zoom in

To start the year off on a good note, I thought it would be best to do only those things I really like doing.  Early morning was spent on Pinterest. (no need to disclose how long because today anything goes)  My next indulgence was coffee at Gelateria del Leone, my favorite morning stop.  I swung by Black Bear Bakery for an expresso biscotti. Now I was fully prepared to spend a few hours cruising the neighborhoods. Pictures of doorways captured my interest for awhile. I had to remove a flyer rubber banded to this doorknob before I could take the picture.  The bright green of this one seemed so cheerful, I couldn't pass it up. And this one was so sweet and welcoming.. I just had to Zoom In. Simple square wreaths on these doors struck me as interesting, creative, and PERFECT! Doors with this much character do not need adornment. This neighborhood has no shortage of painted doors. So I walked the streets taking lots of pictures. I won't show ea...

I love the ritual of walking a few blocks for my morning coffee.  I know it would be considerably cheaper to "drink" at home but there is more to it than the coffee.  Yesterday as I headed out the door, I paused to dead head my geraniums.  As I walked up to the yard waste dumpster to drop the spent blossoms, I was startled by a pair of orphans.  They were clinging to each other and looking very forlorn after a night out in the rain.  Their hair was tangled and they sorely need a bath.  Now remember, this is before coffee so I'm not firing on all cylninders. Unlike my blog from yesterday, I did not hesitate.  I scooped one under each arm and hauled them back to my studio.  You cannot tell by this picture but the paint is peeling and it's obvious they were a deep red at one time.  The wheels are in motion on what to do with this find.  They will reappear in a later post.  Let me know if you recognize them.

Trolling the alleys is one of my favorite past times.  It's not the 95 % of the time spent looking at soggy mattresses and stained, broken down couches or discarded plastic kids toys that makes it fun.  It's not really the 4% of time spent trying to decide if something is worth hauling home in the hopes that it can be transformed or in some way salvaged for service or beauty again.  It is all for that l% of time spent, that time when, as if by magic, there for the taking is a piece of furniture or a remnant of architecture, or a piece of wood or metal that speaks to me.  It begs me to take it home and give it another chance.  There are those things that ask and I can't refuse.  I was not always so selective.  I used to want to rescue everything that had an ounce of hope left.  But I ran out of room and those "saved" items became a burden.  They sat there wondering when I was going to give them some attention.  So now I'm willing to leave...