Snowdrops Beyond the Fence

 Just beyond the white pickets, in a yard that had been a study in dulled-down olives and browns, a patch of fresh green and white has appeared. Snowdrops! They pushed up on a mild day. Now they stand in solidarity, stems straight, little heads drooping. Bitter winds arrived today but the snowdrops are here. Spring will follow.

Amsterdam Boat

 A momentary glimpse can stay with you, waiting. It was a drizzly day. We were floating along a canal in Amsterdam, almost at the water line inside a tour boat. It was the colors that grabbed me. Since I was already holding my camera, I snapped. Sometimes you go back later and wonder "Why did I shoot that?" Not this time. I still find the colors and textures alluring. The strong composition, which was purely happenstance. It's the start of something. I am not sure what. Just go ahead and shoot those somewhat random photos. You never know what they might become.

Snowmen In The Street

 Shortly after Christmas I noticed three circles, crudely spray-stenciled near a curb, then more snowmen, groups and individuals, in blue or white. One set made me laugh. Someone had taken a permanent pen and given the snow people eyes, buttons and hats. Since then, I've found close to two hundred in white, blue, violet, red, green and tan, all within the borders of one neighborhood. Some are carefully positioned to "stand" on street lines. Others relate to cracks in the pavement or stand inside markings left by the gas company. An elderly lady asked me " What are they?" and then "What do they mean?" They mean that each day may have tiny moments of surprise and delight. Go on out and discover them!

New Watercolors

Oh the thrill of new art supplies! I had looked and lusted after them for months, pondered the choice of colors and finally ordered six individual pans and an empty tin. The package was stuck for weeks at a sorting facility, buried in the flood of holiday purchases. Now, here they are in all their glittering brightness, snapped into the tin, a metallic rainbow. They are ready for a try-out; washes of color on black paper or white, with brushes or sponges or perhaps my fingers. Can there be a happier way to start a new year?

Heart Full Of Hope

 The wooden heart cutout hung on this porch for a couple of years, first embellished with red lights, then replaced with alternating green ones during Christmas. This summer, the word VOTE in neon appeared, urging each of us to do our civic duty. Now, in addition to its usual yuletide-colored lights, HOPE shines out into the neighborhood. Yes, hope has arrived, not just on a porch, but in our hearts. This new year will not be easy, but yes, we do have hope.