grandie f and his friends take a short walk
through their neighborhood
(and now mine)
to help bring a few first things over to my new digs.
the friendliest movers ever.
—
“i get by with a little help from my friends.”
-John lennon
Jul18
Tag Archives: community
May19
art is community.
‘los trompos,’ (spanish for spinning tops)
a giant spinning top art installation,
visits detroit’s beacon park from mexico city
the eight giant, colorful tops, designed by *héctor esrawe and ignacio cadena, are large enough for multiple people to sit or stand inside them, and visitors are welcome to take a spin. they were designed to facilitate play, celebrate culture, and bring people together to interact and connect. Los Trompos is an interactive piece that comes to life when people engage with it. the tops are based on the construction of the actual toy and reflect the work of mexican artisans, as well as mexican culture, art, and architecture.
community comes together to dance in the park
—
so fun to be here
as all kinds of people stopped by
just to play and connect with each other.
—
“simply enjoy life and the great pleasures that come with it.”
-karolina ku
Dec11
moonbeams.
it was truly an honor and my pleasure
on a chilly december evening
to gather with hundreds
of friends and strangers
from all parts of the community
reaching out with lights and song
to wish children sweet dreams.
—
WHAT IS “MOONBEAMS FOR SWEET DREAMS”?
“Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams,” is a program created by the Beaumont Children’s Pediatric Family Advisory Council at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI.
Every evening at 8 p.m. during the month of December pediatric patients will shine flashlights from the hospital windows and look for people from the community who are standing outside the hospital to flash them back. It only takes a few minutes, but it will mean a lot to these young patients and their families.
“Many children are unable to leave their rooms and can feel isolated in the hospital as the rest of the world continues without them, and have trouble falling asleep” Beaumont Children’s Child Life Supervisor Kathleen Grobbel said. “With the help of the community, we can make sure they go to bed with smiles on their faces.”
If you want to put a smile on the faces of some kids that are spending the holidays hospitalized … it’s time to grab a flashlight and head to Beaumont Children’s Hospital in Royal Oak.
That’s where you can help by being a part of Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams.
—
“deep in the meadow, hidden far away
a cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray
forget your woes
and let your troubles lay.”
-suzanne collins
credits: beaumont children’s hospital, wwj radio
Dec2
kindle.
warm and friendly evening spent
at the annual kindlefest winter market
“christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality.”
— washington irving
—
kerrytown, ann arbor, mi, usa – 2018
Oct14
missing her.
when the kinders learned that their classmate
was injured and recovering at home
they quickly gathered
to make their friend a special card
wishing her well
and
letting her know
in their own way
how much they were missing her.
—
“without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”
-anthony j. d’angelo
Oct5
giving.
‘help yourself, but please leave bowl. enjoy!’
another friendly neighbor’s offering
left on the steps to their house
discovered while out walking.
—
‘the people who give you their food, give you their heart.’
-cesar chavez
Jun16
torpedo.
what do you get
when you combine every kid in the city who is now out of school
with a very hot day and a community pool?
lots of squeals, water fights, slides, splashes, and snacks
everyone so happy to be free
all summer ahead of them
has the festive feel of adults
celebrating with a long night of cocktails
but the kids are hopped up on nothing but pure sunshine and water.
—
‘i feel like a torpedo.’
-michael phelps (u.s.a. olympic gold medalist in swimming)
—
image credit: New York July 12, 1937 McCarren Park Pool- vintage photo
Mar28
museum.
curbside museum
a small and quirky museum hidden is inside a fence
in canmore, alberta, canada
curbside museum is an unassuming curiosity in the mountain town of canmore, canada. the tiny museum is always packed with intricate little exhibits that rotate every so often. each exhibit is incredibly detailed, their contents all stuffing the glass showcase to the brim with a delightfully unexpected assortment of items.
this tiny museum is hidden within a hole in a fence that lines a busy street. the gilded frame is the only hint that this particular stretch of fence holds more than first meets the eye. you could easily walk right past it if you weren’t paying attention.
you’ll find subjects ranging from common scenes to those that transcend into the realm of fantasy. some of the showcases take on a more serious, factual tone, though many exhibits do indeed have an element of whimsy and charm.
the museum is a fun addition to the town and adds a moment of joy for any pedestrians who stop and take a peek. it’s a reward for eagled-eyed passersby who take the time to notice their surroundings. the museum is free and is open day and night.
“a museum should not just be a place for fancy paintings
but should be a place where we can
communicate our lives through our everyday objects.”
-orhan pamuk
—
credits: curbside museum, atlas obscura.com, city of canmore, alberta
Mar8
choices.
our kinder community is made up of little people
who have made all kinds of big choices.
—
“what is a community? it is the sum total of our choices.”
― fredrik backman
Jan30
treasure trove.
Turkish Garbage Collectors Open Library Full of Discarded Books
Turkish garbage collectors in the country’s capital city of Ankara have opened a public library that is full of books that were originally destined to be put into landfill. The workers began collecting discarded books and opened the new library in the Çankaya district of Ankara. News of the library has spread and now people have begun donating books directly to the library, rather than throwing them away.
As CNN reports, the library was originally created for the use of the employees friends and family but, as it grew in size, the library was officially opened to the public in September of last year. “We started to discuss the idea of creating a library from these books. And when everyone supported it, this project happened,” said Çankaya Mayor Alper Tasdelen, whose local government spearheaded the opening of the library.
The library now has over 6,000 fiction and non-fiction books and includes a children’s section, an area dedicated to scientific research books, and a number of English and French language books for those who are bilingual. The library building itself used to be a brick factory and is located at the sanitation department HQ. The building featured long corridors and an aged brick facade and transformed perfectly into a library.
Books can be withdrawn for two weeks at a time, with an extension available if required. The library’s collection has now become so vast that it loans many of the books to schools, educational programs, and even prisons.“Village schoolteachers from all over Turkey are requesting books,” Tasdelen said. The library has also created new job opportunities as it requires full time staff to run and support it.
The library has proven to be a huge hit with the community. Children of the employees often enjoy reading there and local school children visit to study. Local cyclists who pedal through the nearby valley often take a break there and enjoy the lounge area and chess boards. “Before, I wished that I had a library in my house. Now we have a library here,” Serhat Baytemur, a 32-year-old garbage collector, told state media.
—
“ours is a culture and a time immensely rich in trash as it is in treasures.”
― ray bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
—
credits: kerrytown bookfest, forreadingaddicts.co.uk,cnn
I didn't have my glasses on.... 