James, Annie and Blue
I believe that photography is the echo of life’s reflections – a captured moment, a story with no words, a poem with no ending, a silent song. Joseph is the quiet type – or so I am told. I do not really notice how little he actually speaks until someones makes a comment about it. I think that is why his photography is so bold – it is his favorite language.
This past week we went on a shopping spree – for a new home. We have outgrown our current residence much faster than we anticipated and with the market at an all time depressing low – we decided to make lemons into lemonade and do our part in stimulating the economy. So we have an offer out on a new five bedroom home in Santa Rosa Beach. A little stressful – all the anticipation and waiting. It is a short sale, so there might be a dozen blogs between this one and the one that declares us back shopping or having a house warming. Keep your fingers crossed – I really feel like this house is the one we will witness our children become young adults.
I have been working on Joe’s marketing plan for his Destin Photography business and I have thought up all kinds of new and exciting changes for next year – one of which will be the “Follow Me” service. Kind of like a private eye – Joe can be hired to follow you around on your vacation and snap candid photos when you’re not watching. I really enjoy his beach photography with various poses and planned locations – but it’s the shots you get when no one is looking that will really tug on your heart and your memory years later.
Since my mother died a year and a half ago, I have seen dragonflies everywhere. Everytime I see one, its like my mind travels back a decade and I’m sitting at our kitchen table, solder fumes everywhere – watching my mother put together the most amazing stained glass dragonfly masterpiece. It hung over our breakfast nook for my entire childhood. I had a pet dragonfly as a child – I can’t remember it’s name, but I spent an entire summer chasing it around our front yard until it would settle on my fingertip. The most glorious colors – iridescent purple, green and blue – it only lasted one summer, but anyone that knows me will tell you that I hate things that fly – except for dragonflies and it has always been that way. So I’m sure my mother knew on some deep level that if she would show up as a dragonfly – I would probably let her stay close. I have found them on my windshield when I go to get in my car, swarms of them on my back porch and almost always one or two on the window screens each day when I come home from work. I have seen them in the oddest places – and in the most unexpected moments. I wish I could digitally scan my memories into picture frames – I would love just one photo of me watching my mother put together that dragonfly that witnesses our life for so many years. Being Italian – our entire life occured in one way or another around that breakfast nook.
This holiday season seemed to be covered in a fog of uncertainty for everyone, but as we approach a new year - we hope that everyone’s fog clears and their new paths welcome them with great opportunity, salvation and invigorating hope.
