With this week's Sepia Saturday as a prompt I'm reminded of one of my favorite photos from my book Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading. I have no information about this woman who long ago chose to sit at the base of this tree and read, but I understand the lure.
In the summer I like to sit in the shade, hear a light breeze rustling the leaves, and enjoy reading outside. Of course I usually fall asleep.
I agree, sitting in the shade of a tree on a hot day is ideal. The lady in your photograph doesn't seem to have found very much in the way of shade but perhaps she the tree is protecting her from wind instead. The only problem I find is that the sun's constant movement means that you also need to move to avoid getting hot because the shade has been lost or getting too cold because it's too shady, but some people are just never satisfied!
Vintage found photos of cats from those who loved them.
An American Dream at AMAZON
The American dream of owning a home through vintage vernacular photographs. The focus is on the people who lived within the homes as well as the varied architecture from the late 1800s to the 1960s.
FORGOTTEN DOLLS at amazon
A journey via vintage snapshots through the world of dolls and their owners from the early part of the 20th century to the 1960s. This is volume 7 in the Tattered and Lost Vernacular Photography series.
The Quiet Art of Reading at Amazon
Before being overwhelmed by a future of snapshots of people staring at nondescript tablets and smartphones, it would be nice to be reminded of the romance of reading a worn copy of a favorite book in a quiet and comfortable place. The beauty of the act of reading should be celebrated. That is what this book attempts to do.
BUCKAROOS AND BUCKARETTES at Amazon
Tattered and Lost: Buckaroos and Buckarettes is a collection of vintage snapshots for those who remember riding the range when they were kids. These adventures usually consisted of sitting in front of a black and white television or running around the neighborhood with our shiny six-guns strapped to our sides. Our imaginations created entire worlds that never existed. We sang along with our heroes, convinced that with a song in our heart and a six-gun on our hip we could vanquish evil. This book is dedicated to all the other buckaroos and buckarettes who rode their imaginations into the sunset while humming Happy Trails. Buy it at Amazon.
CAKES, PICNICS, AND WATERMELON at Amazon
Collecting vintage photographs starts out innocent enough with a few snapshots here and there, but at some point it becomes a bit more obsessive and you find yourself longing for the next image that makes you laugh or ponder the irrefutable confusion of being human. This book, Tattered and Lost: Cakes, Picnics, and Watermelon, the fourth in a series, shows the quirky world of sharing food from the 1890s to the 1970s in the United States. Sit back and enjoy watching people cut cakes (some people do it with such style!), go on picnics without your relatives, and watch people eat watermelon. Yes, eat watermelon. An odd category for sure, but one sure to make you smile. Buy it at Amazon.
Vernacular Photographs at Amazon
Tattered and Lost: Vernacular Photographs, is volume 1 in my self-published books showing photos from my collection. Photographs play off each other on facing pages asking the viewer to come to their own conclusion as to what they are looking at. Included is a photo of the Pennsylvania Railroad S1 steam locomotive, designed by Raymond Loewy, on display at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. And one of the few known copies of a photo taken by Rudolph D’Heureuse in 1863 proving there were indeed camels used by the U. S. Cavalry is included. So take a step back in time and visit with some folks who long ago smiled and said “cheese” never knowing how long those smiles would last. Buy it at Amazon.
TELLING STORIES at Amazon
In need of writing prompts? Looking for a gift for a friend who loves vintage photographs? Tattered and Lost: Telling Stories is now available from CreateSpace and Amazon. Click on the image to find out more! Buy it at Amazon.
CHILDHOOD at Amazon
A new and expanded edition of Tattered and Lost: Childhood. Available at CreateSpace and Amazon. Better price, more pages, larger trim size. Click on the image to read more about it. Buy it at Amazon.
Looking for a blog that makes watching paint dry seem exciting? Click to experience everything but the fumes.
What is Tattered and Lost?
Tattered and Lost is about some of the found and/or vernacular photography in my collection.
Unless you're an incredibly organized person you probably have a few stray photos tucked away that you've forgotten about. No matter how many family members or friends say they love you, sooner or later, a photo of you is going to slip through the cracks and end up in the hands of someone who knows nothing about you. Such are the photos at this site.
Photographs of the ordinary by the ordinary.
All photos are from my private collection. They may NOT be used in any manner without my permission. I retain all copyrights for everything published on this site unless specified as belonging to someone else.
What a wonderfully calming video. I can see the attraction of reading beneath leafy branches like that.
ReplyDeleteIt allows you to quietly capture those moments from when you were a kid and summer was a wonder.
DeleteI always prefer sitting in the shade rather than in the sun.
ReplyDeleteThe shade is always more subtle and comforting.
DeleteMe too, reading under a tree has always been a favorite activity!
ReplyDeleteIt is pure bliss.
DeleteYou paint with your words and pictures such a lovely calming world.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Sometimes I just have to escape the swirling world going on around me.
DeleteI agree, sitting in the shade of a tree on a hot day is ideal. The lady in your photograph doesn't seem to have found very much in the way of shade but perhaps she the tree is protecting her from wind instead. The only problem I find is that the sun's constant movement means that you also need to move to avoid getting hot because the shade has been lost or getting too cold because it's too shady, but some people are just never satisfied!
ReplyDeleteAnd that photo was from the days when "reading novels" was one reason women were sent to asylums.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, I'd never heard about that. Very scary. Actually, insane.
DeleteAlas - the days before air conditioning and Kindles...
ReplyDeleteYes, back when there were less distractions.
Delete