ColeDesign Studio

05/30/2026

On my solo drive home from Montreal and feeling inspired by thoughts on a la the Escher exhibit I had visited in Montreal - I thought of the road as a metaphor for life —- shifting perspectives… still with me from the show had me seeing and understanding things differently, and I had an aha moment. I found myself in a picture perfect postcard, moment. The beautiful blue lake on my left and equally blue sky stretching above with all those scattered white puffy clouds. The sun. The breeze. The emerald green strip of grass along the empty winding road which lead the way up to the bend up ahead. I had to stop so I could be in that moment as I wondered what is just beyond that bend up ahead. The twists and turns of life are just like this road.

05/30/2026

“When I entered the Escher exhibit in Montreal it felt like stepping into a hidden world of incredible woodcuts, etchings, geometric and mathematical line drawings. His brilliant mind turned Fish into birds, staircases that go in all directions to nowhere and everywhere, and intricate Italian villages on hillsides, small towns emerged quietly, as if waiting to be discovered. I had preconceived ideas about MC Escher. I learned that the brilliance of Escher’s mind—his intricate geometric patterns, so precise and mathematical, were his life’s work. He remained relatively unknown until the 1950s, when suddenly his visions appeared on album covers and in pop art—just waiting for the world to catch up. It was a momentous learning about perspective and a subtle reminder that a shift in perspective can change everything.” You might think you see one thing with absolute certainty and then suddenly you see it differently!!! In a mind bending moment. And once you see it - it is fascinating. What a show!!

04/25/2026

04/20/2026

Monte Alban site. Oaxaca pytamid site. Dating back to 500 BC. Those steps are steep. There are so many of them. We did it !

04/20/2026

🌳 Mexico, you sneaky genius… I came for the pyramids, the vibrant textiles, the cobblestone streets, and the heartbeat of it all. But for the last 10 days, I’ve been completely obsessed with your TREES.
I’m talking the sprawling ones with branches that stretch to the sky. The gnarly-trunked elders that look like they’ve been chilling here since the pyramids were brand new. The twisty-rooted ones that tangle into one another like they’ve got stories older than time. The ones with flowers popping straight out of their bark (yes, really!). And those massive leafy “balls” that make every tree feel like a living sculpture.
I went full snap-happy….and I still can’t stop. Every corner, every road, every random stop… another tree stealing the show.
These aren’t just trees. They’re solid, steady witnesses to everything. Empires rising and falling. Colors exploding in the markets. Change after change after change… and they just keep growing, blooming, and looking majestic doing it.
If trees could talk, these trees would have the best gossip.
Does anyone else get weirdly emotional over trees on vacation? Or am I the only one out here romanticizing bark? 😂
TravelThroughTrees MexicoMagic

04/20/2026

In the shadow of the Sierra Madre, and under a big sky cacti stand tall while flowers explode in color and people quietly live their lives. There is so much beauty here. adre

04/20/2026

Whoa!!! I do have a real passion for trees. The tree !!! Is over 2000 years old and has witnessed empires !!! Its massive, gnarled trunk and huge canopy look insane from any angle.

04/17/2026

Do not miss the public library of Mexico City. A narrow, 7 story elongated architectural wonder.
The long view from one end to the other Is a symmetrical arrangement divided by a set of stairs up the centre.
It has glass floors, the ceiling structure is arranged to allow in controlled light for daytime use of the library, but not enough to destroy the books during the day and not enough to destroy books. No walls except for the long wood one that divides some of the specialty rooms along the length off to the side, just enough wood to make it warm and cozy, despite the glass and steel structure.
The amazement is that ALL of the bookcases are suspended from the roof structure in addition to a 3 ton and 30 foot long whale skeleton, which swims through “knowledge” the bookcases are all Symmetrically arranged on either side of the staircase Cubist style. You can see out through the windows to a beautiful park setting located in the centre of Mexico City complete with trees, gardens grass, and rolling hills. It is a joy to walk the paths and rolling Hills filled with fruit trees, and interesting plants as well as the with the beautiful purple flowers that smell heavenly found all over Mexico City.
The library is free to the public and is the second most visited site in Mexico City.

01/22/2026

Broke this table down, sawed those legs clean off in a blizzard fury. Now? It’s my sofa‘s best friend, feet – up fabulous. Family history, reimagined, not forgotten. Who’s ready to rescue their own relics?