how sweet to find this book
sitting outside on the window ledge of a downtown store
on a sunny saturday
just waiting for someone
to pick it up and take it home to read.
gratitude to the book fairies.
—
“books are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. books are humanity in print.”
-barbara w. tuchman
last night’s walk in the park
—
“it is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam.
this crisp winter air is full of it.”
-john burroughs
—
argo park, ann arbor, michigan, usa – february 2021
WDIV-TV shares a recently discovered local treasure –
When glass artist Shawn Bungo and his wife moved to Ann Arbor from Knoxville, Tennessee six months ago, they knew moving to a new city during a pandemic would be a challenge. No stranger to community collaboration, Bungo decided to engage with locals through virtual scavenger hunts for small glass works he would hide across town — and they were an overnight hit. He originally started the tradition while going on walks with his dog, Leo, in Knoxville.
“Being a glass artist, you have a lot of pieces that don’t come out, so that’s what started that,” said Bungo. “When I moved up here, after the pandemic started, I started doing that again where I would just go around and randomly hide things and put my card with them — typically in downtown Ann Arbor. I really connected with the community with that.”
On his many walks, Bungo became fascinated with the city’s numerous Little Free Libraries. He shifted his scavenger hunts to showcase the various library boxes around town — which inspired him to relaunch a project he created in Knoxville.
“I just recently put it back up two weeks ago and I shared it with the Ann Arbor Townies group on Facebook,” said Bungo. “As soon as I did that, I almost immediately got people involved in it and it’s been really fun.”
He said he’s received about a dozen miniature paintings and other small items in the 12×12-inch box, some with handwritten notes. “Over the years, I’ve gotten poems, photographs — I’m open to everything,” said Bungo. He said it has served as a fun way to engage with other Ann Arborites during the pandemic.
“With people being so isolated right now, I think it’s the perfect time to do something like this, “ he said. “It allows me to connect with people because we haven’t been able to.” Bungo was supposed to show at the Ann Arbor Art Fair last summer, and with the event being canceled, he felt like he missed out on a true introduction both to Ann Arbor’s art scene and its residents. For now, keep an eye out for his latest adventures with Leo and his front yard gallery. You might just find a tiny treasure — if you look close enough.
story: wdivtv,clickondetroit, meredith bruckner – photos: shawn bungo, bungo glass
“art is too important not to share.”
-romero britto
dear ann arbor family –
see you in the fall
there will be bands & dancing as we reunite eventually.
thank you, roos roost coffee.
i really appreciate you
for filling us with coffee and optimism.
—
“joy weathers any storm: happiness rides the waves.”
-todd stocker
am – peaceful walk in the woods
pm -peaceful protest on the streets
—
day 1, 99 to go.
—
“there may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. “
-elie wiesel
where sky and pond meet
—
“a field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air.
it is continually receiving new life and motion from above.
it is intermediate in its nature between land and sky.”
—
matthaei botanical gardens, ann arbor, michigan, usa – summer 2020
after
a lot, a lot, a lot
of rain
the river rose high
up and over
paths washed out
nice to intersect
where the land met the water
with this very happy dad
following his wife and son
in kayaks
making their way
through what was very recently
a grassy playground
on island park
paddling through to the river
“ever think you’d find yourself paddling here?”
“no, but i’m so, so happy that i am!”
—
“celebrate the success of others. high tide floats all ships.”
-susan elizabeth phillips
a wonderful note during these challenging times, from our local library:
ann arbor district library
Today, you checked out 30,622 items from the AADL.
Last Friday, that number was 5,067.
NOW PLEASE, DON’T BRING ANY OF IT BACK!
NONE OF IT!
NO JOKE!
Seriously, please keep everything until we ask for it back.
We promise, we’ll let you know when.
—
More information on our system-wide closure: https://aadl.org/covidclosure
“the only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
—
credits: robert mccloskly, illustrator (blueberries for sal, make way for ducklings),aadl.org
first game of the year
and lots of excitement buzzing around town
most everyone embraces it
even the new arrivals on campus
on sorority/frat row
and the car wash
that stays open and works
while also hosting tailgaters
complete with
buses, games, food, and mini bar
now that’s team spirit.
—
“you are either supporting the vision or supporting division”
― saji ijiyemi
