From this morning’s walk…

Flower print maxi-dress in a shop window.

Elongated rectangular tissue paper on concrete sidewalk at the base of a concrete step.

Early morning cloudy sky with buildings and security lighting.

Neon sign figure of a ballerina with a dimly lit ballerina wire sculpture in the shadows beyond. Window mullions crisscrossing both.

Newspaper lying in the street in an abstract configuration.

Newspaper pages, string, utility pole base, concrete sidewalk and asphalt street paving.

Red cup sitting on asphalt paving with a joint lining running below from right to left.

Flattened yellow aluminum drink can on asphalt pavement.

Orange and white pole with attachment rings at either end on green grass.

From last Friday…

Extension and power cords in a shop window on tiled display surface.

Flattened brown cardboard dividers laying across a joint inn a concrete sidewalk, developing an abstract composition of rectangles and a diagonal line.

White paper drink cup on concrete pavement. Lying on its side.

Empty urban lot with buildings in the background and banner sign announcing St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Concrete brick and block fragments lying on a concrete sidewalk making an abstract composition.

Bottom of a light pole as it meets the concreter sidewalk, brown lump of grass growing out of the circular joint around the light pole.

Concrete fragments and orange cup lying near the wall of a building on the concrete pavement.

White liquid stain on concrete sidewalk.

From a few days ago…

A cloud at dawn with parking lot security light in the lower left corner, still lit.

Tissue paper, grass and concrete closeup.

Rosie pink clouds at dawn.

U-Haul trucks in a parking lot at dawn.

Liquid stain on a concrete sidewalk running from top middle of frame to bottom middle of frame. Joint pattern of sidewalk rotated counterclockwise about 30 degrees.

Metal half dome bowl upside down on concrete sidewalk. Bowl positioned at top of frame with equal distance to top, left and right edges of the frame. Frame is a 2x3 rectangle.

Translucent packaging plastic gathered in such a way that it mimics a waterfall in the center of the horizontal frame.

Clouds above silhouetted buildings. Clouds illuminated from below by the sun rising to a golden glow.

Oranges on an orange plant in a shop window.

Three delicate flower decorated teacups in a shop window.

Antique beaded necklace on a mannequin with botanical print dress.

February 28, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

Behind the horse race–type coverage of the contest for presidential nominations, a major realignment is underway in United States politics. The Republican Party is dying as Trump and his supporters take it over, but there is a larger story behind that crash. This moment looks much like the other times in our history when a formerly stable two-party system has fallen apart and Americans reevaluated what they want out of their government.

An important post to read. Accurately describes the moment we are in. May democracy survive.

The sound of the Supreme Court killing democracy.

From this morning’s walk…

Wet brown paper bag on wet concrete pavement.

Empty stepped shelving unit in a shop display window.

Scaffolding support and ladder with yellow caution tape tied around them to prevent walking underneath.

Goose and mushroom lamps in a children’s toy store. Lamps illuminating the scene.

Tibetan singing bowls in a shop window.

Closeup of a brick wall that steps back from right to left and throws a shadow onto the wall to the left.

Graffiti on a green postal staging box.

Childs ballet tutu in a shop window.

Close up of pink slip like blouse with leaf print and green leather jacket on a mannequin in a shop window.

Red chinese new year lantern in a shop window with reflections of buildings overlaid.

Lit up Christmas tree in a shop interior. Lights of the tree illuminating the space.

Nice recipe for eggplant. Keeps the oil to eggplant down and yields a crispy skin and silky herbed “meat.”

www.melaniecooks.com/spicy-gar…

Play with spices to your taste.

From this morning’s walk…

From some days ago…

Tree covered with snow, snow falling, snow covered metal picket fence, illuminated by streetlights.

Snow covered chain link fence illuminated from behind by security light and casting a shadow on the snow covered ground.

Neon sign with image of smoking pipe and the word pipes across the top.

Illuminated streetlight with falling snow.

Snow covered vacuum and air service machine.

Snow covered bicycle secured to a sign post with snowy streetscape beyond.

Vintage wedding dress in shop window with streetscape reflections overlaid.

View down snow covered street with tire tracks receding into the distance.

From a few days ago…

Paper bag with cardboard fries holder and french fries scattered on asphalt paving.

Streetscape with buildings on the left and right and houses in the distance between them.

Close up of plant, horizontal stripped pot, and wire mesh table surface.

Salt stain on concrete pavement with phallic negative space.

Curved rectangular ribbed glass tray in sho window.

Pink sued pointed toe boots in a shop window.

Bead and embroidery work on a wedding dress in a vintage clothing store window.

Blue jeans, denim jacket and white t-shirt on a mannequin in a shop window. Mountains, wires, trees and building reflected overlay.

