If youre feeling cooped up during coronavirus restrictions, these private islands around the globe cost about the same, if not less, than a hefty number of Los Angeles homes. Dont worry, they all come with houses.

NICARAGUA: Dubbed Iguana Island, this 5-acre haven sits about 12 miles off the coast of Bluefields, Nicaragua. Coconut and banana trees surround a three-bedroom home with a wraparound porch, and a boardwalk snakes through the island to a 28-foot observation tower that boasts ocean and rainforest views.

Listed for: $475,000

Features: Turnkey home; separate staff accommodations; tropical fish; backup generator

Tise quarter-acre island in Adirondack Park, N.Y., is anchored by a five-bedroom home of 1,200 square feet.

(Vladi Private Islands)

NEW YORK: Only boats can access this tiny island in the middle of Sixth Lake in Adirondack Park, a 6.1-million-acre forest preserve in northeastern New York. A five-bedroom house of 1,200 square feet anchors the getaway, which also comes with a dock and boathouse.

Listed for: $524,000

Features: Retaining wall; two-story home; tile and hardwood floors; dock slip and parking spot on mainland

A 2-acre retreat in southern Ontario boasts a main home, guest cabin and bath house with a sauna and hot tub.

(Private Islands Online)

CANADA: Three structures occupy this two-acre island in southern Ontario: a two-bedroom home, a guest cabin and a bath house with a sauna and hot tub overlooking the surrounding lake. Built on bedrock, the main house features a spacious deck and plenty of crawl space for storage.

Listed for: $749,000

Features: A-frame-style home; wood shed; outhouse; two docks

This two-bedroom Connecticut home hovers over the water, but expands to a spacious lawn and wraparound deck.

(Planomatic)

CONNECTICUT: This quarter-acre retreat called Jepson Island boasts a two-bedroom home that hovers just above the water. Living spaces with exposed beams and skylights open outside, where a wraparound deck descends to a spacious lawn and dock.

Listed for: $800,000

Features: Wood-covered living spaces; bedroom with bonus sleeping loft; deck off master bedroom

A variety of homes and structures occupy this 27-acre resort island in the Amazon rainforest.

(Private Islands Online)

BRAZIL: The largest of the bunch, this resort-style island spans 27 acres on Mamori Lake in the Amazon rainforest. A veranda separates the owners retreat from a four-bedroom brick house, and theres also a two-bedroom wood house, a restaurant-style space and a waterfront area with a swimming pool.

Listed for: $850,000

Features: Expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces; professional kitchen; patio with pool; waterfront deck

This two-acre island practically straddles the border between the U.S. and Canada.

(Private Islands Online)

MINNESOTA: Eight structures inhabit this two-acre island on Sandpoint Lake near U.S.-Canada borde. The rustic main cabin and two guest cabins combine to sleep 12, and amenities include a sauna, hot tub and fire pump used to irrigate the space.

Listed for: $640,000

Features: Beamed ceilings; scenic patios; picnic areas; large dock

Read the original post:
Hot Property: Need to escape? These islands cost less than an L.A. home - Los Angeles Times

According to the DMV, the railroad intends to take advantage of lower ridership and to conduct extensive work on the development and maintenance of infrastructure.

In particular, the IDC-2 from 1 to 11 may inclusive, daily from 10:30 to 13:30 cancelled trains on the Central portion Kursk Dmitrov. From 13:30 to 18:25 on this segment will be open only one way for passing trains in both directions. As a result, the interval between trains will increase.

Digital pass for may: how to draw or extend it in Moscow

the Next stage of construction works will take place during the reconstruction phase Kalanchevskaya Kursk. Now there is a network upgrade, retaining wall, overpass on Kazakova, a temporary platform and bridge to Kalanchevskaya.

This site is one of the most difficult and important, the development of which is necessary for two diameters IDC-2 and IDC future-4. To increase throughput, it is necessary to construct two more paths. The line is located in the old part of the city with dense buildings. To do this, expand the space for additional ways to develop a contact network and engineering communications. Will take care of the builders and reducing noise and vibration impacts from trains. This will install sound-absorbing screens, put seamless way on a special base with anti-vibration mats podballastnye (filling to reduce vibration). Such modern technology will reduce the noise by 30%.

IDC-1 land mark Lobnya from 2 to 5 and from 9 to 11 may inclusive will close to traffic train one way, to spend repair. It is necessary for the safety and maintain the speed limit. On the site organize a reverse movement on one way, so some of the flights canceled, trains will also follow with a larger interval. This method of repair will allow us to work for a short period of time, not to stretch them for a long period, accompanied by regular changes in the schedule.

According to the schedule of the day trains IDC-1 will run 6, 7, 8 and 12 may.

Passengers are asked to check the schedule before you travel.

Go here to see the original:
The timetable of trains WDC-1 and WDC 2 changes in the first half of may - Wire News Fax

I decided to take a break from reading about the foreseeable health disaster for which nobody prepared ideally, in order to read about a different foreseeable disaster: the river floods now threatening low-lying areas of Fort McMurray. After much of the Alberta tarsands city was burned in a forest fire in 2016, there was a pell-mell effort to rebuild, and although some residents took insurance buyouts and said farewell, those who stayed felt strongly that, if possible, Fort Mac should be put back the way it was.

But at that time, everyone still remembered that the historic Waterways district and other parts of downtown had been flooded in 2013, and were likely to continue to be deluged periodically because of ice jams that form upstream from the city in the spring. The fire for even fire obeys the law of gravity, more or less had attacked the same low-lying areas with particular ferocity. At the time of the fire, Fort McMurrays own bylaws put strict floodproofing conditions on new building construction in the Waterways area. And the province was about to pass tough rules excluding new structures on known floodplains from disaster relief.

There was enormous pressure on city officials to act, so they came up with a plan. They would suspend their own floodproofing requirements for Waterways, let everyone rebuild there according to the less onerous pre-2013 standards, and construct a hypothetical demountable flood wall essentially a levee that could be assembled with a few hours notice and left in storage for most of the year to protect the neighbourhood. The provincial government quickly agreed to keep the areas eligibility for disaster relief in place while the levee was built.

Some folks didnt like this idea much. They included hydrologists, who denounced the mad dash back to the floodplain. Reinsurers werent especially happy either. In the trade publication Canadian Underwriter, one of them griped: Waterways residents are being allowed to rebuild in a flood plain to inadequate risk prevention standards. It is an emotional and financial decision for residents who do not wish to relocate and cannot afford the expense of building to a more robust code. As no one is willing to pay the additional cost government, the insurance industry or individuals the community is set up to repeat the mistakes of the past.

I am just willing to roll the dice and build my house back there as it was

In the end, the sentiment that won the day was the one expressed by a Fort Mac local: I am just willing to roll the dice and build my house back there as it was, and I cant see there being any issues.

