Finding Books in the Cemetery

Shooting infrared in old cemeteries is a passion of mine. The carver’s art , the names and the stories keep me curious. I’ve come across many symbols and decorations, but when I came across this monument with books on shelves, it made me wonder. I’m a reader. I thought about the family. Were they readers? Were they trying to show their level of education? Maybe they were teachers? I saw them as kindred spirits.I ‘m a mystery freak who can’t get enough of them.The more intricate the puzzle, the more I savor the mystery. Often , you’ll find me with my nose in a book or ebook. I used to worry that I wasn’t spending my time reading the classics or current book club fads. While I’m sure there are wonderful books I’ve missed, I’ve read and enjoyed so many. Obviously I can’t take books with me, and accepting the idea that life is finite, should I be compiling a list of books that I can’t miss? A bucket list doesn’t feel like the right term. One of my ideas of heaven would include a never-ending supply of Earl Grey tea, a comfortable chair to curl up with my dog,  near a big window  that overlooks an English garden ,and a collection of unread mysteries to encourage me to rest between my travels.Hell would be most like the old episode of The Twilight Zone in which a bank clerk spends his lunchtime in the vault reading. One day, after a nuclear (?) disaster, he finds himself the lone survivor. He wanders the streets and finds the library . Realizing he has all the time in the world to enjoy the books is a gift. As he heads up the steps, he trips and his glasses tumble from his nose and break. I saw the episode once when I was a teen and it has stayed with me.Definitely frightening! I guess I can compile a Don’t Wait to Read This!  list. Which books would you include?

Little Dorrit

I honestly admit that I am not a Dickens scholar, hardly a Dickens reader. Although I do confess to being one of the only people I know who liked A Tale of Two Cities when we read it in high school. This photo is a result of  happenstance more than planning.I should claim to have known exactly how it would turn out, but I didn’t. Merging a photo of a Dickens collection and a photo of a doll’s face from an antique shop, together with a variety of blending modes produced Little Dorrit. Through trial and error I did learn a technique by which I can repeat the process.I’m anxious to hear what you think of the photo.

Bibliophile ” The Book Lover”

Bibliophile or The Book Lover

B.J. Silberman

For too long I searched

In books with worn bindings half-hidden on dusty shelves

Or in bold-faced bestsellers

For answers from more experienced lives

To the questions

Which reappear

As if they  have an internal calendar.

Unwilling to admit to possessing the opportunity

To fit my pieces

To write a life

Where self-knowledge is just a plot twist away

And becoming the heroine is less frightening.

Books are Beacons of Knowledge

” Books are lighthouses erected in the sea of time.” E.P. Whipple.

Books and lighthouses are an apt metaphor and two of my favorite things. When I came across this quote , it inspired me to create an image to fit. Unfortunately, it was hard for me to decide which image was most effective so I am asking for your valued opinions

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Flowers and Books Part 2 – Simplicity

Simple pleasures fulfill us most easily. Books, flowers and an ironstone pitcher in which to place them. No more is needed.

Books and Flowers are Necessities

If you have a library and a garden, you have everything you need. Marcus Tullius Cicero

     Books and flowers come together both in the photograph layers and as simple pleasures to savor.Libraries and gardens provide beauty, sanctuary  and a place to imagine.

Enjoy!