Where the Good Candy Lives

The word from the homeowner is that any little 

trick'r'treater who makes it past the ghouls, goblins, 

and spiders in this Halloween display will 

get a full size candy bar.

The haunting will begin around seven o'clock 

Halloween night, and continue until 

the stream of kids dies down. This home,

at the corner of Hollister Drive and 21st Place,

just off High School Road, has really been

dressed for the occasion.

The owners are looking forward to sharing

their handiwork with the visitors. 

In the Neighborhood

This year, the leaves have given us wonderful color.

One doesn't even have to leave town to see 

the bright array of hues; it is in our backyards 

and just down the street.

String Art

I love the little tendrils of fiber as they 

spiral away from the fading leaves.

There must be a reason for it, other than

for the eye-pleasing curves and

twists of light against dark. 

Just across the street, other lines thread

their way across the surface 

of the sidewalk, little dried rivers 

of sediment on the concrete map.

Matching Set: Berries and Leaves

Unlike last year, when the summer baked the trees 

and rainfall was sparse, this year gave us just enough of each 

so that we've had a colorful, mild autumn.

At the Coke field, the growth along the creek was

thick with a panorama of rich hues.

On one side of the bridge the bushes were still

bright green, with vibrant red berries,

while a few plants on the other side provided

a different, more analogous palette. 

At My Feet

The commute to my Saturday morning swim 

practice became something of a safari.

The buses were re-routed due to an event in the

downtown area, so I had to take different

buses than I usually do.

While waiting downtown, I looked up

at the hazy skyline to see yellow

leaves gleaming against the gray limestone.

As I rode northward, the sunlight began to

break through the overcast, making curtains

of golden light as it wove its way

through and around the autumn foliage.

Then, at my feet, a leafy carpet showed

its colors, a dewy tapestry 

in the morning light.

Window on the World, Er, Neighborhood

I heard the alarm. 

I was walking down the opposite side 

of the street. I'd heard it often enough 

before, coming from a back yard -- 

a very large yellow dog and his equally large 

ebony coated cohort, barking their warnings 

to passers-by. This time, however,

the bark was a bit muted. I looked around

to see the huge dog standing

in the front window of his home,

the sort of space usually reserved for

smaller breeds of dogs, Shih Tsu 

and the usual little yappers.

This guy, though, made the small dog

space a big dog throne,

where he gazed upon the passing throngs 

of 'others', and kept guard 

over his particular humans' territory.

Autumn, Tangled

In the tall grasses, autumn was caught 

among the leaves, a bit of contrast

tangled in the green.

And, a few feet away, the grasses

had been swirled and matted.

Had this site been the overnight bed

for a deer, or a for couple companionable 

city dogs, safely hidden from 

passing cars just a few feet away?

Fireworks Without the Sparkle

The lighting on the trees outside Eskenazi Health 

made their spiky twigs stand out like bursts

of gold and red fireworks against the night sky.

Emeralds

A few tattered leaves, among the few left 

on trees outside Eskenazi Health, 

shine like emeralds against the night sky.

Night Patterns

At night, the different kinds of lights

add interest to the windows of buildings 

on the IUPUI campus, revealing 
patterns in the structures of otherwise 

mundane rectangles.

Around Here, the Pigeons Dress for Work

Life has even gotten harder for the local pigeons.

All day, the sounds of attacking falcons are played

from the top of the federal court building.

At night, DNR agents often can be seen, shooting

large caliber pistols filled with blanks

into the air to scare away roosting "pest birds."

At least one pair of falcons reside atop 

one of the Downtown Indy buildings, 

from which they hunt their favorite meal -- 

squab on the wing.

Consequently, some of the pigeons,

in an effort to blend in, have adopted camouflage,

dressing like the humans they see every day.

They've even found themselves welcome in grocery

stores, which have recently reported that the

otherwise unappetizing white bread has, for some

reason, begun to "fly off the shelves."

Pigeon Business was one of the many amusing

participants in Art in Odd Places, which took place

in Indy on Friday and Saturday. A trio from

Know No Stranger performed their "winged rat"

antics for passers-by -- spreading crumbs,

exploring trash, and running away at the

slightest hint of danger.

