• architecture,  spirituality

    With my latte, again.

    August 5, 2014
    My Bedroom and Rocker
    My Bedroom and Rocker

    After 21 months of having a daughter and two teenage grandchildren living with me, I now have my condo back. I have a small one bedroom one bath condo and adding three more people it became much smaller. My daughter and granddaughter slept in my bedroom and my grandson and I used bunk beds in my living room. It was nice to sleep in my own bed in my own bedroom. They really did not bring that much stuff but when all of it is this little condo it seemed like so much more.

    So, now we all have moved on to anther phase of life. These months were a stress on all of us. We learned a lot about each other. Some issues we dealt with and some we didn’t. This time allowed me to discover a few things about myself and them that I did not about before. It’s a change not having them here but pretty sure I  will adjust in couple of hours. I’ve already noticed it’s quieter and peaceful. I no longer find dirty dishes in the sink or shoes laying around on the floor or curling iron sitting on the bathroom counter or someone in the bathroom.

    I missed that bedroom. I was not aware of how much of a sanctuary it was and how much time I spent there. It’s a simple bedroom: a full size bed, a dresser, a small desk and a wicker rocker. I now having quiet mornings, and evenings, in that rocker with my latte, again.

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  • architecture,  Church

    A Way to Escape

    May 18, 2014

    Incoming Light
    Incoming Light

    “It was a strange feeling going into a church I did not know for a service that I did not really believe in, but once inside I couldn’t help a feeling of warmth and security. Outside there were wars and road accidents and murders, striptease clubs and battered babies and frayed tempers and unhappy marriages and people contemplating suicide and bad jokes, but once in St. Martin’s there was peace. Surely people go to church not to involve themselves in the world’s problems but to escape from them.” ― Michael Palin,

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  • architecture

    Looking Up

    April 25, 2014

    Looking Up
    Looking Up

    “At the heart of all photography is an urge to express our deepest personal feelings – to reveal our inner, hidden selves, to unlock the artist. Those of us who become photographers are never satisfied with just looking at someone else’s expression of something that is dear to us. We must produce our own images, instead of buying postcards and photo books. We seek to make our own statements of individuality.” – Galen Rowell

     

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  • architecture,  Art/Design

    Patterns

    April 16, 2014

    Pergola on my parents patio
    Pergola on my parents patio

    “You don’t become enormously successful without encountering and overcoming a number of extremely challenging problems.” Mark Victor Hanson

    I’ve had a few of challenging problems in my life and I assume you have also. Reflecting back I see where some of those challenges were not really challenges at all, some were created by me and some were both. I learned from some of those challenges while some I repeated (more than twice). While working as an engineer, I found it exciting to encounter challenges. Those challenges helped keep my interested in that career, at least for a few years.

    As we age many will face the challenge of health problems. Knees will pop and crack, backs will hurt more, arthritis will be more persistent, naps will play a more important role, our metabolism slows down and more. And, I imagine, keeping up with technology will require calling the (great) grandkids. As you know I just made a trip to visit my parents and I see the challenges my parents are facing and notice them occurring in my own life.

    Photography, also offers us challenges. Learning the capabilities of our gear, dealing with weather and lighting conditions. If making money with our passion is required then we may have challenges with learning how to work as a business, marketing, finances.

    Anyway, while relaxing on my parents back patio I noticed the patterns and colors of their pergola and the blue sky. And, since I had my camera I took one shot. To me this is an example where images do come to us. This image was given to me rather my efforts  to capture or take an image. We just have to be there.

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