Creased, folded, photo in hands of memories

Great-Grandma Annie Praul Shive Johnson
A creased and tattered photo--
Held, shown, and stored in a shoe box for decades.
Hard evidence of a life lived
and remembered

Around in a circle on Christmas morning at Grandma's house, that is snapshot where I still see my family, frozen in time.  Photos have a way of capturing the smiles and memories that cannot be stored on a chip, flash drive, disc, cell phone...

A photo brings back sounds of laughter, of dishware placed onto the stretched out table.  Then it would have said the table was a mile long and the browned turkey as big as the sun. Lots of children noises filled the room, children laughter and some tears.  Just a quickly as they started, they stopped when grace was said and dishes filled.

A photo inhales wafting mashed potatoes with gravy cascading down the mountain and onto stuffing.  Creamed, buttered, fragrant, never-ending--amazing food, enough to feed entire towns. 

Then pies.  Queens of homemade pies, that's what Grandma and Mom were. Name any filling and these queens could whirl to place perfect pies, steaming hot, crust golden brown on the table.
  

 Front row: Robert, Bill, and me (with my new doll)
Don, Mary, Dad and Mom Christmas 1959

A photo can be held, placed lovingly an album, where smiles and bright eyes will look at it, talk about that day.  Remember...Mom nearly spilled the gravy...apple pie was...

A photo is taken of people of people frozen in time. "Hold still. Bill, stop it..." Click and wind. Click and wind. Then the roll of film would be put in an envelope, sent off, and returned. Open the envelope. And Christmas is re-lived over and over.

Food and family without end

A photo will travel across decades to find its way into hands of one who calls back that day with all its senses.  One who will caress faces of those long gone, saying, "I know when this happened."

Grandma and Grandpa Cardiff at home

A photo kept safe for decades in a box emerges into my hands. I can still smell the pies and feel the love all around us.

Can one do this with a digital? Can one hold the photo and feel all that?

Wednesday Words: Brandon the Great

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Brandonni the Great had been his stage name moniker, way back when he had been a youthful and innovative magician.  His Abracadabra actually did put forth something that surprised and delighted all, including himself.

But, here he was, all bent over with arthritis, glowering at those smiling young nurses. “How are we today, Mr. Brandon…Now, let’s drink down the prune juice, shall we?...?” It was a nuisance to be around such darn cheerful pretty women.

When the carillon chimed from the nearby church, the nurses appeared in army formation to wheel the residents to the dining hall. Please…not creamed corn again…but there it was, gray goo.

Brandon summoned all the sparks that had once been part of him, The Great Brandonni.  Abracadabra!

A shower of creamed corn fell from the ceiling, coating each nurse with the gray goo called creamed corn.  The screams and profanities were music to the residents’ ears.

Still got it! Next time...ice cream?

Each Wednesday Delores at Under the Porch Light traditionally provides six challenging words for participating bloggers to wrestle with and defeat.  Recently, her computer betrayed her (bad computer!).  

Stepping up to fill her absence is Elephant's Child , an awesome blogger!  She has provided two sets of six words from which to choose, or to use all 2 X 6 = 12 with which to create something...poetry, prose, fiction...

To access other bloggers who are participating in this challenge, please click on the bright yellow sphere to the right.

Questions, questions

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It is winter here in San Diego, CA.  Supposedly.  It is 83 º F (about 32º C).  Grass is brown, wildfires looming here, etc….

When this occurs, my mind starts casting about for diversion since the brain cannot take the heat and pressure.

Today I am asking questions, and would appreciate any suggested answers.

First question:  Why are men—in general—fascinated with knives and weapons?  And for that matter, what is it about movies with fast cars and big explosions?  What the heck? I realize there are 3 questions here, but go with it.

One of my husband's weaponry

Second:  Why are some women obsessed with shoes?

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Third:  Why do people smile involuntarily? I see a baby, a commercial with a baby, a photo of a baby…and I smile.

My grandson

Fourth:  What kind of underwear is worn under skin-tight underwear? Thinking mainly about women, but hey, it goes for men as well.  No photo on this one.  Use your imagination.

Do you have any questions you would like to toss out in print?  Go ahead, use this as your stage.