Thursday, January 17, 2013

photo friday: simplicity

© 2012 Amber Schley Iragui, Breakers Hotel pool, Spring Lake, NJ
© 2008 Amber Schley Iragui, Kainalu Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii
© 2012 Amber Schley Iragui, Edward Gorey museum, Cape Cod, MA

As I prowled around for simplicity photos (since the paltry few I took this week were anything but inspired), I found myself drawn again and again to summer photos. Maybe summer seems simple to me this time of year because going outside with two children in warm weather does not involve twenty minutes of bundling. Or maybe I was drawn to these photos because they were all taken on vacation, on uncomplicated days where what to eat was the most pressing concern.

The first photo was taken after a walk on the Jersey shore with my niece and nephew. We build sand castles and kicked around a ball. We walked back to the hotel and washed off the sand in the outdoor shower, then my husband and nephew dove into the deserted pool. The sun had gone down but the air was still warm, and we were the only ones using the pool in the darkening evening.

The second photo was taken at Kainalu Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, where my husband attended school as a child. He says he always went to school barefoot.

The last was taken in the carport at Edward Gorey's house on Cape Cod. Jenny and I visited the house this summer. It wasn't a house of simplicity—Gorey collected many things: cats, rocks, Coptic crosses, cheese graters, fur coats. But after the tour Jenny and I went outside and poked around. It was quieter without our tour guide's rehearsed anecdotes, and the old house and grounds were full of delights. There was a simple ease in each others presence—on the same continent, in the same time zone, without children or husbands or a bad cell phone connection.

Today is also my birthday. 

5 comments:

Veronika said...

When I was going to be last night, around 11:30pm, I thought about you: "It's already Amber's Birthday in New York". And I wanted to text you, but was afraid to wake you up. Happy Birthday my dear!

Mark Janssen said...

Happy Birthday

And nice pool shot.

Unknown said...

May God grant you many years!

Mark Janssen said...

I did not know who Edward Gorey was so I went to the Edward Gorey House website and was delighted. Thanks.

PS I interpret the absence of a theme for next week as license. Or did I miss it? How would "license" work as a theme?



A M B E R said...

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! Charles and I went and saw Les Miserables. We were both impressed.

Uncle Mark, I was introduced to Edward Gorey from a little book he wrote called *The Doubtful Guest* (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0i9m5frKHM). But once introduced I saw his work everywhere, from the PBS Mystery opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAmGsM4Dids) to the covers of my college texts (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcianddeth/4702057809/).

License will work just fine for next week.