Cemetery Serenity

Call us crazy, but both my DD12 and I like to hang out in cemeteries. They're so quiet and serene -- and rich with history. I love imagining the stories of the people buried there, and I allow myself to feel some of the sorrow that people might have felt as they buried their loved ones, especially little ones. It makes me grateful for my life as it is.

Yesterday, DD wanted to hang out in a tree at a nearby cemetery to read a new book. It was a little far for her to be going alone, so I accompanied her -- with my own book, my camera, and a dog pillow for my tush. I figured we'd hang out for an hour or so. We stayed for four hours. I tried getting creative with the camera for a little while, and then we both settled into our books for a good long while. (Oh, I also wrote some more in my Joy Notes book and made some mental notes for potential poetry that I'd like to write one day.) Eventually, it got too dark to read, so we watched the fireflies and talked about life. It got cold -- but it was cool! We both enjoyed our little retreat, and I think it will be a precious memory for years to come.

I won't bore you with all of them, but in the interest of my attempt at creativity, here are a few of the pix I took, some of which I might edit later:

I was trying to play with having a blurred background with a focal subject in the foreground -- but I really don't know how to do that with my point-and-shoot camera.

It's hard to believe she sat there for FOUR hours!

She was going for the "blank" look, so I played with the exposure and colour after I uploaded this one. Though I didn't plan it, I kinda like how her face is a bit blurry, but the background leaves and branches are crisper.

I liked the shape of the top of this tomb stone. As you can tell, I was trying for an interesting angle ;) I tried getting a close up of the cocoon, but wasn't very successful.

I think I heard the sound of laughter as I lay on the ground to get this shot ;)

I dunno -- that might make an interesting background for something one day . . . It has a poetic quality to me, with prickly branches and soft, green leaves ;)

I liked the verse on this one: "I will fear no evil for thou art with me."

Just in case you didn't believe we stayed until after dark ;) I was shooting "blind" because I couldn't see anything on the camera screen until after the flash went off.

Another shot in the dark. Oh look -- a smile :) She said she could have fallen asleep on that branch.

I wish I'd been able to capture the fireflies in my photos -- they were like twinkling diamonds catching the light against a backdrop of dark velvet. They reminded me of a poem I wrote years ago . . . in fact, a month before DD12 was born! The amazing thing is I was able to put my fingers on it to share with you:

Firefly

A young boy taught me

that I can glow like you.

All I have to do is

catch you

with my hands

and press you

 between my palms.

It's true.

He caught you and,

not viciously,

rubbed your fluorescent essence

on his skin.

Then, your life

 made him shimmer

in the blackness of the night.

Your life,

it seems,

was a small price to pay

for a glowing moment of brilliance.

For who counts the cost

to the universe?

Who counts the cost of a firefly?

Who counts the cost of anything

that gives even a brief

glowing moment of brilliance?

Deep, eh? I found myself wanting to write another poem last night, but I didn't have anything but my teeny-tiny notebook to write in. I do want to get back into the "habit" of writing poetry, though -- and reading it, too. I think The Artistic Mother will help me with that -- if I ever get back to working on those projects:)

Are there any unusual places you like to go to "re-charge your batteries"? Are there particular places that inspire you to be creative?