Eventually, reader, an issue appeared: demountable flood barriers werent at all practical. Consulting engineers ended up discovering that, in the Waterways setting, Standalone walls would require ice force resistance systems, causing them to be quite large, with steel support beams going down to bedrock. And the demountable panels would be too large, as well, due to oversized sheeting, weighing about 500 kilograms per sheet. The city went ahead building a less ambitious series of berms and retaining walls, piece by piece, intentionally spreading the work out over a period of years. New funding for the latest berm in the series arrived in November. Not sure how far they got with it.

National PostTwitter.com/ColbyCosh

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Colby Cosh: Water, fire, and water trouble comes in threes for Fort McMurray - National Post

District 47 - West TN - NorthernCARROLL COUNTY, SR-22A: Bridge repair in Huntingdon over Brier Creek at LM 0.34 and over CSX Railroad at LM 3.10.Restrictions: Monday, March 9, 2020: SR 22A will be reduced to one lane traffic with a traffic signal system.

DYER COUNTY, SR-20 (US-412): The resurfacing on SR 20 from US 51 (SR 3) to the Crockett County Line will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project.

GIBSON COUNTY, SR-43 (US-45E):Monday, April 6 through Thursday, April 9, 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: There will be temporary day time lane closures and nightly shoulder closure on SR 43 MM 6.7 to MM 6.9 near SR 187 (Graball Drive).

HENDERSON COUNTY (New Lexington By-Pass) : The grading, drainage, construction of bridges and retaining walls, signals and paving on US 412 (SR 459) from US 412 (SR 20) west of Lexington to near SR 22 south of Lexington. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway.

HENRY COUNTY, SR-54: The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, retaining wall and paving on SR 54 from near Rison Street to near Smith Road. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. *Speed limit has been reduced to 35MPH.Restrictions: Monday, November 25, 2019: Bridge work on SR 54 at LM 12.02 (Bridge nearest Guthrie) is causing a 10 lane restriction. *Traffic has been shifted to Phase 3 of traffic control.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 2): Grading, drainage, construction of eight bridges on future I-69 from south of US 51 (SR 3) to south of US 45W (SR 5) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH through the US 51 (SR 3) portion of the project. The southbound traffic has been switched to the northbound side on SR 3 throughout the work zone, for phase 2 construction.

Restrictions: Wednesday, November 6, 2019: SR 3 will have traffic in the outside lanes in both directions. Inside lanes will be closed for construction. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction with an 11 6 lane restriction.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 3): Grading, drainage, construction of bridges and paving on future I-69 from west of SR 21 to US 51 (SR 3) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Monday, July 29, 2019: SR 21 North from Clifford Rives Road to Lindenwood Road. The closure is expected for approximately 1 year to allow the construction of the overhead Bridge on the new portion of SR 21 along with the Road & Drainage of the I-69 mainline. Northbound traffic will detour from SR 21 East onto Clifford Rives Road, then North on Bethlehem Road, West onto Lindenwood Road before proceeding North on SR 21. Southbound traffic will be in reverse order. Detour routes are posted.

OBION COUNTY, SR-43 (US 45E): Repair of the bridges (right & left) on SR 43 over overflow will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Restrictions: Beginning on Friday, January 24, 2020: SR 43 traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction at the bridges over overflow with a 12 lane restriction and a 5 6 shoulder restriction.

WEAKLEY COUNTY, SR-43 and SR-372 (45E Business) interchange (Region 4 Concrete Repair):Monday, April 22 through Friday, April 29, 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.: There will be a full and partial closures for concrete pavement repairs for the on and off ramps at SR 43 to Business 45E (SR 372) and SR 22 and US 45E in Weakley County. Only one ramp or lane will be closed at a time. A detour will be posted.

LOOK AHEAD:Wednesday, April 29 through Wednesday, May 6, 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.: There will be a full and partial closures for concrete pavement repairs for the on and off ramps at SR 43 to Business 45E (SR 372) and SR 22 and US 45E in Weakley County. Only one ramp or lane will be closed at a time. A Detour will be posted.

TDOT Region IV On-Call Retrace:Monday, April 27, through Monday, May 4: There will be moving lane closures for the retrace of lines in Tipton County on SR 3 and SR 14.

District 48 - West TN Middle/SouthernHARDIN COUNTY, SR-128 (Non-TDOT Work):Wednesday, April 22 through April 24, 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: There will be intermittent lane closures on SR 128 adjacent to the Pickwick Dam to install shoulder rock along the guardrail.

HAYWOOD COUNTY, SR-76 (TDOT Maintenance): Friday, April 24, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.: There will be a closure on SR 79 from Allen Station and Dr. Hess Rd. A detour will be in place.

HAYWOOD COUNTY, SR-19 (Brownsville Bypass): The construction of an I-Beam bridge along with grading, drainage, and paving may cause temporary lane closures on SR 19 (Brownsville Bypass) from east of SR 87 LM 11.12 to west of Windrow Rd. LM 14.73. One lane will remain. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH within the project limits. On February 17, 2019 Shaw Chapel Rd was closed, and a detour put in place.

HAYWOOD COUNTY, SR-179:Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29: The roadway will be closed on SR 179 (Main Street) near Stanton, TN for railroad crossing work. Detour will be posted

HENDERSON COUNTY, SR-20: The resurfacing with hot in-place recycling on US 412 (SR 20) from Crucifer Road (LM 4.23) to near Sea Horse Drive (LM 10.99) will cause temporary lane closures.

HENDERSON COUNTY, SR-20: The resurfacing with hot in-place recycling on US 412 (SR 20) from east of SR 22 (LM 12.85) to near the Chesterfield By-Pass (LM 20.03), including bridge expansion joint repair and thin epoxy overlay causing temporary lane closures.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-1: The repair of a bridge on SR 1 near Spring Creek, TN (LM 28.99) along with grading, drainage, and paving will cause temporary lane closures.

Restrictions: On April 13, 2020 was an 11 width restriction and a temporary signal will be put in place. Motorists should watch for crews and equipment in the roadways.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-186 (US 45 Bypass) and I-40: Interchange improvements on SR 186 (US 45) north and southbound from the I-40 ramps to Old Hickory Blvd for paving and construction of retaining walls. Widening of I-40 from just east of Exit 79 to just east of Exit 82.

Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge demolition activities.

Friday, April 24, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, April 27, 6:00 a.m.: Close and detour Highland Ave. (Hwy 45) north and south bound from Ridgecrest Rd. to Vann Dr. for construction activities. I-40 Traffic will not be affected at Exit 82.

Saturday, April 25, 6:00 a.m.7:00 p.m.: Closure of I-40 eastbound right lane including on and off ramps for Exit 80 for removal and placement of barrier rail.

Monday, April 27 through Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge demolition activities.

LOOK AHEAD:Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge demolition activities.

Monday, May 4 through Wednesday, May 6, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge demolition activities.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-198: The construction of a concrete box bridge on SR 198 over Bear Creek (LM 8.65) along with grading, drainage, and paving will cause temporary lane closures.

Restrictions: On April 29, 2019 there was an 11 width restriction and a temporary signal put in place. Motorists should watch for crews and equipment in the roadways. WEATHER PERMITTING.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-198 Non-TDOT Work):Wednesday, April 22, 8:00 a.m. through Friday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.: There will be a closure on SR 198 in Madison County from Hwy 70 to Mifflin Road for utility work. A detour will be posted.

TDOT District 48 MAINTENANCE:Wednesday, April 22 through Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures at various locations in Region IV in order to repair pavement on an as needed basis.

TDOT District 47 and 48 On-Call Guardrail/Concrete Barrier Rail Repair:Wednesday, April 22 through Wednesday, April 29: There are no scheduled closures.

District 49 - West TN Southwest

FAYETTE COUNTY, I-40: Resurfacing of I-40 from MM 35.0 to MM 43.0; Bridge Repair on I-40E over Wilder Creek at MM 34.5

LOOK AHEAD:

Friday, May 1, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, May 4, 6:00 a.m.: I-40 east bound at MM 34.5 will have a lane closure of the left lane for bridge repair activities over Wilder Creek. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in eastbound direction with a 12 0 lane restriction.

WEATHER PERMITTING. May 8-10 will serve as a backup.

Friday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 5, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: I-40 will have intermittent left and right lane closures both eastbound and westbound from MM 35.0 to MM 43.0.

Speed limit will be reduced to 60 MPH during active closures.

FAYETTE COUNTY, SR-196:Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24: The roadway will be closed on SR 196 (Main Street) near Gallaway, TN for railroad crossing work.

HAYWOOD AND SHELBY COUNTIES, VARIOUS INTERSTATES AND SR-4:Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will lane closures on I-40 (Haywood County) east and westbound at MM 48.2, I-55 (Shelby County) north and south bound at MM 2.2 and MM 9.2, and SR 4 (Shelby County) north and southbound at MM 3.2 to take grade and cross slope measurements to evaluate sites for possible future weigh-in-motion (WIM) locations.

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, SR-371: The repair of bridge over Cane Creek will cause a lane closure with temporary traffic signal near Pipkin Rd.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-4 (Lamar Avenue) & SR 175 (Shelby Drive):Monday, April 27 through Friday, May 1, then Monday May 4, through Wednesday May 6,

9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be a temporary lane closure on SR 4 (Lamar Avenue) north of SR 175 (Shelby Drive) to drill geotechnical borings. Work will begin in the northbound lanes Monday thru Thursday (4/27 to 4/30) and then switch to southbound lanes for the remainder of the requested shutdown time.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: The grading, drainage, construction of concrete Bulb-Tee and I-beam bridges, signals and paving on SR 14 from east of Old Covington Pike to SR 385 will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: Construction on SR 14 for a widening project from SR 385 to east of Kerrville Rosemark Rd. There will be possible temporary lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

TIPTON COUNTY, SR-3 (US-51): Resurfacing on SR-3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street

Thursday, April 23 through Wednesday, April 29, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.:

There will be intermittent lane closures on north and southbound SR 3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street (MM 15.0MM 19.0) for curb ramp installation and resurfacing. Weather Permitting.

TDOT District 49 MAINTENANCE:Thursday, April 23 through Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures on all interstates and state routes in District 49 for routine maintenance activities on an as needed basis.

TDOT District 49 On-Call Guardrail/Concrete Barrier Rail Repair:

Wednesday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 28, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be night time lane closures at various locations on SR 3 (Shelby, Tipton, and Lauderdale Counties), SR 385 (Shelby County), SR 15 (Shelby County), SR 175, SR 14 (Shelby and Tipton County), I-40 (Fayette and Shelby Counties), I-269 (Shelby and Fayette Counties), I-55 and I-240. One lane will be CLOSED to repair damaged guardrail.

Wednesday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 28, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail: THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting.

I-40 westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55 northbound on ramp from EXIT 12C Metal Museum Drive

I-240 westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

I-240 eastbound EXIT 28B South Parkway westbound

I-240 eastbound EXIT 23A to northbound Airways

SR 14 northbound Exit to Raleigh-Millington

Thursday, April 23 through Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be day time lane closures at various locations in Tipton County on SR 14, SR 59, SR 206, and SR 178; Fayette County on SR 86; and Shelby County on SR 204 and SR 388 to repair damaged guardrail. One lane will be CLOSED in each direction to repair damaged guardrail. Flagmen will be used where necessary. THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting.

LOOK AHEAD

Wednesday, April 29 through Tuesday, May 5, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail: THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting

I-40 westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55 northbound on ramp from EXIT 12C Metal Museum Drive

I-240 westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

I-240 eastbound EXIT 28B South Parkway westbound

I-240 eastbound EXIT 23A to northbound Airways

SR 14 northbound Exit to Raleigh-Millington

TDOT District 49 On-Call Signing on various Interstates and state routes

Wednesday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 28, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: There will be nighttime lane closures at various locations on I-40 east and westbound in Shelby, Fayette, Madison, Henderson, and Benton Counties; I-240 east and westbound, MM 23.0MM 30.9; SR 385 east and westbound, MM 0.00MM 49.0; I-269 northbound in Shelby County, MM 0.000.6; I-155 northbound in Dyer County, MM15.015.4; SR5 northbound in Madison County, MM 0.000.4; and SR 3 southbound in Obion County, MM 29.429.6. One lane will be CLOSED. THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting.

Thursday, April 23 through Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m.3:00 p.m.: There will be daytime shoulder closures at various locations on I-40 east and westbound in Shelby, Fayette, Madison, Henderson, and Benton Counties; I-240 east and westbound, MM 23.0MM 30.9; SR 385 east and westbound, MM 0.00MM 49.0; I-269 northbound in Shelby County, MM 0.000.6; I-155 northbound in Dyer County, MM15.015.4; SR 5 northbound in Madison County, MM 0.000.4; and SR 3 southbound in Obion County, MM 29.429.6. THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting.

NON-TDOT/City of Memphis work

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Memphis Cook Convention Center

Monday, October 7, 2019, 6:00 a.m. through Sunday, May 31, 2020: On October 7, 2019 the exit ramp from I-40 eastbound (Exit 1, Front Street) was fully closed for upgrades to the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The ramp split to Riverside Dr. will remain open. Traffic will be controlled by signage and traffic barrels. Drivers should exercise caution when approaching and traveling through work zones.

