Black and White Wednesday

Here is this week’s Black and White Wednesday post.

Here we are with less than 2 weeks left in February and the snow from the last storm we had is lingering.  I am tired of the snow.  I am tired of being territorial of my parking space that M and I shoveled out for HOURS.  If it pisses people off that I throw a decrepit old lawn chair in my spot as I pull away, so be it.  I hate that it makes me feel like a bad neighbor with a poor sense of community, but it is what it is.  I threw the dice and didn’t use the chair today.  If the universe is taking care of me though, my vacant spot will be waiting for me when I get home.  If not, I’ll have to steal someone other neighbor’s beloved, worked hard for, spot…do you see my dilemma?  Grrr…

Alas, this was not always the case.  There was a day in December when the snow was beautiful.  It was about a week before Christmas and it was welcome, even magical!  We woke up on that Sunday morning to a blanket of shimmering, white Christmas goodness, and all was right with the world.  After I helped my dear husband shovel (read: walked around the block, staying out of site and snapping pictures), we decided to venture downtown on foot to enjoy the city’s charming snow-covered facade.  We were also hoping to find a cozy and warm shelter, preferably one serving up some good eats and with frosty beverages on tap.     That’s one of the perks of city life.  There’s always somewhere fun to walk.  Don’t drive though, not on a day like this.  Not only is it dangerous, but you may have to throw a dirty old lawn chair in your parking spot and that would make you feel like some old crotchety parking spot  miser.

Here are some pictures from our walk downtown.  One of our favorite lunch and frosty beverage spots was indeed open, by the way.  It was one of the nicest, winter Sunday afternoons I can remember.  For that day, among many others, I am thankful.

The view from my back yard

A lovely tree on my block

The same tree framed a little differently

West Chestnut Street

A quaint little holiday display on a neighbor's porch

PS.  The last two are not black and white but I thought that  they would still fit into this group of shots as they were taken on the same lovely walk.  I’m not sorry.  The street view is one of my favorite Lightroom filters called “antique light.”  The last one is a Lightroom filter called “aged photo.”  They are two of my favorite finishes, besides black and white, of course!