Twisted
Inspired by Nancy Merrill’s Photo a Week Challenge. The prompt: Twisted
All it takes is a simple twist. Or two. Or three. Of wire, silk and nylon.
Six strings stretched tight. But not too tight. The ends threaded into post holes. Then twisted…little by little…with the turn of a peg. Carefully. Adjusting the tension.
Until each one – when plucked – sounds…just right.
On a simple guitar made of wood.
My first – and only – no-name guitar shows its age. As do I.
Bought with saved up allowance for $28 on September 29, 1967.
I headed to guitar lessons taught by a local folk singer. For weekly group lessons with other aspiring young guitarists…struggling together to strum chords…
G and D7…to play through Ain’t Gonna Study War No More.
C, F, Am and G7…for Blowin’ in the Wind.
Added Em and B7…and we managed to make it through Cruel War.
By that point the fingertips on my left hand were sore and complaining. From pressing down on those strings…especially strings 4, 5 & 6…the thickest ones.
Those twisted strings were replaced many times. As I sang and played through a thick looseleaf binder of mimeographed folk songs assigned by my teacher. To which I added my carefully typed copies of Homeward Bound, Hey Jude, It Was a Very Good Year, Leaving on a Jet Plane…among many others. Guitar chords written or typed in red above the words.
I did not sing or strum with much finesse, but it was the 60’s after all – and it was fun.
It never occurred to me to take it more seriously. I never saw any female guitarists on Ed Sullivan or American Bandstand, heard any on AM radio or in my stack of 45s.
This guitar went to camps and college with me. It was then retired to a closet…until my son tried it out after his college days. It traveled up and down the east coast with him for a few years…until he had a guitar of his own. Like his dad…and his sister.
And now it is back here with me.
Ready for its next chapter.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Close up of Flowers
Inspired by Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Close up of Flowers
I couldn’t let this week go by without responding to Cee’s challenge – since practicing with my new camera/macro lens is on my (fun!) to-do list.
And, oh by the way, I love taking pictures.
Since I prefer to photograph flowers in even light, today’s overcast skies were the perfect setting. All good…except for the impending rain and thunderstorms forecast on my trusty (or not so trusty) weather app.
We have a “landscape committee” in our condo association – and despite their committee drama – they do a nice job with flower choices and placement. At least I think so. Not everybody does…hence the drama.
Today’s walk was a quick one – as raindrops interrupted my planned much-longer photo excursion around the neighborhood – but this is what I came up with…
First stop: A hanging planter bursting with pink flowers. Not sure of the name.
Second stop: Day lilies planted down a small hill next to the road.
Third stop: Yellow flowers caught my eye as the rain started…
And that was that!
For today 🙂
Tree of Blue
Inspired by Becky’s Blue July Squares
This blue tree is part of an art installation at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, NH (USA).
“The Blue Trees is an environmental community art installation by Konstantin Dimopoulos in which trees have been temporarily transformed with environmentally safe blue pigment to stimulate awareness and discussion of global deforestation, while engaging the community in art activity and dialogue.”
A fascinating sight to see at the entrance to this popular museum. Definitely an important (!) conversation starter.
Hill
Inspired by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo. The prompt: Hill
The hills in San Francisco are daunting…which we discovered during a vacation in 1979. Cable cars became our preferred method of getting around the city.
Why? They were efficient, fun and fast…
As one hill led to one after the other…
It sure beat walking!
Presence
Inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #57: Presence
Do you shop at this store alot?
I looked around and my eyes settled on a woman about my age. Dark hair. Glasses. Head swiveling from shelf to shelf, before meeting my gaze.
Yes I do.
She smiled…Do you know where I can find the cornstarch? I’ve looked and looked.
We were standing in the baking aisle. Clearly the right place.
It should be in the baking aisle. Which is this one.
She thanked me and started to wheel her cart away, giving up the search.
I spotted 4 varieties of cornstarch on the top shelf and called out…I found it. Here it is.
Thank you so much!
She dropped the cornstarch into her cart and added…Now what can I do for you?
What can she do for me?
Remarkable.
To be Clearly Present in a public place…
Seen. Heard. Acknowledged. Offered assistance.
A full circle personal exchange.
Quite Noteworthy.
Interesting thing about these advancing years. Well, maybe not so much interesting as downright alarming and often depressing…is how we become more invisible. When exactly did the page turn to this chapter?
When you start to fade from public view. Even when you are in the public view.
Was it a certain age? A shift in job status? The nest? What?
I am still trying to figure it out. It shouldn’t matter that I can’t walk as fast.
Drink as much. Eat the same. Sit as long. Stay up as late.
As I used to.
Obviously I didn’t pay close enough attention to any warning signs pointing to my impending invisibility. But perhaps there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Except to develop the presence of mind to reclaim my spot. When I’m ignored. Or dismissed. Interrupted mid-sentence. Deemed irrelevant.
After all, as the infamous line from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” repeats…I’m not dead yet!
Maybe if I’d known what to expect, I wouldn’t get as pissed off about it.
However…let’s think positive.
There is the grocery store. Which is a start. Apparently I am very present…not sure why. For random fellow shoppers – of all ages…with burning comments and questions: Is that a good brand of bread? What is the best gluten free pasta up there? Do you know that those detergent pods burn holes in your clothes? I love your sweater, where did you get it? Does that chicken look fresh? That broccoli isn’t too good, is it. Where do you get your hair cut? I can’t find a damn thing in this store since they remodeled it, can you?
And a few days ago…What can I do for you?
I understand about being present in my personal life.
But me, myself and I is not enough.
In the meantime…at least I know where the cornstarch is.
Detail
Inspired by Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #54: Detail
It’s all about the details
which are so often missed
when diving into a salad
as delicious as this.
Crunchy green goodness
poked fast with a fork
delivering a sample of
mother nature’s best work.
Shades of Pink
Nancy Merrill is hosting a photo challenge. The prompt this week: Shades Of Pink
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO FEATURING SHADES OF THE COLOR PINK.
When I was a kid, pink was never my first choice. For anything. At least that’s how I remember it. Old photographs rarely showed me in pink pants or shirts. Maybe a pink dress when I was too young to voice an opinion…although my opinion was often ignored.
I probably lucked out because my younger sister was the “girly” one (a term I now dislike, but those who remember the “old days” will know what I mean). She could have all the pink, as far as I was concerned.
The one exception may have been my first bicycle…which was pink. I am not sure if that was my choice…or the only color available at the time for a “girl’s bike.”
Anyway, pink pops up on Valentine’s Day and that’s when I photographed these shades of pink.
Wrapped up and ready for local Valentine shoppers.
Blue in Bloom
Inspired by Becky’s Blue July Squares
I couldn’t resist taking advantage of the early evening light…as it settled over these blue Hydrangeas. To try out my new camera…with its macro lens.
Fortunately the muggy summer air held the delicate petals still…as I experimented with different settings.
I have much to learn, but for the first few attempts…
What do you think?
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Five
Cee’s challenge topic this week: 5+ items
While visiting friends last month at their cozy house by the lake, I noticed hats-at-the-ready on a wall near the back door.
Perfect for grabbing before heading outside…to enjoy another day in the sun.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 