The Third Five: College Hill

Or, "Want Some Lemonade?  I Made It Myself".

This week of my life has been about making lemonade out of lemons, and today's Five is no exception.  After a month of indecision and a serious lack of motivation, I decided that with the boys away at a Scouting event, today was going to be THE DAY.  Barring fire, flood or illness, pictures would be taken.

I had originally intended to capture a Five at the Rhode Island School of Design's Museum of Art; in particular, an exhibit entitled "Cocktail Culture" had caught my eye when it opened in mid-April.  I hadn't been to the RISD Museum in over thirty years, but I still have a place in my heart for the school.  As a budding artist, I made RISD my first choice when the time came to apply for college admission.  Unfortunately, I was lacking two very important criteria for entrance: a portfolio, and money.  I turned that lemon of disappointment into lemonade by attending my father's alma mater, Bryant College, where I met and married my husband.

Given my prior experience with RISD, it was only fitting that things didn't go as planned from the outset.  Benefit Street was barricaded for a student function, but I found parking in a nearby lot at a bargain rate - one obstacle out of the way!  Unfortunately, things got worse: not only did my camera not function well in "museum/manners" mode, but photography was also prohibited in the very exhibit I'd wanted to showcase.

Surprisingly, I found these developments very liberating!  Instead of stressing about what pictures to take, I was able to relax and enjoy the exhibits.  I started at the top floor and worked my way down to the gift shop.  I marveled at Buckminster Fuller's visionary work, looked at classic Impressionist paintings up close, quieted my mind with the Buddha, and fell hard for some mid-20th century cocktail dresses from the House of Balenciaga.  After completing my tour, I learned that I'd been so engrossed in the exhibits that I'd completely missed a passing rainstorm.  I left the museum and stepped back into the sunny day I'd left behind when I entered.

Since the weather was cooperating, I decided that there was a Five to be found after all: Benefit Street and its neighbors were rich with architectural variety.

While waiting to cross Benefit Street, I was amazed at the juxtaposition of the architecture of the First Baptist Church in America and RISD's Carr Haus.

Hail, my dream alma mater.

 A closer look at part of the Providence Art Club.

 Obey Giant: Proof that art isn't just in museums, kids.

 I decided to go with a classic for the last picture in the Five: The First Baptist Church in America.  It wasn't hard to follow the spire up to that beautiful blue sky.

Did everything go as expected with this Five?  Absolutely not.

Am I happy that it didn't?  Absolutely.

Until next time,

- Laurie :)

The Second Five: Salter Grove Memorial Park

I decided on an excursion to Salter Grove today, out of curiosity more than anything.  I'd taken pictures there last July 4, and wondered how different the shore and water would look when everything - including my demeanor, since I'd had a stressful day at the office - wasn't quite so lush, warm and bright.

As predicted, the sky and weather upon my arrival reflected my mood: gray, chilly and dismal.  I walked around the grove to some of the high places I'd used as vantage points during my July visit, but couldn't find anything worth a place in the Five.  My spirits were as soggy as the ground beneath my feet.  I did notice that the lack of rampant vines and brambles afforded a perfect opportunity for me to get closer to the shore, so I went for it. 

 I like to imagine this bit of land as a place where local scalawags may have hidden their spoils.  Catching the ducks in the foreground was an added bonus.

 A rocky path was my only passage to the sea wall.

 I was amazed by this huge piece of wood: how long had it been there?  Was it washed up on the rocks by a storm, or placed there by human hands?

 After navigating the rocks and a crooked wooden bridge, I finally arrived at the sea wall.

 

 I'm proudest of this shot: I decided to get as close to the water's edge as I could, and took this picture just as the swan was getting ready to dive for a snack.

By the time I'd taken the last picture in today's Five, my hands were red and stiff from the cold, and the wind had whipped my hair into a frenzy (note: wear a hood next time, girl!).  However, my mind was clear and still, and I felt like the day's stresses had been thrown over the sea wall.  I walked back to my car with a renewed sense of purpose, and felt better than I had all day.

My ears still ache, and my hands aren't quite back up to temperature, but it was a productive adventure. 

I'm not sure where my next trip will take me, or when.  After today's mind-clearing walkabout, however, I'm definitely looking forward to the journey.

Until next time,

- Laurie :)

The First Five: Signs of Life

I decided to keep my first Five simple: with the advent of spring, I took a walk around my yard to see what signs of life had arrived.  Here's what I found:

 I have two pink hyacinths near my back door.  The buds look like a large asparagus tip.

 This may or may not be a crocus.  I think it's a little late for croci to be blooming, though.

 I was happy to see that my blue polemonium (also called "Jacob's Ladder") has returned.

 We planted two white lilac bushes last year.  One of them was accidentally run over by our lawn mower, but seems to have recovered nicely.

The huge maple tree in my backyard is just starting to bud.

I'm sure my next Five will originate a little farther from home, but this is a start!

Until next time,

- Laurie :)