From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at http://www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or for West Tennessee follow https://twitter.com/NicLawrenceTDOT.

As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Transportation lost three workers in the line of duty. All three were struck by passing motorists. Those tragedies bring the total number of TDOT lives lost to 112. We dont want to lose another member of our TDOT family. Were asking you to WORK WITH US. Click on the WORK WITH US logo to learn more.

Excerpt from:
West Tennessee Weekly Construction April 22-29, 2020 - tn.gov

Colorado snow plow on the Colorado Midland R.R., Hagerman Pass ,1899. William Henry Jackson, Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Whenever the white stuff starts falling, we grab those phones and cameras and start snapping those awesome snow shots. If we can get our dogs or kiddos in there, well, all the better. There's just something we have to capture forever about a Colorado landscape covered in snow.

Turns out, this is nothing new for the people of Colorado. Though they may not have had social media to share the snaps on, Coloradans have been taking pictures of the snow (and their dogs!) for over 100 years. Check out some of these really awesome historical pictures we found of Colorado's snowy past!

16th Street in winter, Denver, Colorado.Image credit Clark Blickensderfer, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Snow Cut on Pike's Peak, May 17, 1900Image credit DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University from the album titled 'Tourist Album: Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.'

Courtesy of the Colorado State University Historic Photograph Collection, Fort Collins (Facebook)

The Colorado Snowsports Museum has shared several other amazing photos of people enjoying the snow in Colorado throughout the years:

And it's not just people who love the Colorado snow in these historic photos, even the doggos are getting in on the fun!

British Antarctic Expedition, image credit Herbert G. Ponting.Courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Three boys with pullcarts and a dog on a retaining wall, Charles S. Lillybridge, 1849-1935Courtesy of History Colorado Online Collection

Comment below with your favorite snow photofrom Colorado's storied past!

Here is the original post:
Historic Colorado: 100-Plus Years of Photographers Capturing Images of Snow, Dogs, and the Human Spirit - Our Community Now at Maryland

It may have been a while since youve been far past your house and neighborhood. But in March, just as the coronavirus spread began shutting things down, a couple of new, brightly-colored murals popped up see in downtown Austin.

The murals, both keyed to this years centenary celebration of 19th Amendment and womens right to vote, are a part of the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundations new Writing on The Walls program, an annual series of public art installations and events. And its a tale of three artists and two walls: internationally renowned street artist Shepard Fairey and Canadian artist Shandra Chevrier collaborated on the large-scale mural on the west side of the LINE Hotel downtown, while local artist Sad Lawson was chosen to transform the wall under the Lamar Boulevard underpass.

On the west side of the LINE Hotel, a new 12-story mural by famed street artist Shepard Fairey and Canadian pop painter Shandra Chevrier, is now the largest mural in Austin. Photo by Cody Bjornson

Molly Alexander, executive director of the foundation, a newly-formed offshoot of the Downtown Austin Alliance, says the focus of the Writing on the Walls program is to turn more of Austins public spaces, sidewalks and parks, which make up half of the land downtown, from transient places to conversation topics.

We spend so much time thinking about the transformation of the landscape in our city around tall buildings and density and I think sometimes we miss the opportunity to think about what the rest of our land looks like, to really make them special to people and meaningful, Alexander says.

They quickly found that finding walls could be a complicated process, Alexander says, balancing the wants and needs of the city with that of property owners and downtown residents while keeping in mind the wall as a potential canvas. A conversation with Susan Lambe, who leads the citys Art In Public Places Program, resulted in securing the Lamar wall for the project, where they wanted to help amplify a local artist due to the heavy-traffic of the spot.

[Susan said] if you could do one thing, get me that wall on Lamar because we cant seem to get it. I dont think anybody really knew who owned it or had the license for it. Its kind of complicated, Alexander says.

In short, they were able to find out that while the Union Pacific Railroad owned the wall, Gables Residential had a license agreement with the city that was created during the construction of the adjacent apartment complex in order to keep the retaining wall in tact. The Gables company loved the idea of a mural and gave approval readily.

Sad Lawsons mural now joins Data Tells A Story, an mural-based installation by Laurie Frick along the Lamar Blvd. underpass. Photo by Cody Bjornson

The new Lamar underpass mural greets Northbound drivers just before artist Laurie Fricks Data Tells A Story, offering an atypical sense of permanence compared to the lackluster tagging that for so long defined the wall. The images depicts three women of color the same figure in primary colors of red, blue and yellow surrounded by water lilies. Called Its Okay to Not Be Okay, the mural is by Austin artist Sad Lawson, who imagined a mural that touched on the overarching theme of the program womens empowerment and a topic she incorporates frequently in her work, mental health.

How can I illustrate somebody being empowered by all of their motions, not just the ones that are deemed okay or accepted? Lawson says.

After being approached by Carlos DeLuca of Station 16 Gallery in Quebec, Canada, who was working in a curatorial role with Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation, Lawson came up with a plan in ten days. Her mural was painted in early March and took around a week to complete.

Lawson has been living and making art in Austin for seven years and says while she still deals with social anxiety, connecting with local artist communities such as the Cherry Cola Dog collective at their weekly Art Will Save Us events helped her find her niche.

I was pushed by people asking When are you going to come out and live paint? because live painting really was the thing to do, Lawson says. It was a really easy and cool way for the people, not just artists, but the community, to come in and see how you work, who you are, what your style is and see you as a person.

She started participating in live art battles with the Cherry Cola Dog folks and performed at one of street art group sprATXs summer bashes, happening which helped her get used to painting quickly with an audience of curious strangers. Lawson says she was initially intimidated by the size of the Lamar wall having previously painted mostly small-scale murals, but she was confident in her abilities to paint and her support of the community.

I think when you have something very important to say or a message that you feel is really close to your heart, being able to put them in a public space, thats just fantastic, Lawson says.

While painting the mural, Lawson reports that passersby in cars honked, waved, and some even stopped to see what was going on. Regular Lamar commuters, myself included, were happy to see some TLC on such a historically misused site.

Feedback from strangers was very overwhelming, people I didnt even know were thanking me for bringing some brightness to that area, Lawson says. Its a wall that was heavily tagged up and just didnt have consistent type of work. People would paint over the walls with a bunch of different colors, which is crazy, because when we were painting on the walls, the wall would give and, its kind of gross, but water would leak out of the wall. Paint was just packed on there.

The whole mural was completed in a week with the help of an assistant hired by Station 16 Gallery and some skilled female brush painters Lawson brought on. Lawson also participated in some programs at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.

The companion mural to Lawsons is a twelve-story monument featuring Wonder Woman breaking the chains of inequality. It towers over Congress Avenue on the west side of the LINE Hotel. Co-created by famed street artists Shepard Fairey and Canadian pop painter Shandra Chevrier, it is now the largest mural in Austin.

