I am in love/

I have always dreamed of living in one of these water towers or are they watch towers? What would you call these? Anyhow, yesterday I found my perfect one. It stand directly in the center of Mendocino village. I first spotted it when I was parking to get coffee. Then I walked around the block twice just admiring her from different angles. She is perfect! I could write here on the top floor...I know it! I am in love!

daily life/mendocino writing cabin

I think I have got my routine down here at the writing cabin in Mendocino. I wake up, head down to the cliff for a walk, get a cup of coffee in Mendocino and then head back to the cabin to write for the rest of the day. I'll break for lunch in the mid afternoon and a light dinner and if I am on schedule, let myself watch one hour of some type of downloaded mindless entertainment. Something light. It is a simple, intense routine, but it is working.
The other day as I got back to the cabin after my walk, I started laughing at myself because I realized that my routine when I get to the cabin is exactly what Mr. Rogers did at the beginning of every single one of his shows. (For those of you not familiar with Mr. Rogers, go here.) I put down my things, take off my shoes and change them to my "cabin moccasins". Then I take off my outdoor coat and change into my comfy sweater that my Mom hand knitted for my Dad in the 1970's. It has a zipper instead of buttons and for some reason, I always noticed that Mr. Rogers always had zippered sweaters. Maybe that is why this all came to mind. It is fascinating where your mind goes when you are alone in your thoughts all the time. I find myself remembering things I didn't realize were in this brain of mine. Sometimes these memories are discoveries unto themselves. I love it!
OK. Enough with the rambling. Back to work.
PS - this is another of my favorite images from my morning walks. There are lots more on Instagram. @lesliewilliamson

american craft Q&A/

Just wanted to let you all know there is a really nice feature story on me and a Q&A about my work and some of my unseen projects in the Feb/March issue of American Craft. It should be hitting newsstands now. You can link to the online article here.
This image is from Paul Loebach's studio. I really wanted it in the story, but it didn't make so...here you go! I have become obsessed with the combination of copper and pink since I shot this. So good!

daily life/morning walk in Mendocino

So I have been holed up in a cabin in Mendocino for the past couple of days writing these essays for my new book. Quite honestly, I am feeling the pressure now and it has been a bumpy ride. But yesterday, I finally hit a groove and completed what feels like the first solid chapter. I went to bed feeling good for the first time in awhile.
So this morning I wake up and just throw on clothes to go out for a walk. It was sublimely beautiful in Mendocino this morning, no other way to put it. I headed off down the cliff trail and literally within the first minute of my walk this is what I see. You can see it, right? You can call it a heart puddle if you want. Or a puddle of love. All I can see is a sign telling me I am on the right path (with everything - writing, photography, life, love) and to keep going! What an amazing way to start the day. I absolutely had to share this right away.  ; )
Hope your weekend is full of beautiful signs like this. xx

PS - you can see a few more images from my morning walk if you follow me on Instagram @lesliewilliamson

the bird/Mendocino

First of all, let me share with you all, there are some big crows here in Mendocino. On my walk yesterday I walked by a disturbing amount of them and all I could think was...yikes...those things are massive (think fat cat). I shot this on my walk. The crow was perched rather perfectly right at the top of the roofline but I missed it. This shot is better, though. I only got one shot off and then he was gone...perfect. Sometimes I love photography for the very fleetingness of it. It is constantly reminding you that you only have a bit of control...but never absolute control. Just like life. : )

daily life/morning walk in Mendocino

Just a couple of shots from my rainy morning walk in Mendocino today. I am sequestered in a cabin writing the chapters for my new book. Apparently this is the only way I can effectively concentrate. So morning walks and then intensive writing for the rest of the day.

scenes from vienna/the MAK

As I was looking for more Otto Wagner images from my time in Vienna (which I didn't find yet...) I ran into these images I shot really quick at the MAK museum. When I asked some friends what I should not miss in Vienna, every single one said the MAK. I would agree. The building and bookstore alone are really good. I didn't get to see the collection because they were redoing a bunch of it, but I just sat on that pink couch in the second image and enjoyed the space.

