The more involved I get with photography, the more interested I become in finding the unique. Or at least trying to tell a story of something that most people never bother to see. I had lunch with friends and as we walked around afterwards, they were amazed at how perceptive I was to my surroundings. Open your eyes folks!
Lions are a big deal in Jerusalem, Lion of Judea, it is now the symbol of the city. This kind of lion is common on the entrances of a number of homes.
This fellow is amazing! He is over the doorway of an old house. I’ve never seen one like him, a sleeping lion!
This manhole cover has the emblem of the city shield. I thought this was a water main cover, but no, the word on the right is Stop lights – so the control panel for the lights are under here.
Same lion appears on many of the city benches, either in parks or along the streets.
Yehuda Fences, I’m guessing he chose the lion as his logo because of his name.
The famous lion fountain. I’ve looked through my old photos and I’ve found pictures I’ve taken through the years, often with the water not running.
I love these lions, so whimsical, so fun.
This lion has been here forever. I think it was over 20 years ago Jerusalem had a project of artist painted lions. Where the geranium now blooms there used to be tulips. Geraniums are much more effective in the hot dry climate of Jerusalem.
These feral descendants of some big cat are all over the city. Not a lion, but still related.
Category: Travel
Israel
I made a quick trip to Israel for family matters. Yes it is a long way to go for such a short time, sometimes a quick trip is a good thing.
I did spend the weekend by the Sea of Galilee and am sharing some images.
Early morning (jet lag will do that), fog on the lake (despite being called a sea, it is a rather small lake). I love it when I take a picture and it comes out this incredible.
The only way you can see that the other shore isn’t that far away is the waves breaking.
A few hours later, the fog has burned off and the sun is hot. That is the Golan Heights on the other side.
A small tributary. In Israel, any body of water is precious.
The Eucalyptus tree is native to Australia but was brought to Israel in the 1950s. I wish they had bought a Koala along, since that is the main use of the tree.
They eat the leaves. Unfortunately the wood and the fruit of this tree is useless.
We hiked up Mt. Meron, one of the highest peaks in the Upper Galilee.
Looking down on the agricultural communities below.
May is late in the season for wildflowers, this is the only area that they are still blooming.
We shared the path with some local cows.
The milk and cheese products from the area are wonderful, now I know why, free range cows.
More pictures to come.
LeahModernism in Palm Springs
Usually when I go to Palm Desert I’m with family and no one wants to go look at houses. This time I had a few hours to escape and see some of the famous 50s’-60s homes.
Picked up my map at the old Tramway gas station, now the visitors center.
Simple materials, but a creative use of bricks and a soaring roof line.
I am a firm believer that when you educate and expose yourself to a style, be it art, music or architecture, you will come to appreciate it. It takes time, everything good in life does. I wouldn’t say Mid century modern architecture is my favorite, but the more I see, the more I appreciate. No better place than Palm Springs with it’s multitude of these homes still standing side by side. Also, something about the desert makes these sing.
This is one of the few houses on the map that I was able to photograph. All these homes are private and many are now behind gates, I totally understand people not wanting strangers coming by and photographing their homes. Although, this map was put together by the Palm Springs Modern committee – so they must have gotten permission.
Just driving the neighborhood, I encountered so many houses I just stopped the car and pulled out my camera.
I’m wondering if the front gate was a later addition. It is a simpler design. I really like the very angular door next to the circular iron grate.
Typical roof line and so appropriate for the desert. This allows a higher ceiling which means hot air is rising and it might make the interior just a little less oppressive. Notice the wall? I have overheard people complaining about ‘those tacky lattice walls’. Really? When Frank Lloyd Wright used a concrete block over and over people swooned. Modern architects took the design to the masses and that makes it tacky? To me it is one of the most effective parts of this style.
The use of different materials, stone, gravel, iron work.
Frank Sinatra’s original home in the desert. He later moved to a much larger complex. I was very lucky that the gate was open.