The new 12-story mural on the LINE Hotel in Austin is themed to the centenary celebration of the 19th Amendment and womens right to vote. Photo by Cody Bjornson

Negotiations between the LINE Hotel and Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation lasted about a year, Alexander said, adding that the LINE had a desire to connect its Austin property with its hotel in Los Angeles, which also features a large-scale mural by Fairey.

Partnering Fairey with Chevrier, who had never met, took some intentionality on the part project organizers. Both Fairey and Chevrier work heavily with multimedia and portraits. Chevrier headed up the design and Fairey worked with her to bring it to life.

Shepard was all in and recognized that we have to be careful with a white man taking center stage on something around women, Alexander says. But recognizing that if were to do this, we need to create an allyship because women and all voices have to be lifted up together.

While the longevity of street arts can be unpredictable, Alexander hopes the two new murals will last between five to ten years. The Writing On The Walls program will continue in the future and the team is actively searching for new walls downtown. But, like the rest of the world, they are on hold until COVID_19 subsides.

Lawson continues to make things during quarantine, including paintings and stickers, and tries to stay in touch with her audience. While she gained some of the public limelight with this project, she hopes leverage that to keep producing work and engaging with the community.

(My mural) is changing peoples daily routines, she says They have something different to look at and can see their space in a good way.

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New Downtown Austin Murals Nod to the 19th Amendment - Sightlines

Construction on the CrosstownLRT will stop for nothing not a pandemic, and certainly not a ravine filled with trees.

Over the past week, scores of trees lining Eglinton Avenue East have been cut down, to the dismay of Leaside residents.

When the clearing is complete sometime next week, 274 trees between Brentcliffe Avenue and Leslie Street will have been removed to make way for a retaining wall that will sit on the north side of Eglinton Avenue after it's been widened.

According to Leaside Residents Assocation(LRA) co-president Geoff Kettel, work first started on March 24, but "horrified neighbours" of Thursfield Crescent, whose properties line the ravine, intervened.

Before and after photos of the ravine after tree removal along Eglinton Avenue East. Photo via LRA.

"The LRA was contacted by Thursfield neighbours, who in addition to the epidemic-related stress that all of us are dealing with right now, were losing (and have now lost) the treed skyline, a big part of the 'peace and enjoyment'of their property," said Kettel.

Over a three-week break, Metrolinx and the LRA arranged a teleconference meetingand compiled a Q&A document for residents.

But Kettelsays the questions were only "partially answered", without proper explanation of the tree removal plan.

Nearly 300 trees are being cleared to make way for a retaining wall lining Eglinton Ave. Photo via City of Toronto.

The number of trees, which are being removed all the way up to residents' property lines, is "the minimum amount required to safely construct the retaining wall and perform associated grading works," said the City.

A Leaside resident named Susan, who lives in a condo on the other side of the street and has direct view of the construction site, calls the tree removal "a sad day".

"...I am going to miss the view I had from my balcony especially in the summer/fall," she said."It used to be beautiful trees and now it will be a huge retaining wall."

via Leaside resident Susan

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Almost 300 trees are being cut down in a Toronto neighbourhood and residents aren't happy - blogTO

A library in Sheffield is set to get a 50,000 repair job on an external retaining wall, only months after a previous repair.

Broomhill Library, in Taptonville Road, Sheffield, had a structural inspection on one of it's external walls in 2017 and a 20m section was repaired a year later.

But only eight months after the repair, parts of the wall collapsed into the library garden and it will now require a repair totalling 54,000.

Sheffield City Council will stump the bill for the repairs, as Broomhill Library is a co-delivered centre - provided in partnership between the Council and local volunteers.

The "probable cause" of the collapse was identified when structural engineers undertook investigations and a CCTV drainage survey of both the library and adjacent nursing home.

In a report, officers said: "We need to rebuild the collapsed section of the library garden wall, increase the structural integrity of the rebuilt section with new foundations and protect the historical stone features attached to the wall.

"Rebuilding it will improve the stability of the wall. Broomhill Library garden is of local historical significance and an active Friends Group is bidding for money to renovate the garden. The bids are likely to be negatively affected if the wall is not rebuilt."

The volunteer-led library had been hoping to restore it's historic garden, which has now been delayed by the collapse of the wall.

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More than 50,000 to be spent on repairing Sheffield library wall - ExaminerLive

Author Lorrie Moore once said, A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage. With Sunday Shorts, OprahMag.com invites you to join our own love affair with short fiction by reading original stories from some of our favorite writers.

Kristen Arnett's stories reside in the sweet spot between the morbid and the mordantly funny.

Her New York Times bestselling debut novel, last year's Mostly Dead Things (out next week in paperback via Tin House Books), centers on the daughter of a taxidermist who inherits her father's business when he dies by suicide. Bereavement is surreal, and Arnett's fiction offsets profound loss with moments of levity. (Her gin-dry humor is no surprise for those who follow her on Twitter)

"Birds Surrendered and Rehomed," her story for OprahMag.com, tells the story of two relationshipsone past, one presentthrough the protagonist's relationship with her pet parrot, which she adopted with a former lover. It's a story that's queer in all the senses of that word, a compellingly peculiar tale of what we hold on to when loved ones leave us.

They hadn't planned to leave the bedroom window open, not all night, but the humidity in the house was like being smothered under a wet wool blanket. There were only a few inches from the bottom of the pane to the painted sill, barely enough room for a stale breeze to leak inside. Into the bedroom spilled neighborhood sounds and a plague of mosquitoes. The bugs landed and left raised red welts on their skin.

Idling car engines and cicada buzz riled the parrot, an African grey that passably mimicked human voice. The bird, Paloma, got irritable when their routine was disrupted and especially didnt like hearing noises at bedtime.

Fuck me, Miranda! it squawked. Please fuck me!

Shut up, Paloma. It was the fourth time Sidney said it that night and shed likely have to say it again. Ill put the blanket over your cage, I swear to God.

The AC broke that afternoon, buzzing loudly and perfuming the air with a thick, burnt aroma. Something about a cracked belt, according to the repairman, who said hed have to order replacement parts.

Sidney rolled to her side, her back toward the wall. She watched Eliana fan herself with her shirt. Can you imagine living here fifty years ago? People must have sweat off half their body weight. Florida. Its miserable.

I cant sleep, Eliana said. My feet are actually boiling. She whipped her legs out from under the thin sheet, the motion like kicking through a wave. It billowed and settled, hanging half off the bed and dragging on the floor. She stood up abruptly. We should have stayed at a hotel.

Please, dont open the window any wider. Itll only make it worse. Sidney drank from a sweaty glass of water that left a coppery taste at the back of her tongue. When she looked at it under the light, there were flakes suspended in the liquid, floating around like sea monkeys. We need to buy a new filter thingy for the water jug.

