star Wars conventions.

Textured Tuesday: Winter Stems

In summer, we enjoy the color and aroma of flowers, 

then mourn their passing with the fall.

But winter gives us a different aspect of their beauty,

the stems and base that support their petals, leaves and seeds,

have a beauty all their own, one that is only revealed

when the leaves and petals have fallen away.

Summer Breeze on the Canal

The downtown Canal is always a popular spot for walkers, 

joggers, people rowing skulls or paddling kayaks.

Couples can often be seen pedaling little sternwheel

boats the length of the canal, often guiding their craft around

the occasional Venetian gondola.

This summer, the temperatures are averaging as

much as thirty degrees cooler than last year,

making for breezy, pleasant evenings listening

to jazz at the Indiana Historical Society.

Here spectators can be seen settling in to listen 

to the band, just then in the process of setting up 

for the evening's entertainment.

A Downtown Saturday

 This morning I went downtown to meet some folks at the Indianapolis Zoo, 

which I will tell you about later in the week 

I stopped at Cafe Patachou for an omelet because I hadn't had breakfast

then walked towards the Zoo, about a mile farther west.

There are people in this town who will tell you there is nothing

interesting to do in our city. During the walk I took Saturday,

I saw a lot of interesting activities, all of them with

hundreds of participants, the first of whom were folks 
preparing for the dedication of the Cultural Trail.

 As I passed the Eiteljorg Museum, the water at the deers' feet 

had been turned on, adding the illusion of a creek to

the sculpted herd's dash across the museum's lawn.

The grounds of the Indiana State Museum was alive 

with people who were setting up the venue for

the annual Asian Festival.

I walked across the Lawn at White River State Park where the grounds 

were being used as the finishing site for participants 

in the annual March for Healthy Babies events.

I spent about three hours at the Zoo, exploring a lot of the exhibits, 

and only saw about half of the grounds. Obviously, additional visits are

in order. After leaving the grounds, I returned via the River Promenade

and Central Canal Walk. On the Old Washington Street Bridge,

I encountered a couple tour groups, all of them on Segways.

All of the vehicles have rev limiters(?) on them 

to prevent riders from using them in an unsafe manner.

At the Canal basin, a group of people came down the staircase from 

street level for a photography session at the water feature 

near the Indiana State Library. Among the people accompanying

the young woman above were about a half dozen young men,

all wearing tuxes of the same shade of blue as her dress.

They appeared to be celebrating her Quinceanera,

her fifteenth birthday, a rite of passage marking her entrance

into young womanhood, leaving dolls behind.

On Monument Circle, another celebration was in progress, 

the 500 Festival Kids' Day, a free event for families

with vendors, activities, musicians and performers that

began late morning and ended late afternoon.

The Circle was crowded with throngs of happy children

and their parents. Clearly, anyone who says

there is nothing to do in Indianapolis has their head up their ass.

Steam Clock

This steam powered clock is posted at the Canal entrance 

of the Indiana State Museum. It was percolatin'

along when I walked by, but the whistles did not play while I was there.

Damn! I wanted pictures of it spewing as it sang its greeting.

This from the plaque on its base:

"The Indiana Steam Clock was designed for the

Indiana State Museum by horologist Raymond L. Saunders.

... [The] clock is made of stainless steel, with brass trim,

is 17 feet high, and weighs 1.5.tons. High pressure steam,

that heats the museum, is reduced to 20 PSI for the 8 brass whistles.

The steam whistles play 'Back Home Again in Indiana' on the 

quarter hour. The four clock dials are operated by the weight driven

mechanism which has a 'pinwheel' escapement and is wound

by an electric motor and loop chain system.

A model of the Earth, rotating at 3RPM, is illuminated

by a miniature 'sun' lamp."

Below is a short video of the clock playing its tune.

There were others, all of which sounded worse.

I think the clock needs some attention paid to it as

I've heard it sound better.

A Quiet Walk

I was downtown early on Saturday to volunteer for a triathlon. 

I went to the zoo to find the volunteer tent. 

Nuthin'. No one. People were jogging along the Canal and the 

White River Promenade, but not a one wearing

a number. It was gray and humid, which matched my

mood when a zoo security guy told me I'd come on the 

WRONG DAY! Argh! @*&$# and (sh)ucks!

Well, at least I wasn't late.

I'd planned to take pictures, so took them of the buildings and Canal, 

rather than guys in Spandex pants with numbers drawn 

on their upper arms.

All of the photos are of the NCAA Headquarters, located along the canal 

in White River State Park. The size of the building alone 

is proof positive that college athletics is very big business. The top

photo is of an entrance to one of the sections, while the public entrance,

to the Hall of Champions, is shown in the second photo.

That first section was designed by renowned architect, Michael Graves.

The second section, just recently opened, was designed by 

a local firm, Ratio Architects. They also designed a neighboring

building, the Indiana State Museum, which is just on the 

other side of the Canal.

The image below is of the Indiana State Museum, taken at about 

7:30 in the morning, long before people show up en masse

to report for work, visit or, as in my case, 

to volunteer for an event.

About 24 hours early.

Morning Quiet

Early Tuesday morning, while waiting for the bus on a busy street,

I found two scenes of quiet and calm. As the traffic rumbled

towards downtown, one man found a bit of peace

rowing on the Central Canal, while another walked

towards town, bordered by a row of sunlit trees.

Limestone Map

The landscape artists who designed the White River Central Canal Walk 

and River Promenade have created a feast of discovery for

the people who use it. Huge blocks of limestone border the walk behind the Indianapolis Zoo, some engraved and carved by man, in a hurry to leave his mark. Others bear traces of their origin where water and time, taking eons, 

have left their story. Below is a detail of one such block, where water has etched a map resembling the Mississippi River Delta.