Someone is refurbishing the house next door. Look at this incredible gate, original to the house, this I love! Of course this will make an incredible quilt, need to give this some serious thought.
I do love gingerbread Victorian homes. I also love this simplicity.
I think this is an old house with an incredible addition. It works so well. Federal rules for adding on to an historic building require that one doesn’t replicate the old. The idea is to have a definite change between old and new, while at the same time creating a cohesive unit. This is the perfect example.
Cut outs in the roof that allow the ubiquitous palm trees to do their thing – grow really really tall.
Impressive isn’t it? I never would have noticed the house otherwise.
As I drove away I came by the Saguaro Palm hotel, it looks old, but I can’t find any information about it, so it may be new construction in the style of Midcentury.
Admitting my sins, as I rounded the corner in the car I was just clicking away at my camera, it worked.
Looking t the size of the hotel, I’m thinking the whole thing is modern, but what a great use of shapes and colors. Look online, the pool area is a riot of bright colors.
So now I am really inspired to go down and take a tour, to be able to get more explanations as well as get a closer view.
Leah
The Desert
This is what the desert looks like in it’s natural state.
Add water from natural springs and this is what you get.
Plant a viable crop, date palms and now you have a name – Palm Springs.
These crazy trees don’t offer much shade, but in the desert, being in the shade makes all the difference in the world.
Gives you a few minutes to enjoy the rock formations
And see who finds this to be a perfect home.
Add a little sugar water and the humming birds come out. This is an unusual one. Love the collar.
Actually managed to capture him in flight. Yay! My camera skills are improving!
The wings are a blur they move so fast.
Dragonflies love the water too.
As tall as palms gets, they aren’t really trees. Here is one chopped down and split open, it looks like a sponge, not a dense hardy tree trunk.
Gnarled wood is always fascinating.
Bats
OK, final post from Austin.
Austin is known for it’s bats, namely the masses of bats that live under Congress street Bridge. 
Becky and I were warned that it is probably too early in the season to see bats – they are still enjoying the warmth of Mexico.
But we went to the riverside park, stood under another bridge and waited for dusk.
A rowing crew floated by.
The sun set.
The rowing crew left.
And then it was dark and the hotels across the water reflected beautifully on the Colorado river. But no bats. Well I did see two, but no swarms.
At least we enjoyed our time by the river and I think I did very well with photography at dusk without any flash, just relying on ISO and depth of field.
LeahMore Austin
A walk around downtown.
Old Texas home, local sandstone, covered porch. It would be nice to think that this will be saved, but I doubt it, probably will be torn down. Austin is a real boomtown right now, building all over, which means that many wonderful old buildings will be lost before someone wakes up and tries to save some of them.
A wonderful old home now being used as a business. Nice for now, but at some point the land will be much more valuable with a larger structure.
Now here is a great example of adaptive reuse through the years. Built in 1874 by the Morely bros. who were Druggists – I guess the word pharmacists wasn’t used in those days. At a latter date the blade sign was added, still a drug store with a soda fountain. Since then it has become a music venue, notice the banner for SXSW is proudly waving out front.
Wonderful old theater, the sign is newer, although to an untrained eye, it all looks old.
The 1920′-30’s must have been good times in Austin, there is a lot of Art Deco. Love how the old sits next to the ‘new’.
This doorway is completely Art Deco, the whole building is, but this is the best feature.
Look up at the Beaux Arts details.
Look down at more modern mosaic street art.
Signage on buildings.
One of the many bars on 6th street.
And then there is the Frost Bank Tower. One thing I’ve noticed about the sky line of many newer buildings is how they play with glass and interesting shapes. 
Of course the color changes with atmospheric changes as well.
Once again, thanks Becky for the night shot.
Standing right underneath you don’t get to see the tip of the tower. I was calling this style Neo-Art Deco. A term I may have coined myself. The base is wide and squat, then the tower rises with some setbacks the taller it gets. Of course the wonderful ornate roof line that just keeps drawing the eye further up.