Time Passes When You're Having Fun

The installation shown in these photos was just one part 

of a Downtown event this past Friday and Saturday,

Art in Unexpected Places. 

Called Swarming Time, the clocks were intended

by artist Jagrut Laval to represent a life force

struggling to maintain itself within an urban environment.

With the hour hands removed, the clocks showed

the seconds ticking by in our present.

I had seen the artist in the process of installing

his piece on the corner of a hotel located

just off Monument Circle; at the time there were

only hundreds of pieces of black tape

being adhered to the limestone facade of

the building. When I returned late Friday morning,

people were stopping to gaze in wonder at the clocks,

as well as a number of other exhibits

staged on Market Street, between 

Monument Circle and the City Market.

Art in Odd Places was full of insight and silliness,

qualities this city needs more of.

I hope we have more of these events in our future. 

Dashed Lines, One With Selfie

On Friday, I went to the Ivy Tech University admissions 

office to inquire about taking classes.

I want to update my computer graphics skills, 

learn to put together websites, and to improve 

my design skills to compete in a more 

contemporary market.

There aren't many jobs available that

interest me at all; all I want to do

is art, photography, and river history related.

There are often jobs available with organizations

involved in those fields. I want one, so ...

back to school. 

Oh, Good Grief ...*

Other than the varied shades of yellow, 

what excited me most about this image 

was the contrast between the comparatively 

straight edge made by the last painter, 

and the squiggly edge made

by the earlier painter.

Pure fucking genius.

*Sometimes I get so excited about 

small things that I'd probably chase 

a red laser dot around the room.

Drizzly Night

This may easily be one of the more F'd up pictures

 I've ever taken, but I don't care. I like it.

What started out to be an image of four cyclists, 

possibly delivery men for a couple 

of the nearby restaurants, became a layered 

image showing the intersection 

of three separate stories, not one.

From the inside, there's me reflected in

the Starbucks' window, the tan and green plaid

of my jacket showing faintly at the corner.

Then there's the shopper passing through

the scene, a shallow blur of anonymity, 

while the four men chat among themselves 

near the bicycle stand.

Blue and Gold

Looking across the plaza outside 

the IUPUI Library, the Marriott hotel 

reflects sun and clouds,

adding color to the otherwise 

overcast day.

Crystal and Azure

Outside, the day is silver

The rain makes a crystal curtain

between that time of dreams 

and daylight.

Everyone needs a dream

to make the disappointments tolerable,

Something to reach for.

I reach for you, pull you to me, in me.

Your warmth spreads inside

Until I burst into stars

and rise, laughing,

to kiss your azure eyes.

Evening Sun

Just a few days before this picture was taken, 

the sun was a fiery, glowing orb perched

in the center of the road, just above the trees.

On this day, however, the sun has already

dipped below the treeline and the only

glowing orb is that provided by

the tail and head lights of the cars.

Hosta Situation

As the season begins to turn to autumn, 

the hosta browns showing its ribs.

Whether its shade-loving leaves were burned 

by the sun, I don't know,

but it looks as though its edges 

were seared by heat, not cold,

as it turns in on itself,

and bows to the coming frosts.

Street Art: Minimalism

Long ago, the owners of an auto parts business 

on North Capitol Street painted over the glass block 

walls of their building. The blocks probably

replaced windows for security reasons while

still allowing light in the building.

Over the years, the blocks have been painted white

to keep passers-by from seeing the warehoused

parts. As the paint peeled, more coats were added

giving the surface even more texture. 

Pictures like these are easy to find.

Textures, patterns, and depth with just the right

bits of color are always around.

However, if one tried to create it purposely,

it's another matter altogether, one involving a clear

vision of one's intent and absolute understanding

of one's materials. I found a number of

paintings by Robert Ryman that illustrate this point. 

While called a "minimalist", his paintings 

are loaded with variations in tone and texture

that keep them lively and interesting.

Several years ago, one of his white paintings 

sold for $9.6 million. Next month,

Sotheby's is selling another of these paintings,

expecting it to bring $15/20 million.