scenes from Vienna/Otto Wagner

A couple of images from the cafe across from the Karlsplatz station designed by Otto Wagner in Vienna. I am pretty sure he designed this as well, but not positive...
This fantastic avocado green used to be my favorite color and is still close to my heart. I am always excited when I see refridgerators in this color. Or cars! I am fortunate that such simple and random things make me happy. It makes everyday a discovery.
Happy weekend!

the flu and mortality/

I have been absent. I am one of the many who has had a bit of the flu - albeit a tiny speck of it - and now a tiny bit of a cold. It is more of an annoyance at this point since I am sinking into the writing of my new book pretty good now. Lots written and then chucked out.
"Does this have to be like the first book?"
"Can I even a write a book like that at this point? I am such a different person now..."
These are the thoughts running in my head. And then on Saturday, the flu.
The flu is pretty amazing. It reduces you to this primal state. I found myself having thoughts of my own mortality. Petrified my book would never be finished. I frantically tried to think of WHO on this planet could do it. I couldn't come up with one person. Not out of hubris or ego but just that I photographed everything - no one else can tell the stories!
So I got better. I was lucky, only a two and a half day flu. Now I have the sniffles which I just find so annoying! How dare they (those sniffles!), don't the know I have stuff to do?!?!
But at least you get a rambly blog post finally and some cuckoo images from Vienna. I can't even edit this properly... ah well. Nice to be back. Hope you all are keeping healthy!  xx

angler's club pt. 2/golden gate park

Before the weekend I thought I would share the rest of my images from the San Francisco Angler's Club in Golden Gate Park. It is a peaceful place to just go and sit. Fly casting seems like an incredibly meditative activity, and watching from the sidelines is equally so.
Wish I had more to write today, but I am writing up my Kickstarter project summary and I have to keep to it. My Kickstarter will be launching soon (next week I hope?) and for all of you that have been wanting a sneak peek into the new book, this will be it. I'll keep you posted.
Have a lovely weekend beautiful people.

angler's club/golden gate park

This past weekend I took a walk in Golden Gate Park and stopped by the Angler's Clubhouse. This is one of my usual haunts for my walks but this day the clubhouse was open and they let me snoop around. I got a little obsessed with this corner and the red cross head pad, boraxo dispenser and grease - a winning combo! For what I have no idea...

writing/aalto

I am steeped in all things Alvar Aalto today since I am writing his chapter right now. I actually posted this image on Instagram  (my handle is @lesliewilliamson) so I thought I would share it properly here. As I am writing about Aalto my admiration grows. Plus it is a pleasure to be able to relive and review the discoveries as I shot. His paintings, in this image, were one such discovery. How good is that white on white painting? Love, love, love...

just pretty/aubock

Just pretty light, don't you think?

russian river/

just pretty/

Bowerbirds Kickstarter/treat yourself for 2013

As a lot of you know, music is really important to my life. This is doubly true when I am on the road, like I was for most of the 2012. During my first trip to Europe this spring, my sonic traveling companions were the band the Bowerbirds. To say I am a fan is a bit of an understatement. Some music just speaks to your heart to the point that it just becomes a part of you. When I left for my first trip in April, their album, The Clearing, had just come out. I honestly think I listened to that single album almost exclusively for 6 weeks straight. I started following them on Twitter as they were traveling around on tour at the same time. I thought about how lucky they were to have people to travel with since in some ways it felt like I was "on tour" alone. But their music made me not so alone, you know? When I found out they had a Kickstarter campaign up to help fund their next album and building a solar studio for them to record it in, I felt I had to share it with you. $20 for music that changes your life is such a tiny price to pay. So treat yourself and support their music. It is the perfect way to start this amazing lucky 2013!