Saturday, January 24, 2015

Lesson 343: Photograph

It's the weekend, Readers!
Time to sit back, relax,
and take a look at some of Eloise's photographs.
I have some really interesting ones for you this week.


The early part of the week wasn't too interesting.
This is the typical color of Erie in January.


I didn't adjust these photos.
Not too many bursts of color under the heavy, gray skies.
Dreary Erie earns its name.


We look to find other ways to bring color into our lives at the Lamp Post.
Decorating winter trees is one of them.
We have hope that color will return soon.


Even though ice doesn't have much color,
it sure is pretty!






Kids sure are fun to photograph.





That's what we Erieites do in the winter.
Gather together to make the best of it.
Tonight was a spur of the moment sled riding gathering.

This weekend Hubby will bowl in the Erie Times News Bowling Tournament finals.
He was in third place at the end of last week.


On Saturday the top sixteen bowlers start at zero
to battle it out for the top prize and a year's worth of bragging rights.

What did Hubby do to relax and maintain focus before his big match?
I stuck him in the basement supervising the kids tonight,
while I looked at photographs.
I told him the distraction would be good for him.
Maybe not--
he held a hammer in his hand the entire evening.


My family is bummed over Green Bay's loss last week.


Green Bay vs Seattle
was really
Kenyan's House vs My Friend Angie

Angie sent Keyan this photo prior to the game.
I guess the cheese grater was the good luck charm.




What else do we do when we're cooped up during the winter?
We hoe out the house!
The kids stuff is always the first leg of the attack.
I can never bring myself to throw a Woody away!


So, I'm writing about the weather and housework...
can you tell I'm still detoxing?
No sugar.
No dairy.
No caffeine.
NO BEER.
I am a little over halfway through it and feel great.


I appear to have lost some weight in my left pointer finger.
My rings are swinging.  
The holiday puffiness is subsiding.
It's every woman's dream to have a more svelte pointer finger, isn't it?
Oh happy day!


Clean eating plus outdoor exercise a few times times a week
is just the recipe I need to stay healthy (and sane) through the winter.

My workout group exercised a Penn State Behrend last weekend.


 
We are standing in a parking lot that used to be my grandparents back yard!
Their house sat just to the left of the cluster of trees.
I can still see it in my mind as plain as day.


When Penn State Erie expanded,
they purchased the home from my grandmother and eventually tore it down
to create more parking.

Standing there, remembering what once was,
I felt sentimental.
On my drive home, I remembered all the fun I had on that piece of land
playing with my cousins, 
swinging on the swing,
and looking for crayfish in the creek.

The first thing I did when I got home was rushed to my old photo albums.
I wanted to see the house again, just to make sure it was the same as I had remembered it.
It was.


It made me realize how important a photograph is.
It captures a moment.
It freezes time.
It records history.
And for me,
it brings peace.

I'm working on a big photo project here at the Lamp Post.
I'm making a book for my children that has labeled photos of many of 
their ancestors.

Next week, I'll share the site I am using to create the book.
This week, I'll share some of my favorite old photographs.

This is probably my favorite.
My grandfather was at the steering wheel of that great car.


Children I only ever knew as adults.




Some that I never knew.


Children at play.


What were they thinking?


Were they happier back then when life was simpler,


and less technologically driven?





I see where I get my love of music,


and love of games from.


I see myself in all of them.
My ancestors.

Especially her--the one seated on the right.
My great grandmother's second husband was 
named McGraw!


Stay on your toes, Louie!
History could repeat itself.
Handsome's been looking for me, I hear.

I saved this part for last, because it will take some energy for you to get through it.
Below you will find a link to the World's Top Ten Most Famous Photos.
This is one of  them.

steve-mccurry-1

Each photo is captioned, giving details about the scene or the person.
I saved it for the end because these images will sap your energy.
If they don't, you aren't human, so get the hell off my blog.

These are tough, but you owe it not only to me,
but all of humanity to look at them.

They are the humans surviving this world--
some celebrating,
others barely breathing.

You, too, will be breathless after you look at them.



The song Photograph by Ed Sheeran was the perfect choice for my photos for this week.  Eloise dedicates it to all of my photography loving friends:  Matt Clicky Kleck, Fionnula, Heather the Honey Badger, Wendy Chwatty, Cousin Andrea, Team Krauza, & Jennifer GT.  This one is for us.

Capture a moment this weekend, Readers, and never let it go.

ELOISE

No comments: