I went out for coffee after swim practice on Saturday. We tried a new coffee shop. We walked around the neighborhood and stumbled into some art produced by children. It was fun!!!

 

I like to keep up with friends. My friend Anne used to be one of my assistants back in the 1990s. She graduated into being a wedding photographer (not my fault!) and then she realized that a real job with a salary and benefits was preferable and she became a nurse. We check in with each other about once a month. Always over coffee. And our "coffee klatches" are mostly capped with a walk around whatever area we found our coffee in. 

Since Anne and I have such a long history together (and probably since she is a nurse with a master's degree) her first questions always seem to be about my health. I gave her a good report on Saturday and we moved on to other subjects. Mostly about art, music, the declining quality of coffee out in the wild and the need to stay in motion as much as possible. 

We did talk for a moment about film photography and she told me that she's never sold any of her film cameras. The Hasselblad she used for weddings, the Leicas she used for personal work and the Canons she also used for weddings are all still waiting patiently for her in a closet in her house. Well done, considering the resurgent popularity of top line film gear. 

After having coffee at the very crowded packed Radio Coffee house and gardens we decided to ramble around a neighborhood, just adjacent, that neither of us was at all familiar with. In a few blocks we stumbled into a beautifully landscaped little collection of modest mid-century houses that had been transformed into a private, primary school called, "Habibi's Hutch."  We had both heard of the school for years. They are known to be very "art forward" with their students and relatively without borders when it comes to each individual student's curriculum. And boy oh boy, it's apparent that art class is a top priority for many there. 

I had a blast walking along the fence line making photographs of the student art hanging on the fence wires. The colors were vibrant and saturated with little help from me or my post processing. I was using the Leica SL2 camera and the Voigtlander 40mm. I seem to have a crush on that lens this week. 

I can hardly wait to go back again and photograph more of the art work. I didn't want to truncate the walk on Saturday. But the universe is pretty good at rewarding folks who take the time to get out and walk through the world. Especially if they also bring along their cameras. 

Be sure to click on the images and make them big. They are fun. Children's art always reminds me that not being too serious all the time makes being creative a lot easier!!! B thinks the secret of any creative success I've had is my immaturity. In fact, one of my coaches told me he thinks I have: M.D.D. = Maturity Deficit Disorder. This, he believes is why I like to swim fast, play around a bit at practice and smile more than I frown. Maybe he's right. Maybe more people should catch it. I wonder if immaturity is contagious? I hope so. There are way too many people walking around with a stick up their butts....  (four ellipses alert!!!)....