A Wordless Picture Story.
Credits:
The Robber
a Barefoot Fool Production
starring
Uncle Dan Shanahan & Iris D. Fournier
screenplay
God
photography
Jessica Rose Shanahan
location
the Labyrinth at All Souls Interfaith Church, Shelburne, Vermont, USA
Photographic arrangement loosely inspired by the book The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer.
1.
Carousel
“Iris always rides the same horse?” asked Martin when he looked at the photos.
Always.
It is a black horse with a white mane and tail and, most importantly, red jewels on its saddle and bridle.
It is a fast horse. She races as the others chase her, but they never catch up.
2.
The Horn on the Ticonderoga
It is very loud and frightening.
One time we were standing on the lighthouse when the horn went off.
Iris and Akiva both jumped out of their skins.
This time, we were safe and sound, far far away, in jail.
3.
Doors and Windows
Frames! Frames within frames!
I could photograph doors and windows all day.
In fact, I have.
Most of my photographs from Mexico & Guatemala are about doors and windows.
Unfortunately, they are all analog and not fit to be shared on this medium.
4.
Americana
5.
The Covered Bridge
I love how bright sunlight streaming through narrow cracks has a shimmering, steamy effect.
Iris was fascinated by the light. We walked in and out and in and out and in and out.
6.
Ladybug
This was Iris’ absolute favorite thing of the whole trip. Do you see it?
7.
Texture
I stopped for less than half a second and took a random picture of a stone wall just to prove that
today, everything is absolutely beautiful.
We went to the Shelburne Museum, and everything was beautiful. They’ve harvested all their gardens and arranged a hundred or so various squash and gourds in clusters, huddles and prominades around the grounds. Even the mid-day light was somewhat delicious. I pointed my camera in all directions and took over a hundred photos. We were out for hours.
Promenade
Jack (Portrait)
Bus Stop
The Rocking Chair Sitters
Small Squash Gazing at the Noon-Day Sky
“Mommy! Mommy! Come take our picture!” said Iris. What a great idea! I ran in with my camera.
I was going for John & Yoko. The first 53 photos were great in terms of composition— Hugs! Laughter! Eye contact!— But the lighting was off, and I couldn’t figure out how to position the kids on the bed to fix that. Photo #54 was a grand improvement. I put them upside down on the bed and switched their sides, relative to each other. Then the light hit them just perfect. But the bed is tilted to help with Akiva’s reflux, and he’d been such a sweet patient giggly boy for so long, that with him being both up-side-down and over-tired, things deteriorated quickly. I’ll have to try again later.
Hello Pan!
One of my favorite things ever is unsolicited letters of hello. Thank you so much for writing me some thirty-three words. The circumstances of luck were enough for it to trigger a full-blown letter in return.
Way back in the olden days, when there was no such thing as internet and I traveled lots like a vagabond and there was no way to get a hold of me, I used to make sure I frequently mailed my friends and family lots of letters. I liked to imagine that they’d all write me back, providing I had an address. It was pretty unlikely my imaginings were correct. They were mostly all busy having babies and raising families, which, I’ve discovered, is the most time-consuming, all engrossing, I-don’t-have-time-for-anything-else-ing act one can undertake, should one choose to be so devoted. Which is what has, belatedly but eventually, happened to me.
I have recently moved my artistic musings over to the realm of doll making (Jessi Rose Dolls), which is a nice artistic outlet I can do with my children around. Meanwhile, my tarot journal sits stagnant like a bit of water caught behind a rock on the lee edge of a small pond far in the wilderness. Which is to day: it does not move. Two years ago I became a mere eight chapters short of finishing my tarot book. Now I see that it will probably wait until both my children are in school. Likely, no one will purchase it with a deck. Heck, no one will remember there was such a deck! But I am, first and foremost, a writer, so I’m sure I’ll finish it. I’ve always meant to. After all, it started out as an idea for a book. The deck was secondary.
As a mother, I am at peace. So many people say that the first child is the most drastic change, as this is the one that changes one’s life forever and so dramatically. I did not find it to be so. For me, it was much like buying a one-way ticket to an unknown place where I didn’t speak the language. Or it was like stashing all one’s possessions and hopping on a bicycle for an unlimited amount of time without a map or a plan. Or it was like jumping into the ocean alone to swim to a far-away shore and not telling anyone where I was headed. It was like leaving, and it was like going someplace new. Which is to say, it was, in so many ways, like nothing new at all. Without the least bit of preparation— as usual— I felt quite prepared.
But, like they all say, it has been, indeed, the most wonderful thing ever.
May you be at peace, and may you always know love—
Leftover pizza & beer.
(Don’t worry. It’s chicken broth.)
