a new sign

Bonnie and I did our Thursday walk to the south Bethlehem farmer's market. We haven't done it the last two or three weeks because I worked on Thursdays.

A few weeks ago I saw an article in the paper that they would be putting an entrance sign — well they are calling it the cities largest mural, yeah right—to south Bethlehem. I thought it was a nice idea. And I kept looking for it. The other day in the rain, I saw it. It's at the dumbest place. The old Brown and Borhek wall on Third street. A minimum 1/4 block in from the corner. You can't see it from 3rd unless you are looking for it. You can't see it from the ramp because it's hidden by several large trees.

Since it was sunny today, I planned the walk to go past the sign.

The article says "The approved design calls for metal-fabricated letters that spell "Welcome to the South Side," and brightened by images of its past and present: blast furnaces, the ArtsQuest Center, the Moravian Star, a Lehigh University building, the Greenway rails-to-trails park and the former Brown-Borhek building. ... they will be placed a few inches in front and, eventually, back-lit." Now lit they might be cool.

The sign was painted by Max Meano of Allentown. Meano did nice work, but come on guys, it's on a red brick wall. You can read the welcome to the just fine. The other letters are spotty. Hey guys, there's this design concept called CONTRAST. It might have helped the sign not fade into the bricks. Just a simple white stroke around the letters would have helped. And I hate strokes on letters.

We shall not even talk about the use of the words "south side".

Anyway, I had to go across the street to take the sign. The we cut thru the Banana Factory parking lot, and down Columbia, up Adams to Morton and then to the market. They had beautiful cabbage at Lettuce Alone, but I didn't want to carry it. The farmer's son asked me how far it was, he'd carry it for me. I declined.

I bought too much and had to lug it home. Bonnie takes a small bag so she doesn't over-buy.

Then it was up all the stairs to University Drive, up to Summit, up to Sioux and back home. 2.85 miles.

 In addition to the formal walk, I've walked Adonis twice. It will probably be three times before the day is over. So that adds about an additional 1.5 miles.