Eliana leaned into the opening of the window, lifting her shirt and fanning herself again. I gotta open it more. Just for a little while. She pushed at the pane, cranked it a couple inches higher. Im roasting.

Youll have to get back up and close it in a minute. I dont wanna get robbed tonight because you needed stagnant cholera air.

Fine. Its not like Im gonna sleep anyway.

Sidney sighed and closed her eyes.

I don't care, Im too hot, Eliana said. If anything touches me, Ill scream. She switched off the light and climbed back into bed. She yanked at the sheet, gripping wads of it in her fists and twisting. I feel like I want to hit something.

Well, dont.

I didnt say I was going to, just that I feel like it.

Overhead the ancient fan spun on the second highest speed, slow enough it wouldnt rattle the blades. Paloma scraped twice at the bars of her cage, and then jangled the bell rope that hung in its corner.

Please fuck me, Miranda! Please fuck me!

Paloma! Ill get the blanket. Sidney knew she wouldnt. It was too hot to put something over the parrots cage, even if the bird was being a pain in the ass.

Its disgusting in here. And the fans still too loud. Eliana opened her nightstand drawer and dug around inside. Im putting in ear plugs.

Get me some, too.

They lay parallel to each other, limbs radiating damp heat that forced them to opposite sides of the mattress. Sidney curled over toward the wall, pressing her cheek to the plaster. It was marginally cooler than her body. She fell asleep like that, neck kinked like she was hugging a boulder. The window stayed as it was.

Thered been problems with the parrot from the beginning. It groomed itself obsessively, plucking feathers until crusty patches dotted its wings. It hid rotted hunks of fruit under the furniture, attracting ants and roaches. Often the bird got angry and threw its seeds on the floor. If you walked through the bedroom in bare feet, you might wind up with a sunflower seed lodged between your toes.

The bird wasnt her idea. Sidney acquired him with her former partner, a woman named Miranda who was sixteen years her senior. Miranda had a short, gray bob and wore oversized sunglasses. Her wardrobe looked like a funeral service worker, so much black that she never had to worry about anything matching. She taught Humanities at the University and wrote a book about Pompeii that made it to the very bottom of the bestseller list.

Theirs was an unconventional relationship, but it worked. Sidney liked the stability of it, the domesticity of their routines. They bought a house together in an up-and-coming neighborhood, spent six months traveling Portugal, and then acquired the parrot.

It was a natural progression, according to Miranda, whod never been married and didnt want kids. Sidney wasnt so sure. Shed only ever owned a beta fish, a tiny scarlet-colored thing named Mister Charlie. Hed lived his short existence in algae and muck, trapped in a bowl stuffed in the corner of her childhood bedroom. Half the time she forgot he existed.

Youll like a parrot, Miranda had said, theyre very intelligent. She flipped open the newspaper to show Sidney the ad, circled in green pen, cattycorner to the crossword puzzle they always did together over scrambled eggs. Baby African Greys, a grand apiece. Certified. Ill take care of it. You wont have to do a thing.

Only if we get a boy, said Sidney. She had read an article in the New York Times that said female birds were more aggressive than males. I dont want it biting my finger off because it gets pissy.

Miranda agreed. They went together to get the bird, a forty-minute drive during which Sidney pondered the logistics of buying a pet that would likely outlive them.

There'd been problems with the parrot from the beginning.

The breeders house was a glorified mobile home scented with mildew and cedar chips. Its shaggy yellow carpet held feather fragments and bits of birdseed. Cages sat on every available surface, stuffed with a variety of chattering, skittish birds. Rainbow-colored wings lit loose animals from perch to perch. Surplus bags of pellets lay stacked up in front of the bathroom.

Miranda held a parrot up for inspection. Though a baby, it appeared wizened and ancient, eyes cloudy and dripping clear liquid.

It looks like an old man, Sidney said. She poked at the birds neck which was wrinkled as a crone. One foot in the grave.

The grave, the bird repeated, and Sidney hurriedly drew back her finger.

Hes taken with you, the breeder said, nodding solemnly. She was wearing a cream-colored turtleneck and a greenish-gold patterned vest. Sidney thought she looked like a kindergarten teacher.

Isnt he a darling? Miranda asked. Im calling him Palomo. She let the baby sit close to her, holding him tenderly against her chest. Inevitably he shit, and pale liquid dripped down the fabric of her blouse.

Itll wash out with cold water. The breeder gestured to herself, pointing to some bleached out spots over her breasts. Ive been pooped on so many times that I hardly even notice it anymore.

Thats comforting. Sidney dug a wet wipe out of her purse. She dabbed at the spot while Miranda pulled out her checkbook. The breeder fetched a small shoebox for them to take the bird home in.

Though Sidney objected, theyd installed the parrot in their bedroom. Miranda claimed it was the best place to keep a bird, and Sidney felt weird arguing over it when she knew absolutely nothing about their care. The cage was vintage, bought at an estate sale a wrought iron monstrosity that Miranda painted creamy white. They installed perches on the walls in the living room and in the kitchen; there was even a peg over the stove top. This gave Sidney visions of the bird shitting in all of their food; shed had a recurring fantasy that the parrot fell into their deep fryer and finally died, boiling up golden-brown like a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Despite their problems with the bird, theyd been happy. Theyd filed for a domestic partnership and evenly split their bills. They hadnt needed children because theyd had the bird, which Miranda treated like a spoiled infant. Then Miranda keeled over during her morning run. Two blocks away from their house; fifty-six and dead of a massive heart attack. The mortgage and the parrot became Sidneys responsibility.

After Miranda died, the bird wouldnt shut up. She heard Palomo-as-Miranda calling for her day and night. In the middle of doing laundry, she heard her dead partners voice calling for her from the other room and shed followed it, looking for a ghost.

Baby, can you please pick up your shoes? You always leave them in the middle of the floor and I trip over them.

It was Mirandas voice, but it wasnt her. The bird stared at her impassively from its cage. Sidney sat down on the rug with her basket of dirty clothes and wept.

But it wasnt all bad. There was the parrot, murmuring sweetheart in that 1940s detective voice Miranda had always used when they were joking around. It sometimes stung, to hear the voice and no longer see the face, but it was still strangely comforting. Even if her partner was gone, the echo of her remained.

Yet, the worst was that the bird could perfectly imitate the sounds that Sidney made when she and Miranda made love. Grunts, groans. Streams of outrageous obscenities; jesus and god and sucks and fucks and deeper and wet. Long, lust-filled moans that made the hair on Sidneys neck stand up.

Just like that, the bird crooned, staring hard at Sidney with his beady black and yellow eyes. Ooh, right there. Put your fingers there. Oh baby. Oh yes.

