jasonguard
Posts by jasonguard
July 27, 2010
How Does My House Look?
From neighbory Peggy Lynch:
See your Home in a whole new way or if you are really curious take a peek into your neighbors back yard…:) Aerial photographs of Byrd Park and the surrounding areas area available online at www.bing.com/maps. Simply enter your address and have your own Mary Poppins experience.
July 26, 2010
Rain Barrels Galore
A Byrd Park resident is selling rain barrels on Craigslist. This is one eco-trend that has really taken off. There are lots of rain barrels set up on houses in the neighborhood, some of which are pretty sophisticated looking. I’d love to post a collection of pictures of local rain barrel set-ups. If you have one and don’t mind taking a picture, please email them to me at guardjk@gmail.com. Otherwise, I’m just going to have to take pictures from the alley, which might creep you out, seeing a guy with a camera in your backyard. In fact, I’m gonna take that option off the table. So, send your pictures. You know you’re proud.
UPDATE: I emailed but didn’t hear back from the Craigslist rain barrel seller, but I did meet Stu Harnberger, a Randolph resident who sells rain barrels and compost tumbers at the farmers’ market. Check out his blog for lots of great ideas and very competitively priced products. Here’s a bit of extra info from Stu:
I have been making them now for 2 years and I am now on my 5th generation of rain barrel. I think I have worked out all of the kinks by talking with people who have purchased them from me. One important difference is how the barrel connects to your house. Mine have a downspout adapter that simply slides over your downspout, after you have trimmed it to the appropriate height. Also, I have a reinforced spigot at the base with a large washer to prevent the spigot from coming loose. I use a brass fitting for the overflow instead of the PVC pipe (which will wear in time under the sun), in order to easily connect to a garden hose. In addition to the plastic rain barrels, I also sell oak rain barrels for $150 (a lower price than anywhere else).
July 23, 2010
Two Local Cars for Sale
“1974 GTO amazing restoration candidate! – $2500″
“1989 BMW 325i white convertible. 5-speed. 130,000 miles. I will consider trading it for a pick-up truck or $2,000″
July 22, 2010
3br on Meadow for $875
If you want to live near the park, this Craigslist ad is for you. Here’s a list of features:
- Three bedrooms
- one bath
- central heat and air
- hardwood floors
- new appliances
- updated kitchen
- new paint
- fenced in large backyard
- screened in side porch
July 21, 2010
Who Wants Solar Panels?
A great idea from Rosewood Ave resident, David vanBlaricom:
Here’s a way we can help save the environment and cut our energy bills. All we need is a group of people in the neighborhood willing to figure out a cost effective way to put solar panels on our roofs, remain on the grid for redundancy, and hopefully sell power back to the power company.Here’s a link to the the Mt. Pleasant co-op featured on the science channel last night. If they can do it in DC, we can do it here too.
I am looking for interested parties to form a Cooperative with a goal to make solar energy efficient and cost-effective in our neighborhood. Our row-houses are perfect for solar applications. It’s been accomplished in Washington D.C., it’s happening in Western Virginia and in Charlottesville, We can join the movement. If you are interested, contact me at dvbii@nadami.com and we can get started.Read more >
July 21, 2010
Inside the Pumphouse
Since the Hills and Heights community blog beat us to the punch, let’s just quote them and provide the same great link.
Phil Riggan of RichmondOnTheJames went on a tour of the Pumphouse, check out his great post & photos;

Inside the belly of an anachronism.
July 21, 2010
Street Oddity: Extremely Vacant Lots
The flora is overgrown in these 3-4 undeveloped lots on Meadow. Is it an eyesore, or a sanctuary?
Across the street, a full city block of land looks much better cared for, however, it also seems unused. Can anyone offer insights about the current purpose or future plans for either of these two properties? The plot thickens after the jump…
Read more >
July 20, 2010
The Secret Garden Grows Up
You might recall the secret garden that was reported on briefly in a previous post. Well, it seems to be taking off. In fact, urban gardens are a big deal in Richmond these days. Richmond.com has a great article about the phenomenon. As for our fledgling community gardening effort, let’s see if we can find out how this garden looks so darned good, despite the heat and the drought, after the jump ( more pictures).
Read more >
July 20, 2010
Maymont’s X-Country Festival
Press release from Maymont:
8th annual Maymont X-Country Festival set for September 24-25 Registration now open for all festival events
RICHMOND, VA – The 8th annual Maymont X-Country Festival is set for September 24-25, 2010 at Maymont Park. Friday evening kicks off with the Elementary School 1-miler at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Open 5k at 6p.m. Saturday begins with the James River Loop 8 Miler at 7:00 a.m. Then, the weekend concludes with the Middle School 3k at 9 a.m.Read more >
July 19, 2010
The Island is Off Limits
News concerning our planned voyage to uncover the mysteries of the island in the middle of Swan Lake. From Michael Paul Dodson, a recent Byrd Park Civic League president:
Please note that signs will be posted shortly as the Park’s Department does not want anyone on the island. It will not only disturb the few spots free of humans (except for the annual egg collection), it is probably not great for your health either. Lot of animal waste and nests of mother birds that might not take to kindly to your visit.
JR Pope, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Foundations made this announcement at the Park Advisory Board meeting in July.
