Going With The Flow

Sometimes the most ordinary objects

suddenly take on a mysterious

artistic flair.

Or not...

At the time,

and still now as I look at this photo,

it is brimming with interest:

lines, light, shadow, reflection, shapes, textures.

It attracts and sustains attention.

Taken 15 October 2010, Garden Grove, California.

Holiday Atmosphere in Georgetown

A tiny glimpse

at the beautiful

but elegantly understated

holiday touches

bestowed upon

the already classic

style and ambience

of

The Shops at Georgetown Park.

Taken 19 November 2010.

Light Sticks

I guess it is pretty obvious what this is a photo of when you look closely,

but at first the patterns of light and shadow fool the eye.

These are light fixtures in the ceiling of the Anaheim Convention Center.

Besides the larger collection of fluorescents,

there are also several smaller recessed "can" lights in the photo.

Taken 13 October 2010.

Street Art #18: Fort Ord

Not sure

why all that is left

is what appears to be

the background

of some kind of

unit emblem.

Someone started to restore it

and changed their mind?

This is one of dozens of abandoned buildings

at the former Fort Ord.

Taken 8 October 2010.

Geometric Wood Inlay Tabletop

Tabletop

at a hotel

in

Surprise, AZ.

3D effect is cool;

the hourglass-waistline imagery

is a subtle reminder to watch what you eat;

and the circles show you where to put your plates!

Taken 27 March 2011.

Georgetown Canal and Towpath

Conjunction of old and new;

Stone walls, bridge, canal, towpath, lampposts;

cars, lights, pedestrian texting...

Georgetown,

Washington, DC

Taken 19 November 2010.

Fabric Pattern #10

Upholstery on a chair

in a (minimally lit) hotel lobby

in Washington, DC.

Reminds me of the

flower doodles that

used to adorn every

notebook and binder

at my high school...

...

...

forty-plus

years ago.

Taken 15 November 2010.

Country Church in the City

Picturesque stone church

nestled amongst autumn foliage

in the heart of the city - 

Georgetown -

Washington, DC.

Taken 19 November 2010.

Spiny Succulent

Beautiful yet threatening

and

a natural optical illusion.

Taken in Sierra Vista, AZ, 7 February 2011.

Cherry's #16

Taken 27 September 2009,

Cherry's Jubilee, Laguna Seca, California

Pines in the fog

Pine branches

silhouetted

against a foggy grey morning sky.

Color photo.

Taken 1 October 2010.

Water Wheel Sky

Water wheel and tank

set against a blue, blue sky

at Casa de Fruta.

Taken 28 August 2011.

Shadow Limbs

Tree limb shadows

on a plain white stucco wall,

creates a marble-like pattern.

Taken 7 January 2011.

Blue Wall #2

Besides the wonderful effects of the peeling paint,

and the lines of the boards themselves,

and the little triangles created by the eaves in the upper left,

my favorite thing is the shadow of the overhead power line...

Taken 7 October 2011.

Gasper's Jewelers

Overcast skies and barren trees

lent a certain dark quality

to this shot,

but some of the lurking details

are captivating:

holiday wreath around the lamppost,

architectural specifics like

terra-cotta, rooflines, balconies, alcoves, medallions;

my favorite surprising detail -

bird in flight

above the building.

Taken 31 December 2010.

Thanking the Academy

Last Sunday evening

I happened to be in Hollywood!

This pic is about as close to the Academy Awards action as I managed to get.

I wasn't in town for that event,

just a 'happy co-inky-dink.'

Anyway, gotta love Mel's neon signage!

And the pic below of the entrance to

a City Building just across the street from Mel's.

And...

this pic of a church whose name I neglected to discover,

and a lighthouse at "Crossroads Inn" (I think),

a couple of blocks from Mel's Diner.

Fun evening,

even though I didn't spot any celebrities.

Taken 26 February 2012.

Drains to the Bay

The beach at

Lover's Point,

Pacific Grove, CA.

Taken 27 December 2010.

Corner Store, DC

I found no clear evidence

of the age of this building,

but I was struck by the details -

multi-colored ceramic tile faux roof,

the 'tower' effect with molded concrete medallion,

the verdigris patina of the rain gutters,

the 'checkerboard' brick -

despite the modern windows

and the garish signage,

this building nevertheless says,

"Distinguished Elder Statesman."

Taken in Washington, DC,

18 November 2010.

Chair #6

A bevy of inviting chaises longues

on the lanai

at a beachside hotel in Tampa.

Taken 2 August 2010.

Canal and Towpath

Chesapeake & Ohio

Canal and Towpath

in Georgetown, DC.

Two people walking on the path

help provide some sense of scale.

This is near the southeastern terminus

of an unusual National Historic Park.

Go HERE and HERE to read more about it!

Photo taken 19 November 2010.

Piglet Goes Postal

A somewhat disheveled Piglet

has become the cheerful guardian

of this mailbox.

It either makes the mail carrier

smile everyday,

or

it scares 'em silly.

Taken 7 October 2011.

Public Library, Washington, DC

The Public Library

Washington, DC.

Built between 1899-1902.

Paid for by Andrew Carnegie.

Gorgeous architectural details.

And this, um, interesting sculpture out front...

beautiful and striking from an artistic standpoint,

fiercely evocative.

The chief relationship I can discern

to the bastion of learning

upon whose lawn it stands

is:

"I have a question."

Wonder and curiosity.

Asking questions is how we learn.

Wouldn't you agree?

Taken 18 November 2010.

Windless

A windless morning

at the Anaheim Convention Center

leaves the USA flag

and the California state flag

drooping

in the midst of

a pleasant field

of lines and patterns...

and

palm trees!!

Taken 13 October 2010.

Street art #17: Georgetown

Unknown artist.

Unknown subject.

Possibly a self-portrait?

Whoever it is was commemorated

on this old bridge in Georgetown,

at least for a while.

Taken 19 November 2010.