Gladys Kravitz would be proud.

i've been so neglectful. not to all things.

but to the greater world of binary communication like 

blogging, yes.
instagram is my quick fix.

seeing images of other peoples' lives is a really

seductive thing for me. it's like pre-meditated voyeurism.  

sanctioned sneak-a-peaks. romanced reality.

here's mine.

http:instagram.com/penelopelea  

roxie eye view

a four year old's perspective in a dressing room.
discovered these on my phone today.  

so long, january...

green is the color...

we spent more time outdoors than in this last

weekend in january.  tired and content.

sacred dusk...

i'm from texas. i know heat. heat is my

soul's familiar. i don't shirk it. deny it.

curse it. though,this summer i cry, 'uncle'.

i give.

i anticipate dusk like no other time of day.

the horizon turning off the flame.

a) brazos around chick's bend at dusk

b)over the brazos after sangria

c)trigger watching the catfish eat

dog days....

of summer...

(if you're going to be a stickler for things,

i think the actual 'dog days' don't begin

until august but this summer is turning out to

be a hot weather beating)

caddo...

Civilization is the limitless multiplication of

unnecessary necessities.

mark twain

off kilter

slow-motion sunday....

independence, texas

chris' parents have a farm in independence, texas. it's a tiny, hilly, lush green slice of a ghost town. the kind of ghost town that feels alive with the past. not necessarily forgotten. maybe just left behind enough that you relish the time you're there because it's unusual and distinct and special. the air above and the ground below feels full of memories. there is one blinking light and one old stone country store where you can get gas and some essentials. the cemeteries are really beautiful with their century-old live oaks and weathered grave markers. chris and i love going there because it feels so removed from....well, today. with three kids i can't really think of many places that i can lose myself watching dust motes.

it's a really special place and i feel lucky to have it in my life.

tuesday.....in the city

autographix kodakery

we used to have this neighbor who's father was one of the photographers during the nuremberg trials.  he knew chris was fond of old cameras and gave chris all of his vintage cameras.  it was a really gracious act from a grumpy and sour old guy.  several of them have a lens missing or the bellows aren't in great shape but this one caught my eye.  it's called an autographix and it was probably made sometime in the very early 1900's.  it came in a perfect little thick paper box and it has a special 'window'  and metal stylus that you actually use to write notes on your negatives while the film is still loaded in the camera.  we had written off ever being able to use a lot of these cameras since they use 127 film.  after some sleuthing around on the internet today i found a company in croatia that still makes it! they have infared, too!  i promptly ordered some rolls and they will be here this week.  i can't wait to see how the photos come out....if they come out at all.  it's this great little mystery that takes time to solve with an answer still yet to be decided.  

here you can see the window open for writing. the stylus slips out of the door.

a tiny pamphlet that came with the camera. 

the front of the box.  vest pocket camera.