The Last Heart ...

The big machines have been munching away at "The Abandoned" for over a month now. What was once a huge mega-church complex made of poured-in-place concrete and rebar is now just several gigantic piles of rubble, and a few large holes (like where the swimming pool used to be) ...

I found this small piece of graffiti-covered broken concrete in the debris, and knew it was probably one of the last hearts I would find in this huge demolition site.

But you never know where hearts will appear!

And I will keep looking.

Always.

Picnic Table Hearts

The picnic table under the trees has been mostly quiet through the winter.

The hearts carved since it was painted last spring seem stark and cold.

Waiting for a new coat of springtime paint ...

Which may or may not erase them completely.

 

Another Demolition Heart

I walked alone amidst the rubble ...

And found I wasn't really alone after all.

I carried in my heart ...

All of YOU!

(This heart is exactly as I found it - I only lightened the background to make it pop out a bit more)

"Orange You Glad It's Friday"

Flakey Heart Surprise

I saw the blue heart first - 

It wasn't until I enlarged the shot that I found the second little heart just around the corner of the bolt!

Shadowy Heart

On a cloudy day it was just another splotch of mud amidst the debris of The Abandoned.

On this rare sunny day, it became a shadowy heart!

For more shadows ... join us for "Shadow Shot Sunday"!

Another Demolition Heart

The demolition crew at the former mega-church has been hard at work - but not on the weekends. I took advantage of the quiet time yesterday, and went for a walk.

Rubble - cement and rebar, giant wooden beams, pipes and wires ... in piles strewn across the property - some higher than my head.

I was nearly overwhelmed with the scope of the destruction.

Then I looked down. A small piece of insulation nestled next to a piece of broken concrete caught my eye.

And my heart.

Craft Store Heart

I had taken my daughter to a large chain crafts store to get supplies for a Christmas project she was working on.

As we left the store, I happened to glance down at the red "No Parking" curb ... only to see this cute little heart.

My daughter pretended not to know me as I whipped out my camera and took a picture!

Heart - Under Construction

Sissie and I were walking back to our car ...

There had been recent road construction, with new power poles being installed.

We were skirting around one of these poles, when I looked down at the tar which had pooled and hardened at the base ...

And found a perfect heart!

A Heart Interrupted

What was once a broken and shattered heart

Has become, over time, 

A heart interrupted.

The hole will always be here; memories of those gone from my life ...

A Heart Interrupted.

That hole is full to the brim with love, joy, hugs and kisses ...

A Heart Interrupted.

A precious thing, that Heart Interrupted.

Dedicated to my Bro, Dow, who lost his battle 10 years ago ...

And Howard, my friend, just two years ago.

And Uncle Benji ... this past summer.

And all of the others whose lives touched mine ... before they left.

A Heart Interrupted.

 

 

 

Brick Wall Heart

My daughter and I went for a long walk the other day, past the new "high density" housing development just up the street.

 

A new brick wall had been built near the entrance.

I was happy to find a heart in the wall!

Weatherstripping Heart

A length of torn-up weatherstripping shared its heart and shadow with me.

To see more shadow pictures, visit "Shadow Shot Sunday".

Another graffiti Heart

I have been trying to get back into the swing of things, with my goal being to post a heart a day for a while. Sometimes life gets in the way.

Yesterday I was stung on the hand by a bald faced hornet.

Within half an hour I was breaking out into hives.

Even after taking 2 allergy tabs, the hives continued to spread. And ITCH.

I ended up at the ER, and was told I am allergic to hornets! (ya think???)

They pumped me with all kinds of antihistamines and things. The itching faded, as did the hives. The doctor told me I may have stopped breathing had I not thought to take the two allergy tablets at home before I came in.

For 24 hours I have to take medicine - that's how long the toxins will stay in my system.

Sigh. I only hope I will feel well enough to go outside this afternoon and flip a rock!

Cable Fence Has Heart!

I pulled over into a small county park, the tiny parking lot surrounded by a cable-through-concrete pillar fence.

And found a heart.

It's time for "Fridays Fences"!

Heart Through Window

Someone managed to climb onto the roof ...

And leave their heart.

A Heart for Teri

Today's date - Tuesday, June 26 - has been stuck in my mind.

Why, I wondered.

Then I remembered.

Today is the day Teri goes in for surgery!

She's been in pain for a long time - and today is the day to get it fixed.

If you haven't met Teri, she is a wonderful photographer, artist and friend.

She and her sister share hearts, and warm MY heart.

Teri H. Hoover Photography

So I give this heart to you, Teri, along with my thoughts and prayers for a successful surgery - and a quick recovery.