Trip #136 Marvista Street, California-Kirkbride, Pittsburgh took place on May 5, 2018, and was published on May 21, 2018.
The birds are singing and it sounds like a chorus of a hundred voices. Some songs are the same, some different, with each one delivered in that bird’s unique style, independently or in concert with another. There is birdsong from branches, from rooftops and railings, telephone wires and fenceposts. Gentle peeps come from the little brown and white ones pecking around in the grass and gravel. And then, a great silence descends. In an instant, all the feathered friends take flight. Surprised by this sudden change, I swivel around trying to identify the reason – it’s none other than the neighborhood cat, assertively sauntering down the center of Marvista, with tail and ears on high alert.
Field Notes: The flight, at the California Avenue end of Marvista, has several occupied homes at the start, but then as the flight continues, the homes are no longer standing (such as the section shown here).
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
