Sometimes I love nothing better than to open my eyes, and create the ability to see. What I mean by that is, when I go for a walk, I hope to see things the average ho-hum day might not reveal. I try to see peripherally, as if my sight was a one hundred and eighty degree bubble. I open my perception to what is all around me. I listen far, high, below and over. I challenge myself to remain fully open.
When I came upon these bird prints in the sidewalk, pigeon prints, I assume, I was struck by how deep the imprints are. I imagined the surprise the bird must have felt as its feet sunk and smushed into the wet cement. As ever, I imaging similar footprints randomly printed on cloth.
Our favorite local wine store is called Smith and Vine. We have been going there for years, they give us the local discount. 😉 We know the people who work there and laugh and joke around as we pay. Smith and Vine is moving closer to us. When the guy behind the counter told us about this, the painted tin walls popped out and became exciting again. I will miss this and I hope the next tenant values it.
My good Man and I took a nice walk to Green-Wood cemetery this weekend, it’s my favorite place right now. We have spent many a great moment enjoying the quiet beauty of cemeteries, this is a streak of calm within the realm of memory. Green-Wood is a particularly nice cemetery containing some historic remains, beautiful mausoleums, and interesting head stones.
The above two photographs were taken from the same head stone and we delighted in it. The oldest headstone (pictured in detail) was tightly surrounded by familial stones dating to today. This cemetery sprawls, gives great views of Manhattan, and provides quiet.
I couldn’t resist the colors in this twig arrangement, olive green, salmon red, taupe and density. Being inspired is an activity. It is something we conjure, it is magic, fuel, faerie dust. It is no small thing.
What and how do you go about being inspired? How do you lean into inspiration and open your person to magic? Inquiring minds want to know.
Melanie Testa 
When I get back to NY, Green-Wood is on my list. One of the best things about digital photography is the ability to take hundreds of “makes no sense to anyone but me” photos. There is no worry about did I capture the piece, is it blurry, did I just waste film – all gone! When my Dad was in the hospital, it was an up to date facility with roots back to the 1890’s. They kept the original part of the hospital intact and I spent hours taking photos in the rain/snow as I took breaks from being Nurse Nancy. I look at those photos now and remember the calm for a brief moment spent taking photos of old windows, a grate in the street, the angel pillars at the entrance. I may not replicate the image, but it is the stepping stone for a carving, embroidery motif, or color. Just the action of taking the first step via what I see is thrilling. My Gram taught me to always look deeper and I always so.
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When I walk my local trail, as I have many, many times, my eyes are open wide to everything big and everything small. I never fail to notice something different, some brilliant color, some little blossom or seedhead that I have not seen before. I like to take pictures or a specimen to sketch if it’s plentiful.
I’m open to textures and designs like the hugging burch trees I noticed lately along a path I’ve used many times.
Graveyards also interest me. I’ve sketched there once.
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