Brickwork

The contrast between the very old brickwork

and the much newer brickwork

is striking in itself.

Then the lines and shadows from

pre-existing windows

add interest.

These bricked-in windows

are from a re-purposed corner

of this building:

Check out the painted wood molding

across the top!

Taken 2 August 2010,

Tampa, Florida.

Really Gone

I don't know

if anyone else

remembers the days

when "GONE" was

synonymous

with "COOL"?

There was also

"BOSS"

"CRAZY"

and

"NEAT-O"

Well.

That's not what I mean by "gone"

in this post.

I took this pic

a while back;

didn't post it

cuz I wasn't

all that happy

with it.

But when I drove by this place the other day -

GONE!

The structure in the photo

is no longer there.

So.

For posterity's sake:

Taken 24 August 2010.

MorocColorado

This blonde brick building

is in downtown Colorado Springs.

I couldn't resist

the slightly Moroccan accents,

although it was tough to get a good angle.

If you zoom in,

you can catch some of the tile work

above the balcony.

The arched windows

on the top floor are intriguing...

...wonder what it looks like from the inside?

Taken 18 July 2010.

Cherry's #13

[[Rule of Silence]]

Taken on 27 September 2009.

Grass Shadows

Who knew?

Blades of grass

and tiny pebbles

could cast such

striking shadows?

The grass

and its shadow(s)

look like calligraphy

or some kind of

stylized writing.

Taken 13 May 2011.

Bottom's Up!

A study in

light and shadow,

lines and shapes.

The central oddity

is a view of

a windchime from underneath,

looking upward.

Then there is the night sky,

and the eaves of the house

lit only by the light

of the fixture

outside the back door.

Movement in the center

of the photo

from the breeze

playing with the wind-catcher

dangling below the chimes.

Taken 1 October 2010.

Red, Black, Gold, and Live Jazz

This stunning joint

in Georgetown, DC,

really caught my attention.

The striking red-painted brick,

with the stark black trim

and big black block letters,

that door - black with gilt details

surrounded by a massive gold frame,

and dandy windows

gently announcing

"Live Jazz"

with fun saxophone and eighth note graphics

(noticeably weathered when you look closer)

and

you'd almost miss the lady

sternly studying the parking payment kiosk -

she's practically camouflaged.

Then this

eye-popping edifice

is framed by calm, taller white

guardian angels

and

crowned with a

counterpoint swath

of blue sky.

What's not to love?

Taken 19 November 2010.

Street Art #14: Monterey, CA

Bronze fresco

in a stone pillar

at the entrance to

Del Monte Center

in Monterey, CA.

Taken 1 October 2010.

Purple Carpet

Every year

the iceplant along the shore

in Pacific Grove

blooms like this.

It is incredible,

and it always

leaves me

speechless.

To be honest

I wasn't going to take this picture

but I had pulled into a parking area

to turn around

and I had to stop and wait

for another car to move,

so I grabbed my camera

and quick shot this

out the window

from my driver's seat!

Here's a more

distant pic

from Lover's Point

looking back

toward Oceanview Drive.

I was out of my car

and standing

on the rock outcropping

for this one.

(Don't forget to zoom in!)

Taken TODAY!

13 May 2011

Retaining Wall

Cut stone,

tiered stacks,

holding back the hill.

Converging lines.

Texture.

Earth-tones.

Taken 19 March 2011.

Henry's Soul Cafe

A little free advertising

for Henry's Soul Cafe

in Washington, DC.

The food was fabulous!

The proprietors wonderful.

AND the price was right, too!

The building itself is a delightful

study in brick and paint,

windows and a/c units,

iron grates and neon.

Dig those glass bricks around the entryway.

And I could sure go for

a nice big piece of

that sweet potato pie right now!!!!

The fella coming in the door

with his bicycle

is their delivery man.

Taken on 18 November 2010.

Chair #3: Ybor City

This invitation to repose

was stationed outside the back entrance

of a local eatery

in Ybor City,

Tampa, Florida.

I got the feeling the chair wanted to say something like,

"What are YOU lookin' at?"

Taken 2 August 2010.

Future Quilt

This is another "looking up" shot.

No flash.

Unretouched.

Standing in the middle of

the sanctuary of a local church

looking directly up into

the cupola.

This design really

looks like it

would make a beautiful quilt.

Taken 19 March 2011.