Rising Moon, Ebbing Sun

The overcast broke up late Tuesday afternoon 

in time to give us this wonderful sunset.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the contrails

gleamed in its light and the shadows of semi-trucks passed

below me, beginning their journeys west on I-74.

I turned around to see this beautiful full moon,

gleaming proudly against the lavender sky,

as though it knew the treat it would bring during

the early morning hours.

Unfortunately, I slept through the phenomenon

of the Blood Moon and need to be satisfied

with the beauty of the gleaming opal I saw last night.

Going Forward ...

The day is so dreary it almost seems 

as if the sun forgot to rise.

The sky is thick with clouds,

a puffy quilt between us and the blue sky.

I am waiting, waiting for a phone call

to make an appointment for an interview, 

waiting for the workman who's supposed 

to fix a problem in my apartment.

The cat ran away when he came.

We couldn't find her, so now I'm waiting 

to have the work rescheduled and,
needless to say, I am waiting for 
my silly cat to reappear 
at some point in the next few hours
from a secret nook she's found.

Waiting.

What is the difference between waiting

and patience? So far this week,

I've missed two opportunities to swim

through waiting. It seems that patience is putting

in the work towards a desired result,

while waiting is putting oneself at the mercy

of others' whims and schedules.

My swimming is teaching me that I need to

be patient because it takes time to 

reach a goal. However, the act of waiting

takes away my control over a situation.
I am nervous and bored with waiting because
I want to be in the pool, swimming
towards a goal.

Cafe on the Canal

I went down to the patio at the Indiana Historical Society,

a place where I could sit out of the sun 

to write or sketch. Next to the Canal, 

the site seemed private, despite the constant parade 

of joggers, cyclists, and people in paddle boats.

Flocks of geese and ducks came in to alight on the Canal, 

sending up sprays of water as their feet braked

on the surface. I sat for a half hour, feeling as though

I had the place to my own. When I left, I realized

another woman had the same idea;

as she sat under a cafe umbrella, she read

her e-book, probably with the same

feeling of peace that I'd enjoyed. 

Street Art: Too Blue

This time, it must have been the water utility guys, 

marking their lines along the Speedway streets.

A few feet away, traces of a spot where the blue paint 

was spilled marks the intersection.

And this should be imprinted on all 

of our minds by now, and we should make

certain it is the last time it happens.

A Weekend of Classics

The Circle City Classic weekend, 

held the first weekend in October, is an event 

that's grown exponentially since its 

inauguration in 1983.

At its core is a football game between teams

from traditionally black colleges, with a band contest

between the schools' bands during the half-time.

From these events add on the CCC Parade

and a schedule that includes a plethora of pageants, 

clinics, concerts, luncheons and breakfasts.

These pictures are from the Circle City Classic 

Pep Rally, featuring the marching bands 

of the Central Kentucky University Thoroughbreds 

from Frankfort, Kentucky, and the 

Central State University Invincible Marauders

from Wilberforce, Ohio. I was doing a volunteer stint

at the Circle Theatre Friday night, so got to see the

Marauders. They performed a version of the

Star-Spangled Banner that was warm and mellow,

free of the histrionics that can be a part of

our national anthem.   

Of course, there was the usual contingent 

of drum majors, cheer squads, flag bearers, and 

dancing girls, like the pretty Tiara shown above.

Children, sitting on the curbs or held by their parents,

were enthralled by the sound of the brass 

and drums (as were their parents).

Just about every day, Indianapolis news is often 

dominated by the tragedy of another shooting, 

another young person, usually an African American male, 

dying at the hands of another. It happens so often

we tend to forget that the majority of people are working

hard to put their kids through school so they can 

become educated and productive citizens of the world.

These kids -- the musicians, the dancers, the flag

bearers, the steppers and line dancers

are representative of their parents' and neighbors'

efforts put the lie to the image we see too often.

Paddling on the Wide Open Waters ...

... of the Central Canal.

About a quarter mile south from where this

picture was taken, one can rent a paddle boat

or a kayak to explore the length of downtown Indy's

Central Canal. One will be able to see the

vast array of goldfish that have been liberated

in the waters and see mallards and Canada geese

who have adopted the water way as their own.