Robert Snap Spot

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  • Savannah River Houseboats in Monochrome

    Savannah River Houseboats in Monochrome

    Black-and-white view of houseboats docked along the Savannah River, with downtown Augusta buildings, trees, and a steel truss bridge beyond.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Savannah River Houseboats in Monochrome

    A familiar walk with Neal, and a few ideas about staying the night.

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    Monochrome Monday · Rivers · Riverwalks

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    We’ve Walked Here Before!

    Neal and I have walked Augusta’s Riverwalk for years, and this visit gave us plenty to reminisce about. Then we reached the pedestrian bridge at 5th Street, just past the marina, and I found myself looking down at all those houseboats.

    Well! How had a familiar walk turned into me wondering where I might spend the night?

    “Give me a view of a houseboat, and I’ll start wondering what breakfast looks like aboard.”

    – Robert


    Most of them appeared lived in, which made me even more curious about the people behind those windows. Imagine finishing your evening walk, stepping aboard, and already being home!

    Black-and-white view over a pedestrian bridge railing toward the Savannah River, docked boats, a steel truss bridge, and Augusta’s skyline.
    Our familiar riverwalk had another view waiting just past the marina.

    I Could Sit Right There

    Look at those covered decks facing the water. I can already picture Neal and me settling into a couple of chairs, with very little left on the agenda.

    Black-and-white close view of docked houseboats and a cabin cruiser, with covered decks, railings, tall mooring posts, and reflections.
    Those covered decks have me mentally unpacking an overnight bag.

    From my perch on the 5th Street pedestrian bridge the view in color is great! Yet I got to thinking, “Monochrome, yeah, monochrome!” In black and white, my eye keeps moving from the bright roofs down into their rippling reflections.

    Then it goes right back to those chairs. Yes, I am still thinking about sitting down!

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Something Growing Up There

    That old stone pier out in the river has plants growing on top of it! Looking back through the photographs, I kept coming back to that detail. All that water below, and they have found themselves a perch above it. “Life finds a way.” We heard it before. Man makes bridge, man tears down bridge, nature starts reclaiming “her” space back! I wonder what else I missed while I was busy looking at the boats.

    A Day Trip With Overnight Possibilities

    Our trip to historic downtown Augusta, Georgia meant about two and a half hours on the road, followed by a walk Neal and I have enjoyed for years. We reminisced along the Savannah River, and I thought back to our Augusta Canal tour in March 2020. We already had memories here. This time, the view from the 5th Street pedestrian bridge gave me something else to photograph. Give me a time and a place, there will be pictures taken. Just ask Neal!

    Here along the river, Augusta is on the Georgia side and North Augusta is across the water in South Carolina. We can see the houses and their boat docks from the riverwalk. And yes, this is the same Savannah River that continues downstream toward Savannah, where we live just two blocks from the river in our historic downtown apartment. From the Riverwalk and the bridge, I could see rows of vintage-looking houseboats at the marina. Some had shaded decks; others had open space up top. Most looked to me as though someone might come home to them.

    There are even houseboat rentals listed on Airbnb. Yes, readers, I looked it up.

    Wow!

    Now that gets me thinking. What would it be like to spend the night on the Savannah River? I can imagine turning to Neal and saying, “We could give this a try!” One lazy evening aboard, nowhere else we needed to be, and a chance to see this stretch of river after the day-trippers had gone home. I mean, people even rent treehouses in their backyards on Airbnb! Book one of them!

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    Afloat Along The River

    Take a look along the docks, then look a little closer at the neighbors.

    Black-and-white view of a long row of boats beside a riverside road and grassy bank, with a road bridge in the distance.
    I followed the row with my eyes, wondering which one I would choose.
    Black-and-white view of three docked boats beneath a marina gangway; the center boat has an upper deck and a slide extending toward the water.
    Wait, that one has a slide! So much for spending the whole visit in a chair.

    The closer view has me comparing decks as though we were choosing a room. I should probably find out what the beds are like before I let a waterslide make the decision!

    You do see that waterslide right?

    Are there alligators in this river? Did anyone even ask that question before moving in?

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    Wide black-and-white view of the Savannah River, with a plant-topped stone pier in the foreground, houseboats along the left bank, and a distant truss bridge.
    A tuft of green claims the old stone pier, even in monochrome.

    Before leaving this view, I wanted a photograph with more of the river in it. If we ever stay aboard, I’d like to come back to this spot and see how it looks in the morning. “Sleep tight, my readers!”