The more upset Sidney got at the sex sounds, the louder and more frequent they became. The shrieks of pleasure were mortifyingly loud. Terrified the neighbors might overhear and think she was a nymphomaniac, she confined the bird to the bedroom. Palomo cooed and begged, made wet, sloppy sounds that sounded like someone plunging their fingers into a watermelon. She contemplated giving the bird away. Thought about it a lot. Even placed an ad in the paper, but she became paranoid that whoever bought him would hear her most intimate secrets. That someone else would know how she sounded when Miranda had her fingers in her, or the grunts she made when bent over the back of the couch. Strangers would hear the weird, high-pitched animal squeak she made when Mirandas tongue touched her at the perfect angle.

It sometimes stung, to hear the voice and no longer see the face, but it was still strangely comforting.

It went on like that for months. Then one morning, after the bird turned ten and shed been without her partner for almost a year, shed gone to clean out his cage and found a small, object the size of a ping pong ball lodged in the shredded newspaper that lined the bottom of the tray.

Sidney let it roll around in the cup of her palm a fragile, tiny thing that weighed less than a packing peanut. Their bird had laid an egg. Their male bird had laid an egg. Palomo had suddenly become Paloma, crossing the gender border without any consideration for Sidneys feelings on the matter.

She called the breeder, enraged. How can you do this to people? Why didnt you know?

Jesus Christ, it was ten years ago. The woman sounded bored, but also entertained. Also, its very hard to tell with birds when theyre that young. Their genitals are pea-sized. What does matter? Its not like shell get pregnant.

You have to take it back, Sidney said, staring at the egg, perfectly formed and improbable. I cant do this.

The woman laughed. I dont even keep those things any more. I breed Weimaraners.

Sidney hung up and set the egg down on the desk beside the cage. She poked it; let it roll back and forth. The parrot reached forward through the cage door and nipped her. Sidney screamed and yanked her hand away, a bloody chunk missing from her pointer finger. The bird darted past, flying wildly around the house while she ran to the bathroom and poured peroxide over her injured hand. She prayed she wouldnt get an infection.

Oh fuck me, Miranda! Please fuck me!

Go fuck yourself, she yelled. She came back with a towel wrapped around her fist and smashed the egg with one of the shoes shed left out on the rug. It left little bits of enameled yolk on the heel.

Sidney met Eliana at a local yoga studio. She wasnt trying to get healthy the problem was her gut. Always tidily packed beneath her clothes, increasing age and a lot of pumpkin cheesecake had made it swell. The bulge popped over the lip of her pants and wouldnt go away. Then a coupon for the studio arrived in her email, offering one free introductory session. It was only a few blocks from her house, walking distance.

She bought the standard startup kit: mat, tight pants, and a little black top that hugged her breasts. She put her hair up in a tiny ponytail that flicked around her face when she rolled her neck. Eliana placed her mat to Sidneys right. Their eyes met in the mirror. They stared hard at each other and didnt look away.

Eliana was eight years younger than Sidney and had more muscle mass in one arm than Sidney had in her whole body. Eliana liked listening to folk music and drove an aqua blue scooter. Her dark hair was cut very short, and bleached white at the temples, which reminded Sidney a little of a horned owl. After the first and only yoga class Sidney ever attended, Eliana offered to come over and make dinner. They ate smoked salmon and lemon risotto in the eat-in kitchen and then had sex on the terrazzo floor next to the table.

Im really glad I decided to mop yesterday, Sidney said, staring under the fridge. I think I see some Cheetos down there.

Grab me a few.

They lay there in a jumbled heap, sweaty skin cooling off into discomfort, and thats when Sidney heard it. The parrot, grunting and screaming. High pitched squeals banging off the ten-foot ceiling in the bedroom. Sidneys own voice, moaning at porn-star levels.

What the hell? Is someone else here? Eliana sat up and reached under the table for her shirt. She held it to her chest in an attempt to cover herself. Are you married?

Its my parrot.

Im not an idiot. Thats a person.

Sidney put her hand over her eyes and tried to ignore Paloma, who was plaintively calling for Miranda imitating a tone that Sidney truly hated; one where she sounded breathy enough to need a respirator. Seriously. I can show you.

The noises got louder as they walked through the house. Sidneys pulse was beating in her ears.

That sounds like you. Eliana stopped in the doorway and turned to look at Sidney. It sounds exactly like you.

Sidney turned on the bedroom lights and walked to the cage, still covered with its bright blue velvet sheet. She yanked it off as the orgasmic noises reached their crescendo, a long wail of ecstasy that plateaued into Mirandas name.

See? Just a bird.

Orgasm over, Paloma hopped back onto her perch and gnawed at her seed bowl. Eliana held her hand out toward the cage.

I wouldnt. Shes a little temperamental.

Oh. Eliana peered between the bars. Kinda cute, but loud.

Sidney pulled on some shorts from her dresser. Not really that cute.

Not for you, I guess.

Eliana picked up some jewelry left out on the vanity, then sniffed at a bottle of open perfume. Sidney saw the space with new eyes: dust coating the fan blades and the screen of the television, mounds of used tissues crumpled on the nightstand. An empty Chips Ahoy container sat next to the door, half opened, discarded carelessly once shed wolfed down the last cookie. Shed been alone for so long that shed stopped seeing the space as anything other than a place to wallow every night.

Eliana picked up a nightgown, an old one with a high, lacy neck made out of very sturdy cotton. Angela Lansbury live here?

It was my exs. Sometimes I wear it.

Huh. Flopping backward, Eliana rolled until she lay diagonally across the mattress. This a craftmatic adjustable bed?

Shut up.

Im serious. Could be fun. Reaching for Sidney, she grabbed at the hem of her sleep shorts.

Behind them, Paloma squawked and dug at her seed bowl, throwing a mouthful onto the floor. The seeds rained down, spraying everywhere.

Touch me, the parrot crooned. Please fuck me.

Let me cover the bird. Sidney held up the blue velvet sheet. Shell calm down a little.

Eliana tugged at the shorts again, and they slipped further down Sidneys waist. Leave it off. Its kind of hot, dont you think? All the moaning.

They left the lights on. Pressed together on the bed, Sidney couldnt tell which parts were her and which were Eliana. It felt different, but good. They sweat and they kicked, the sheets wrapping around their legs, the bird howling and panting and muttering oh my god, oh my god. Sidney kept her eyes on Paloma, who had climbed to the top of her cage to bang at the bars. Hearing herself wasnt embarrassing; it was suddenly intensely erotic.

Sidney shook and swore, climaxing, it seemed, at the same time as Paloma. The voice in the room, echoed over Sidneys own, was like an aria. She had never heard such beautiful music.

