Monday, July 26, 2010

On, In and Around Mondays: Tweety, Tea and She

Girls in Pink

I am in the living room.

Here are the signs that on Saturday we did our girls' annual combined birthday party: my guitar is turned towards the wall in its stand— evidence that a child must have been in need of deterrence. To my right, an African basket, big as the circle of my arms if I were to hug you, lies flat and displaced. Boys thought of boats or cars or a hot air balloon and were told by a grandmother to move on— baskets are breakable.

African Basket

To my left, gift bags (one pink with hearts, one lavender striped) hold necklaces, drawing pads, Natalie Merchant (we'll be singing The Janitor's Boy now), "Safari" ceramic beads. A tea party book tells that we tried to do Victorian tea. The cucumber sandwich on its cover is far more artful than mine, which were put together hurriedly while I chatted with early guests.

The Tea Table

A Tweety bird, who must have been hopefully given by a young child, is lying face down, lavender-brimmed hat to mahogany (faux) round lamp table. Tweety stares continuously at his reflection in shining wood. This might seem more narcissistic if he were not bowed in worship before a black and white photograph of my mother as a child.

She too wears a hat, black, to match her worn black girlish coat. Her milk-white skin frames dark, startled eyes and soft lips set apart in surprise or maybe fear. Shyly and intently, she stares into the room as if to say, I saw it all and I wished... I wished the necklaces and beads, the guitar, the African basket, the ride in a hot air balloon, the scones and tea had been mine.

Girls Opening Present


Birthday Party photos by L.L. Barkat.

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On, In and Around Mondays (which partly means you can post any day and still add a link) is an invitation to write from where you are. Tell us what is on, in, around (over, under, near, by...) you. Feel free to write any which way... compose a tight poem or just ramble for a few paragraphs. But we should feel a sense of place.

Would you like to try? Write something 'in place' and add your link below. If you could kindly link back here when you post, it will create a central meeting place. :)



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Claire, Kelly and Sarah just started a new photo place. Cool. "Home" is their first prompt! Go Claire, Kelly and Sarah!



This post is also linked to Emily's Imperfect Prose.

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13 Comments:

Blogger ELK said...

this brought back memories ... I chuckled at the turned guitar and marveled at the angle you chose to shoot it..happy birthday too!!

8:29 AM  
Blogger Mommy Emily said...

i love this idea... i will try it soon. i love how you pulled me into your beautiful place. at the details... they made me feel at home.

12:18 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Glad to see you doing this for your girls, LL. I know how much work it is from watching Julie over the years. They won't forget the details. In fact, I bet you'll see them employ those same details to celebrate their own children.

A Gift.

1:10 PM  
Blogger Marcus Goodyear said...

Here's what is around me:

* an encouraging hand written letter, wholly undeserved, from someone I have met a handful of times.

* a book about healing the ache of alienation, because a friend told me I should read it.

* a book Jesus Died for This? ("well-placed jabs at the shallow, self-reflective, self-righteous finger-pointing of those modern Christians who bend heaven and theology"), because a friend wrote it, though frankly it seems right up my alley.

* fresh coffee made this afternoon by Dan Roloff for me. (Thanks Dan.)

* A stack of essays for TheHighCalling.org that I simply must edit.

* a phone.

* transparent post-it note flags for reading.

* a black pen for writing.

* a red pen for editing.

* a journal for thinking, recently claimed and tagged by my son who borrowed it on Sunday to occupy his mind and scratched my name out to replace it with his own.

* on my computer screen, LL's blog about her daughters' shared birthday party.

4:50 PM  
Blogger TraciB said...

What a lovely recounting of your birthday! The photos accompanying the text are wonderful, and your writing style is so evocative.

I also want to say thanks for the prompt and for visiting my post that it inspired.

5:27 PM  
Blogger Laura said...

This is so lovely. The photos tell such the story. Belated happys to the girls. Aren't they the lucky ones to celebrate in such a way? I stopped by last week and fully intended to participate this, but...I got all wrapped up in fiction. But you make me want to pay attention better. Thanks for that.

6:56 AM  
Blogger Kelly Sauer said...

a delightful collection of photos! I'll have to remember your in-place link up. It's a good one for poems!

2:27 PM  
Anonymous Melissa | Madabella: made beautiful said...

ditto to what emily said.
i don't write poems, but i really want to stretch myself for this...it's intimidating but soon i will try! :)

3:10 AM  
Anonymous lissa said...

very calming images & tea at home is always welcome

9:17 PM  
Blogger Mommy Emily said...

thank you, L.L, for stopping by my place today... i would love if you linked up to imperfect prose sometime. your words make my heart shiver. :) in him, e.

4:03 PM  
Blogger Mommy Emily said...

aw, thanks :)

4:11 PM  
Blogger Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

happy birthday,
love the cute images,
many thanks for stopping by my place.
Happy Weekend!

7:56 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

thank you for playing.

what caught me most about the first photo was the black curl that ran down her back. beautiful.

around me tonight: family. rumpled duvets. tissue boxes. mugs with lip stains. birthday cake crumbs. happiness.

3:25 PM  

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