TICKE MY FANCY

A dollop of Lemon icing perched at the end of a peppermint stick. That's the image that popped into my mind when I first noticed the street lights glowing along the streets of East Sacramento, we maneuvered our truck filled with everything we owned to our new home. And I still conjure that image every time Fancy and I head out the door of our two-bedroom rental in the heart of East Sac for her late night pee.You see, I like places to inspire fantasy, even if time reveals some jagged edges and other undesirable features, as it surely will. But it's the details of the natural and architectural aesthetic beauty that provide inspiration that is lasting and can often overcome the disappointment that comes when novelty wears away. Places that are adorned with a multitude of these details are so much more exciting to me and seem to promise more. The streetlights in our neighborhood are commonplace in older neighborhoods in cities across the country, but those of East Sac are the...

For me, Plastic Pink Flamingoes are a symbol of so much that is good in life that it is impossible to pass by them, gracefully strutting across a sunny lawn, and not feel good. They are always a splash of color on an otherwise dreary canvas. They are something David Hockney might have intended to include in many of his paintings from the late sixties. I'm guessing they are just out of frame in such works as A Bigger Splash or A Lawn Sprinkler. When I walk up to the house passed Ping and Ming, our two original Don Featherstone Plastic Pink Flamingoes, there are a few thoughts that always pop into mind. One is that it's time to loosen the tie. And another is that it's time to mix some martinis and throw on some Les Baxter or some Art Pepper on the record player. Plastic Pink Flamingoes evoke something special. They are a symbol of leisure, of hot climates and a tropical way of life. They tap into the brilliance of Mid Century Modern design, which is so often infused with...