Eliana moved in and they shared everything, just like it had been with Miranda. Just like before, except it wasnt. Eliana was young. She wanted to go out to crummy bars and drink whole bottles of five-dollar wine. She and her yoga friends camped in a tent and consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms, writing down the experiences in their journaling workshop. When Eliana cleaned the house, she put lemon Pledge on the furniture instead of Murphys Oil Soap. This is the only good way to clean wood, Miranda always said, rubbing her special cloth across the spotless surfaces of all the antiques. Shed been so careful, so precise. In comparison, Eliana was a ball of frantic energy. The differences were hard to ignore.

Paloma tolerated the changes in her usual fashion: she shit on all the furniture, ruining the fabric. They had to buy slipcovers, washable ones made out of cotton. There were places in the house where the parrot wouldnt let Eliana trespass the nook where Miranda had paid their bills, a window seat where Sidney and Miranda liked to cuddle on the weekends and drink coffee. If Paloma found her there, shed swoop down and snatch bits of Elianas hair. There were tiny bald patches on Eliana scalp. She started wearing a hat inside.

Sidney left Paloma in the cage for longer stretches of time. This further aggravated the bird, which led to more outbursts: boxes of cereal dumped from the top of the fridge, throw pillows gouged open and destroyed. Birdseed scattered all over the house. Sidney found it in the washing machine and even inside her shoes.

Gone were the sweet words of Miranda, the niceties theyd shared with each other over breakfast or in front of the television. There was only Sidneys voice calling from Palomas beak. Always begging, a kind of hurt in the tone, like an ache that couldnt be dulled.

Cant we get rid of it? Eliana bought a white noise machine to drown out the worst of the yelling, but that barely covered it most days. Wouldnt a friend take it?

I dont know anyone whod want her.

What about a bird sanctuary? Theres the Audubon Society. They take all kinds of birds, right? Even freakshows like Paloma.

Oh sure, let me give my climaxing parrot to a place frequented by elementary school children. Thatll go over real well.

They stood in the kitchen, the furthest place from the bedroom. Sidney was eating cereal over the sink, staring out the window at the crepe myrtle tree that Miranda had planted. It was suddenly in bloom and there were white bits falling all over the yard, like snowy dandruff.

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Read this Original Short Story About Living with the World's Most Intrusive Parrot - Oprah Mag

Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscaperetaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to correct problems caused by hilly areas! Well-built retaining walls transform unworkable inclines into usable outdoor space for the garden.

Despite their simple appearance, though, these walls require a good deal of planningsometimes professional engineeringto keep their shape. Soil is heavy, especially when soaking wet from a recent rainstorm, so a basic retaining wall (four feet tall and 15 feet long) potentially has to support up to 20 tons of soil pressure. With every additional foot of height, the pressure of the soil increases substantially. Miscalculate your construction plans, and you could end up with a weak wall that risks bulging or, worse, collapsing altogether. For just this reason, retaining walls taller than four feet should be designed and constructed by the pros.

Shorter retaining walls, however, can be constructed by enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers equipped with some basic construction knowledge. Does that sound like you? If youre looking to get your hands dirty and enhance your landscape with a retaining wall, these guidelines for building a retaining wall will help you get off to a good start.

A retaining walls effect on the natural flow of water could impact your neighbors, so some communities require homeowners to obtain a permit before construction commences. You may have to submit plans for your wall and schedule a property inspection to ensure that building a retaining wall wont create drainage problems.

While youre at it, do also place a call DigSafe (811), a nationwide service that will notify local utility companies that you plan to dig. These can determine whether their buried lines will be in the way and mark their exact locations.

Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials, from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones, even bricks. For DIY purposes, opt for manufactured blocks that are designed specifically for building retaining walls; a locking flange along the bottom edge creates a secure attachment between rows. These blocks (available in gray and earthy tones in smooth or textured faces, like these at The Home Depot) can be found at virtually any home improvement store and many garden centers as well.

Your retaining wall will only be as strong its support system. For a stacked-block retaining wall thats no higher than four feet, a trench filled with three inches of crushed rock will help keep the wall from shifting and settling. The exact depth of the trench depends on the proposed height of the wall, but follow this rule of thumb: Dig a trench to be an eighth of the wall plus three inches. For example, if you want the finished height of your retaining wall to be three feet (36 inches) tall, youd need to dig the trench eight inches deep to accommodate three inches of crushed rock and about five inches (or an eighth of the visible retaining wall) to start the wall below grade.

The first course (or row of blocks) sets the stage for the rest of the wall, so its vital that you make it perfectly level. If it isnt, subsequent rows wont be level either, resulting in a retaining wall thats lopsided and unattractive. Use a four-footcarpenters level to ensure that the gravel layer below the first course of blocks is level before you start setting the blocks. Any discrepancies here will show up higher in the wall.

A wall that leans into the soil it retains is less likely to be pushed outward by soil pressure than a plain-old vertical wall. Design and build your retaining wall to slope at a minimum rate of one inch for every one-foot of rise (height). Fortunately, working with retaining wall blocks makes it incredibly easy to achieve this step-back construction! The locking flange on the bottom edge of every block guides it to click into position slightly behind the lower block, preventing the top blocks from being pushed outward.

Groundwater is the natural enemy of retaining walls. When it saturates clay-type soils, they swell and put excessive pressure on the backside of the wall. To avoid failure, make drainage provisions at the same time as you go about building the retaining wall. Backfilling the space behind the blocks with crushed stone and then installing a flexible perforated drainpipe (available at The Home Depot), also called drain tile, at the base of the wall could create the necessary escape route for groundwater. The perforated pipe will carry groundwater to each end of the wall where it can drain harmlessly away. The ends of the drainpipe should then exit on each end of the wall, and you may cover them with crushed stone to camouflage their appearance.

RELATED: The 10 Best Things You Can Do for Your Soil

After your drainpipe is in place, you should backfill the rest of the space behind the blocks with either sand or pea graveleither will allow water to filter through to the drainpipe at the base of the wall. For the best results, backfill with a few inches of the material after laying each course of blocks, and use a hand tamper to compact the material. By tamping the backfill every six inches or so, youll ensure that it is packed tightly, which will provide additional support from the pressure of the soil behind the wall.

While retaining walls taller than four feet should be engineered by professionals, you may be able to DIY a solution for a tall slope by creating two or more shorter tiered retaining walls as opposed to a single tall wall. A series of short walls adds visual texture, and each individual wall will support less soil weight, ensuring that theyre less likely to fail. When building a tiered set of retaining walls, position the higher wall behind the lower wall at twice the distance as the height of the lower wall. For example, if the lower wall is three-feet high, the higher wall should be set back at least six feet from the lower one. This keeps the higher one from creating pressure on the lower one.

Link:
Building a Retaining Wall: 8 Dos and Don'ts | Bob Vila