The shelf is filled with stones that I wrote on. No one has taken one home but people have added natural objects, the black walnut shell, the stick and today a small magnolia seed pod. On Friday night, I met a friend at the Folk Life Festival who introduced me to a neighbor who is an ELF! An "elf" is a person who adds to the shelf anonymously, of course. She had added a long, glass bead. It's on a nail above the shelf, not seen in this photo. I was so happy to meet another elf.
On the 7th of April, the shelf looked very sweet, with fresh flowers, some tiny art in a plastic bag, some lovely sentiments. During the week, it changed a bit. Saturday morning, I did a bit of rearranging of the couple items on it, some stones, a piece of small art, but didn't visit it again until last night on our evening walk. I was shocked to find this big note on the pole. What had happened!? All I could think of was that someone smashed the shelf down and someone else found it and put it back up. I took the photos with my cell phone, since I didn't have my camera with me. Today, I brought my camera on my walk and took the picture of the shelf and a side view, which shows that the shelf was, indeed, tampered with. The note was no longer on the pole. I discovered it, still in plastic, by the alley half way up the block and brought it home with me. I'll write a thank you note to the person who re-installed the shelf and leave it for them to find, hopefully. Whew!! But isn't if fabulous that someone says that the shelf meant a lot to a lot of neighbors? I love that. Truly wonderful.
While we were away, the shelf continued! I was so happy to see that the neighborhood kept the fun going. Here are two photos I took with my 'phone (imagine me without my camera, but doesn't the 'phone take great pix?) the first few days we were back from our trip. The first photo has an arrangement of stones on a leaf. Two of the stone were ones that I'd put there a long time ago, were taken away, and now returned. I felt like they were a welcome home sign for me. The second photo shows the shelf with a sugar packet and a dreidel on it. I took the dreidel home!
We've finally had some rain, what a relief; the shelf had stones and a Picasso "birds" magnet on it, looking cheerful in the mistyness of the morning yesterday. The leaves have started to fall off the trees but there is still a lot of green going on.
On the 19th of Oct., a stone with the word "Peace" written on it, reappeared on the shelf. I'd placed it there on the 9th, which I know because I dated the stone. Where was it for 10 days? On Saturday, there was a tiny pink rose bud and a yellow flower, as well as an assortment of pebbles. I think that the smiley face sticker will remain for a long time. Today, I'll put a stone in place that says "hope."
No explanations as to my hiatus. It's boring. But I'm back. And here's what I've been making. Lots and lots of these. They...
