ideal bench

had i been any more captivated by the falls and barges on the mississippi river, i may have missed these concrete benches. perfect in form; a solid rectangle. and function; ya sit on it and it won't blow away. with steel re-bar handles, which i think may be bike locks, perfect. but then again, this is minnesota so they could be personal space partitions. here in minnesota, it's all about the comfort zone.

what i love the most is that they are located in the mill ruins park, which, if you are not from minneapolis, is a park created to preserve architectural ruins. coming from Detroit, i totally appreciate this! amidst all the other random chunks of strewn concrete and steel, these benches look right at home, and i doubt they will be going anywhere soon.

addendum to original post: a co-worker thinks the re-bars are to keep skateboarders off. I think the mystery is solved.

leafless

i have walked past this tree twice a day everyday for the past two years and have never noticed the absence of leaves until yesterday when i looked up to find a bird singing and could see clearly through the branches it's shiny black feathers and royal red chest.

canoe dock

when you walk past a full canoe dock it can only mean two things; it's summer, and you are by a lake. what more could you ask for! oh, well maybe if one of those canoes was yours....

house guests

in oregon, my neighbor and friend susan taught japanese culture at the university. i would visit her and her home was filled with teaism; mats, bonsai, orchids, fortunes. in japan it is tradition to remove your shoes before entering someones home out of respect and also to not bring in dirt. this makes sense when considering eating on the floor. susan would say 'how else can you keep your house clean? but it also feels good. the warm radiant floor, walking in softness, in quietness. you are instantly at home.

my friend jeremiah once told me in france it is considered rude to use your host's washroom.

last weekend, a minnesotan family opened their home to several hundred musicians, film makers and all their fans including pedal bikers, campers, hippies, hipsters, children and me and missy. there would be dancing, singing, laughing and rivalry for a twelve hour long square lake music festival. it lasted till after midnight and since over half of their guests biked to their house, they allowed for camping and of course, gallons of free coffee. for the love of culture and community they let go of ownership and opened their home to complete strangers. no pretense, no judgement, no rules, but i still took off my shoes. except this time i wiggled my toes in the dirt.

baby grass

those who know me know my green thumb isn't green and my idea of landscaping equals why i own a condo. but i do really like grass, well, the watering part is a little silly except for when i am running and then i am grateful that sprinklers sometimes water sidewalks. and like every species, babies are irresistible, even though i cringe every time i see the sprayed on aqua foamy grass seeds, i can't help but root for the seedlings once they start to emerge. what, i ask, is more adorable than a brown plot of dirt with little hints of green popping up. it is the peach fuzz of the earth, it's grass coming of age, maybe that is going to far. i don't care, i adore it.

grow!

beautility

i am inspired to write this blog after reading an article about 'beautility' which is the concept that something utilitarian, any object or idea, can and should be beautiful. art should always be considered and form should always follow function, but function should also take your breath away. on a more personal note, i forget to see things. i become so wrapped up in my mind with my thoughts and busy-ness and personal anxieties that many many times i forget to pay attention. So this is my pursuit; to notice and take note of everyday stuff that either by accident, or deliberate effort, is also pretty.