idea harvesting

 I spent a couple of hours "idea harvesting"

at Barnes and Noble this afternoon.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of new magazines on the stands, and 

(though I shouldn't have been)

by how many Christmas issues there were already.

 I was attracted to the first photo because of the layers of color,

textures, and patterns.  The room is full and interesting, in my opinion.

The last photo was attractive to me because of its simplicity.

If I remember correctly, it appeared in an article about 

savoring silence and "alone" time during the holiday season.

As usual, I returned home with fresh ideas

and enthusiasm to tweak my personal surroundings.

With many decorating blogs becoming so cluttered

and many resorting to advertising,

I found the current magazines an enjoyable alternative today!

free, healthy (and hot)

The forecast included a heat alert, so we started out early!

We picked up a map and followed it.

 Twenty rocking chairs painted by local artists

 were arranged primarily around the courthouse square.

 It added up to a free,

 healthy,

 and entertaining morning!

 We also checked out a few of the thrift stores,

looking for books by Claire Bee--sports stories requested by one of our grandsons.

 With no luck in THAT department,

 we enjoyed a great dinner buffet before heading home.

 I believe there are other towns that host similar events

 in the summertime...

 How about YOURS?

 I believe this last chair was my favorite.  

It caught my eye from a distance, and up close we discovered

that the design was burnt into the wood!