Insect Condo

 At the Denver Botanic Gardens there is a curving wall that looks like an art assemblage. It's the largest of many such homes in the gardens meant for insects and birds. They can be used all year round as shelter and as a safe breeding area. Most of the materials are leftover garden detritus such as twigs or large sections of fallen trees. Sheep’s wool insulates some areas. Humans also created bird houses and soft felted abodes, furnished with a variety of nesting or burrowing materials. It's a beautiful example of how we can help the smaller critters that inhabit our gardens.

Miniature Daffodils

 The Smithsonian's Ripley Garden has been cleared out and tidied up in anticipation of the late spring blooming season. Tiny daffodils have opened in the sunnier spots. Backlit in the sunshine, with bright petals as thin as a fine porcelain teacup, they show every ridge and vein. In this early spring garden these daffodils are the equivalent of puppies or kittens; five out of six groups of tourists who wandered through the garden declared them to be "cute."

Detail, Louis Majorelle Settee

 In 1900, the city of Nancy, France was one of the major centers of Art Nouveau design. The framework of Louis Majorelle's carefully carved settee highlights the curves and botanical themes that are hallmarks of this style. The marbled pattern of the jacquard upholstery echoes those curves. That settee actually looks pretty comfy to me. But no sitting allowed! It is truly a museum piece, a restrained and elegant example of a style that is often seen as too florid and overdone for real life.

Columbus Circle Subway Station

 I love the NYC subway in all it’s grunginess. It can be noisy, crowded, stuffy and sometimes erratic. But mostly it is relatively fast and reliable. Stations are embellished with bits of unexpected art, old and new. The tiles are my favorites. Some are damaged or in need of a good scrub. The colors, patterns and three-dimensional textures always bring a moment of joy (and sometimes a flash of inspiration) as I look out the window or  stand waiting for the Uptown-bound Local to arrive.

Montepulciano Window

 Climb the hilly streets of Montepulciano and you will see a mix of homes and shops built from stone and brick. If there is a bright blue sky, the windows become mirrors reflecting everything around them. On such a day, a window can trap a building across the street and bits of the sky above it. Grids of protective iron bars multiply. Stare at it too long and you will begin to wonder what is real and what is a brilliant illusion.