Stuck

We must stand in one place.  Feet are not to move unless one is about to fall over.  If we meet this requirement, we can photograph whatever interests us.  These are instructions for the Stuck Foot meme hosted by Lucy Corrander.  I already participate in her other ones – Tree Following and Street Plants, and that had seemed like enough.  But Lucy is a persuasive person, with her enthusiasm and neat ways of looking at things.  So here I am … stuck.

It occurred to that me that if I were stuck in the right place, I could put together a post for this blog which I’ve ignored since its debut a month ago.  So when I dropped off my car for an oil change, I pulled out the bike and pedaled off to a spot with urban plants and rocks.  Traffic was steady and several people went in and out of the building, but no one asked what I was doing.

I stood next to a simple attractive block structure containing plants, rocks and a sign.  The rocks and sign looked intentional, but the plants were weedy species and I think they planted themselves (street plants).

Cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum, may be the most common street plant in Laramie.

The low plants between rocks and blocks are povertyweed, Monolepis nuttaliana.

Ancient water-worn rock with young grass.

A dead plant lay on the rim of the structure.  Had someone made a start at weeding?  The sprawling plant lower left is povertyweed.  Tansymustard (Descuriania sp.) was growing here too, but out of sight.  That’s my bike in the background.

The one exception to the weeds was fringed sagebrush, Artemisia frigida – the silvery plant behind the shaded boulder in the lower left corner of the next photo (click on image to view).  It's a small shrub of the prairie, but sometimes shows up in town.

Andele Rapido (AHN-de-lay RAH-pee-doh) is the fast food version of Corona Village Mexican Restaurant.
Both are highly recommended.

Patterns and shapes often catch my eye, especially in urban landscapes.  Carefully framed they can be intriguing.  But if the colors are dull, will the photos be dull too?

“Much is missed if we have eyes only for the bright colors.” Eliot Porter

Still life with aggregate and asphalt.

Oh look, there’s a pine cone in this last photo.  That's interesting ... I don't remember seeing pine trees.  Ah, mystery!

To see what other Stuck Foot bloggers found, visit our gathering (you may want to join us).