In Plain Sight: 2012

Saturday, September 8, 2012

A Peaceful Garden

Just off the busy highway is a shady street that will take you to a hotel and a mostly-vacant strip mall. Two concrete lions guard the entrance to the strip mall. These lions are finished with a spray of gold colored paint on their teeth, manes, tails, feet, and on the rims of their pedestals.

Guard lion on the left side of the entrance

Parkway Place at Commerce Ave

Side view of the lion on the left

Closer view of the lion on the left

Guard lion on the right of the entrance

Side view of the lion on the right

Close-up view of the lion on the right

The lions seem to guard the entrance to a particular part of the mall.

Building with stars over the entrance and small dome

If you travel further into the parking lot of the strip center and turn slightly to the right, you will notice that a small garden has been built around a light post in the parking lot.

The garden wall is built of rounded concrete stones and lined with sheets of corrugated metal. Green planks lead to a low stone entrance. The inside of the garden is carpeted with pine straw and contains plantings of palmetto bushes and a small tree. Jasmine bushes are spaced along the walls. Four sets of small, painted animal statues are placed on the garden wall.

Entrance to the garden

A rabbit and a cardinal welcome visitors to the garden

Statue of a squirrel on the left side of the entrance

Statue of a deer and fawn at the Northeast point of the wall

Elephant sculpture at the NorthWest point of the wall

View into the garden

Figures on pedestals are grouped at the back of the garden. They are covered with white, gold or copper colored paint.

Back of the garden

Closer view of the back of the garden

Statue of a praying woman

Statue of a sleeping cherub

Statue of a kneeling angel

Statue of an angel with a basket

View back of the garden toward the strip mall

View from the back of the garden toward the hotel

Faux Windmill

When is a windmill not a windmill? When it's eye candy!

This windmill welcomes residents home to a local apartment complex. Solidly built of brick, with arms that do not turn and could barely catch a breeze, this small building has the charm to trump all practical-minded criticisms.

View of windmill from the street

Buford Hwy, Atlanta

View of the windmill and the street

Story Needed

Buford Hwy, Chamblee

Lady Liberty

A few doors down from the dentist's office with the big tooth outside is a building with a statue of Lady Liberty incorporated into the landscape.

The house with the Lady Liberty statue

Buford Dr at Buford Hwy, Chamblee

From the street, the building appears to be vacant. There is no solid clue as to why the owner would have invited The Lady to stand in his front yard.

The landscape is elaborate and clearly meant to showcase The Lady in a stepped arrangement made of fancy stones. There are two empty flagpoles and several parking spaces ready for visitors. Large windows offer a splendid view of the back of The Lady.

Closer view of the property

Lady Liberty has an eagle for company. This eagle does not display the typical American Eagle pose with claws full of olive branches and arrows. The Lady's eagle is far more practical; his claws are full of trout. He is bringing home the dinner.

Lady Liberty, the Eagle, a wave and 2 trout

So why the sour expression, Lady Liberty? Is it the Industrial Green body paint? The fishy dinner? Or is it something else? Something to do with that big tooth down the street?