July 19, 2010
Vegetable Bandits
Has somebody been making off with your veggies? This just in from a neighbor, Peggy:
My neighbors vegetable garden is currently supporting her and me. Alas my garden has been turned into a Farmers Market by Octomom. So named for the bountiful number of offspring she has each year. She and her band of little mischief makers harvest my veggies each day…sigh
Pics of the thieves after the jump. Peggy will surely answer your questions if you post a comment.
Read more >
July 18, 2010
The Alleys of Mayberry, I mean Maymont
When you head South of the Fan, past the Randolph neighborhood, on the other side of the Amelia Street School, and cross Harrison Street’s western conclusion, you wind up at the Maymont neighborhood. Bungalo-style houses are nestled under a canopy of trees stretching further than most Richmonders realize, nearly to the canal and the train tracks on the north bank of the river. It feels like our own little down-home country town where time seems to pass as slow as molasses. It’s a quaint urban anachronism and the alleys are no exception…
Read more >
July 16, 2010
3rd Precinct Crime Report for June
The June crime report from the Richmond Police Department is posted below. For those who scrutinized last month’s report. We saw a 250% increase in robberies (from 2 to 7 in the 3rd precinct). This month, there were another seven robberies, which is the same number seen in June 2009. However, the other categories may be of greater interest. Read on and contribute your thoughts:
Community Noteworthy Report
June 2010
Sector 313
Sector 313:
June 2010:
Violent Crime: 0% increase
06/2010 vs. 06/2009 – eight (8) crimes vs. eight (8) crimes.
Property Crime: 2% decrease
06/2010 vs. 06/2009 – sixty-five (65) crimes vs. sixty-six (66) crimes
Major Crime: 1% decrease
06/2010 vs. 06/2009 – seventy-three (73) crimes vs. seventy-four (74) crimes
ROBBERY – INDIVIDUAL
0% increase
06/2010 vs. 06/2009 – seven (7) robberies vs. seven (7) robberies
Trends/Patterns:
The locations and/or suspect descriptions involving the seven (7) robberies of individuals that occurred in May are listed below:
Read more >
July 16, 2010
Marty Jewell’s Baseball Tournament, 7/17
Press release from City Council’s public information manager:
Marty Jewell 3rd Annual Metropolitan Junior Baseball League Invitational Baseball Tournament to be held this Saturday
To include Virginia-based teams from Richmond, Hampton and Norfolk
WHAT Named in tribute to The Honorable E. Martin Jewell, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Central 5th District (who will throw the ceremonial first pitch during the Opening Ceremonies), the Marty Jewell 3rd Annual Metropolitan Junior Baseball League Invitational Baseball Tournament will be held this Saturday. The games are free to watch; open to the public; and, everyone is invited come out and enjoy the day. Vendors will be on hand with refreshments.
Read more >
July 15, 2010
Edible Revolution Garden Tour, 7/17
Event announcement from Tricycle Gardens:
Greetings gardeners and garden fans. Our Edible Revolution Garden Tour, which highlights 13 urban, kitchen gardens is just over a week away on July 17th. Tickets are $20 per carload or group of four bicycles. The price includes a map, access to some of the most creative food-producing backyards from 1pm-5pm AND a cookout at our Jefferson Avenue garden from 5pm-8pm. What a deal! And what a way to celebrate the summer (and fresh tomatoes). Highlights include the joint Strawberry Street Vineyard/Belmont Butcher garden, executive director Lisa Taranto’s backyard and the community garden at Holton Elementary School.
Tickets can be purchased online here, at the 9th and Bainbridge Urban Farm, or by emailing will@tricyclegardens.org. Proceeds go toward helping expand Tricycle Gardens programs throughout the city.
If anyone would like to contribute pictures of their gardens, then we can assemble our own pictorial garden tour right here. Just email your pictures to guardjk@gmail.com. I’ll start it off with some examples shortly.
July 14, 2010
Get to Know Clark Springs Elementary
Now that Clark Springs Elementary is set to serve the families who were previously zoned for the unpopular Maymont school, it’s a good idea to start getting to know our new public school option a little better. With this mostly pictorial post, the obvious physical features of the Clark Springs facility will be highlighted to simulate a walk around the grounds during the school’s downtime. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying to contact the school’s officials (whoever is available during the summer) for a future Q and A session on this site. Assuming that I find a willing Clark Springs representative, I’ll include any questions that you contribute in the comment section (within reason). How does this sound?
Read more >
July 12, 2010
Start a Band in the Neighborhood?
From Randolph and Byrd Park Craigslist posts, enough used musical instruments can be purchased to form a full band:
But, be sure to mind the City’s new noise ordinance and dancing prohibition. There’s no AC in the city jail.
July 11, 2010
An Alley for Cars and Kids
A parking lot doesn’t give you much to look at, but when you’re walking down an alley, where bungalo houses butt right up next to each other, the sprawling space might come as a surprise. On the east side of this Blair St parking lot sits a brick building…
Read more >
July 7, 2010
A Deer on Douglasdale
A resident of the 3000 block of Douglasdale Rd, just on the other side of Blanton Ave and the Vitacourse, witnessed this deer eating all the seed out of his bird feeder. He snapped three pictures with his cell phone. The other two, and some thoughts on the reason behind the deer’s migration into the Carillon neighborhood, after the jump.
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