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Pull Up A River Chair

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    These monochrome photographs have me planning an evening we haven’t taken yet. Pull up a river chair. There’s room! Tell me how you would spend yours; I’ll have a few ideas to carry back to Neal.

    “What would keep you on deck past bedtime?“

    “I’ll go back for the walk I know. After this visit, I’ll leave a little extra time for whatever catches my eye.””

    — Robert

    📍 Savannah River, Augusta, Georgia

    Collection
    Monochrome Monday, Rivers, Riverwalks

    Captured with
    iPhone 18 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Tabletop Bouquet

    Tabletop Bouquet

    A pink gerbera daisy faces forward among yellow lilies, yellow and purple flowers, and green buds, with white window shutters behind the bouquet.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Tabletop Bouquet

    Flowers at the dinner table… do we need an occasion?

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    The Flower Hour – Vibrant Living

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    What’s the occasion?

    A bouquet on the dinner table, with the window light coming through the shutters.
    “Flowers? What’s the occasion?” I can almost hear the question.

    Our dear friend and decor guru Alexandra Stoddard, speaker on the art of living well and author of Choosing Happiness, once said “I remember taking small steps toward adding beauty to daily life. I began to purchase fresh flowers regularly and place them around the home.” Neal and I simply love her advice and books!

    Do we need one? I’m quite happy looking at these while deciding what’s for dinner!

    ““I think ‘I’d like flowers on the table’ is a perfectly good occasion.”

    – Robert

    Look at that pink flower facing us, with the yellow lilies just behind it. You can see why dinner might have to wait for a few photographs.

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    My, my… Lilies center stage!

    Those yellow lilies deserve a closer look.
    See the speckles on the petals? There’s plenty going on in this beautiful bunch. Where is my macro lens?

    Two open yellow lilies with speckled petals and dark stamens fill the foreground of a mixed bouquet in a clear glass vase beside white shutters.
    Those buds still have something to add.

    One bloom faces us while the other stretches out to the side. I’m beginning to think I could sit anywhere at this table and have a good view!

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    A mixed bouquet of yellow lilies, a pink gerbera, and purple and yellow flowers stands in a clear glass vase on a light-colored dinner table beside shuttered windows.
    There’s room at the table for this bunch.

    Now you can see the whole vase Neal chose. Flowers, window light, yes, I’d leave them where they are.

    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Beauty on the table

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    I’ve shown you what’s brightening this table. Pull up a chair and tell me what you’d put on yours.

    “Which flowers would brighten your day?”

    “Leave something lovely on the table that stays after the plates are cleared.”

    — Robert

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    📍 Ponte Verda, Florida

    Collection
    Flowers by Day

    Captured with
    iPhone 15 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Coastal’s Loving Eyes

    Coastal’s Loving Eyes

    Coastal rests her chin on a cream sofa cushion, her brown eyes facing the camera between a coral pillow and a blue-green lamp.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Coastal’s Loving Eyes

    Back on Skidaway Island with a companion who melts us with a look.

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    Cellpic Sunday – Pets

    Staying Over? Coastal Approves!

    Neal and I are back on Skidaway Island, dog sitting and dog walking lovely Coastal.
    She loves when we stay over, ready to play from the moment we enter the door!

    We find her tucked into the large pillows of the couch. A favorite resting spot.
    Then she gives us those sad, beautiful puppy dog eyes… and I’m melted.

    Side view of Coastal lying on a cream sofa, her head resting on a cushion beside a coral pillow, with her speckled coat and green collar visible.
    A comfortable spot to supervise her overnight guests.

    “We come to keep Coastal company. She makes us feel like the ones being treated.”

    – Robert
    Vertical close-up of Coastal resting her muzzle on a cream cushion, with one brown eye, a long wavy ear, and her green collar visible.
    I can almost hear her… “You’re staying a while, right?”

    For such an energetic girl, she makes resting on the sofa look awfully inviting. Well, Coastal, we can keep you company here too!

    At the mere mention of her, she springs from her perch and is at our feet, rolling over with paws up for a belly rub.

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    Oh, Those Eyes!

    Sitting out on the balcony couch drinking coffee after the morning walk and guess who jumps right up there with us.

    No, no girl! This caffeine is for me and you are full of too much energy as it is.

