Don't Start on the Jelly Beans

A rather . . um . . . ugly Easter bunny at the local burger joint. I'm pretty ugly myself after eating all the Rolo candies that were supposed to go in my sons' Easter baskets. Please, don't let me get started on the jelly beans.

Things we see

Today I decided to take a photo

of a woman taking a photo

of a dog dressed in sports gear

with a sock monkey.

Yup.

(And yes, this is the SECOND photo I've taken of a dog in sunglasses)

Muffler Man

This guy stands proudly in front of a muffler shop greeting customers; I think he has a brother who works for a donut shop.

Rescued Books

I could sit and thumb through old books all day long. This is a page from one of the dozens of books that I rescued from a trash bin outside a school library. So sad I couldn't rescue them all.

Break through

The sidewalk didn't have a chance against this determined tree.

Car Fire

When I was walking toward the school to teach yesterday morning,

I followed a fleet of fire trucks that were screaming down the street

And in a grocery store parking lot

(almost directly across the street from the school)

giant plumes of smoke filled the sky

A car had caught on fire.

It was so smoky that I just pointed my camera and snapped,

unsure of what (or anything!) would be in the frame.

This shot came out.

Just as they fire had been put out.

An exciting start to the day.

Barrio Chicken

Came across this chicken or rather rooster walking casually down a local neighborhood street. He didn't seem to mind having his photo taken.

This Song Has No Title

This picture is from a visit to the L.A. County Fair - two years ago. It cracks me up every time I see it, but it has absolutely nothing to do with what I stopped and noticed today; what I've been noticing for the last few days.

My problem with capturing a new photo for today's blog is that, while I have been stopping and noticing, what I've been noticing hasn't been visual. I am usually a very visual person. I only learn when I can see something. When I meet new people I look closely at their face and see the letters of their name in my mind. So I've been a little surprised by myself the last few days. What have I been noticing?

-Do the birds always sing like that? Or is just because it's spring?
-Why is my breathing so shallow? See how much better it feels when I fill my lungs full of air?
-Hey, I can feel my upper back muscles when I stand up straight and push my shoulders back.

These are just a tiny few of the things I've been stopping and noticing lately. I'm afraid, as I'm writing this, that it sounds rather mundane. But honestly, these last few days, my senses seem to be on overdrive and when I'm taking the time to notice everything that I hear, touch, smell, taste, it can be a bit overwhelming.

And just when I start feel like I can't possibly stand the sensation of noticing one more thing, when I feel like I'm on double overload, that's when I notice one more thing. I notice how happy I am.

And the picture of the horse's butt? Well, that makes me happy too.

Straw Hat

Fish Tacos

Waiting for Fish Tacos in Lincoln Heights

Obligation/privledge

Reporting to serve....not as dreadful as many claim.

Progress?

A while ago, I posted a photo of a childhood picnic spot of mine; well, in the name of "progress" my little white wooden "picnic" rail has been removed and replaced with this heavy steel industrial guard rail. It saddened my heart a little yet I was reminded that I had taken the photo of my old rail and will have that to always remember it by and if not for this blog project, I might not have ever taken a photo of it and might have taken for granted that it would always be there and then have it gone and it be too late to do anything about it but now because I took notice, it sort of always will be there;at least in spirit and in my heart.

Chandeliers at the Train Station

I took D. to Union Station today, in downtown Los Angeles, to catch the red line subway to a friend's house. I walked inside with him so I could show him where to get his ticket, where to catch the train.

I've been in Union Station a million times, but I always forget . . . everything there is amazing, from the door handles, to the floor tiles, to the clocks on the walls. We came in the front entrance, and it struck me again. I stopped and made him sit in one of those huge wood and leather seats in the waiting area. He wasn't sure what I was getting at, but he obliged. He's used to his mom's strange and unusual requests. Then we leaned back and I told him to look up. 

"You will never, ever, see something like this built in Los Angeles again," I told him. I think he believed me.

 

A "snowdrift" of flower petals

I was shocked to see snow on the ground here in NYC today.

I was happy to see I was wrong:

It wasn't snow--

It was a "snowdrift" of flower petals--blossoms from a nearby tree

Blowing around just like snow on the sidewalks.

Beautiful.

Irony

This morning, this photo was taken because these palms stood out against the clear sky and then this evening I realized it was Palm Sunday so I thought that it was rather ironic.

Northeast L.A. and the Hollywood Sign

Can you see it? There, at the top of that furthest hill, near the center of the photo, way out on the horizon. Just a bit above the telephone pole. Maybe you can zoom in. Now, look really, really closely and you'll see it.

