Scottish Smoke Shop

Among Alexandria’s early settlers were Scottish merchants, one of whom, John Carlyle, those of you who visited this blog at the end of October will know. The John Crouch smoke shop is another reminder of that long gone age.

Update: Ruth of East Lansing Daily Photo posted a photo of a cigar store wooden Indian on November 24, complete with a link to the interesting history of the association between wooden Indians and smoking. Thanks to Kate of Visual St. Paul for bringing this serendipitous coincidence to our attention.

Going Into Rehab

Well, what do you know. The old icehouse that I posted about on November 15 has gone into rehab! Apparently the owner started to do an intervention but isn’t following the 12-step program properly. That orange sign on the door is a stop work order.

It turns out that when the plywood was being removed from the front of the building, the canopy fell off. As this is listed as a historic property and the work had been done without the proper permits, city officials are doing an intervention of their own. You can read about it in the Alexandria Times and also on the Parker-Gray Growl.

I’ll be watching, camera ready, to see what happens next.

Fell

In some neighborhoods, the trees have already shed all of their leaves. Now comes the fun of raking and bagging. But not for me, since my condo fees pay for all exterior grounds maintenance. These leaves are nowhere near my condo. I was just circling town like a vulture, looking for likely photo carcasses wherever I could find them. My trusty cherry red Subaru waits patiently in the distance to carry me to my next photo shoot.

I’ve been abnormally quiet the last week or so in the comments because my computer is at death’s door, and I’m now only able to get online at work on my lunch hour. New one should arrive by this weekend. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the old one will live long enough so that I can transfer the data to the new one. All my ADP photos are on there!

Fallen

Here’s my obligatory one-red-leaf-fallen-on-the-sidewalk photo for the year.

Diet Door

This has to be the skinniest door I’ve ever seen. If this doesn’t give you thoughts of going on a diet after the Thanksgiving gorgefest, nothing will.

Getting Cold

A vendor at a craft table at the farmer’s market.

The Shepherd

Statuary of a cherubic shepherd and sidewalk display in front of a King Street shop. I like that the harvest theme is still going on here, with the hint of cold weather to come as promised by the winter cabbage.

Give Thanks

This was the result of my hunting trip last weekend to find a suitable Thanksgiving image: a display inside a retail gift shop.

Most Americans will be spending this day with family, eating turkey and having pumpkin pie for dessert. My parents passed away over a decade ago and my brother is in California, so no family get together for me. Instead, I will be enjoying my holiday with friends, having a nontraditional vegetarian meal with fruit pie — but not pumpkin — for dessert.

I’m always thankful when I spend time with friends, even more thankful when it’s someone else doing the cooking. Much safer to have me washing dishes afterwards. That’s something I can’t screw up. It’s always a thankful get together that doesn’t include family quarrels. No chance of that today. I’m in good health, so are my cats, I’m able to pay my bills and I have an invitation to spend time with friends where I don’t have to cook. I have plenty to be thankful for.

Whoever you’re with today, and whatever it is you’re eating, give thanks for what you have and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!