Today at lunch I was talking to (e:Paul) and (e:enknot) about the Cathedral at Utica and Delaware in Buffalo (some more links), construction of which started in 1912. Its two massive bell towers held the largest carillon of church bells in the country, but they were only rung once and had to be removed because they endangered the structural integrity of the towers once rung. "The largest bell was 4,000 lbs., the smallest twenty-five. The whole cost $25,000 ($435,000 in 1997 dollars). It was the largest carillon in America at the time."


Unknown Photographer

The twin steeple towers had to be removed 10 years later in the 1920's due to other structural defects, and by 1975 the entire Cathedral had to be torn down because of defects in construction, and the marble facing peeling away from the brick central walls.


Photograph by Victor Shanchuk

(E:James) does his zombie face when I try to take his photo.

My dad's house may burn down tonight. Depends on the wind. No rain in 4 months and everything's turned to tinder. They are packing up the truck. If firefighters come back, it will be to tell them to evacute.

I remember the fire last year as (e:james) and I came out of the paria slots up into Escalante - pillar of smoke covering half the horizon for three days after. A bizarre cap to our hike, which was two days in and aborted due to lack of water. I was pushing so hard to get put of the canyons I ended up with sunstroke, and had to wait in meager shade at the trailhead watching the fire take up more and more of the sky, while James hitched back to our car.

I'm also thinking about as a kid i'd watch fires on mountainside near our home, seemingly hovering midair at midnight, char and smoke of sap and sweet smelling wood. Fearsome, a guilty pleasure to watch - enjoying it but knowing people's lives were being destroyed.

Transformers was awesome. Sorry for doubting you (e:enknot) and (e:mrdeadlier).

I've been trying to email this photo up, but it disappears in to the aether. So I will post it like a normal person and then sign off for the night :)



We walked down the block to Dolce's with the dog. Our new place is so close to everything, there is so much more to walk to and see then at our old place near Hodge.