    Close-up portrait of Coastal with her head lowered and brown eyes looking upward, framed by long wavy ears and white markings across her forehead and muzzle.
    There’s that look. Oh, Coastal!

    Those eyes again. This is what is meant by “sad puppy dog eyes”. I’m mesmerized! Look at her looking up from under those brows. Coffee cup on the table, iPhone in hand. I’m trying to take a photograph, Coastal. You’re making me want to put the phone down!

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    Close-up of Coastal leaning against a person as a hand pets her head, with her nose in sharp focus and the tip of her pink tongue showing.
    A little tongue, a big nose… and no room left between us!

    Now we’re close enough for her nose to take over the picture! A little more petting seems to be in order then another photograph can wait.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Stay Lost in Her Eyes

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    Coastal has me lingering beside the sofa. I wonder who came to mind while you were looking at her? Tell me about the companion you always make a little more time for.

    “We all need company, even on the days when all we have planned is having a space on the sofa.”

    — Robert

    📍Skidaway Island, Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    CellPic Sunday

    Captured with
    iPhone 18 Pro Max (new)

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Five Below Mural, Beyond Wall Art

    Five Below Mural, Beyond Wall Art

    Close upward view of the Five Below mural, with a dark streetlamp crossing the painted child and an oversized lava lamp alongside.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Five Below Mural, Beyond Wall Art

    An August afternoon in Philadelphia, looking up for a little fun

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    Public Art – Saturday six-word musings

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    My kind of day trip

    During our August 2021 Poconos trip, Neal and I took a day trip to Philadelphia.
    All those historical buildings and national treasures… and here I was, looking for painted walls!

    Give me a city full of public art and a camera, and you can see where my attention is going!

    “I’m quite willing to travel for art. Finding it may take a little wandering, but I don’t mind that part.”

    – Robert
    Close upward view of the Five Below mural, with a dark streetlamp crossing the painted child and an oversized lava lamp alongside.
    Excuse me, streetlamp… you’re in the picture. Oh, you’re staying? All right then.

    Look at how much is happening around this corner, with people, cars, and traffic lights below that enormous splash of color.

    There’s a whole city to explore, and already I have something to stop for!

    That is quite a hat!

    First the smiling face, then that towering collection of toys… where do I look next?
    And beside it all, a lava lamp large enough to make the windows look small.

    I think Benjamin Franklin is standing up there next to a… whoopee cushion?

    Close upward view of the Five Below mural, with a dark streetlamp crossing the painted child and an oversized lava lamp alongside.
    Excuse me, streetlamp… you’re in the picture. Oh, you’re staying? All right then.

    With this view, I can spend a little more time sorting out what is painted on that wall. Though I’m still wondering how much more that hat can hold!

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Big art needs a little room

    Looking back through these photographs, I noticed that hunting for larger-than-life art comes with another search: somewhere to stand! You can find the mural easily enough. Getting the whole thing into a photograph takes a little more consideration. A streetlamp here, a roofline there… suddenly the space around the artwork matters quite a bit. That wide view earns its place. It lets you see just how enormous the subject really is.

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    A familiar name, eight thousand square feet

    I had to look up the name of this one: Lava Kid (5 Below). Meg Saligman’s studio lists the 2019 mural at Eighth and Market Streets as 8,000 square feet. Eight thousand! Knowing that gives me an even greater appreciation for the work involved. I get to point a camera at it; the artists had to bring that enormous face and all those playful details to life. Artist’s project record

    The Five Below name is easy to spot, and this is a commercial mural, with merchandise worked into the picture. That is part of its story, too. What interests me in these photographs is how the painted world sits beside the building’s brickwork and tall windows. A giant lava lamp next to all that older architecture! My eye keeps moving between the two. Background on the commission

    “I came looking for art, and now I’m studying the building beside it. My camera does get me into things.”

    – Robert

    Philadelphia gives a mural hunter plenty of reasons to keep looking. The city’s Mural Arts program grew from work begun in 1984 and has helped create thousands of public artworks. That wider tradition gives some context to my enthusiasm for photographing art here, even though this Five Below piece has its own commercial purpose. For this visit, one wall was enough to keep my attention through four photographs. You know how that goes… there’s always another angle for me to find. Philadelphia’s public art program

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    Close upward view of the Five Below mural, with a dark streetlamp crossing the painted child and an oversized lava lamp alongside.
    Excuse me, streetlamp… you’re in the picture. Oh, you’re staying? All right then.

