sunset on white rock lake

morning lake meditation

There is nothing quiet about the lake in the morning, but you have to become quiet to notice it.

The sounds do not bombard you or compete for your attention. They just exist in this landscape, waiting to be noticed.

Birds chirp, geese honk, turkeys gobble, a rooster crows, men’s voices are muffled in the distance, an outboard motor starts, the hum of tires on asphalt paving shows up occasionally.

All of this is easily missed when we bring our own noise into this environment. 

Instead of intruding upon the sacredness of this space, let the sacredness of this space intrude upon you.

 

There is nothing quiet about my heart in the morning.

So, I sit and wait for the sacred to intrude upon it.

sunrise on lake hayden

 

meditation on hayden lake

The water is calm, but it is constantly moving. Concentric ripples form where fish jump out of the water. Small birds flutter overhead and then dive down toward the water’s surface. The dark clouds are not threatening. They hang over the lake like a canopy and then slowly move on opening the sky to the day.

llama wool

Llama wool is used to make many colorful fabrics in Peru.  First, the dies are extracted from a cactus plant and stored in large containers.  Next the wool is placed inside of the containers and then hung out to dry when enough of the dye has been absorbed.  The wool is now ready to be used in making the colorful fabrics such as hats, socks, sweaters, bags and toys.

cusco

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, Cusco is picturesque.

miraflores

Founded in 1857, Miraflores is Lima's prosperous commercial hub, boasting shopping zones, theaters, art galleries, flowery parks, craft markets, cinemas and the city's highest concentration of cafés.

The roof terrace at Larcamor shopping center has a reflecting pool and spectacular views of the coast.

A view from the clifftops overlooking a pier containging shops and a seafood restaurant.

A modern sculpture stands near the coastline.

This bridge is a gateway to the coast for those driving down Avenido O. Benavides.

Inaugurated on February 14, 1993, Parque del Amor is devoted to the old Peruvian custom of courting in public gardens.

haiti landscapes

The sky and ocean are bathed in sunlight.

Two trees at sunrise.

A view through the trees.

At the beach.

Early morning hills.

continental gin building

This past weekend I visited the Continental Gin Building for an Open Studios event where twenty three artists had the doors to the studios open for guests to view or purchase their works. Walking through the building at dusk with golden light pouring through the windows, I felt like I had been transported to another time.

galleria

The Galleria Mall in Dallas was opened in 1982 and has remained a successful enterprise for almost thirty years.

A canvas mobile along the main corridor screens and reflects the sun.

Circular lights above a common gathering space.

Escalators move people from one level to the next near the ice skating rink.

A wall display at one of the many department stores.

Strong vertical elements combined with skylights focus the attention upwards at appropriate intervals for access to the retail outlets.

gourdough's

Last weekend's trip to Austin yielded some excellent eateries. One of which was Gourdough's, famously known for their exotic donuts.

The tag line says it all.

The menu provides both savory and sweet donuts.

I tried the Flying Pig (bacon with maple syrup icing) and the Porkey (Canadian bacon, cream cheese and jalepeño jelly).

One last picture of the afternoon indulgence.

flip happy crepes

Yesterday I took a road trip to Austin and went to Flip Happy Crepes where I found delicious hand-made savory and sweet crepes being served out of an Airstream trailer.

A blue tarp stretched between trees provided shade for scores of people at picnic tables playing board games and enjoying the goodness of Flip Happy Crepes.

A line was forming by the chalkboard menu.

After placing your order you could grab a beverage out of the ice box.

I tried the Moroccan Chicken Crepe and the Three Cheese Crepe and wished they had a Flip Happy closer to where I lived.

unicoi state park

This June I traveled to the Unicoi State Park in the Chatahoochee National Forest. Here are a few photos taken along the trails near Lake Unicoi.

storefront for art and architecture

The Storefront for Art and Architecture by Stephen Holl was installed in 1993 at the street level of an existing building in New York. While reminiscent of the market areas that open up during the day and close off during the evenings, the irregular openings filter light into this unique gallery space. Conversely, during the evenings the light spills out from the interior onto the dim lit streets. This project was helpful to me in thinking about the spaces outside of buildings and what can be accomplished to engage the interior and exterior of a building. Here's a few drawings I did of the project back in college while working on my thesis.

high five

The High Five is a five level interchange in Dallas connecting two of the busiest roadways in the city. At certain times during the day the forms of the bridges cast magnificent shadows that contrast poetically with the lighter tones of the painted concrete surfaces.