Streetscape with tree, snow, grass and metal picket fence. Buildings in the background.

Snow piles in a parking lot.

Flattened clear plastic food container on asphalt.

Sidewalk, masonry wall, grass and asphalt driveway arcing from lower right to upper left in an abstract minimal composition.

Christmas lights hanging across the sidewalk with tree and building blurred in the background.

Branches of a tree against the sky.

Exit Only sign at right side of frame with streetlamp and building beyond.

Single long stem rose on concrete pavement.

Valero gas station pumps illuminated by canopy lighting.

Large jug with toothy mouth face at the top.

Pink and yellow bold horizontal sweater and thin gray and white vertical striped pants on a mannequin in a shop window. Mountain, building, wires, tree, reflected overlay.

February 25, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

… right-wing activist Jack Posobiec opened this weekend’s conference of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) … with the words: “Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely.” … “After we burn that swamp to the ground, we will establish the new American republic on its ashes, and our first order of business will be righteous retribution for those who betrayed America.”

… i can’t begin to express how disappointed in, and angry with, Christian culture in this country…

February 25, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

More important than that, even, is that it shows that even in a strongly Republican state, 40% of primary voters–the party’s most loyal voters–prefer someone else. As Mike Allen of Axios wrote today: “If America were dominated by old, white, election-denying Christians who didn’t go to college, former President Trump would win the general election in…a landslide.” But, Allen added, “It’s not.”

Which may be precisely why Trump loyalists intend to overthrow democracy.

… at what point can we call them traitors?…

What I made for dinner last night…

Salt cod, bay leaves and garlic in a pot with water, ready to start cooking.

Completed salt cod and leek gratin dotted with oil cured olives in an oval metal baking dish.

Half moon pieces of delicata squash roasted with curry powder. Served in a circular metal bowl.

Salt Cod and Leek Gratin

Roasted Delicata Squash

The State of the Culture, 2024 - by Ted Gioia

The tech CEOs know this is harmful, but they do it anyway. A whistleblower released internal documents showing how Instagram use leads to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Mark Zuckerberg was told all the disturbing details.

An important read?… I am wondering if the dopamine addiction depression is what prevents people who have otherwise good lives from seeing they are good?… is this a reason why a lot of people are thinking about voting for 45 again?…

Destabilizing national security threat???

Every day I have to take a few deep breaths, in, out, in, out. These are frightening times. Ukraine deserves our support. I don’t want to live in a world where Russia succeeds in occupying Ukraine. 45’s brownshirts in congress are trying to make sure I do.

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/februar…

Today’s big story continues to be Trump’s statement that he “would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if those countries are, in his words, “delinquent.” Both Democrats and Republicans have stood firm behind NATO since Dwight D. Eisenhower ran for president in 1952 to put down the isolationist wing of the Republican Party, and won.

I would vote for a paper bag over 45.

As I watch the hand wringing about 45 on MSNBC, I wonder, how could anyone be considering voting for 45 again? How is it we as a country seem prepared to be that stupid? It shouldn’t even be close. Yet it is.

I am starting a statement necklace collection! And yes, I do wear them:-)

Shadow selfie on hood of a car in the early morning. Streetlight is source of light. Frost on the hood of the car.

Hood of a BMW with frost sparkling in the streetlight illumination.

Frosty white car parked on street in the foreground, buildings and predawn sky in the background.

Multicolored plaid cloth mask on concrete pavement.

Selfie in the left lobe of a neon heart in a shop window.

South American type feminine mask, painted and decorated.

Fine art plastic monster in a gallery window.

Old fashioned undulating metal lamp shade and clear glass bulb lighting the scene. Shop interior blurred background in deep shadows.

Mushroom lamp in store. Wooden child’s rotary telephone in foreground.

Blue metal Highlands Current newspaper dispenser box on sidewalk next to a utility pole.

Demolition landscape with steel beams, bank vault, concrete slab outlining the footprint of a building torn down.

From this morning’s walk…

Self portrait with black and white zig-zag knit cap, green crystal frame glasses, illuminated by streetlight.

Street lights through car window covered with dew and raindrops.

Crack in concrete pavement running from top to bottom of horizontal frame on right side.

Building facade with wind two rows of windows, bottom windows illuminated by decorative holiday lights.

Gas station street scape framed by gas price signage.

Abstract composition of gently curved strip of plastic running across top of vertically framed asphalt pavement section.

Now heading into my third week of COVID. My first time in the rodeo. Can’t imagine what getting it in the beginning would have been like. I am fully vaccinated and got Paxlovid in the beginning of this round. So tired of not being able to go anywhere.

Self portrait with resin necklace and b&w zigzag knit cap…

Honk if you agree with this sentiment!