Please Get Your Butts Off the Street (and the Beach

I don’t want to infringe on anyone’s rights. Please smoke away if you enjoy it and know the risks.  I wholeheartedly support your choice. My issue is littering. I flinch when I see someone carelessly throw a lit cigarette out a car window. Or empty an entire ashtray onto the curb. Or extinguish a cigar on the sand and leave it there. To magically disappear. Not.

It’s a myth the butts are biodegradable. In reality, it takes years for filters to decompose; yet it seems to be the last vestige of acceptable littering.  According to Keep America Beautiful, tobacco products constitute up to 38% of all litter. That’s pretty staggering. But, I know it’s fixable if people know the truth.

Here’s a quick glance of what I saw on a local road. Look at all those filters.

I remember the anti-littering ad campaigns of the 70’s that made everyone recoil at the thought of littering. It’s about time we collectively cringe again.

Knock, Knock

Who doesn’t love a beautiful doorknocker?

In ancient times, doorknockers were often hideous gargoyles or ferocious lions to ward off evil spirits and prevent them from entering. As superstition gave way to the age of reason, doorknockers evolved into decorative objects of art.

I picked up this doorknocker about 15 years ago in a small antique shop. I was intrigued by this couple’s eternal kiss.

While in a small fishing village in Connecticut, this doorknocker seemed very appropriate.

I spied this little fox through a screen door.

When you think about it, doorknockers are probably one of the first things you see when you arrive at someone’s threshold.  Not only a visual statement, a doorknocker is tactile and taps into your sense of touch.

I’m really into the simplicity and beauty of doorknockers.  Maybe it’s because my doorbell has never, ever worked. 

Gotta Love Snarcasm

Who doesn’t appreciate a little sarcasm? Or maybe a little tongue-in-cheek irony? How about a poke at common sense? A mocking of conventional wisdom?

This sign is snarky just by stating the obvious.   

Humor is a great way to get people to remember something.  After all, who doesn’t like to laugh?

Would this friar cookie jar dissuade you from grabbing for that extra treat? His sly look and the admonishment may be enough to discourage another reach into the cookie jar. Or not.

Not everybody has a jeep, ok? But, I get your point that everyone should.

Trespass away, little birds.  You may as well defile that sign while you’re at it.

Everyday, curious little things creep into your field of vision that may be the opposite of what you expect.  Take the time to appreciate the atypical, point out the poignant, and embrace the odd.

Summer Smiles

Maybe someday I’ll write an Ode to the Outside Shower. Oh, how refreshing you are. So exhilarating, so liberating, so close to nature.  Our friends, Lisa and Mike in Cape Cod, insist that everyone use the OS and I’m now a devout follower of that philosophy. Think of the wear and tear you save on your indoor bathrooms. Not to mention that invigorating dash back to the house.

If nothing else, I had to give these ice cream scoopers points for creativity.  That’s a sure way to get my approval – have a conch shell as a tip jar.

I fell in love with these two gentlemen on their electronic scooters making their way down the boardwalk. I wondered if they were lifelong friends or new buddies. Either way, I warm at the thought of how they are not letting their circumstances stop them from enjoying the hustle and bustle of the boardwalk, with its crazy mix of humanity. Long may you run, guys.

Happy summer.

There's the Rub

Maybe it’s not enough for people to behold the magnificence of a bronze statue.  They seem to want to touch it, too. 

We came upon this beauty on the campus of Johns Hopkins University and obviously she’s been groped over the years, presumably in the name of good luck.

I wondered where the tradition of rubbing statues began.  All over the world big toes, boots, noses, rear ends, bellies, and various other body parts have all been rubbed since ancient times.  All in the name of faith, luck, getting an A, warding off parking tickets, and the promise of wealth and prosperity.

This 5 star bronze cross on the Charles Bridge in Prague is rubbed to honor a loyal priest who put God over the king by refusing to divulge the confessions of Queen Sophia.  Legend has it that five stars appeared when he was thrown off the bridge and hit the water.  When you put your hand on the stars, you send someone a wish. 

It’s almost a magnetic pull to rub a statue.  I never did find a solid reason why the tradition started. Maybe we just want to put our own “touch” on a brilliant work of art or we’re hoping that something good will rub off on us.

Pocono Dogs

Whenever we drove the back ways to get to Lake Wallenpaupak, we’d pass by a farm with three dog statues out front. For years we looked forward to seeing the dogs, as they were always dressed for some occasion. We imaged a sweet old lady inside who fussed to find just the right 4^th of July hats for her precious pups. Year after year, we’d guess at what color scarves or sunglasses the dogs would be sporting just before we reached the turn in the road. It became a part of our three-hour drive and the kids loved the mystique of the dogs.

Then, the unthinkable happened.  The dogs were unadorned one day as we turned the corner of the country road.  For the next several years, we conjectured that the old woman passed away and, with her, the custom of dressing the dogs.  We mourned a little every time we saw the plain pooches out front.

Then a few weeks back - low and behold - they’re back.  Hmmm…maybe the sweet old lady recovered from a long illness, or someone new is carrying on the tradition. Whatever the case, thanks for making us smile.  In one little corner of the world, sanity is restored.

Don't Ignore the Signs

When I saw these faceless signs (all within the past week), I thought, “Wow, I better use sunscreen this summer.”  Never underestimate the havoc nature can wreak.

 A stop sign should command authority and deliver a definitive directive to drivers.  This looks like it lost its vigor and is mildly suggesting that you stop…if you don’t mind. Come on highway department, your sign is spineless, a milquetoast - literally.

If a yield sign is supposed to assign right of way, this one is pretty ineffective.  How many people have ignored this vague order and who would blame them? As this sign grows fainter and fainter, so does the urgency of its message.

Although these signs are faded and have lost their voice, they actually speak volumes. Wear your sunscreen.