Sadly, the grocery store that hosts this mural recently experienced a fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt including the occupants of the apartments above the grocery store. Hopefully the mural will be saved during the repairs.
Here are some other views of the building and beautiful murals despite the fire damage.
Often seen in passing through downtown will be this site and sculpture:
It’s usually passed and so not as often appreciated considering the number of people who go by it. When you look, though, it is really interesting to stare at and appreciate.
It’s on a little triangular wedge of grass across from the Hotel De Anza. I finally, and thankfully, took the time to walk around it.
And I found that for me, the genius of the work is how much it changes in feel and perceived motion from different perspectives. I never realized that I liked it so until I got close and gave it my attention. So much of life is like this.
Up close, here are a couple of the differences and representations I admire:
What I think and see and feel between these two views of the same work is nothing the same except for the awe that the same work can feel so different to me from different places.
I like the images but also the perceived motion. How did I describe the motion to myself when I asked my mind to put it into words? The upper image (second one of three on this post) moves like a flowing skirt on a dancer or sea creature along the ocean sand and the lower image (third of three above) moves for me like the opening hands in the kids’ rhyme with the wriggling fingers in the middle that we did when you “open up the church and here’s all the people.” Remember that?
Well, there is much more to see than I had ever done before in years of passing by and noticing its presence but always on the way to get somewhere. Meanwhile, the art and imagery waited patiently for me to discover how I felt about it.
Great mural of San Jose with so many special places and icons. It is interesting to see the businesses and signs that are and that are no longer there in the city amongst the special shapes and buildings.
In the summer, San Jose, California and the surrounding area have a variety of hummingbirds flying about. By this time of year in winter, all of the hummingbirds have migrated from San Jose except the female Anna hummingbirds and their children. The males migrate along with the other hummingbird species.
By the way, hummingbirds are something I grew up appreciating as special. I assumed everyone did because they are so incredibly cool and beautiful and they hover like helicopters but then shoot off in multiple directions so quickly in all plaines, sometimes an inch in a direction or three and sometimes many feet. They are fast! And their wings are faster. I learned that hummingbirds are only native to the Americas. Wow. I assumed every child, even those that were not nature lovers had grown up with this in common, among other things, that we notice hummingbirds as special and point them out whenever we see them. Apparently that possibility is only available to North Americans and South Americans. Once again, I was wrong. How much have I deceived myself in my limited time on Earth?! Well, I love learning and growing as a person. I am still assuming that butterflies and rainbows are pointed out and cause excitement everywhere on Earth, though.
In this photo is an Anna hummingbird taking a break. Before the lock down I would see these once in a while. Now, as a homebody who goes outside a lot, I see at least one hummingbird nearly every day. That is not an exaggeration. I mean that in the last 10 months I have seen a hummingbird at least 6 days of every week and usually on all 7 days. It helps to be near flowers that hummingbirds like and to have plenty of time to sit and enjoy the outdoors, even when that outdoor time includes doing work remotely.
And the best part about seeing these hummingbirds is… I have been excited every. single. time.
