Grass, Weeds, Pork & Beans

Man, I love me some pork & beans. There's something about that delicious, sweet combination that is irresistable and delectable. Alone, beans are mere sustenance, a compact protein delivery system. But with a few hunks of pork fat, melted deliciously into the bowl of beans... is there anything that pork can't do?

Just wanted to share that with you.

Bad Grass.

There's this place we call "The Asylum" near where I live. It's at 1125 Spring Road NW, and until November 2009, was a DC mental health clinic of some kind. It was shut down as part of the privatization of DC's health services.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad generally, but specifically, it is bad. The is because DC apparently believes that when you close a facility, you are no longer responsible for its upkeep. This began in February, when the Asylum was no longer worthy of having its sidewalks plowed.

The below photograph is facing West from 10th and Spring. I am standing in the gloriously cleared sidewalk in front of the Raymond Elementary School. Ahead of me is the absolutely ignored sidewalk in front of the Asylum, and the attached Paul Robeson School, which has been closed much longer.

While I was happy that the children would be safe on the sidewalks in front of Raymond, I wondered how they would traverse the expanse from 13th Street to the school's entrance, since DC no longer saw fit to plow it.

Now, spring has come! Hooray! And man, does the grass grow fast. And the weeds. I love pork & beans - but I hate tall grass. There's all manner of dog poop, trash, and last time I was there, a dead pigeon. And nobody to take care of it.

I used to keep a pretty good handle on the trash there, because it's where I walked our dogs. Used to walk our dogs. Since the grass is now about a foot tall, it's not much of an option any more. Groundskeeper Willy seems to have moved on to greener pastures, and since it's not really safe to walk your dog through tall grass concealing all manner of unmentionables, I no longer pick up the trash there. It's getting pretty crazy, actually, and it's only halfway through April!




For shame, DC. If this was a privately owned building, the owner would undoubtedly have a collection of citations to show for it by now.

Considering how many schools have closed in recent years, can we expect that the same treatment has been given to every unoccupied, yet DC-owned, facility? This is bad for neighborhoods, bad for trash, bad for public health, bad for crime.

Good Grass!

On the positive side, I planted grass in my front yard a couple weeks ago, and it's started to sprout! Given the rocky, clay-like nature of the soil, this seems a small miracle. I hope to have a wonderful, Hank Hill-like yard soon, where I will relax, drink beer, and say "Yep." for no particular reason.

If it doesn't work out, I plan to cut sod from the front of the Asylum instead.