Swing Time

This workable through truss swing bridge crosses Buffalo Bayou and enables high load barge traffic to pass this railroad crossing. Shame I wasn’t there to see it in action.

I just really enjoy the older bridges.

Chevron Houston Marathon

This morning, over 22,000 runners from all 50 states and over 30 different countries participated in both the marathon and half marathon distances of this year’s Chevron Houston Marathon. Competing in unseasonably warm (65° F) temperatures compounded with high humidity and intermittent showers, they wound their way through several different areas of town, including my own neighbourhood.

Winner Bekana Daba from Ethiopia set a new marathon course record by finishing in 2:07:04.

Just how fast is that??

Pretty fast.

Houston Public Televison

Based in the LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting on the campus of the University of Houston, is the nation first public television station.

HoustonPBS, channel 8 has been broadcasting since 1953 and was one of the first members of the Public Broadcasting Service that still brings us Seaseme Street, NOVA and Masterpiece Theater. Other local firsts include the first Houston station to utilize closed captioning in its broadcasts.

Prometheus Unbound

Houston’s Texas Medical Center has been in the news lately as Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords begins rehabilitative therapy after being shot in the head in Tucson earlier this month. The start of her recovery will take place at TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research), a premier rehabilitation hospital renowned for its treatment of traumatic brain injuries.

The statue “Prometheus Unbound” welcomes visitors to TIRR and inspires people that, “Man uses the tiniest strengths for the greatest purposes.”

Sisters of Charity Park

Located on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Hospital, this respite gives patrons a place to seek solace.

Houston’s first general hospital was founded by three nuns from Lyons, France in 1887, and later in 1937, on this site the Sisters of Charity founded the area first maternity hospital.

A…B…C…

D, too.

A quick capture of a cornerstone relief at the entrance of the Fondren Library on the campus of Rice University. Also notice the school’s owl mascot on the upper right.

Street Art

Urban Art, Street Art… whatever title you want to give it. Houston has some outstanding graffiti artists whose works are seen almost everywhere one looks, including several local galleries in town.

Pretty Little Boxes

Built in 1962, The Bob Casey Federal Courthouse is (in my mind) the epitome of government buildings. Located downtown on Rusk St. it is an almost perfect cube, as it seems to be as wide as it is long as it is high. All four sides are symmetrically aligned with perfectly square windows.

The only redeeming feature is that those perfectly square windows are nicely trimmed with a bright red frame.

National Pie Day

Today is National Pie Day, and nothing makes a day better than free pie. To my surprise, to celebrate, a local pie eatery, The Pie in the Sky Pie Co. was giving away free pie.

I had Lemon Cream, thank you for asking.

Sad To See You Go

As detailed HERE, the Forbidden Gardens west of town will be closing. Here are a few captures of the actual detail of these recreations.

Delmar Field House

Nationally acclaimed Yates High School looks to defend its title at the Houston Independent School District Boys Basketball Tournament that will conclude tonight at 7:30pm.

Delmar Field House, where the finals will be held, has been hosting high school sporting events since 1958. The classic Mid-Century Modern look of its parabolic roof is still an eye catcher today.

Forbidden Gardens

Located just a bit west of Houston is place few locals visit. Opened in 1996 with the dedication towards bringing the wonders of ancient China for the American public, The Forbidden Gardens has replicated in 1/3 scale the terracotta warriors that protected the tomb of Emperor Qin.

The privately funded labor of love of Ira Pun, a Hong Kong native, spans over 40 acres and includes over 6,000 individual pieces.

Unfortunately, the Forbidden Gardens will soon be closing, making way for the expansion of the thoroughfare, the Grand Parkway.

If you get the chance... make an effort to try and see this before it closes for good.

The City Seal

Developed in 1840, Houston’s official City Seal includes a plow to symbolize the agriculture empire of Texas (at the time) and the locomotive/rails from which the city would draw her fortune. Also prominent is the ever-present symbol of Texas Pride, the Lone Star.

This specific recreation is presented on the Oak Forest Lions Club Bicentennial time capsule in T.C. Jester Park.

Pien Hou Taoist Temple

First seen from the outside HERE, this is a close-up of one of the worship shrines inside the Pien Hou Taoist Temple

Pioneer Memorial

Located at one end of McGovern Lake in Hermann Park, this obelisk was donated to the City of Houston by the San Jacinto Centennial Association to honor the pioneer men and women of Houston, and was dedicated during the 100th anniversary of the founding of the city on August 30, 1936.

I just noticed… this very well might be my longest sentence published on this blog.