    And here is the streetlamp, making quite sure I remember where I was standing. I rather like having the street in this photograph, even when it gets in the way.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    What’s new on old walls?

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    An older building can keep me looking with its windows and brickwork alone. Add a mural, and now I’m curious about what somebody saw in that wall before the painting began.

    Next time you’re out, take a look… I’d enjoy hearing what catches your eye.

    “If there’s art worth looking for, I’m happy to make the trip. Neal and I can call it a day out. My camera and I may need a little longer.”

    — Robert

    📍 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Collection
    Saturday six-word musings, Murals

    Captured with
    Canon EOS Rebel SL1

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Fungi on Skidaway Island

    Fungi on Skidaway Island

    Cream-yellow shelf fungi with uneven, overlapping edges growing from a crevice in deeply ridged oak bark.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Fungi on Skidaway Island

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    Fungi Friday – Coastal picked the route. I found a reason to stop.

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    Wait… What’s Growing There?

    Neal and I were following Coastal along a route of Coastal’s choosing when something on an old live oak caught my eye. Wait… is that fungi growing out of the trunk? Neal gives me a look. I can almost hear him thinking, ” Robert seems to be obsessed with fungi.”

    With those massive branches and all that Spanish moss overhead, how had this pale, ruffled patch managed to get my attention?

    “I was already admiring the tree. Now I had questions for it!”

    – Robert
    Tall live oak beside a sidewalk, with spreading branches draped in Spanish moss, palms at its base, and blue sky overhead.
    With all this overhead, would you have thought to inspect the trunk?
    Pale fungi on a leaning oak trunk behind long green palm fronds, with blue sky and Spanish moss beyond.
    There you are… behind the greenery!

    I needed a closer look before we went any farther. Of course, I was only one of three on this walk… and Coastal had a morning routine to finish.

    A Shelf on the Side

    Look at those edges curling out from the bark! From here, I could see one shelf overlapping another, with hardly a straight edge among them. Quite remarkable, I think! Maybe I am a fungi nerd!

    Close view of golden-yellow shelf fungi with pale irregular rims and textured surfaces against dark, deeply furrowed oak bark.
    “Shelf fungi.” Yes, I can see how that name happened.

    How long had that been growing there?

    It looked well established to me, though looking at its size wasn’t going to give me its age.

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Whose Turn to Stop?

    Walking a dog gives me plenty of time to stand around while a patch of grass gets a thorough investigation. Then I find something I want to investigate, and suddenly I’m aware that I’m holding everyone up! Coastal and I may understand each other better than I thought. We just need to work on taking turns.

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    Let Me Ask About This

    We’re back on Skidaway Island, dog sitting and dog walking lovely, energetic Coastal. Neal and I follow along, and the streets give me plenty to look at. Who could miss those massive old live oaks with Spanish moss draping from their branches. This one deserved a closer inspection. The pale growth stood out against that rough bark, and I began wondering what, exactly, had made a home there. A few photographs first… then I could ask.

    Upward view of a large forked live oak with cut branch stubs, Spanish moss, and a small pale fungal cluster low on the trunk.
    Now you can see the size of the tree that caught my attention.

    I inquired with Siri and my iNaturalist app, my knowledge resources. Both pointed me toward bracket fungi, also called shelf fungi. Well, that second name made sense as soon as I looked back at the photographs! It gave me somewhere to begin, even if I didn’t yet have a specific name for this one. And my thought that it must have been there for ages? I’ll leave that as a question. I had enough information to get curious, which is usually when the photographs start multiplying.

    Broad oak trunk with a cut branch stub, green ferns along its right side, and pale shelf fungi on the left, surrounded by palms.
    Ferns along the side, fungi out front. Quite a busy address.

    Before we leave this tree, come around it with me through the photographs. The palm fronds cross the view from one side; from another, the pale shelves stand clear of them. I wanted to see how the growth met the bark and what those uneven edges looked like from below. You can probably see why this was taking me a while.

    Around Those Ruffled Edges

    First, the view through the palm fronds, then a clearer look at where the fungi sit in the trunk.

    Close-up of overlapping cream-yellow fungi on oak bark, partly crossed by narrow green palm fronds.
    The palm fronds apparently wanted to be in the photograph too.
    Pale shelf fungi growing within a reddish hollow on a broad oak trunk, with green palm leaves along the right edge.
    A little farther back, and you can see how easily the bark could keep this secret.

