Tuesday, May 19, 2009

So many empty places - empty spaces; left behind...

My camera is still chock full of photos taken during my brief stint as a census canvasser. Poignant, melancholy and sadly sweet, here are some of the places nobody lives... but spirits dwell...

Ironically, one of the areas assigned to me was a large cemetery. I say ironically, because we were supposed to be canvassing to add new addresses and to eliminate defunct addresses. hmmmm... I don't think anyone here will be filling out a census form... But it was a beautiful day and a lovely, peaceful place. I sat in the shade of a huge oak and ate my lunch, pondering the meaning of life.

Don't you just love the ironwork?! It appears to be early twentieth century, 1910 or so... Each partitioned area or family plot varying in detail, and elaboration.

Fabulously medieval! But do the barriers fence interlopers out - or keep kin within?

And perhaps a ghostly spirit or two dwells herein...
The diamond detailing in the gable ends lend elegance to this simple farmhouse now sadly bereft of human inhabitants - but home to a bat or a nest of chimney swifts - and the scent of new mown hay.

And here is my favorite - a sweet stone cottage nearly overgrown by lush foliage -
but strong in its space, and enduring in grace.

It was all I could do not to climb through the ivy - down the rabbit hole, so to speak - to peer back at this world from that one, to know what lies beyond the cool deep shadows and dark windows...

Shrouded in time and mystery, I see it as the perfect hideaway - a place where magic might yet be possible, where hushed voices sing in soft whispers of time gone by...

Here's one that combines Federal style with the gambrel roof line so popular in hot, humid climes. A beautiful entryway complete with transom, double windows, and lovely twin chimneys!

This old Victorian with its ample porch and lovely shade trees sits snugged up to the street that was once the main road south out of town. Just imagine carriages pulling up in front when the highway was but a dirt road.

Beautiful in its simplicity and symmetry, this old barn remains. Don't you wonder who toiled here? The seasons were many and the harvests bountiful - and yet the barn stands empty and alone.

House? Barn? Shed? Perhaps all of these things at one time or another...

And finally - a bit of "urban" decay. These grand old brick structures remind me of all small towns' downtown glory days. Boarded up, burned out, abandoned or let cheaply to thrift shops and store-front churches - and yet - dignity remains.

Monday, May 04, 2009

making friends...

No more canvassing! I'm relieved to be through - and terrified I won't be able to find anything else. My friend Carol and I are going to pool our last two hundred dollars buying plants and pots at a wholesalers and repotting to make fancy artsy pots o'fleurs to sell at the gallery. Wish us luck!

In the meanwhile, I thought I'd post a few shots of friends I made - or tried to make - while out and about. Out of the hundreds of address I visited, only two dogs seemed bent on a bite. The majority of dogs were reasonably friendly if not outrightly so. In fact, the biggest risk was being jumped on by enthusiastic pooches with muddy feet. I met no "attack" cats - though several shy ones skittered away at my approach. A few would gladly have hopped in the van with me and most allowed me to scratch their chins or stroke their backs.
Some simply ignored me...

or were too busy watching the neighbor's dog to bother about a census person...

And who knew there was such dog as a bi-color Newfoundland? I was delighted by these huge fellows and their spots and speckles!


This fellow liked me so much, he did a cha-cha-cha.

This pretty calico was positively too shy to look at the camera...

Miss calico was quite unlike this Akita - a very friendly and not-at-all-shy boy.

This fellow was just wa-ay laid back... I think I woke him from a nap.

This adorable canine kept watch without expending energy. I don't recall she ever got up once.

Sometimes, the yard-guard was of another sort. Nice horns!

Some looked on with little or no curiosity.

And some were all about curiosity!!