Where Did the Weekend Go? Walking Porn

Where was I?

 Did I go shopping without you?

Heavens no.

 Do I have nothing blooming?

 Perish the thought.

To be honest, I was...um...

Busy.

But let me explain.

 Saturday, we had people in town we haven't seen in nearly 20 years.

Naturally, for a reunion of friends from the 80s,

I dressed as if I didn't own a full length mirror, which I only recently acquired.

If I'm questioned, I'll claim I haven't read the manual yet.

 That took up a good chunk of Saturday.

Sunday, this was our view from the fifth floor of a parking deck.

 

Yes, we're looking out over a bright, cold Sunday in Coconut Grove, Miami.

 And that can only mean one thing:

You're along on my annual trek to

The Coconut Grove Art Festival!

 And the Grove was dressed for the occasion...

 ...in all its finery...

 ...and so was the redhead.

43 degrees worth of Miami Winter has the natives all wrapped like this.

We aren't good at cold.

 These guys are.

 If you've ever wanted to dabble in raising orchids, this is the place to shop.

 The kaleidoscope makes it impossible to leave with just one.

 All this was set against a backdrop of our usual twisted,

towering trees engulfed in strangler figs...

 Of even more fascination to me, this landmark building from my years of visits

now hanging in tatters just a hundred feet away.

Terra orchids...
planted in dirt, easy, and obviously, just as showy.

 This table is going to stay in my mind when I do the spring pruning.

 Air plants and bromeliads in tabletop harmony.

 Sam dragged me away so I wouldn't be carrying a forest all day.

 Off to look at the less natural offerings that directly reflect our surroundings.

I still regret leaving these behind.

Imagine the glow of a candle through the amazingly delicate designs.

 The next exhibit just had me frozen...

 Each tiny sculpture was amazingly realistic.

 As if they would pause on my passion vine for lunch.

 I've never been attracted by specimen art.

This changed my mind.

All of this artist's work was done on a canvas of silver sheen.

The jewel tones and illusion of movement were simply ethereal...
my art appreciation professor just raised his head and frowned somewhere.

I...I....um...
well...you know...they...sort of...kinda...

 Okay, screw it, let's look at this guy.

 I think having this would break through layers of writer's block.

Don't be deceived.

This was two and a half feet tall, and I was both enchanted by it

and frightened by the thought of $3500 in my dustpan.

 Look at the space created by the wine.

Yep. 

It used to take me a couple of bottles of Merlot to see naked people in my drink.

 Humpty Dumpty.

Charming children's nursery rhyme?

 Or chilling cautionary tale?

 This little toy is only for the grown ups,
 but I think I'd revert to age eight for the duration.

Shards of luminous glass, gems, metals, and glittery dust in glycerine swirl
like infinite ideas.

Your creative spark would come crawling back, begging for forgiveness.

 Best kaleidoscope EVER.

 I spoke briefly with the owner.

$500 may be pricey, but they are amazing.

 Perfect to catch the light inside or out, these handpainted

orbs have a touch of copper for strength.

 You should be able to find a color that suits you.

 Over in the sculpture park, things always get a little surreal.

Layered painted iron beasts aren't only fanciful,

they move.

 Every one of them includes motion.

 Wouldn't you love the budget to sprinkle these in tour playground?

I can imagine Samwow talking to this moose all day.

Nice face, huh?

Pay attention...

 It's actually an impression captured in the glass.

 Going for a more Zen feel in the garden?

 This artist captured traditional Buddhist icons, like prayer wheels and bowls.

 Not all art is high brow.

 Some looks fabulously appropriate over the bar, or in The Man Cave.

 No, no, you are NOT coming home with me!

 Spare me the look.

The orchid wall sculpture was beautiful on its own,

with a subtle pearlized glaze...

 ...but it was this little fellow hiding in the petals that stole my heart.

 Perfect home accents for a little taste of my stomping grounds.

 Need. Period.

 Especially this one.

 If you feel the squirrels in your yard are not sufficiently recognized for their arial

accrobatics performed for your amusement when pilfering the bird food,

well, here's your chance to make ammends!

 Why subject them to a feeder that looks like a mini RV?

 Reward those resourceful rodents with something Frank Lloyd Wright-esque!

 The shot of glorious color to your yard?

Simply a bonus.

 Sam said he'll help me with this recycling project.

You know, gathering the supplies.

 I've seen oil burners in rock before, but this is specially salvaged coral from the Keys.

 The artist, Bob, was kind enough the explain the harvest and reclamation process.

When he found out I was a blogger, he gave me the royal tour.

Unique, environmentally responsible, and just stunning.

And he's used his imagination to use every shard in a project.

 Want to see more?

 Hit up Fossil Lamps for the full story and some fantastic slices of the tropics.

He had wayyyyyy too many creative choices for me to show you in this post!

I'm going to shed a couple of layers while our temperatures climb back up near 55.

Grab a soda, a Blue Moon draught, a Walking Wine (where the @#$%^& were THESE

a couple years ago? Huh? HUH?!?!), and we'll finish this little wander up tomorrow.

I have a lot of fun things still to show you, from orchids you CAN'T kill,

fairies in flight, and a Barrel of Monkeys game you

will never believe!