    Now look from below, then step back far enough to include the broken branch above.

    Low-angle view of pale yellow fungi projecting from rough oak bark, with palm leaves and hanging Spanish moss behind.
    Looking up underneath gave me another reason to linger.
    Yellow shelf fungi beneath a jagged branch stub on an oak trunk, with fan-shaped palm leaves filling the lower left.
    This angle brings that old broken branch into the picture.

    That last view brings a bit more of the tree’s history into the frame. “Anytime today!”, Neal calls out. I still have questions, but I think my fellow walkers have waited long enough.

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    Coastal Has Plans

    “Ok, I confess! My photo quest for this tree and its fungi companion has hijacked the morning’s plans.”

    Coastal, a brown-and-white dog on a turquoise leash, standing on a concrete sidewalk facing the grassy roadside.
    I can almost hear Coastal: “Your tree will still be here, Robert.”

    Yes, Coastal! Nature is calling, and I have held up the morning routine long enough.

    Neal walking Coastal on a turquoise leash along a grassy roadside bordered by palms and trees draped in Spanish moss.
    And we’re moving again! Thank you for the fungi stop, you two.

    Neal and I are coming… and thanks to your choice of route, I have a Friday Fungi post to start.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Walk With Me, Keep Wondering

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    Coastal chose our route, and I came home wanting to learn a little more about nature and fungi. Your daily routine may have a stop like that in it too. Take a look the next time you’re out, then come back and tell me what caught your attention.

    “I didn’t know what to call it when I stopped. That gave me something to learn when I got home. Stop, pause, and learn something!”

    — Robert

    📍 Skidaway Island, Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    Friday Fungi

    Captured with
    Iphone 15 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Flutter by or Rest Awhile

    Flutter by or Rest Awhile

    Orange butterfly with its wings spread beside yellow flowers, with green leaves at lower right and pine needles covering the ground.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Flutter by or Rest Awhile

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    Insect World – Along Moon River, the flowers are calling… who says you have to hurry?

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    Stay… the River Can Wait

    Here we are again on Skidaway Island, facing beautiful Moon River, and I’m looking down at the flowers. An orange butterfly has my attention… well, “hello there.”


    You’ve found a place to land, and I’m quite happy to stay here with you awhile.

    “Rest awhile, little one. I’d like a chance to look at you without guessing where you’ll be next.”

    – Robert
    Wider view of an orange butterfly near the center of a yellow-flowered plant spreading across pine-needle mulch in sunlight and shadow.
    All these flowers to choose from, and I’m hoping it chooses the one closest to me.

    There’s plenty to look at from right here, with yellow blooms scattered around those open wings. So gorgeous! For as long as this visit lasts, the river has a little competition.

    Did You Save Me a Taste?

    Our pollinators are so important! We definitely need to attract more! The blooming plants along the bank might as well be calling, “Come get a taste!”

    And look who has dropped in… without even asking what’s on the menu.

    Orange butterfly with black wing markings, viewed from above between clusters of yellow flowers, with broad green leaves to the right.
    “Come get a taste!” Well, somebody accepted the invitation.

    I can almost hear, “Oh, a yellow one! Well, I may have a different opinion about that”
    Well, help yourself.

    I’m enjoying looking over your shoulder.

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Under All That Orange

    Look past the butterfly for a second. Those pine needles! Crossed over one another, tucked beneath the leaves, filling nearly every gap between the flowers. They’re the sort of thing I could walk right past without another thought. Then I look at the photograph and find myself following all those lines. I came here looking at wings, and now I’m inspecting the ground beneath them. Does your eye wander off like that too?

    Hold Still… If It Suits You

    Butterfly. Flutter by. See what I did there?

    These little guys make the second one seem like a perfectly reasonable name. They flutter through the air and land where they please, touching down for a second, maybe longer, or barely making contact before they’re off again. Nimble? Yes! Convenient for someone holding a camera? Well, I may have different opinions about that. (I had to delete plenty of photos, barely catching those wings!)

    I look at these yellow flowers and imagine each one making its own offer. “Over here!” “No, No! Try this one!” A butterfly has quite a selection along this bank, and I’m hoping its next choice gives me a chance at a photograph. “That one will do nicely. Yes, right there…” As though I’ve been appointed to direct the landings.

