Adversity has its own beauty . . .

On today's walk I concentrated on images of often neglected stars. On a small stretch of the walk along the Charles there are several trees that have been damaged, maybe struck by lightning or some terrible calamity in the world of trees, and yet they continue—despite contortions and crippled trunks— to flower and renew themselves each year. Also, you'll see in the abandoned, windblown, sun-bleached scrap of paper I saw on the Mass Ave bridge the subtlest of colors and tones from which one could easily build an exquisite palette of colors for a home or office.

Spring Steps out of the closet

Spring flowers come in many forms. These shoes sparkled as much as the blossoms I saw along the Charles River or the brilliant koi, just days out of hybernation, that I saw recently in a man-made pond in Hyannis Country Gardens.

Wonders from the Walk

I headed out from Coolidge Corner just after the rain stopped and made my way to Boylston Street and Mass Ave. Here are some of the images (still don't know how to add captions)
1. Waterlogged tulips

2. Luscious Green moss. Now that color would spice up any room!

3. Silent neighbors. Walking helps you become polite again so that you can salute them as you pass by.

4. A blossom canopy only Mother Nature could have designed.

5. A petal snow storm without the chill.

Raining again . . .

Raining again. . .
Oh well, umbrellas are pretty, too.
Here's one a friend gave me the same day another friend gave me fresh flowers. They were obviously on the same wave length that day. When I carry that umbrella it definitely
brings a touch of sunshine into my mood.

Another aspect of the "free art" subject is appreciation of fine detail. The more I walk, the more I see. Just feast on the details of this architectural trim on a Boylston Street
building. It has it all. Egg and dart (some say that's the symbol for life and death) and just look at the dental detail....I saw the same details in Pompeii. I'm still struggling with how to put captions on these images so be patient.
The picture with less detail is from the ruins in Pompeii, the more elaborate one is from the Boylston St. building.

Free Art in the City

I know, I know. I said I'd be back every day with a post but I got so overwhelmed taking pictures of what I saw on my walks that it's hard to choose. I don't want to swamp you with images and yet . . . with everything blossoming and with the camera sighing to be used over and over again I've got more images in just a few days than I can handle.
In these sluggish economic times, there's still no shortage of food for the eyes and the spirit. I'll be posting just a few of those items. Slowing down, walking, looking for images to share has put me into a whole other place. It's like this faceless cyber-audience is a new friend with whom I want to share all my impressions and joy as I take that second look at the familiar—seeing things through the lens of my little digital friend as though for the first time. If you're feeling overwhelmed by life right now, put on your walking shoes and get out the door.

Recycle what you have . . . or what you find

In these stressful times when both money and the courage to spend what little you’ve got are scarce, consider the option of lifting your spirits with a “home lift.” Maybe your place looks tired. Maybe you’ve ignored those clutter corners far too long, or maybe you’re tired of using that chair with the back that feels as though it’s going to come over your shoulder and bite you. You’ve given up buying custom made drapes or reupholstering Aunt Hazel’s chair, but there’s still plenty you can do. Recycle! Renew! The picture with this post is of a very useful ottoman/footstool/table that I found in shreds on the street on trash day and re-upholstered a few days later. In my small urban 390 square ft. condo, this little guy serves multiple functions from impromptu seating to a low slung tray table. "Re-view" means looking at what you've got with new eyes in order to discover the treasures right under your nose.

Back in the saddle again . . .

I can't believe it's taken me this long to get back onto my Bluesteindesign blog page. One harsh mentor once said, "There are either results or excuses!" so I won't give my long list here and now. You can catch up with some other blog writing I've been doing on the following urls:
www.juiceboxartists.com
www.juiceboxartists.com/bluesmamma
www.bluesteindesign.com
but that's enough. I'm back now and I'll be posting some of the inspiring sights I capture each day on my walks. This image is a detail I found on the side of a building on Dartmouth St. Check out that gorgeous detail and the way the light and shadows play on the low relief sculpture.