TOTEMS - Just off the Road

We're blessed in this area to benefit from the beautiful art of the Jamestown S'klallam Tribe.  People heading into Sequim on Highway 101 marvel at the amazing totems that adorn the tribe's main complex.  These colorful poles tell the tale of legends long past, but I'm always drawn to the individual faces, which seem to be staring into the past with all-knowing gazes.

This figure seems to be looking down at me, staring right into me.  He has knowledge about things that I can only imagine.  He's not smug, but rather, he's wise.

On the other hand, this figure helps me to know that life isn't to be taken too seriously.  He's obviously got some mischief in mind, and I think that he wishes some mischief for my life as well.  Once in a while it's a good idea to stop and check out these figures, invent stories for them, and let your imagination run wild.

BRRR - Just off the Road

It's getting chilly here in Sequim.  Not nearly as cold as Alaska usually is (though not this year), but cold enough that we're forced to turn on our new propane fireplace.  I wasn't so sure about giving up the woodstove, but this new unit is clean and when I want some heat, I simply throw a switch.  I like that!  Not one to miss an opportunity, my camera-toting husband spent an evening this week lying on his stomach, gazing though his lens, and snapping away.  The result is something both beautiful and interesting.  I like the blue glass on the bottom of the fireplace, since it adds an unusual quality to the flame.

More interesting still is the single tongue of flame that he caught.  It looks lonely in this picture, but it was doing its part, along with its mates, to warm up our chilly November evening, while adding art to our living room.
 

FORMS - Just off the Road

While wandering around Sequim, my husband has come across some of the most interesting forms.  This one, for example, is a simple park bench, but with an artist's eye, he was able to make it into an artistic shot which leads the eye and the brain to wonder what in the world he was looking at.

In our home, he found one of my favorite collectibles - a glass paperweight.  This one is in the shape of a crashing wave, but this close up made me wonder how his mind works.  Art and beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

We just finished a kitchen remodel, but leave it to my loving spouse to think outside the box.  He took one look at this cabinet with its handles and next thing I knew, he was setting up the tripod, placing a sheet of blue poster board on the floor, and snap - a form that blew my mind.

The lesson in all this is that we often overlook the obvious in our daily journey.  We're so busy scanning the big picture that we fail to take the time to see what's right in front of us.  My husband is learning that lesson well.