Dont you just love street furniture? You can do rubbings of these kind of things too.

Oh, I love these! I've always been interested in the "art" of utilitarian objects!! Hope you're having a great day!

Beautifully made. Ours in Tunbridge Wells are not as well crafted.

Modern variations on the theme. Great find, Marja-Leena. They look only a bit damp - is it clearing up out there?

Effective photos. I especialy like the texture of the detritus they've collected and the surrounding pavement.

Lucy, you call these 'street furniture'? Yes, I thought of rubbings except that I'd be afraid of being run over.

Joan, glad you like them. I've long admired these and finally took these photos. Thanks, my day was good, though we went to a funeral, but it was good to see old friends.

Joe, did you know that Vancouver has had some art competitions for manhole cover designs? I don't think these are such though.

Leslee, thanks. It was dry yesterday when I took these, but it was sleeting and raining this morning, with just a little sunshine in the afternoon to show off the gorgeous snow covered mountains. Sunny weather in the forecast for the next few days - yea!

Dave, yes, I like the variety and contrast in textures and materials too!

Great grates and grids!

Lori, hah, wish I'd thought of that! Thanks for dropping by.

These are grate (sorry). I call them street furniture, too, along with bollards, traffic lights, rubbish bins ...

Mr Zip, thanks grately! Calling these street furniture still sounds odd to me.

Furniture in this sense just means "accessories", like the handle and lock on a door are door furniture.

Mr Zip, thanks for the British English lesson, heh. I've come across other English words with interesting local variations in meanings, like the time a a New Zealand friend said she'd bring the 'pudding' for dinner at our place. It turned out to be a pie.