Abandoned Love

I love to take the back ways.  I don’t know why, but there’s just something about abandoned buildings that evoke strong feelings in me.  They are so mysterious, sad, strange, romantic, sinister…

Was this once a thriving hotel or restaurant? What caused its decline? Why didn’t someone knock it down? Who boarded up the windows?

Schools, especially, seem creepy.  You can almost hear the voices of schoolchildren at recess …

I will be sad if they ever knock this old factory down. Think how she once probably stood strong and employed hundreds of people. Maybe someone will figure out a way to reinvent her and make her proud and robust again...

I hope all these buildings eventually find new life, but in the mean time, I’ll appreciate their haunting beauty.

Remains of the Beach Day

Coming onto the beach a few weeks ago, I noticed that there were always broken chairs and umbrellas sitting by the trash cans. It seemed such a monumental waste.  I wondered if someone (aka my daughter) could turn all this trash into treasure somehow.

 I talked to the guys collecting the refuse and they told me it was a great idea (if only to lighten their load).  They said, “this ain’t nothin’ lady, we come by here twice a day and fill the truck.”

So enter mom last Sunday morning at 6am on the beach with a pair of scissors. I tried to beat the guys with the truck.

My daughter examined my stash, hosed the sand off, tossed it in the washing machine and began creating. It’s just a start, but here are a few examples of what she produced by Sunday afternoon.  It’s one way to reuse, reduce, recycle, rethink and breathe new life into beach debris.

  

Take it as a Good Sign

I can appreciate a funny sign. It’s always good if it makes you do a double take.

Or sends a sweet message...

Or just plain confuses you! (This is in Beijing, China). I still don’t know what they’re trying to tell people. No explosive briefcases?

So, I’ll keep my eyes peeled for interesting signs and keep you posted!

Quirky Sights Along the Way….

I love to run into quirky things. The other day I was driving along Rt. 9 between Stone Harbor and Avalon and found this field with three upright doors.  Something about it made me do a u-turn, put my flashers on, hop out and take a picture.

Maybe it’s because it reminds me of an album cover.  Maybe it was the mystery of why the doors were there.  Maybe it was because it was just so unexpected.  But I love the scene.

Chances are, it won’t be there the next time I’m down that way.  When quirky opportunity knocks, I always answer.