These are the two “authorized” shots of my “Lizard Man” just before he reminded me that he needed quiet time to do his yoga and soak up sun.
I now realize that the pull tabs and other metal adornments are the Lizard’s scales. I find him fascinating and plan to seek out this street performer who assured me that I could take as many pictures as I want then. (I learned from a waiter that the Lizard Man plays the guitar every weekend outside of Starbuck’s.)
What a delightful day! It actually began last night when I babysat my granddaughter (continuing into this morning). You know, babysit is not exactly what I do. In fact, it’s closer to “hanging out with Elle.” I am her playmate. “GRAMMA!” she squeals, calling me to play when I leave the room or attempt to do anything that is not directly related to the game of the moment. Of course, I don’t mind at all. When she snuggles up next to me on the couch, there is nothing better. Elle and me TOGETHER!
After hanging out with Elle, I went to the park to take some pictures. Within a few minutes, I happened upon this man and asked if I could take his picture. He gruffly answered that he was doing yoga so I started to move on after sneaking this first shot.
Then I decided that annoying him might just be worth it, especially if my annoyance came with a little cash. I think he told me he’s “Lizard Man.” Look closely at his costume made of pull tabs (and more). I asked if he made it himself and he proudly answered that yes he did. He also informed me that if I really wanted to take some pictures of him I could do so at the Starbuck’s on Mill Avenue every afternoon.
When I asked again if I could take his picture, he insisted that anyone who takes his picture must be in it also. I wondered if his young female companion might just walk off with my Nikon, but I thought I could possibly chase her down. (As you can see, I didn’t need to.) He also insisted that I give the peace sign. I was only too happy to oblige. So, in a way, I took a picture TOGETHER with Lizard Man in the park today.
After I gave him a few dollars he thanked me and then reminded me that he needed to finish his yoga, soaking up the sun like a lizard.
After my moments TOGETHER with The LIZARD MAN, I captured the fragile bougainvillea blossom (that blooms on the nastiest thorniest branches ever). All TOGETHER … a very fine day.
I bought a small yellow Freesia to add some cheer to my space.
I took this shot just before sunset; these are the hues just as the camera saw them. When I saw the image on my computer as I reviewed the shots I’d taken last week, I was drawn to the winding path leading into the late afternoon sun which colors the scene with a nostalgic and perhaps reflective mood.
A road or path is frequently used as a metaphor for life. Robert Frost mused about “the road not taken.” (“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.”) The Beatles sang about the long and winding road. The Bible contains at least 31 references to a path … all metaphors.
During my 1960s teenage search for meaning, I discovered the writings of Henry David Thoreau, the 19th century author / activist / philosopher who spoke to my generation’s “revolutionary” soul. (“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”)
Today, his writing continues to inspire me, just as it did long ago. When I was thinking of this photograph as a metaphor for my life, Thoreau’s words challenged me again. They remind me of the power of thought…that if I want to change the path of my life, I need to change my thoughts.
“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” ~Henry David Thoreau
A section of the city skyline is silhouetted against the setting sun.
Sometimes, this is life
There are two subjects in this image. They tell separate stories, but combined, they create one story. The Waterfront, a popular site for weddings and events, is located at Tempe Town Lake, a popular site for people, dogs, skateboards, and fishing poles.
We witness the making of memories in this shot, as the photographer captures the love between man and his dog, and in the background, the wedding photographer creates memories of this special day for the bride and groom and their families.
Yesterday, I spent three peaceful, solitary hours watching people and shooting pictures as the late afternoon melted into night. This small city park borders a narrow river traversed by four bridges: an old train trestle, a beautiful old bridge, an ultra-modern foot bridge, and the powerful light-rail bridge.
Lights dance across the sleek light-rail bridge and paint the water in a riot of changing colors.
The train streaks across the lighted bridge.
The bold lines of the new light-rail bridge contrast with the quiet of dignity of the old bridge built in 1931.
I found these boys hanging out under the bridge and asked them to just continue doing what they had been doing; they were happy to indulge me. While the un-posed shot has some flaws, I thought I’d post it just to let you share in the boys’ fun as they await the rumble of the next train. (I’d like to recreate the scene so that my lines on each side of the shot mirror each other.)
“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.” - Georgia O’Keeffe
I want to add a little gentleness to the end of this challenging and exhausting work week, and I thank God for giving us moments of beauty in Nature.
