Dear PoPville,

So these wooden poles extend from an old vent on our roof in Columbia Heights/Petworth, and on our neighbors’ as well. But I don’t see them on the block north of ours. Any idea what’s up? Perhaps they’re just to block old, unused vents… but why the long poles then?

Photo by PoPville twitter follower @RobinMJohnson

Robin writes:

“Any idea what in the world this Kalorama garage mural is about?”

I’m imagining it could be the set up for an elaborate drinking game…

Be careful if you’re on a metal bike because there is a large magnet ahead?

I’m not sure if the photos do it justice, but this antenna from an otherwise normal looking Brookland house is absolutely enormous. Is it used for regular television reception?

Why in the Helen of Troy are there always so many bikes locked up outside the residential block of the 1400 block of N St, NW?

Dear PoPville,

Just walking by this building today and again wondered what the hell is it? It’s at the intersection of 21st and New Hampshire with Ward Place off to the side, next to the Grillfish restaurant. It looks like an apt building, but on closer inspection, the front doors are practically boarded up, with no door knobs. There is no name or address on the building, yet all the windows have matching curtains and there were lights on in what appeared to be a stairwell. Is this another of DC’s “mystery” buildings?

It almost looks like the top of a light house. But it’s on top of a building in Dupont. Is it kinda like a skylight? Anyone know what it is or what it’s purpose once was?

A reader simply asks: “What is this?”

The question of this great garden comes up every year or so. Fortunately in Oct. ’09 The Post’s Answerman dug up the full story. In part:

“Burnap’s 16th Street garden featured an open lawn bordered with shrubbery. A high wall faced Florida Avenue and turned the corner at 16th before stepping down to a low wall and ornamental iron fence. At the rear of the property, four Doric columns held up a hanging garden. Most striking was the intricate latticework that covered most of the interior walls.”

The garden eventually came to be called the Henderson Manor Garden, named after the castlelike mansion on the other side of Florida Avenue. By 1938, 2108 16th St. NW had been closed for a few seasons, although fetes were still held in its garden.

All that remains of his garden are four crumbling columns. Why were they left untouched? That wall might be attached to the rowhouse at 1618 Florida Ave., making it more trouble than it’s worth to remove.

Read the full story here.

It’s easy to walk by without having any idea this cool history exists:

I can’t remember if I’ve asked about this before but anyone I can’t remember the answer if I did. Anyone know what this is? It’s from outside the park at the corner of 11th and F St, NE.

I’m not trying to be insensitive but I just don’t get this ride (and vanity plate). But if anyone does want to be insensitive I bet this would make for a pretty good caption contest…

“Dear PoPville,

Saw this today at the little triangle/pocket park between NY Ave. NW, 1st NW, and M st. NW.
Looks like some sort of MPD star wars police droid. It was moving it’s “eye” around, looking at things.
No police were present, just the empty cruiser and truck.
Weird…..”

“Dear PoP,

This is construction site at NOMA West, Eckington place. Do you or your readers know what is going on. What is the structure?”

I once asked the same exact question (which of course I can’t find) on a new construction. I’m 99% sure that this will be the elevator shaft? Can anyone confirm?

A reader send this one from the south end of Grant Circle.

Perhaps the more appropriate question – who in the Helen of Troy is this?

Photo by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

“Dear PoPville,

I keep seeing dead birds on the street. Not chickens or roosters, but regular birds. I live on Ogden and I see the dead birds on Center, Oak, and Hertford while I’m walking my dog. I keep wondering, is somebody with a bb gun shooting birds? Do they eat rat poison and fall out of the sky dead? Victims of low rainfall and high heat?”

Anyone else noticing an increase in dead birds around town? Any guesses as to the cause?

“Dear PoPville,

I woke up this morning to see what’s in the attached pictures. It looks like sawdust around the base of the tree and also some just inside the retaining wall of my front yard.

Do you think any of your readers may have an idea of what’s going on?”

Uh – oh, termites? Renegade mulcher? Anyone know for sure?