It's a map that tells the Earth's origins, of where it's been, 

what it's made from and where it's going.  Touching the rough surface 
of the stone is like touching the journey of time.
Reminding us of our own impermanence, it will remain, 
telling Earth's story long after we have gone. 

Canal Blooms

Rose Hips. I know this now thanks to Dive of Small Glass Planet.
I'd never seen them before last Monday. There were no flowers on the plants,
but they were colorful - red, green and yellow

This time of year, I hadn't expected the flowers and plants 

along the Downtown Canal to be so vibrant, colorful and beautiful. 

Like so much else around town, I'd thought everything would 

be dormant or planted with cabbages - 

or things that look like cabbages.

Yellow rose blooming in its garden at University Hospital,
about a half mile from the Canal. This has hips, too, but looks quite
different than its cousin at the Canal. 

Whoever is planning this landscape should be congratulated 

because the place is a treat for the eyes. There are blooms and plants of contrasting colors and textures throughout.

The yellow, green and red of the rose hips provide excellent contrast
for the stalks of blue flowers twining around them. 

While providing differences in their textures, the colors here are also
delicate contrasts, more gently hued than the others.

Rambles

While walking toward the center of town, I happened to see a purple golf cart parked on the sidewalk. Purple? I looked around and saw a couple window washers just above, hanging from bosuns' chairs, moving themselves along the sides of the Old National Bank building using handles with suction cups on the bottom - visions of jewel thieves on a caper danced through my head, along with the tune "Slip Slidin' Away," as they rappelled down the side. 

After I left the Herron Gallery, I headed for the Canal, where I walked to the Zoo and returned, taking pictures along the way. I don't know who plans the landscaping for the Canal but the flowers and plants are beautiful. The above picture was taken looking west towards the Indiana State Museum with the Canal in the foreground.

It's so beautiful! But what is it?

Another Textured Tuesday: On Limestone & Vine

I started early enough there was still dew on the plants and flowers.
Even the humble kale looked to be dressed in sequins. Unfortunately,
it just didn't show in the pictures.

This morning, I took my little camera for another long walk, this time along the western section of the Canal Walk from the State Office Building to the  NCAA Headquarters building and into White River State Park along the Riverwalk behind the Indianapolis Zoo.

Yep, here I am at the corner of Limestone & Vine, where the canal turns south
to run along between the Indiana State Museum and the  NCAA Headquarters.

 I made another right turn where the Canal turned towards an expanse of lawn, then fed back into the White River. Beginning with the old Washington Street Bridge, which is now a sculpture park, Riverwalk follows the river behind the Indianapolis Zoo. Walled in with massive blocks of rough-hewn limestone, it reveals numerous small beauties and surprises and is a popular place for joggers and casual walkers.

A self-portrait in shadows and granite.

Looking south beneath the Old Washington Street Bridge at other bridges
which also span the White River on the west side of downtown Indianapolis.

And now we enter the shade and beauty of the River Walk which stretches behind the Indianapolis Zoo. Office workers, athletes and firefighters assigned to a near-by station are among the many people who enjoy the trail.

Yes, there are many "pretty weemin," but
I prefer the sight and scent of the species above. Oooh.

A limestone "rose" hidden among its massive brethren.

The crooked little tree and giant limestone blocks
play off and accent each other, adding to the beauty of each.

The path doesn't end at the Zoo's boundary at White River Drive, but continues along that drive and, depending on the direction you choose, will take you north -- to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and northward beyond the county lines -- or back downtown. Here, I turned around to walk the other side of the Canal, where there are additional treats to be seen, which I will show another time as they deserve their own little show.

Jogger passing under the Promenade
outside the ISM Administrative Offices

And I will end with a picture of a couple of the many turtles I saw in the driftwood caught under the piers of the bridge. They were happily swimming, drifting and basking on logs in the river. Just as the turtles extended their necks to look around them, my little camera strove mightily to help me with these pictures, exhausting itself soon after. 

Venice by the Cornfield

Looking southwest, the Indiana State Office Building is shown in the background,
while a glimpse of the J.W. Mariott Hotel can be seen behind the tree.

Not really, but eh, what the hell, it might catch some attention. 


Until the development of the steamboat in 1807, people had never traveled by any means other than on foot, horse power, or by boats and ships pushed by the wind. Roads were hopelessly tedious and uncomfortable, making the country's rivers the preferred mode of travel. 


When the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, connecting the east coast at Albany, New York with Erie, Pennsylvania its success launched decades of "canal fever" by states eager to provide their landlocked citizens with a way to get themselves and their produce to markets on the east coast and New Orleans. 


Indiana was not alone in this craze, but only one of its planned canals was completed, the Wabash and Erie Canal. Connecting Lake Erie at Toledo with the Ohio River, the canal route roughly paralleled the Maumee, Wabash and White Rivers over 468 miles, making it the longest canal in the country. Only two sections of Indiana's other planned canals were completed: the Whitewater Canal in southeastern Indiana, and the Central Canal in Marion County.

Construction of the Indiana Central Canal began in 1836 and was meant to connect Peru with Evansville over 296 miles, generally following the path of the White River. Portions of the canal still supply water to the city, while other sections serve as recreational areas. Stretching through the west side of downtown Indy, it connects the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA Headquarters and Hall of Champions, the Indiana State Museum, and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. 

"Big Blue," the new J. W. Mariott Hotel,
opened at Indianapolis in February, 2011.

Restored in the 1980s and extended in 1995, this portion of the canal is part of the White River State Park, extending from Eleventh Street on the north at Boggs Temple, to the White River just above West Washington Street. Other sections of the canal can be seen on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Butler University, and running through the Broad Ripple neighborhood