I know, purists codify a style and nothing can ever be as good as the original. But in design and architecture, one is always looking back. Then a good designer takes the elements and creates something new. Kudos to the Architects, I think they created a masterpiece.
LeahThe Capitol, Austin
I did manage to get away from Quiltcon for about 2 hours, camera in hand. Austin has some wonderful architecture – but that is for another post. This one is all about the Texas State Capitol building.
The best picture I have is thanks to my friend Becky – who is an amazing photographer. I’m sorry to say I almost got her killed, since to get this image she had to be in the middle of the street, she did set up the camera before hand and walk signs last about 20 seconds in Austin, so all is good, she is fine and I have this incredible image of one of the most beautiful state capitols at night.
A closer look in day light.
One thing about my photography. It has changed and improved a lot since I started this blog one year ago. I love architecture and I find that what I want to share is not the standard postcard images of famous buildings, I’m looking for the overlooked, or unseen.
Like looking up at this incredible dome and seeing the wonderful lone star of Texas.
Or looking down and seeing people standing on the same star as they point out the dome.
I know, you need to squint, but in these original chandeliers there is not only the lone star but also, the light bulbs spell Texas.
All the hinges on all the doors look like this. Bold and proud.
LOVE the hardware! Star is prominently displayed. It is very clear to see which push plate gets used often (the shiny one( as well as how warn out the door nob is getting. 
These bannisters are gorgeous, even if they lack the lone star.
I tagged along on a few different tours, I simply didn’t have the 30 minutes for a whole tour. One of the guides was talking about the Alamo and Texas independence. I can listen for hours to Texans talking about Texas pride, it spills over to pride of the USA – it just makes me happy. She mentioned the Alamo memorial outside, of course I had to pay special attention to that.
This is what I’m talking about ‘God and Texas victory or death’.
Another very important memorial to the Civil war. I know I live in California, we think we were allied with the North, although in actuality in the 1860’s the small settlement in Los Angeles sided with the south. I know that many in the south talk about the war as ‘the war of Northern Aggression’. Either way, it was a war that could have completely torn the fragile union apart. Over 650,000 soldiers died, more than any American soldiers in any war. It did end slavery in America, it changed the course of our history in unimaginable ways. I for one am grateful that we managed to stay one nation and I’m just as proud of those who fought and fell for the south. So to me this memorial was more moving and touching than the one for the Alamo.
On a final note, more lone stars on the fence surrounding the capitol.
Leah
Quiltcon in Austin
Wow! Just got back from 4 amazing days in Austin. It would have been nice to see more of the city but I was so busy at Quiltcon 2015. I actually didn’t take a lot of pictures, I was busy taking classes, seeing the quilts shopping and most importantly meeting modern quilters from all over the world.
43 members of the LAMQG, were there, I saw most of them but not all. I went with my friend Becky. We met years ago at a political rally and bonded instantly. Since then we’ve become great friends and we share a love a quilting. So we roomed together, enjoyed some activities together and others on our own.
One of the quilts at the show, love the colors! As I mentioned, didn’t take a lot of pictures, it certainly was sensory overload.
Prepping for the class Paperless paper piecing. Turns out I was sitting across from Mary, I follow her on instagram – but we only figured that out later. One of the best things about this show was how much people wanted to meet one another – usually because we follow each other on social media – so actually meeting the person is so much fun.
This goody bag was full to the gills with great stuff, charm packs, magazines, tools, can’t wait to start using them. A week before the show people started posting that they’d be trading button, I was late to the game (next year I’ll plan ahead). Even if you didn’t have a button to trade, people were thrilled to hand out theirs. It made it easier to meet people that way, not that I have any problem going up to people and talking, yeah I’m a little horse this morning.
This is one of two quilts by Luke Haynes, a quilt artist who believes that no matter what, quilts should be used to keep you warm. He has spoken at LAMQG, he has quilts in a number of shows around town as well.
Here he is. My SIL Yoch really wants to meet him, so the least I could do was meet him myself.
