Well ... Hell

All my pictures are gone. Every damn one, other than for the few 

I've taken over the past few days. After being off-line for over a month,

I was glad to see my PC repaired and returned with its programs

and my image files intact. However, I must have done something disastrous

over the weekend because there was nothing but my desktop

on Monday morning. I was virtually compelled to re-install my Windows and,

after doing so, everything was gone, even my favorite picture I was

using for my desktop. I have saved a lot of the photos on an external drive,

but there were still thousands of images I was using

for my blog and to build my little exhibit. Those are all lost.

So ... I guess I'm stuck re-installing and re-building.

Squatters

The Canada geese show up every spring, 

taking up residence on parking lots and on the tops 

of any available flat-roofed buildings.

We have plenty of both in Indy. I suspect the

black-topped parking lots may resemble

ponds to the geese, and there is standing rain

water on top of many buildings.

They are the twenty-first century incarnation

of the previous century's pigeons,

but they leave larger turds.

Much larger - think bench beagle

or cocker spaniel. Whew!

Achieving Balance

A week or so ago, while waiting for the bus, 

I watched as a group of teenagers practiced a trick 

with their small bikes. In turn, each kid rode

up parallel to an old, steel pipe railing,

then leaped the bike onto the rail.

The intent seemed to be to coast as far as possible 

along the rail before losing their balance or bumping 

into one of the upright posts. A few took a tumble

or two, but got right back up, dusted off their trousers,

 and made another try. Other onlookers and I joked 

that the kids at least had the foresight 

to pick a practice area right across the street 

from a hospital with a Level 1 trauma unit.

In all, there were seven kids in the group, 

including one girl, who worked on this skill 

for about an hour. At about a quarter 'til

eight, they all peeled off across the campus

as if they'd received some otherwise

unheard signal. I suppose they were headed

towards homes in the downtown area.

Besides, it was a school night.

Elevator Art

When the Eskenazi Hospital was in the planning stages, 

one of the first goals was to include artwork 

in the environment wherever possible. 

Using as their premise that art provides a healing, 

atmosphere for patients and their families, 

as well as the hospital staff, interesting installations 

seem to be found around every corner (and I haven't 

been beyond the front lobby!).

This interesting installation is located

in the hall of one of the elevator banks.

 The wall, which is made from cut and etched glass, 

has a sensor in the middle that seems 

to pick up the presence of a person, or persons, 

causing LEDs to illuminate portions of 

the wall. When I put a hand over the sensor, 

the entire wall lit up. 

The installation is continued on other floors, 

while the neighboring elevator bank has a theme

depicting trees. I will have to return another 

time to find out how that particular 

installation has been configured.

"Squirrel!"

A couple days ago, I told a friend that I'd spent 

the afternoon going through nearly 2,400 e-mails 

and downloaded about 350 images 

from my camera, all amassed 

during the time my computer was down.

The volume of e-mail didn't faze him, but he wondered

what I took pictures of, that I could have so many.

"Oh, flowers, buildings, just about anything

that catches my eye," I responded.

"Flowers? What flowers? There's been no spring!"

he said. I just laughed. All of us have felt the drag

of what seemed like an interminable winter.

It's been a real relief these past couple weeks

to finally see buds and bits of color emerge

from our somber surroundings.

I stood on the corner last Saturday, waiting for

the bus that would take me to my swimming session,

when I looked up to see these pink buds.

I was looking for something, anything, and found

these right above my head.

Then, of course, something else caught

my attention "Squirrel!" and I was 

off on another little mission. :-)

For My Muse: You Smiled

You smiled,

and the dark, gray branches 

of winter disappeared,

covered in flowers.

The colors revealed themselves for you

as dogwood and magnolia

shed their velvet coats,

showing their creamy white complexions.

Daffodils, nodding their assent,

turned their heads to greet you

as pale, green sprinklings of new leaves

arrayed themselves at your feet.

The tulips' pastel gowns undulated and 

bounced with the breezes as, 

now and then, a petal flew

tracing a path in the air like Ginger Rogers, 

dancing with Fred Astaire.

You smiled

and Spring came.

She's Ba-aaa-ack!

Okay, I've just been working, swimming, 

and taking pictures.

 I finally got my PC tower back this morning

 from the computer jail where a new 

video card was installed.

I've spent much of the afternoon going through almost 2,400 e-mails and made this post.

I am going to go swim this afternoon and hope 

to have a new post ready this evening.

I've missed my blog. I didn't think I would.

I also missed my PC; I'd find myself working 

on a painting, needing an image for reference, 

then having to remind myself 

it wasn't available. It's fixed and

I am happy.Yay!