Reflective Surfaces

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

This beautiful museum by architect Tadao Ando is filled with reflective surfaces that bring one to stillness, wonder, peacefulness.  Here are some views from the The Modern Cafe.

 

 

Japanese Gardens Fall

 
 

Waiting

 

Amalfi Hotel, Chicago

 

Quarry Pond

 

Chicago

After Seeing Cartier-Bresson

 

Crane Fountain, Weston Gardens

Red Oak

Where the Grass is Greener

How long have you lived where you are?  Ever get restless, think of moving on?

Fort Worth, Texas is famously known as "where the west begins" --although I do not believe it is the only town claiming this.  Perhaps not even the only town in Texas claiming this.  But Fort Worth has a legitimate claim due to the still popular Stockyards,  the destination for many cattle drives of the post- Civil War period.  I don't think many wranglers shouted it but "meat for the east" was the purpose as cattle were shipped on trains from the Stockyards. 

The first time I saw Fort Worth, I felt I was for sure in the plains, and missed the Hill Country of Austin terribly.  In fact, Fort Worth is geographically between the plains of West Texas and the broadleaved forest that marches west out of the Piney Woods of East Texas.  My geography facts are nebulous, but that's the general idea.  Anyway,  most folk who have never been here, if asked to conjure the place, will likely think of the dusty trails of Lonesome Dove, or maybe of the flat empty landscapes of "Giant".  But that really isn't the truth of Fort Worth, despite the accurate reputation of triple digit summers. 

For example,  did you know that Fort Worth is second only to Chicago in dedicated park areas?

The other thing, why some visitors call Fort Worth "a well- kept secret",  is the amazing cultural district,  with museums and events that have made the city an arts destination rivaling the coasts.

You know how when you first go to a place, you do everything, jump into the scene?  You do things every year, like Shakespeare in the Park,  or Main Street Art Fest, or Mayfest, or go the popular clubs.  But times change and you change and trends come and go, and after a while, if you're like me,  the activities and places you go slowly narrow to a few, and after a while it seems you live in a small kinda boring city.

I began to yearn for new vistas and decided to move.  Since I knew that would take a while to put into place, I decided to spend my last year or so making the most of where I was living.  Along the way I found delightful opportunities for my current interests, indoors and out.  I began to explore and appreciate aspects of the area I had ignored/forgotten about for some years---and discover those that are fairly new on the scene, which is changing as fast as a place can, truth be told.  What a revelation! There's so much to choose from.

I lost my interest in moving away as I became ever more appreciative and engaged.

What's going on in your hometown right now that you haven't explored?  What's grown and changed and might need your participation to succeed?  Where can you see something new or take a class or join a group of people working to improve the community?  Where can you walk or ride and find out what the light is like in the evening, or what birds sing in the mornings?

Thinking of those dusty trails?  Try on these local Fort Worth sights and see how they match up with your images.

 

Trinity River trail

Weston Gardens

 

Japanese Gardens, Botanic Gardens

 

Koi in Japanese Gardens

 

Japanese Gardens

 

Rose Garden, Botanic Gardens

                                               Trinity River trail