Street Games

Remember when all we had was a pink .25 cent ball,
a wooden broom handle, white chalk, crayons, bottle caps,
Yoo Hoo's and Suzi Q's. Those were the days.


My heart warmed when I came upon this chalk drawing
at Shore Road Park in Brooklyn. It really reminded me
of the day when life was simple and carefree.

We fired up our imaginations.

Anyone remember the street game "Skelly"? now this
board here is a sophisticated screen-printed permanent
park floor installation.



When we were kids we'd draw this out with our white
chalk. It never looked this good but we got the idea. We
would melt crayon wax or tar into our soda bottle caps to
give them weight, then we would scuff them up on the
street to make them slick enough to slide.

There was a start line some 2 1/2 feet away from the actual
square. You'd slide your bottle cap from the start line
into the square marked number 1 and work your way
around until you made it into the center, number 13.

There were many quirky, fun little rules to make it
challenging and you always had to remember to grab
your skelly cap out of the street before a car would
run it over.

If you want to learn more about this awesome street
game and others check out: New York Street Games.

Let's keep these street games and our child spirit alive.

Thanks for stopping by and reminiscing with me.

~ Andrea- my other blogspot is here "ThE ArTful EyE"

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

This bridge named after the Italian Explorer
Giovanni da Verranzo, the first known European
navigator to enter the New York Harbor and the
Hudson River while crossing 'The Narrows'.
Completed in 1964, it was the longest suspension
bridge in the world at that time.

Today the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan is the longest
suspension bridge in the world at 12,831 ft.



The Verranzo-Narrows bridge is still the largest
suspension bridge in the U.S. at 4, 260 ft. in length with
it's double decker bi-ways -6 lanes on top and 6 lanes
on the bottom it spans the body of water known as
"The Narrows" from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Staten Island.


My dad lives across the street from this beautiful
bridge, so during our recent visit we took a stroll
shortly after daybreak, to enjoy the view.

"We do not remember days, we remember moments"
~ Cesare Pavese

I have alot to be thankful for.
Thank-you for your kind words, your visits, for being you.
~Andrea

My other blogspot : "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Laguna Beach, CA 2009

I heart old windows and vines.

Windows encourage us to look further,
our imagination conjures a story.
The vines like the peeling paint remind us
it's been a while. The heart never forgets.

Vacation photos coming soon, promise.
Sorting, reflecting.

My other blogspot where artful things happen:
"ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Dos Picos Park and Vintage Cars

Dos Picos Park is a lovely park, campground
and picnic area located just 7 miles west of our
home. Last weekend they held their annual
vintage car show. I love vintage cars and my
husband loves to restore them.

What intrigues me most when taking photos
of these oldies but goodies are the details.

This is what I saw.




Not sure how I got double image of myself
in this grille. I like seeing the clouds and landscape.

Another self-portrait.



I saw a couple hugging in the center of this
bumper.

You can see my reflection in the fender as I took
this photo.



Another self-portrait and beautiful day
in the country captured on the trunk
of this beautiful car.

The way I see it, there is always more to what
we initially see, if we open our eyes wider,
look deeper, and linger more intently.

My best to all of you and thank you for
stopping by! Happy Summer!

Be sure to check out my other blogspot:
"ThE ArTfUL EyE"

Orange/Bug

This week's challenge over at 2things is Orange/Bug.
Click on image to enlarge.


A Tarantula Hawk visiting our back yard. This species
of spider wasp is one of the largest in the wasp family.

They are known to prey on Tarantula as food for their
larvae. Yes, we do have tarantula and they aren't small. I
just wonder how these delicate wasps tangle with the big
hairy beasts. I just pray one never lands on me.

While this insect is really beautiful in person, it scares
the heck out of me as it flies by with it's long dangling
legs and iridescent body.

You can read more about he Tarantula Hawk here at
Wikipedia.

Nature at it's best!

For those hunting eggs, chocolate bunnies, and Sunday
buffets.

"Happy Easter"

My other blogspot is here at: ThE ArTfuL EyE"

New Day, Renewed Hope

As I looked East from my backyard this jubilant morning,

there were cotton-candy skies, good enough for a parade

and the American flag. It was perfect.

As dawn breaks,

so begins a new day

of renewed hope.

We welcome our new president Mr. Barack Obama.

Cheers- my friends, I hope you find gladness in this day.