It's the Hollywood sign.

All my life I've lived just a few miles from Hollywood, and in my whole life I've been to Hollywood maybe three times. Hollywood has had such a huge impact on not just my native Los Angeles, but the whole world. As for me, I mostly just forget it exists - it remains a tiny speck in the distance.

But if I'm really honest, I have to admit that even that tiny speck of white letters on hill can still give me a little thrill when I catch a glimpse of it.

Red Peppers on sale at the local grocery store today.

Johnie and Bob

This is Johnie; for over 40 years he stood prominently atop "Johnie's Broiler" a restaurant located in Downey, California. Johnie's had been featured in several movies and TV shows because of it's authentic 50's style; sadly, in 2007, Johnie's Broiler was illegally demolished, however, Johnie himself refused to go and has remained and although he now stands at the back of the parking lot of the newly built Bob's Big Boy, he has no hard feelings; that's just the kind of cool cat Johnie is.

Bones Everywhere I Go

I'm not sure why, but it seems like everywhere I go I find small bones with teeth. I don't even have to be wandering in the vacant hills. Sometimes, I'm just walking down my street, I look down, and I find them in the corner of someone's front yard, near the driveway. A little freaky, to say the least. But I'm not complaining.

Refrigerator Collage

Massive wall of canned goods

this always causes me to stop and stare

(an outdoor wall at a latino grocery store in washington heights, nyc)

Poppies

Theses poppies are adding to the spring joy in my yard.

Spiked Wheels

What the?! This is a tow truck.  What do they do? Go around popping tires to drum up some towing business?

Greetings

As I descend from the freeway off ramp, from my morning commute, I am, on most mornings, greeted by the sun on the horizon....makes pulling in the parking lot a little easier.

Scary Statue

I was walking in Queens today

when I came upon this stone statue

(actually, there were 2 of them--one on each "pillar" at the house)

AND IT TOTALLY FREAKED ME OUT.

It made me wonder if the owners liked the image

Or if it was some kind of a memorial

A boy-angel and his puppy...

The Judge-a-Mood Meter

I can pretty accurately judge my mood just by looking at this small bookcase in my bedroom.

A.) Lousy Mood:  Does it look like a pile of dusty crap that should have been thrown out long ago?
Or
B.) Good Mood:  Does is look like a glorious pile of memories and inspiration?

Guard Rail

After living on the same street for over 45 years, the city thought it now necessary for some reason to put up this guard rail; in all that time, I have never known of a car to go over the cliff; the only incident I remember was back in the 60's or early 70's when one of the neighbor kids who was walking along the edge fell and broke his leg but other than that it's been incident free. I wonder how long it will take before graffiti art covers it.

Roadwork Still Life

This scene/moment in time

reminded me of a time I was in Jeanie's classroom at Otis

A tableau of shapes, angles, curves, colors, textures.

Millard Sheets Library

This, of course, is a library, which, or course, makes me happy. But this library is filled with books about art. Art, art, art. Rows upon rows, stacks upon stacks of books all about art. This library, of course, makes me swoon.

What If...

I jumped on the Mega band wagon; I know the odds are crazy but half the fun of it is playing the "what if" game - What Would You Do?

Bountiful baskets

Today I walked by a supermarket in Washington Heights

and their outdoor display of nature's bounty was beautiful.

I got hungry looking at the baskets and all of the produce spilling out of 'em.

Vibrant colors, smells, textures.

Absent-minded

It wasn't until 6:21 am this morning when I went to get my purse to leave for work and noticed the strap to my camera hanging out of the side pocket did I realize that I had completely forgot to post my daily contribution to the blog; ugh! Well, this was a learning experience for me on how this simple blog has had an effect upon my life. Through this blog process, I have already become more observant well I shouldn't say more, I should say have become observant because really I have been told that I am not an observant person; I tend to be focused more on thoughts on the "what's next" then my own surroundings but through this blog, I have learned to stop and notice the here and now. And...through this as well, I have learned to forgive myself. So, instead of berating myself about how forgetful I am, I forgave myself and made a choice to accept that these things happen and it's ok; I look back at yesterday and think after working 10 hours in front of a computer screen, driving home in freeway traffic, cooking dinner for my family, bathing my 22 month old grandson and washing the dirty dinner dishes that I was in the "now" and that forgetting to post will happen maybe from time to time and that it is ok; so I move forward guilt free.

Street Chess at Union Square

These street chess games have always fascinated me.

One person sets up the game and then waits for someone to join them.

Maybe someone they've met before. Maybe a complete stranger.

United by their love of the game.

Cool.

Angel in the Fence

I've always known that I'm not the only one who visits the Trash Heap. But I figured it was mostly just kids, kicking things around, spilling out the contents of paint cans, breaking glass and mirrors. But today I was surprised to find that someone else sees this stuff as special.

When I first saw this cement head, it was in the dirt, amongst the broken bricks and scraps of wood. I wanted it, but decided to leave it be.

 Now I'm so glad I left it.  It has taken its place - an angel watching over my Trash Heap.

Hawaiian-style Pineapple Bread

'onolicious.

broke 'da mouth kine good.

true story.

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

I have boxes and boxes of old and broken jewelry. Last November, I met a nice woman who made new pieces out of old. I offered her a look-see through my boxes, to take whatever she thought she could use, and she agreed to make me something from my favorite broken brooch. I love the necklace she made for me, but the problem is that I've fallen out of the habit of wearing any jewelry at all. I was afraid that I would put down this nice piece and then forget about it, never remembering to put it on. So I hung it from my bedside lamp. I thought that it would be easy to spot, and easy to remove from the lamp and place around my neck. But then I noticed how great the lamp wore it, and I added the bow tie. I do notice it. It makes me smile every day. I smile remembering the new friend who made it for me, and smile seeing how happy my lamp looks wearing it.

Bird on a wire

Enjoying the dry weather before the storm.

No More Cold Noses

When the weather is cold I often mention (ok, I complain to anyone within earshot) that my nose gets cold. But I mean really cold. So cold that it gives me a headache. Everyone thinks it's pretty funny and many people have offered ideas. The most popular idea was sticking a hard boiled egg on my nose, yolk removed. I've considered trying the egg idea; I'm that miserable when my nose is freezing.

Now, there are many reasons why I think my sister is super. And today she made me think so again. Today she gave me a present:

My sister knitted a nose warmer for me!

Garden Godzilla

This guy happily posed while taking a sun bath on our stairs; actually, it just might be a female since this larger lizard kept trying to impress her by doing push ups on the stair and then would get real close and try to get frisky or so it seemed but she wasn't about to be bothered during her sun bathing except to pose for her close-up. 

typewriter #1

Garden Blooms

First signs of spring; oh, how happy these make me.

3 very different men standing on a corner in NYC's Greenwich Village

Seriously.

This is a REAL photo taken this afternoon of

3 very different men

(although maybe they're actually quite similar)

standing on street corner in NYC's Greenwich Village.

It's like

the Village People for the new millennium.

The Jolly Jug

I love old signs.

But this one makes me a little crazy. Besides being weather-beaten, broken and faded, nothing in it matches. Nothing makes sense.

Who is that goofy guy in the green bow tie with yellow polka dots. Is he Jolly Jug? And why is he wearing a crown? Because of the "honored sandwiches?" But a crown makes him majestic, not honored. Maybe he should have a gavel, like a judge (Your Honor Jolly Jug, sir).  My son says I over-think these things. Hmmm . . . perhaps he is right this time. But for sure, no over-thinking about it, this sign does not make me yearn for sandwiches from the Jolly Jug. Ugh.

But on the other hand, just imagine how fabulous this sign could be if someone restored it. Suddenly, all the inconsistencies would just make it that much more charming.

A Perfect Place

I had grand plans to go to the museum today. But instead these cool-looking cement blocks called out to me. So I spent the day in the yard with grand plans of trying to find the perfect place them. Never did find the perfect spot, but I did pull a million weeds, plant some sunflowers, rake up some leaves, trim some chili pepper plants, and generally enjoy a sunny day.

Emergency Precautions

Comforting to know that it's here at work just in case...

Superette in Washington Heights

Freeway clown

The end of the 710 freeway brings all sorts of "solicitors"; Orange vendors, peanut peddlers, flower sellers, homeless vets, real estate agents (yes, I've been handed a business card from a real estate agent) but today was my first freeway clown; did a little juggle for me; asked how his photo came out and was happy for my monetary thank you. Who knew the freeway could be so entertaining.

Just A Goofy Lemon

Just a goofy-looking lemon

Flavor of the month

I visited a coffee shop in Queens today.

The flavor of the month is Raspberry Mocha.

I prefer plain, unflavored coffee.

Straight up--no sugar, no milk.

Strong enough to rip the enamel off of my teeth.

True story.