While I generally like to begin the week with a Monday post, this morning demanded some writing on that long-form project I allude to from time to time. And after that was the 9:30 departure Paul had set for a bike ride into the spring sunshine.
But I’m back now, with a few more photographs from my continuing search for unexpected beauty in my urban environment. I took these several weeks ago of an older building that is probably slated for demolition and re-development. The faded and layered patina of its red stairs is probably the height of the building’s aesthetic appeal, and few will regret its demise or transformation.
The transformation of the neighbourhood is worrisome, however, especially the likely un-housing that goes along with it. “Renovictions” are a recurring phenomena in this city lately, and the homelessness that sometimes results from it costs us all.
For some, these social issues make urban life too uncomfortable, even stressful, and I must admit that I loved the tranquility of my previous island neighbourhood. But I tell myself that there’s value in the seeing, the exposure, and I adjust. I find small ways to take meaningful positive action, and I take advantage of the city’s liveliness, its cultural offerings. I have a few shops and restaurants that I try to frequent enough so that I feel a connection with the clerks or servers, fellow customers, so that the neighbourhood begins to feel like just that, a neighbourhood.
And I learn to see beauty in unexpected places. Even if it’s a ravaged beauty, all rusty blue metal and worn red stairs. . .
That’s it for Monday, then, and the week is well begun here in the city. I have plans to show you some recent transitional outfits I’ve worn — but you might like to know that yesterday, for an Art Gallery visit with a Red-headed Five, I wore my white jeans. Yes! That’s how sunny it was, and the weather forecast is for a week of this. Woo-hoo!
So, question for today’s post (although you’re always welcome to comment on anything the post brings up for you): I know I could have posted just one of these photos, as they’re obviously similar. But I couldn’t quite choose. Can you? Which do you think is most effective?
The second one…perfect slant of light on the stairs…
That's true — the slant is sharply outlined in that photo.
I like the first one indeed… Georgia is right about light in second one
Dottoressa
You prefer the one without the foreground fence interfence. . .
I like the second one the best although I know what you mean. I often have a difficult time deciding which photo to choose even though the differences are subtle.
slf
Eleonore (below) sums up why I couldn't choose — something about each one appeals to me. . .
I like the last pic best , where the stairs are disappearing & the fence has taken over – dominating . Quite a statement .
Wendy in York
My favourite as well, Wendy. Whoops! Now I've given it away . . . 😉
Yeah! For the white pants and sunny days! As for blooming in the city, not easy in comparison to the beauty and lushness of your former island home. The city does have its compensation.
I like the last picture also. Amelia
I like the last picture because of the light and shadow on the steps. Also as Wendy mentioned above the fading out of the stairs and the fence becoming more prominent. The rusted textures on the blue fence made it more interesting.
Amelia
Yep! Me too. . .
It is almost impossible for me to choose a "favourite" picture, because they are so different. No. 2 is very striking for its strong contrasts of colours and light and shade, the crossing of straight and diagonal lines. No.1 has a more documentary character, showing the worn out stairs and the boards where the door used to be. It makes you wonder about former tenants, how they lived there (did they sit on those stairs in the sunshine?) and why and how they left. And the last one can be looked at both ways, the "artistic" and the documentary, as shown in the comments of Wendy and Amelia.
Btw, thank you for the term "renoviction". I had never heard it before, and it grasps perfectly what is happening in so many cities everywhere.
You lay out very clearly why I liked each of the photos, what I was aiming at with each "click."
You were impressively stalwart in your resistance to being Renovicted, so I can see what you'd happily adopt the term. It's not mine, of course — we're seeing it far too often here and, as you say, in so many cities.
Ravaged beauty is the best sort;).