You can visit my other blog locale here at "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

2Things Challenge- Textures/Shapes

For this week's 2thingschallenge-Textures/Shapes, I defer to
some landscape images I took on my trip last month.

If you look closely you'll find that our landscapes are much
like quilts with many textures and shapes.

White billowy clouds, with ever-changing shapes we imagine
to feel like cotton. Golden hills shape the land, mounds of
earth covered with rocks and vegetation each in its own
shape. This glassine-like body of water in its organic shape
surrounded by spindly triangular shaped evergreens
and tall slender grasses. Do you see what I see?
Click image to enlarge.

Flathead Lake in Polson, Montana

In this next image you can see that the water's texture has
changed as it is pushed through the narrow gorge. It
becomes thick and opaque as it churns and foams, unlike the
tranquil glassine water of the lake. Each rock or boulder's
shape is constantly evolving, by wear and water erosion, as
rock and water exchange places. Click image to enlarge.

Columbia River Gorge- Oregon

You can see the many different shapes in this pool of
colorful rocks. This image was taken at the water's edge
looking into the lake. Under water their texture is slick
and smooth, once removed and left to dry they are
rougher. Click on image to enlarge.

Lake McDonald -Glacier National Park, Montana

What I know for sure is when you don't look, you can't see.

Please exercise your right to V O T E-Tuesday, November 4

Thank-you for your visits and kind words. -Andrea
My other blogspot "ThE ArTful Eye"

2 Things Photo Challenge - Window/Shop

For this weeks' challenge over at 2things it's
Window/Shop. I had to dredge the archives.

From the living rooms of Hearst Castle located in
San Simeon, CA. So many notables in the day of
William Randolph Hearst including Mr. Hearst himself
have peered from these windows, gazing into the glorious
golden hills of San Simeon.

and from the libraries into the courtyards reminiscent
of the ancient Greeks and Romans adorned with beautiful
sculptures and lush landscapes.

A table with a window view at Bayside Betty's in
Provincetown. Great hospitality and wonderful seafood.

I couldn't resist this photo. "John's Only"
Food and Chachkes (aka knickknacks, souvenirs, stuff)
and when you can't find Burger King there is always
Burger Queen.

No cheap burgers here. I took this pic early morning
we rode our bikes here and stopped for lunch the
place was packed.

The craziest head shop I've ever seen. Three floors and all
the paraphenalia you can dream of, black light posters from
the '60s, clothing, jewelry, incense, pipes you know what
I'm talking about.

Thought for today:
"Wherever you decide to go, go with all your heart"

My best to all! My other blogspot "tHe ArTfuL Eye"

Flower Fields

9 x 13 collage
Golden acrylics, collage scrap, Caran d'Ache
Neocolor II crayons

"There are always flowers for those who want to
see them"- Henri Matisse

If you just look, you will be surprised at what you can
see.

Today as I was meandering around the house, I saw what
appeared to be a very, very teeny, tiny baby lizard, on the
white ceramic tile of my dining room floor. Sure enough...
this little creature was frozen in this stark unnatural
environment. He let me pick him up, so I quickly took him
outside, snapped his photo and wished him well on the
beginning of his new life in the wild. Maybe it was a her?


Enjoying the summer, how about you?

Wishing you well and many thanks for your visits and kind words.
My other blogspot: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

Now for some Fireworks

I think fireworks are amazing, because they can never be
duplicated. Random works of art in the sky.
Here are a few I captured last night.
















Firework Mandala for Sue

Cheers! "ThE ArTfuL EyE"

2 Things Photo Challenge - Round/Square

This week's challenge at 2things-"Round/Square"

Since I'm a collecter of old cameras and projectors
among many other things...you know we artists are
collectors, right?! I'll begin by presenting some
that I've owned or currently own to show
off their lovely round/square attributes.

very old oil lamp projector


Agfa Isolette 120


4 x 5 Viotlander


Yashica -A


Kodak Anastigmat Compur folding camera

Let the games begin...

old dice, new dice, fun dice, letter dice, tiddly winks
and dominoes.

Photo taken this morning in full sun. I wanted
to cast some rounding shadows and look it made cubes
out of the dominoes.

and lastly a round/square digital collage using some
aquarium and landscape images.


I do hope your day will be solidly square and rounded off with
many good things. As always, thank you for your visits
and kind words.

My other blog locale is here at: "ThE ArTfuL EyE"