I had the pleasure of meeting Michele Tucker, the brains behind this incredible bag – the sew together bag. Mine in the one with the hexies, two other classmates had made them as well. There were a lot of these bags at Quiltcon.
Yes, quilters party hard, we took over a large club, open bar, talked, laughed, some people danced. No wonder I’m so tired.
The Keynote speakers were amazing women from Gee’s Bend quitters. Incredible women. Part of their talk was singing, beautiful gospel.
Becky said, what an incredible place, from Tattoos to gospel. Yes, there were many many of the quilters getting tattoos.
Signs for Quiltcon were hanging all over town, and yes, people came in droves to see the show.
On Sunday, before flying home I met with two very good friends. We had never met before in real life. We belong to a small group of knitters on FB. Here are the two Sarahs, even better than our online conversations. Of course I bought yarn.
Don’t know what a Meek is, I meant to write meal, why does spellcheck never work when you need it?
More images of Austin in a future post.
LeahCharlotte North Carolina
Joel had a business trip to Charlotte, so I went along and explored. We were staying downtown. At the hotel there wasn’t much they could tell me about what to do, so I just went. 
One of the first places I discovered was the 7th St. Public Market. Yup, very similar to what I had just visited in Anaheim, although a lot smaller.
Among all the breads they make, they do have Challah, score!
Then it was walking out and about.
Here is the Statue of Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III after whom the city is named. The county is named Mecklenburg, her region of origin in Germany.
In front of the museum of modern art, The Firebird, or ’Oiseau de Feu Sur l’Arch (literally, “Bird of Fire on an Arch”) by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle. I have enjoyed her more colorful mosaic pieces in San Diego and Jerusalem. No didn’t go into this museum, the Mint was enough.
The Mint museum has some wonderful crafts, this is a chair made of paper, layers of black and white that were then carved into the chair. There were wonderful crafts as well as very pretentious ones. The problems with museums is they must make a statement, not just share art or craft. Often the statement is more important than the actual work. 
The Green is an adorable park, mostly dedicated to literature. As well as this wonderful piece is a tribute to Charlottes all over the world, with the notation that this is of course the most important one.
Didn’t pay $20 to go into the Nascar Hall of Fame. A few years ago friends took us to the Charlotte Speedway and we experienced a real Nascar Race. So I didn’t feel the need to go in and see the cars sitting there without moving. Although I do understand that there is a section dedicated to moonshine – but without a tasting room – so why bother?
There isn’t much old to see in Charlotte. But there is a lot of wonderful new Architecture. I wish I had taken more pictures. The building on the left is our hotel, the Westin. The building to the right is the Duke energy center.
The Arlington, a mixed use building right outside of downtown. Yes, the glass is pink, during sunsets it is even more beautiful.
Of course I took my own advice and looked up. I don’t know what building this is but I really like the the use of glass at the skyline. I was with a friend in her car at night, and boy is the skyline impressive then! Unfortunately no pictures.
I know, I’m always looking for the historic, but I realize that many of these modern buildings are very interesting and I should pay more attention to them, lesson learned.
LeahGargoyles of the Biltmore
One of my FB knitting friends lives in North Carolina. She graciously picked me up and we had a day of amazing fun. First up to Asheville on a very cold day (36 – where I come from, that’s freezing). Despite the cold and the wind we had a great time.
The Biltmore estate, largest private home in America was built in the late 19th century. They do not allow photos inside and to be honest, if you want to see the exterior, google it.
There was an exhibition of clothes from Downtown Abbey, a lot of fun seeing the clothes in their natural setting.
Of course I took my camera and shot all kinds of pictures. Going through them I saw a theme – gargoyles.
Let’s start with the strangest of all. Not human, but is is male or female? Good thing it’s high up on the building, you can’t see these details without zooming in.
This one is clearly a woman.
An old man.
Dragons or griffins?
No gargoyles here, just an interesting roof line.
Not a man made gargoyle. The twisted, gnarled trunk of a grape vine in on the outside patio. Nature too has it’s way of making grotesques.