Zinnia Bud

One of the volunteer zinnias that reseeded from last year

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Zinnia Bud

Searcy County Courthouse

I like old courthouses sitting on the town square, but our county has to have one of the ugliest in the country. The building is very plain and has later additions grafted onto one side. However, the worst thing about it in my opinion is that it's just plopped down in a sea of asphalt. That little bit of grass out front is all there is. Courthouses are supposed to be build atop a raised area so that they dominate the town square. And, there's supposed to be a courthouse lawn with tree and well-kept beds for flowers and shrubs.

Searcy County Courthouse

Green Beans Escaping

The wire hoops we installed over our green beans have done a great job at keeping the deer and rabbits out, but are useless at keeping the beans in.

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Green Beans Escaping

Stephens' Lake

The swimming area on Stephens' Lake in Columbia, MO. This small lake is divided in half by a walkway and artificial island. Half of the lake is for swimming. The other half is for fishing.

The lake and adjoining city park provide a beautiful setting for an art fair. However, other aspects of the park are not so good for selling artwork and fine crafts -- like the park has no parking. There are a couple of small lots that I'm sure are adequate for the park's regular users. However, because these lots would be totally inadequate for the art fair crowd, they are reserved for exhibitor and handicapped parking during the show. The art fair patrons are expected to take a shuttle to the site.

Since Art in the Park was moved to this site three years ago, our sales are about half of what they were prior to the move.



The island in the middle of Stephens' Lake.

(Art in the Park ... Columbia, MO ... June, 2008)

Stephens' Lake

No Skating

With a temperature in the eighties, I did not do any skating -- and the only ice I fished was from out of our ice chest.

(Art in the Park ... Columbia, MO ... May, 2008)

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No Skating

Lion on the Lose

A local landscaping company provided various topiary creations for display during Art in the Park in Columbia, MO (June, 2008).

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Lion on the Lose

Skinny Legs

Skinny legs, but well inked.

(Art in the Park ... Columbia, MO ... June, 2008)

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Skinny Legs

Hibiscus

Jo's hibiscus is blooming.

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Hibiscus

Road Barriers

On the way to Oklahoma City in May (2008), Jo and I discovered the place where concrete road barriers come to hibernate -- in a rest area (no facilities) off I-40.

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Road Barriers

Warning Sign

My neighbor's warning sign: If you can read this, you're in range.

With a sign like this, you don't have to waste money on "Welcome" mats.

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Warning Sign

"S" Curves

For three days I drove around in Oklahoma City trying to figure out what these wavy white lines signified. At one point it occurred to me that they might be some kind of pre-marked sobriety check points. ("Please walk the white line for me, Sir.") However, that idea didn't make much sense. They were clustered together in certain areas and completely absent in others. Besides, the police have all kinds of electronic gadgets to check sobriety these days. Finally, on day number four, the purpose of these wavy lines popped into my head: They mark the beginning and end of school zones. Doh! Fortunately, schools were not in session while I was driving around OKC. (Note: There are also the more traditional signs announcing the beginning and end of school zones.)

"S" Curves

Paseo Architecture

The Paseo District in Oklahoma City was constructed as a commercial and multi-family dwelling development back in the 1950s.  It thrived for a while, then it and the surrounding neighbors went into a long period of decline and neglect.   In the 1980s artist "discovered" The Paseo.  It's psuedo-Spanish architecture gave it a funky charm and its decrepit condition made for relatively cheap studio and gallery space within the city.  The Paseo Arts District was born.

Some of the old building have been restored; some have been replaced with new structures that do not match the surrounding architecture.  Studio and gallery space is no longs as cheap as it used to be, but the Paseo will probably be saved from total gentrification because it is a small area surrounded by housing projects and some neighborhoods that are still on the rough side.

Paseo Architecture

Munching Munchkin

Everyone was eating and/or drinking something, it seems.

(Paseo Festival of the Arts ... Oklahoma City, OK ... May, 2008)

Munching Munchkin

Paseo Food Court

As the sun sinks slowly in the west, the food court is still open for business.

(Paseo Festival of the Arts ... Oklahoma City, OK ... May, 2008)

Paseo Food Court

Stay Back

And if you don't stay far enough back, do the rear doors on the van pop open and the long arm of the law reach out and smite you?

(Oklahoma City police van ... Paseo Festival of the Arts ... May, 2008)

Stay Back

Inzmood

Inzmood for what, I wonder?


(Paseo Festival of the Arts ... Oklahoma City, OK ... May, 2008)

Inzmood

Faith

You gotta have faith, and your foot is as good of a place to have it as any, I reckon.


(Paseo Festival of the Arts ... Oklahoma City, OK ... May, 2008)

Faith