It Ain't Easy ...

It's rained off and on nearly all weekend,

sometimes a gentle, misting shower, other times

a drenching downpour.

This was indicated by the way the rain

had soaked the utility pole on West 86th Street.

Wind had blown the precipitation nearly

around the pole, leaving a long, dry streak on

its north side. The result was a lovely,

jade green band in the middle of a field of

almost olive green. 

Unexpected Art: Just a Little Crazy

On Monday, I used the elevator at Herron School 

of Art and found it to be padded.

Just what I need, my own secure, padded room.

In September, I encountered a problem

with my apartment that needed six weeks to resolve.

It was depressing and humiliating.

Now the cold weather has hit and the furnace

will not turn on. I like to keep it fairly

cool in here, but when the thermostat went

from its usual 65 degrees to 61, then 59,

I knew for certain my own efforts to lower

heating costs were not at play.

Like last winter, I think the igniter on the pilot

light is faulty. The repairman should be here today.

We'll see. Then the hot water tap on the shower

would not turn off, needing new seats and washers.

That's the third time this year for that problem.

It's fixed now, as of a few minutes ago.

The job I usually work on this time of year has been

cancelled because the employer for the project

lost the contract. I applied for unemployment benefits,

but I've yet to receive the debit card to access

those funds. So ... things are dicey.

The only sane, positive part of my day

has been the anchor provided by swim practice.

It's the only place I want to be right now, where 

I can submerge and work out my frustrations,

where my worries float away.

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.

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.