Change Is Good

I am not usually indecisive but anyone can change their minds, which with some sense of apology is what I propose to do. It used to be that I wanted to keep my pictures of Key West separate from my thoughts about the world around me so I started up a separate blog which I called Conchscooter's Common Sense. I wanted a space to record my thoughts in a more personal way than the record of photographs I was laying down at Key West Diary. After a while it seemed silly to me to be flipping back and forth and I figured if I kept the pictures clearly separated from the essays with lots of words people could read what they wanted. Instead it seems that an essay is like a car wreck and hard as one tries the ability to look away is overcome by the desire to...keep reading. So lately by way of an experiment I have been transferring some of my other writings to the other blog and as of today I think I shall move forward here with just the pictures. My thoughts and feelings about local or national politics and the slide into the Great Depression that seems ready to engulf us, that I will keep separate "over there." Given the passage of time I may change my mind again.

http://conchscooterscommonsense.blogspot.com/

More Street Walking

I caught this picture of potted plants in front of the house in the last picture of yesterday's essay on Petronia Street. I used to see, but never really noticed, this habit all over the world of house proud people, women usually, taking some growing thing, sticking it in the first container to hand, a coffee tin or a tomato can (in Italy) and nurturing it into bloom.

This house fit into no single essay with it's classic Key West attributes of white paint, tin roof, contrasting shutters and shiny green palms. It seemed a pity to toss this picture out. On Margaret Street I think.A cyclist heading west from the cemetery with a huge hand warmer (or yoga mat more likely) on the handlebars. A day of 60/15 is cold in Key West, even in midwinter.

The always lovely Dade Pine valued for it's resistance to rot in the 19th century, so much so they cut it all down in Dade County and had to go to the Panhandle to find more. You'd be hard pressed to find a Miami home made of this stuff (not impossible- just very difficult). It's not uncommon in Key West though you will find occasional ill advised attempt to paint the stuff.

I cannot get over my enchantment with the Key West skyline. Tins roofs and palm trees, trite but always worth a look.

A valiant attempt at a cheap fix for an old timer. I sometimes tend to forget that old homes are a rarity in many places across the US, then I see tourists gawping and I reminded why these are here, because they were forgotten for a while, saved from destruction almost by accident and here they still are, still lived in and on display as it were by the side of the streets.

Did I mention how everyone is talking about how cold and prolonged this winter has been and still is. Check out this Pacific Northwest style of living, most unsuitable (normally) for the Southernmost City.Ooh look! A palm tree!

Crossing Eaton Street on a bicycle can take patience in winter, which can be a companionable moment.People who walk their dogs are terrified of letting their animals sniff Cheyenne so they hurry away when they see us come bumbling along. I'd like to tell them dogs get along much better than their owners. Dogs are smart.Bahama shutters, banana palms and more of that blue sky the rest of the country comes down to see.

This truly was a Seinfeld essay about Cheyenne and I wandering aimlessly for an hour. Some people save up all year to able to do that in Key West.