the beauty of decay/shacks

I fell in love with a shack when I was in Mendocino a few weeks ago. I don’t know what it is about old abandoned structures that have been left to slowly fall down but they are like a magnet to me. I see a diginity in them. This one used to be a garage by the looks of it. Two old tires side at opposing corners and one has been blessed by a friendly vine.

A bit of quiet news. I have a finished all the chapters for my book. I say quiet because there is still so much to do, but I see the book – images and words are down and it is looking beautiful. Just waiting for the edits and first design directions now…anxiously waiting…

notes from the writing cabin/habits

I am a creature of habit. I know it sounds so very boring, but I have learned from traveling so much and just my general temperment that one way to get acclimated quickly into any foreign place is to get the routine down quick. For me that means 1) where can I take my AM walk and 2) where has the best coffee and opens early enough for me. Returning to Mendocino to the same writing cabin I used in January ended up being a great thing because the habits were in place and so "settling in" took no time at all. And yesterday I was reminded of another perk of my habitual tendencies - feeling known. At this point the coffee guy sees me and just makes me an Americano (bless him) and that gave me comfort. I am remembered. When I thanked him for remembering my order he said that not many women drank Americanos. So apparently that is my identity to him - "the Americano drinking woman". It kinda makes me laugh, but it feels nice...
Just an image from my other habit - my morning walk. Not bad, eh?

notes from the writing cabin/wind

I am blaming it on the windy conditions that have been in place since I arrived in Mendocino last week, but I am a bit scattered in my thoughts. I am thinking about the beauty of small objects and my love of brass and copper beyond the big "trend" in those two things right now and of course all this leads back to Carl Aubock which is the chapter I am working on at the moment. Every chapter ends up being a excavation of my experience, and even though I take notes and write in my journal about my experiences, my true notes are my images. So I look and look and look at my images - especially the ones I would never show - because they jog my memories loose better than anything else.  But alas...still lots of notes and not even a good opening sentence. Ah well...back to work...

mendocino/writing

Just arrived back in Mendocino for finish up the chapters for my new book. Things are blooming and there is a breeze outside and the sun is dancing in and out from behind  clouds...perfect writing weather.

daily life/back in SF

As many of you know I have been up in Mendocino (see the pics today from my morning walk there) working on writing the essays for my new book for the past few weeks. Well, yesterday I finally drove back over the Golden Gate Bridge and am back home in San Francisco. Frankly, it feels rather strange to be back. Life in Mendocino was basic but focused to one thing...writing my book. And there is a beauty in that simplicity. The second I walked in my door everyday life hit. My ignored overflowing email inbox could no longer be ignored for one thing...
Alas, there is still much to do, most importantly is my Kickstarter campaign to finish the book. I also have a few lectures coming up in early march where I will be sharing a sneak preview of my new book live and in person. (One on march 1 in Nor cal and the other on march 9 in so cal). But for now please check out the Kickstarter and if you loved Handcrafted Modern, I need you to pre buy your copy of Handcrafted Modern Europe. It is going to be a beautiful book.

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/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

mendocino, ca/

I hadn't been to Mendocino since I was probably 9 years old, so I decided to drive through the other day.

I forgot how pretty it was...

mendocino coast/

I was just about to go in and tweak this and I had to stop myself. Look at the light in this image. It is absolutely other-worldly. I knew it when I was watching the fog roll in - the sun streaming through but the fog filtering the light on the hillside. It is like the world is divided in half. Northern California fog sometimes moves rather quickly and this day it felt like it was chasing me down the coast. I was watching the cast shadows overtake my car as I drove down Hwy 1. Here is a big surprise for you all,  I can be rather distracted by light and things just like this. That day I was a driving hazard because it was just so beautiful to watch! Finally I just pulled over and let the fog overtake me.