South End Mural

I saw this on the side of a row of Brownstones near the corner of Columbus and Braddock Park in the South End. I'm not having any luck finding any info on it, so I may need to go back and see if I can find any info on/near the building if I look closer.

CDP Monthly Theme Day: Grafitti or Street Mural

This is the mural outside of the Common Ground Cafe, in Dorchester Lower Mills. The Common Ground Cafe serves all organic food and is run by the Twelve Tribes - a Christian community. They have a number of cafe locations throughout the US, including a second MA location in Hyannis (Cape Cod). They have communities throughout the world, including France, Australia, Spain, Canada, Brazil, the UK, Germany, and Argentina. Each of their communities seems to have a business associated with it - cafes, markets selling organic/eco-friendly goods, or a family outfitter. Here's a little blurb from the Twelve Tribes site about their communities:

We live together in households, clans, and tribes, sharing our possessions in common. We strongly support marriage, and we teach our children at home. We dress modestly, eat wholesome food, work hard, pray together, and celebrate our life in music and dance…

Click on the image above to enlarge and see the detail in the mural. You can see our other photos of murals here, and photos we've taken of graffiti here.

There are currently 144 blogs participating in the CDP Monthly Theme Day, so take a trip around the world without leaving your seat by checking out these links:
Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

More Graffiti

This caught my eye because it's a nice combination of three things I like: murals, ads faded on the side of brick buildings, and graffiti. Unfortunately, the graffiti isn't really inspiring, but what can I do?

The quote on the mural reads "Indication of harm, not proof of harm, is our call to action" and is a quote from Rachel Carson. To the left of the center you can see a sign saying "Rachel Carson was right". I had no idea who Rachel Carson was when I saw this, so I had to come home and do my research...which I will now share with you fine folks.

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Pennsylvania and studied marine biology (including a stint here in MA at Woods Hole). She wrote articles on conservation and conducted research for the government, and in her free time she took her government research and "turned it into prose", producing first articles and then books. I found this quote on the website, and I think it sums up her writings nicely: "Embedded within all of Carson's writing was the view that human beings were but one part of nature distinguished primarily by their power to alter it, in some cases irreversibly."

During WWII she started to warn about the misuse of pesticides in her writing, and called for a change in how humankind viewed the natural world. She was challenged by many - including the government and the chemical industry - but continued to speak up about issues of human health and the environment until she died after a long battle with breast cancer.

It's not surprising that you'll find a mural dedicated to an ecologist in Cambridge - Cambridge is a very eco-conscious city and frequently seems to be a step ahead of Boston in that department.

Ephelant

This mural is just outside the Chinatown Gate. It was painted by the Boston Youth Conservation Corps (BYCC), whose work I first saw along the Neponset River Greenway by my house in Dorchester. I could have sworn I had already posted pictures of those murals, but I guess not...I'll be sure to do that soon!

Ouch! It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog!

An old billboard near the USS Constitution at the end of the Freedom Trail. I don't know the story behind this one (if you do, please share!) but thought it was amusing in the ridiculous way. :)

Take me out to...Trader Joe's?

Trader Joe's in Back Bay adds some local flavor to its entrance with a mural of Fenway Park showing the Red Sox beating the Yankees.

Chalk One Up For The Arts

This afternoon folks headed over to joins Sidewalk Sam in the annual Chalk One Up For The Arts. There was a band playing music, drinks, and ice cream treats - plus you get to break away from Excel spreadsheets in your cubicle to have at a square of sidewalk in the middle of the financial district, and wrap it up by getting your photo taken with Sidewalk Sam. What more could you want for your lunch break?

First in a series...

One thing I've noticed as I take walks around Roslindale are all the murals. This is one of many that I'm sure I'll document for you all here. Unfortunately I don't really know anything about it. I can tell you that it's painted on the side of the building that houses Fornax (where you can get an out of this world sandwich for lunch), but that's about it. I'll post more in the weeks to come and I'll try to find out a bit more about who paints these and why there seem to be so many in such a small area!

"Let Us Be Your Jewish Mother"

I've spent many a Saturday morning looking at this outdoor mural while waiting for a table inside Zaftigs's Delicatessen in Coolidge Corner.