    Of course, the choice belongs to the one with the wings. I can follow along with my camera and hope we agree on a stopping place. And if it decides to linger? I’m certainly willing to adjust my plans. Funny how a butterfly can have somewhere else to go and still manage to keep me in one spot. Hmmm, think about that!

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    Close view of an orange butterfly with black markings and spread wings among green leaves, yellow flowers, and brown pine needles.
    “You may admire the wings. I haven’t agreed to a longer visit.”

    Up close, I find myself looking from one black marking to the next… quite a bit to admire on those wings.

    Take your time, little one. I’m still looking.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    What, Already Thinking of Leaving?

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    I’m still here admiring the wings, and you’re checking the next flower already? Well, if something catches your eye along the way, come back and tell me what persuaded you to change direction. I’d like to hear where you landed.

    “What’s tempting you away… and will you flutter back to tell me?“

    “Time to be a bit Free Spirited. Fly here, land there. I reserve the right to stay if I like the photo subject.”

    — Robert

    📍 Ponte Vedra, Florida

    Collection
    Monochrome Monday, Beach

    Captured with
    iPhone 15 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Sharing is Caring

    Sharing is Caring

    Wide view of a brown carriage horse eating grain from a purple bucket, with a large flock of pigeons scattered around its feet in Central Park.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Sharing is Caring

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    Wordless Wednesday – One horse, one bucket… and everybody’s hungry!

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    Okay, Just One Bite!

    Close view of a brown carriage horse eating from a purple bucket, surrounded by pigeons on grain-strewn pavement in Central Park.
    “You can keep me company… just leave me some lunch!”

    Word Gets Around Fast

    A brown carriage horse eats from a purple bucket as pigeons crowd around and several flap their wings nearby, with park greenery across the road.
    “That’s all we needed to hear. Hey guys! Free food!”
    A carriage horse holds its muzzle above a purple feed bucket crowded with pigeons, several spreading their wings over the rim.
    “I said one bite… not one bite each!”
    Pigeons pack a purple feed bucket beneath a carriage horse’s raised head, while more birds gather and flap beside the curb.
    “Excuse me… there was a horse eating here!”
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    Share and Share Alike!

    Gray, brown, and white pigeons peck at scattered grain beside a sunlit curb; part of the horse’s muzzle and purple bucket appears at the upper left.
    “Share and share alike! There’s some down here, too!”
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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Animals not People

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    Not people watching today! My eye saw that carriage horse, then found myself looking at all those pigeons. Everybody was after a bite! Next time an animal catches your attention, take another look… come back and tell me who else showed up.

    “Eating outdoors may mean sharing with the animal Kingdom, can you relate?”

    ”Horses, pigeons and people, here’s to hoping we can make a little room for one another, too.”

    — Robert

    📍 Central Park, New York City, New York

    Collection
    Wordless Wednesday

    Captured with
    iPhone 13 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Loafers vs Sliders in Monochrome

    Loafers vs Sliders in Monochrome

    Black-and-white photograph of two canvas shoes with striped lining at left and strapped sandals at right, casting shadows across textured tile.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Loafers vs Sliders in Monochrome

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    Monochrome Monday –

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    Where Would My Feet Take Me?

    Tuesday morning, and such a lovely sunny day!


    Do I stay in and wander barefoot around the condo? Maybe, put something on these feet and see where those beautifully manicured paths around condominum take me?

    Standing on the balcony, I watch the waves glide back and forth along Ponte Vedra Beach. Sand stretches as far as my eyes can see, and here I am looking down at my footwear. For Shame!

    How did getting outdoors become a question with so many possible answers?

    “Am I choosing what to put on my feet, or giving myself another reason to stand here?”

    – Robert
    Black-and-white view along a balcony, with sandals and flip-flops beside wicker furniture and a strip of sunlight crossing the floor.
    A whole balcony to wander… and here I stand.

    Surely a condo overlooking this beautiful beach comes with an understanding: Robert! Get your butt outdoors!

    Breathe in that salty ocean air… maybe give my toes a say in the matter when I reach the sand.

    The Loafers Have Something to Say

    Look at these two, sitting in the sunshine with their striped linings showing. I can almost hear them: “A walk around the grounds? We’re ready.”

    Black-and-white close-up of two canvas shoes with short laces, striped lining, raised toe seams, and light soles on textured tile.
    “We’re called loafers, Robert. You’re the one doing all the loafing.”

