happy weekend/mankas

More image review for the new website and I ran across this one I shot at Mankas Lodge in Inverness, CA. It seemed like the perfect weekend image. Hope yours has something like this in it.
Happy Weekend friends.

mankas/

I love wild things that have a mind of their own.

random images/

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/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

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.

russian river/

fort ross/california

A bit more of Fort Ross today. I know I don't have to explain why it is so good! Isn't it obvious from these images? I am one of those people that is a bit obsessed with "house" museums. (I know...what a revelation...) In my experience, there are different levels of house museum, or I guess history museum, in this case. The best of them are transporting and that is what some of the rooms at Fort Ross do for me. I cannot stop my brain from imagining what life would have been like when this fort was bustling. It remains relatively remote, which helps. The tool rooms are my favorites, though. Just beautiful.
Have a lovely and relaxing weekend friends!

fort ross/california

I returned to one of my very favorite places on my little road trip this past Sunday. Fort Ross, the old Russian Fort near Sea Ranch. I love the way the legs of the chairs turn out. They are invariably happy, don't you think? No idea what is going on with the teeth on the underside of the table but I am fascinated. I thought it was expandable, but can find no evidence where you would put another leaf in, so I don't think that is the case. does anyone know?

pt. arena/

Some days, you just have to jump in the car and drive.  Yesterday that is exactly what I did and I ended up at Pt. Arena Lighthouse. One of my favorite things about the Northern California coast is the play of light and fog and the fleeting beauty that occurs in brief bursts. You have to just stop and watch. An elegant, subtle light show for all to see but that so many miss.

charles delisle/

Just a quick pic today of designer Charles DeLisle's home. I'm a little obsessed with his Chainsaw Chair right now. Check it out here.

barn raising/jesse schlesinger

Scene from a barn raising. It was pretty inspiring watching this structure go up. Jesse Schlesinger from my NYT People Watching post and here is at the top of the ladder and was pivotal in the whole project. I hope to share more on this soon.

charles bello/people watching.nyt/outtakes

This might seem like a weird one to start with for the outtakes of Charles Bello. As I mentioned yesterday, my new NYTimes blog "People Watching" on Charles Bello was picked up in an abbreviated form for the NYT Sunday Styles section. See the entire blog post here. Anyhow, they ran the image of Bello's art gallery and I just wanted to show you all the plans. There it is - that one little drawing on the left. Noooo...I'm not kidding. One drawing and he builds it! Look at the NYT post to see the finished Art gallery. It is rather glorious!

sunsets/

A California image even though I am in nyc at the moment. This one I shot last week on my NorCal coastal excursion.

Have a lovely weekend friends and happy Friday the 13th - such a good luck day!!!

travel day/

Heading to NYC today. Be there by sundown.

bedrooms/

I swear, it is one of those times...I am wandering aimlessly through my images thinking what do I want to share with all of you today. And the fact is, there is SO MUCH I want to share that I have been shooting, but for one reason or another, I cannot share it! Many are jobs, and others are my own projects that will be seen somewhere else first, but still. I feel thwarted! And then I ran across this image and it calmed me down. This is Heath Ceramics owners, Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic's home. Simple and so them, right down to the Adam Silverman/Heath light.

The music I just stumbled across (in my own collection) is calming me down as well. Forgot I had this but it is amazing! Johan Johannsson's IBM 1401, A User's Manual. Take a listen to a bit... 

inverness/

Just a pretty picture today. Lots of work to finish up this week, but I can almost taste that sweet little bit of free time waiting for me...cannot wait!

ps - I love Morgan Freeman.