Randomness
Things seen while out and about
Happy April! Coming to you on this 2nd day of April, I didn’t want to get swept up in the April Fools’ Day emails and crazy stories.
As I’ve mentioned before, I get out and walk just about every day. Weather doesn’t usually stop me, I push through the discomfort and get it done. But I’ll admit, when it’s cold, rainy, or just plain miserable, my patience for looking around drops to about zero. It’s all about getting back inside to a warm cup of coffee.
Lately, though, we’ve had some beautiful 60- and 70-degree days, and I’ve found myself slowing down, noticing more, and of course taking more photos.
More times than I can count, I’ll come across something and think: Huh, that’s interesting. Then: How long has that been there? And finally: Should I take a picture of it? (That last question always ends in yes.)
That’s where today’s newsletter comes from. These aren’t shots I’d likely print or add to my portfolio, but they caught my eye for one reason or another. And since you’re here, I thought I’d share a few with you.
First up is one of my most recent random finds, a birdhouse made from an old shoe, tacked up on a telephone pole. I call this one Birdhouse in Your Sole, based off the song Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants. I have no idea if a bird has taken up residency here or not but interesting idea for an old shoe.
From quirky to a little eerie, this next find caught my attention one foggy morning at Ellis Pond. I have no idea what it is or why it’s there. As I walked around the backside of the pond, I spotted this strange effigy, or maybe just a pile of random things assembled together. A bit creepy, odd, and totally random.
At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, sewer pipes, maybe? But there were no others around, just these sitting in the middle of the forest like a misplaced relic. They kind of looked like binoculars to me.
This one caught my eye as I was walking around the neighborhood, someone had placed a sleeping gnome on the back of a mailbox post. Just random and kind of quirky.
Randomness at its finest, the parking lot of a grocery store in a small town. Why not take your tractor to get groceries? At least, that’s what I imagine happening here.
Apparently, I’ve been walking right past this one for months. One day, though, a pop of color caught my eye, and there it was, a tiny gnome campsite hidden in a garden.
Last one for this newsletter, one of those things you stumble upon and immediately start making up stories about.
A pair of woven structures, one holding onto the remains of last season’s dried-out twigs, the other standing empty like it’s waiting for its turn. Are they garden trellises? Art installations? The beginnings of a tiny village for very patient people? Who knows, but they made me stop for a second look.
Photography isn’t always about the grand, perfectly composed shots. Sometimes, it’s just about noticing the little things, the odd, the amusing, or the strangely beautiful moments hiding in plain sight.
Hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the randomness I’ve collected. Until next time, keep looking around!
As always, thanks for reading!
Karl
The napping gnome 👍