All Around the Circle.

When we began paving paradise a few centuries ago in North America there were craftsmen hired to do the job. They took pride in their work and despite it being back breaking, they also tried to inject some creativity into the paving stones so that they would smooth the way, both literally and figuratively.

This wavy tile treatment is a fabulous example of form meeting function! The steel grate serves two purposes: it warns the pedestrians that the cross walk is near, and it drains water away from under their feet.

These bubble bricks do much the same thing, notifying the blind and those in wheelchairs to be careful and watch for passing traffic. Someone was thinking with both sides of his (or her) brain. And while the good councillors of the day may have ranted and raved about the costs of careful construction, I'd lay odds that thousands of lives - and dollars - have been saved as a result of these design considerations. 

And who ever said that stair risers couldn't be attractive; adding greenery and life to a concrete and clay landscpape?

I want to walk up these stairs.

Or these ones...

The idea of letting nature assist, especially  after bulldozing most of it away, is a good one.

Creating spaces that suit humans, plants and animals is a challenge.

One that some cities, like Savannah, seem to be better at than others.

I thought at first, how funny! They think that dogs can read...then I realized

how far some people will lower

themselves for a drink.

This little guy's quenching the thirsty child within.

Travel. See. More.

He's an S.O.B.

You meet the most interesting people when you least expect it! We were in South East Arizona, following the birding trail that we had devised, we being me and John, my “we’renot marriedbutwe’ve beentogetherfor16 years” mate.
One early morning, we were in Madera Canyon on a quest for the utterly lovely flame coloured tanager. As we walked along the winding canyon road, past quaint cottages, we could hear him singing his little heart out high above us. And we weren’t alone –which was such an odd and wonderful thing about birding in Arizona – to discover groups of people strolling around at 6:30 in the morning with binoculars hanging around their necks and smiles on their collective faces became quite commonplace! So, as we peered up and down, someone in the loosely formed, unintentional group, called it, “Over to the right in the tree next to the house!” And sure enough, ten heads spun to the right, twenty hands lifted their binoculars, and there was a group “Ahhhh!” One of the many, many memorable moments of the trip. The next happened immediately after. John, my intrepid side-kick, hadn’t brought his binoculars along, and when I asked if he wanted to see, he took a quick look, said “that’s nice,” and handed them back to me. Overhearing this, the woman standing in front of us turned and looking directly at John said, “You’re an S.O.B., aren’t you?” We both gaped at her –I mean ,really, that was a little uncalled for - when she immediately followed up with, “I am too! A Spouse of Birder!” We all chuckled, and then the impromptu conversation amidst the group started, with who was and who wasn’t a birder, (about half) but wasn’t it nice that they came out with us (It was. And is.)
Another day in paradise with my S.O.B.