In the middle of the night, when the world is dark and utterly still, my upstairs bathroom has a pattern of rectangles of soft light on the wall created by streetlights that are a block or more away shining through my bathroom windows.  These rectangles of light are sort of gold or maybe orange, but mostly are just easy on eyes that have adjusted to the dark of night. The rectangles overlap each other and create a wonderfully abstract composition that breaks the darkness just enough to be a sort of perfect nightlight.  When there's a breeze outside, one of [...]

When my family and I went through major-remodel-number-two several years ago, it was a chance to remedy some of the rookie mistakes I made in our first remodel. The too small family room was expanded into a side yard and received an extra tall picture window that looks into and under our best backyard tree. The staggered hallway by the laundry room got straightened out. A much needed fourth bedroom was added. Melody’s little secretary desk would find a home in an alcove off the family room. The result of all this was that our two story house was extended [...]