Aging Beauty

I was in Fairhaven just after 8 a.m. today on an errand, so I took advantage of being out and about earlier than usual t to photograph this charming round window, which I've loved ever since I first saw it.

It graces an intriguingly narrow building -- perhaps just a stairwell -- between two larger buildings, as seen here, in the same block as Village Books.

Village Books used to be in the 1891 Knights of Pythias building, now occupied by Pacific Chef and the Colophon Cafe, before moving to its new, larger building at the far right of the photo in the link above. Here's some very interesting information about the Knights of Pythias and other fraternal societies in Fairhaven, including one called Rathbone Sisters and another named Royal Neighbors of America.

Despite my fear of heights, I'd almost be willing to get up on a ladder to gain a closer look at the marvelous details on these old buildings! For now, thanks to a moderate zoom lens and cropping, I'll settle for this close-up of that round window, with its intriguing human faces in the upper corners and what looks like a wild boar on the lower left and a raptor on the lower right.

(One more link, this time to a local food treat from Avenue Bread -- I took it home to share with Phil, of course! And yes, it was just as delicious as you're imagining.)