Years ago, I read that the first line of the Talmud is "All beginnings are difficult." Coming from a decidedly non-Jewish background, I can't honestly say if it's really how the Talmud starts, but it has been my experience that beginnings can be trying. After reading blogs of friends and strangers for the past few years now, I thought it might be time to try my own hand. It's been quite a while since I wrote anything except memoranda, checks or the occasional note to a teacher. But I've always loved writing, almost as much as I love reading, so I'll give this a whirl, at least for a while.
There's not much to tell about me--I live in a house. I have a job. I love my family and my country, but neither blindly. My life is in the south, but my heart is in the far north. I vote my conscience and urge others to do the same. I don't eat organ meats or anything with tentacles.
There will be more to come, eventually.
Photography is a minor hobby...I don't have any fabulous equipment or training. I just like recording what I see. This first photo was made in a small cemetery in New Orleans in February. I'd gone to visit my sister with the Loved One and Dear Daughter for Mardi Gras. This particular afternoon was stormy and we went out between showers, as the Loved One had never seen the city's unique burial grounds. We went to the BPOE cemetery near City Park and the west end of Canal Street. I've always loved this place--it's not as well-known as the St. Louis Cemeteries, and has managed to avoid being included in the ubiquitous Hotard tours popular among package tourists. Guarding the gate is a larger-than-life monument to the founders of the place, topped by a regal elk that is at least twelve feet tall. At Christmas, the caretakers illuminate the nose of this noble beast with a red light bulb at night. In New Orleans, the dead have a certain droll sense of humor.
Anyway, I love funerary statues. This angel caught my eye as we blinkered in the afternoon sunlight. The contrast between the blue sky and the white stone and the shadows of her face and robe works rather nicely. I hope you like it as much as I do.
2 comments:
Not only is this a beautiful funerary statue, but the composition of the photo really accentuates it! I'm a bit of a photobug as well, time permitting (and it never permits enough). I look forward to seeing more of your photos! Do you share them online through Picasa or Flickr?
Oh shucks, ma'am. Thanks. Funny thing is, it was such a bright afternoon, I couldn't really see much of what I was getting. My camera has a view-screen, but not a view-finder and the glare (coupled with the Sjogren's) makes it virtually impossible for me to see in bright sunlight. So yeah, I have to admit, I did a little photo-shopping on this pic, but really just cropping to zoom in on her lovely face.
And I'm such an ignoramus. I don't know anything about Picasa or Flickr. I can E-mail you some stuff, if you like. :-)
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