Saturday, December 31, 2011

Flourishing Ruffles


The snow from Tuesday's flurries melted quickly with the warmer temperatures. However, the sun remains cloaked in winter clouds
and the days have been dreary. Today, my walk around Speedway resulted in few pictures; the creek running through the Coke Field is as dark as 
cold lead, reflecting very little of the gray sky above.
Even wildlife was scarce. Birds had eaten most of the red berries
and their nests are abandoned. Milkweed was sodden.
The only flash of color came from a startled blue jay
as it burst from the brush edging the creek.


There was, however, this fungi spreading and flourishing 
out of a tree trunk in a nearby front yard. It's beauty
was surprising, reminding me of lace on a flamenco dancer's dress
as it fanned out along the base of the tree. 

Friday, December 30, 2011

Planning Dreams


One clear evening, I went to the west end of my neighborhood, 
to a place where I could stand alongside the highway 
to get a good view of the sunset. The exchanges to enter and exit
Interstate 74 from I-465 have been torn up for the past year to create wider lanes and more sweeping, easier to navigate turns. 
Some of it has been completed and drivers have been happy 
to make use of the new pavement.

Since I was a girl, I've been fascinated by the contrails left behind
by jets as they fly over the place I stand, rooted to the ground.
I especially like to see the skies in the morning and evenings, when the
contrails of many planes seem to intersect, weaving descriptions
of their journeys, just as the cars and trucks speeding past me on 
the highway were creating theirs. Early in our long relationship, 
Carl caught me watching the planes and pointed some of them out to me,
partly in jest, telling me where it was headed and its altitude. 
I understood then that, just like the trucks on the road, 
each plane had its specified lane, its place in the sky. 


He brought me outdated Jeppessen aeronautical charts, 
which I still have, describing the routes. 
I loved them then and still do. The picture below, showing 
the Indianapolis area, was scanned from an old Jeppessen 
United States Low Altitude En Route chart.


Thursday, December 29, 2011

Winter Skies


Winter is a time for introspection and introversion, 
time to hibernate, to restore and renew our spirits. 
The cold can bring isolation and intimacy, both of which 
we can use to build the strength needed to face the
complications of daily life.

I need to remind myself every winter that the season
has its own colors, subdued and subtle; back to basics.
The earth lies fallow, preparing itself for rebirth
in the spring, and so do we. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Flurries


Tuesday afternoon I looked up to find snow falling 
in big, gloppy splats. I walked over to the Coke Field to
take these pictures, slipping and sliding all the way.


Early this evening, I went to have my hair cut, 
then walked home. The slush that only a couple hours 
earlier overflowed the gutters was already gone. 
In the dark, my way had been cleared,
outlined by the snow that remained on the lawns.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Sunrise


Another morning, Boxing Day in England I guess. 
(Is that because everyone boxes up the Christmas decorations, 
packing them away for another year?)
Some people like sunsets, I prefer the sunrise, 
possibly because I feel a bit safer because
most thugs aren't early risers.
As I told someone a while back, seeing the sun rise
gets me an early start on the day, and allows 
me plenty of time to fuck it up.

Many thanks to my nephew, Joseph for his gifts of
Steve Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson
and the CD, Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton
Play the Blues. It's not fucked up.


Monday, December 26, 2011

Winter Colors


After a long shopping odyssey Saturday, I didn't make it home in time 
to stop at the grocery. Christmas morning about 7:30, I walked
a couple blocks to the convenience store for a gallon of milk.
Other mornings, this place is filled with cars and people 
being fueled with gas and coffee so they can get through the day.
This morning, it seemed as though the attendant and I were the only
people in the world. It was calm, peaceful, the way
all mornings should be, not just Christmas. 


Around here, the picture above just might possibly reflect 
the true colors of winter - the purple and blue of 
windshield cleaner/antifreeze.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Happy Christmas Everyone!


The snowstorm that inundated states farther west 
did not reach us. Instead we got a steady rainfall
that ended a couple days ago.
Christmas Eve the day was bright, clear and sunny.
It is expected to continue for Christmas Day.

Stay warm, everybody. 
I hope your day with family and friends is as bright
as the sunny day we've been given.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Do You Believe ...?


After days of rain and gloom, the river has overflowed it's banks, 
leaving a depressed heron standing near the bank 
in a morass of floating river trash, his shoulders hunched 
like a rain-soaked man with no umbrella. 
Finally, the rain has moved on and the skies have begun to clear.
The clouds this afternoon were layered like the puffy lining
in quilts, multicolored, reluctant to let the sun peep through.


And "Here Come the Mummies"
for no reason other than they make me happy,
chasing away whatever gloom 
was induced by the rain.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Black


Dark as a night bereft of stars
The man in black reveals nothing,
Color showing itself only cautiously --
At times a riff of bright blue 
at the collar of his black shirt
Indicating a complication of emotions withheld, 
unexpressed.
Calmly, the man turns and walks away, 
flecks of silver running through his dark hair
like jazz, lighting up his presence --
Bip-BAP!
Bi-biddley-bap-BAP!!
Flashing stars in a flat night sky.





Thursday, December 22, 2011

Morning Rush


A couple mornings ago, people were going about the business 
of getting to work in the midst of a day-long rain. I took the top picture
while I was waiting for an outbound bus to take me to my little job.
There were a lot of cars coming in to town, to take up  thousands of
parking spaces while their owners spent the next eight to ten hours
cooped up inside one of the corporate buildings a half mile
down the road. All those cars taking all those spaces,
with only their drivers inside, no passengers.


The bus that arrived to take me to a building in northwest Indy
was already full, everyone having gotten on at its origination point 
about a mile away. All of us on the bus had common goals: trying to keep 
roofs over our heads, clothes on our backs and food in our bellies, 
as well as our kids'. The young woman sitting in front of me
had three small children, of whom the baby was the youngest,
she was taking to daycare before she went to her own job;
while I begin my day with a smile, looking forward to 
being able to take a pretty picture or two, I am 
certain that this young woman just starts her day tired.  

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Yay! It's the Winter Solstice!



Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. 
While marking the first day of winter, for me it also means that,
after today, the days will begin to lengthen.
As Earth begins her gradual tip towards the Sun,
we will begin to notice the additional daylight
by the end of January.


These pictures were taken a year ago to the day.
A couple children and their mom built this snow family
in the yard in front of their apartment.
Today, the forecast is for rain with temperatures
in the low 50's.  Out west a snowstorm as been blowing
our direction, threatening a white Christmas.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Textured Tuesday: Christmas Lights


Christmas lights in the downtown area were lit the day after Thanksgiving.
I went the following Saturday to take pictures of the tree in the Indianapolis Power & Light Company window. It is an assemblage of varied sizes 
and colors of bulbs on a wire grid, but each year it excites my love of color
as if it were the first time I'd seen it.
This evening, I went to the Starbucks on the Circle for a latte
when I saw the lights reflected in the cut glass window art. 
It was the shot I'd anticipated all along, but had not revealed itself
until after dark. Now it kind of resembles stained glass. 
As seen through cut glass. Maybe. 



Monday, December 19, 2011

Distance


Two solitary hearts, separated by their introverted natures,
each longing for the touch of the other, 
cautious as cats scurrying along the foundation,
 dark shadows in the corner of the eye,
pausing only long enough to look, to wonder
whether it is safe to accept
the love each desires.


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Glitter Galaxy


Went downtown this morning to the Winter Farmers' Market
to buy some Brussels sprouts and squash. I stopped by a little stand 
called 3 Days In Paris for a crepe and a cup of coffee, 
got some Christmas cookies at Circle City Sweets, 
then walked a few blocks to take some pictures


Most of the people seemed to be downtown 
to attend an Indiana Pacers basketball 
game at Conseco Fieldhouse. While the day 
was overcast, the weather was not unpleasantly
cold, allowing people to enjoy the decorations
without feeling numbed by wind.
In a week or so, many of them will be back
to spend the gift cards thoughtfully
provided by otherwise clueless relatives.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Familiar Paths


I'm always a bit dismayed over the large expanses 
of painted white stripes I navigate almost every day.
Thousands of cars pass over them, while I regard them as
boundaries on a battlefield, marking a slim area where
I can cross the street without myself being squashed
by the cars idling ominously at the stripes' edges,
waiting for the light to change; is one of them
going to go "offside," crossing into my territory
before the light changes?


Each time I reach the other side of the street, 
I count it as a small victory against the drivers, 
on their way to work with a cell phone to their ear,
or texting a message to their salon to schedule a
Brazilian wax, or their headsets tuned to the most 
offensive hip-hop dreck hit for the week.
(Yo! I'm talkin' at you, muthafucka!)
Nobody looks where they're pointing their
metallic beasts and I rely on a set of white stripes 
to keep them away.  

Friday, December 16, 2011

Plainer Plane


An American Sycamore stands in the early morning sun,
pale and trembling from her nekkidness.


And little sparrows dine on a breakfast of berries.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Twining



These delicate stalks spent their summer climbing 
toward the sun, bending to Nature's whim,
their stems forging delicate descriptions of their twining,
showing the record of their journey in the winter light.
Delicate. Slender. Strong.


I suppose this may be the diary of the Coke Field's plants,
the barren stems, stalks and trees the sepia-toned
record of  the now-dormant field, waiting for a new chapter
to be written in the coming spring.

The cold air had me heading down to my corner
Starbucks for an eggnog latte, a treat in this
Christmas season. Ummm, happiness.



Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Icy Ruffles


I dream of  going to Yellowstone to see the waters swirl 
around the icy rocks, the steam from the river melting
the ice to create sculptures of the currents.
In lieu of that, I found this little bit of scalloped ice
decorating the frosty leaves like a fungus from the forest.


And here, the water moves around the rocks in the creek bed,
it's lace and ruffles undulating, emulating themselves as 
they begin their dance towards the ocean, 
thousands of miles away.


And here, Eric Clapton joins Joe Bonamassa onstage 
at Royal Albert Hall to perform "Further on Up the Road," 
the notes swirling and undulating from their guitars. 
Bonamassa is scheduled to appear at the Murat Theater
next May. Tickets are priced at approximately $150 $95.
I may as well start saving my pennies now.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Textured Tuesday: Decorations of Red


"... on a green Christmas tree,
Won't be the same, dear,
If you're not here with me."
- Elvis


For you, B-b-baby.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Sunday Morning, 7:54... Or So


I started for the Coke Field earlier this morning, at about 7:15, 
hoping to catch the brief moment when sun's rays turn the trees pink. 
I don't know that I missed it, but I was pleased to see the
lovely subtleties that did reveal themselves:
on my way to the little bridge over the creek, I looked
over my shoulder to see the moon, balancing itself 
above the trees in a lavender sky, while the ducks in the creek 
were having an early morning bath in a pool of  blue. 


After a few minutes, the sun cast it's orangeness 
onto the little woods, creating shadows of maroon and purple, with a small patch of blue in the creek, reflecting the morning sky above.


To most people, it's a drainage ditch surrounded by a few shrubs, 
while to me it's a place of small beauties.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Blue and Orange Morning


Well...I was hoping for pink trees and purple shadows when 
I got up this morning. What I got was orange trees and blue skies.
Did I leave the house too late to catch that first tinge of color
as the sun rose from behind the Speedway grandstands?
I dunno. I guess I have to try again tomorrow,
making certain I leave the house as soon after 7 a.m.
as I can manage. Whether there will be a blush
of color similar to what I saw on the trees in the park, 
I can't say until I check it out for myself.


In the meanwhile, feel the, er, warmth of the sun 
as it shines it's orange-y self on the trees.
See that kind of scum on the surface of the water?
That's a thin skin of ice.
While I'm looking forward to seeing this scene
covered in snow,  I was so glad to be coming home to
a nice breakfast and a pot of hot coffee.




Saturday, December 10, 2011

A Chilling Pall


When I left the house this morning, I didn't even need my gloves. 
In the east, I saw a bright pink promise of the sun creating
an aura over downtown. It quickly faded, however,
dominated by the cold gray that took over the area. 
This picture of the Circle, though taken in March, 
gives a better idea of the pall that remained.
When I arrived at work, snow flakes had begun to swirl
and when I left this evening, all my coworkers and I wanted
was to get home to the warmth of our blankies.
No snow, just a chill wind and people huddled in the bus stop shelters.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Warm Thoughts


As cold weather sets in for the season, I find myself looking 
for reminders of warmth. Here is the brightly painted,
decorative window of BARcelona Tapas Restaurant at the corner of
Ohio and Delaware Streets. I enjoyed the way the hand-painted
letters and squiggles repeated their message in the shadows
on the walls, adding pattern to the colorful walls.  


Several years ago, this building housed a Burger King outlet 
then stood empty for an equally long span of time. 
A few years ago the bar was opened. I much prefer this 
sunny facade to the corporate presence, as it has
the air of a more friendly, neighborhood establishment.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Pigeon Feed


This morning, I went to work late because I had to take care
 of some business. Due to the overcast,  I was feeling discouraged
about the prospect of finding any interesting pictures.
Then I saw this young man feeding granola to the street fowl.


He moved slowly, purposely, to encourage the pigeons 
to take the cereal from his hand, while in the background
a flock of sparrows formed a circle just beyond the larger birds,
waiting for a small crumb to come their way. It did.
While he distracted the pigeons with a larger helping of food, 
a small scattering was tossed to the little guys.
Somewhere above, a pair of  peregrine falcons
is dining on grain-fed street chickens.  

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Same Time, Different Day


I took the above shots from the same spot at about 7:50 in the morning, 
while waiting for the bus.The one above was taken last Thursday, 
the day of the "frosty roses,and the one below Tuesday morning. 
I liked the first one because of the pink in the reflections and the steam.


With the exception of the limestone building second from left, 
that looks like it's wearing a rectangular hat, most of the buildings 
were constructed in the 1980's. Fortunately, some of the older 
structures in the Mile Square downtown area were spared
and their more ornate facades provide relief from the
otherwise straight lines of their taller cousins.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Textured Tuesday: Flattened


From starry to squashed within twenty-four hours! 
Hey, life as a plant isn't all roses;
Some days you bloom, others you bust. 


"You ain't gettin' diddly squat..."


Monday, December 5, 2011

In the Gutter


Edged in icy lace, the leaves lay 
in the gutter hidden from the sun, 
one last attempt to display their beauty 
before succumbing to the winter. 

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Pink Trees


I wanted to get to the Coke Field early this morning, 
to see the woods turn pink just as the sun came up
As I left my place, I saw clouds coming in from the west
 and knew it wouldn't be long before they would block the sunlight.
I did make it to the park, where the sun's rays briefly 
turned the now bare trees shades of pink and lavender,
with a tinge of green in their shadows.


At the Coke Field, the sun peeked through 
a slit in the clouds, just long enough to show 
the mulberry tree's matted lace profile.