Wednesday, April 30, 2014

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.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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!



Monday, April 28, 2014

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.


Sunday, April 27, 2014

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.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

"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. :-)



Friday, April 25, 2014

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.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

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!