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.