    Then I notice the stitching and that woven fabric, and stop for another photograph. “Well?” they seem to ask. “Are we going somewhere, or is this a modeling appointment for Dockers Boat Shoes?”

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    An Epiphany Underfoot

    The sunlight had picked out the tiny pits in the tile beneath my shoes. I was looking down anyway, but the closer photographs gave that floor a turn at being noticed. Funny… I’m staying here for the ocean view, and now I’m admiring what’s underfoot.

    Must I Pick a Side?

    Choices, choices, choices. The loafers could take me for a saunter around the condominium grounds. My sliders look ready for an easier arrangement, feet in, off we go. Then there are the sandals, waiting for me to strap in and make a proper outing of it. In my head, they’ve all started offering advice. “Pick a pair,” say the sandals. “He’s still taking pictures,” mutter the loafers.

    Black-and-white low-angle view of canvas shoes near a doorway, with part of a flip-flop and its shadow on sunlit tile in the foreground.
    The loafers have company. Apparently, this decision requires witnesses.
    Black-and-white close-up of a flip-flop’s zigzag footbed and curved strap, with sandals and balcony railing softly blurred behind it.
    “Just slip us on, Robert. We can discuss the destination on the way.”

    Meanwhile, my bare feet have been left out of the discussion. They’re doing perfectly well here at the condo. And what about the beach? I could go unshod, walk down to the water, and dip my toes into the Atlantic Ocean. “Thank you!” I imagine them saying. “We wondered when you’d remember us.”

    Ha! Even my toes have an opinion now.

    Hey now! This is my life, and my time on this earth is fleeting. Why choose one possibility for the whole day? I can enjoy being barefoot here, take that walk around the grounds, and leave room for the beach. A change of shoes is hardly a major undertaking. It’s 11:47 AM. I better get going before the whole day is gone!

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    All Awaiting Two Feet

    Before we go, a closer look at the candidates… they’ve been very patient. Over by the wicker chair, the sandals and sliders are still enjoying their patch of sunshine.

    Black-and-white photograph of strapped sandals and overlapping flip-flops beside a wicker chair, with diagonal sunlight across the balcony floor.
    Everybody’s ready for a walk. We’re just waiting on the fellow with the feet.
    Black-and-white detail of a flip-flop’s zigzag footbed at right, with strapped sandals, a wicker chair, and angular shadows behind it.
    Even my footwear has more directions worked out than I do.

    Those zigzags look as though they could keep my toes occupied for quite a while. Okay, Robert, turn off the photographer’s eye for a moment. I’d like to see what the sand has to offer.

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    Black-and-white photograph focused on pitted sunlit tile, with a cropped canvas shoe at left and blurred sandals along the upper edge.
    There’s still room here for two bare feet.

    That sunny patch of floor has room for my bare feet, too. I could stand here a little longer… although I’ve rather talked myself into a walk.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Let Your Toes Talk Back

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    Mine have been listening to the footwear debate long enough, and they’d like to put “a paddle in the Atlantic” on the agenda. Give yours a turn… I’d like to hear what outing they propose.

    “Got feet? Where are yours taking us next time?”

    “If I let my feet choose the first few steps, I wonder what I’d stop to notice along the way?”

    — Robert

    📍 Ponte Vedra, Florida

    Collection
    Monochrome Monday, Beach

    Captured with
    iPhone 15 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • A Message in Stone

    A Message in Stone

    Turquoise “You Got This” stone surrounded by dark mulch, yellow leaves, and long green blades, with a paving edge along the bottom.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    A Message in Stone

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    Silent Sunday – Motivational – Someone left a little kindness here.

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    Silent? A Stone Has Something to Say!

    What’s this, someone left this among the leaves… a message for us.

    Close-up of a turquoise painted stone with red dots and the words “You Got This,” resting among dark mulch and scattered yellow leaves.
    “Yes, you!” A little stone makes itself perfectly clear.

    “You Got This.” Thank you, little stone… I’m glad you were in my path!

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Stay… the stone isn’t finished!

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    Plenty of footsteps passed this way, yet you stopped. Now I would love to hear what made you pause and feel grateful today. Pause, Reflect, I’m listening.

    “Before next Sunday, tell us what little kindness stopped you in your tracks?”

    “Kindness for a stranger. That may be you today or me tomorrow.”

    — Robert

    📍Virginia-Highland, Atlanta, Georgia

    Collection
    Silent Sunday

    Captured with
    iPhone 12 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot