Pay No Attention to the Lady With the Needles

Notice anything about this photos? Yes, you there waving your hand. What do you notice? They're all in color. Oh, very good, but that's not what I was going for. What about you with the iPod tacked to your head. What do you notice? Snow? Well, take a free download my friend. Yes, they are all taken in the snow.

I learned a few months back that photos taken outside are better than ones taken inside - which doesn't explain why I bought a 30 inch light box to take photos indoors but does explain why I have yet to use it.
I traipse (indeed, I traipse, don't you?) outside and I take photographs of my items. Snow, cold, wind - I go out and take the photos. Recently, it was incredibly cold out and I had to photograph six shawls. I could only do two at a time before coming inside to warm up. I'm not even sure there was snow on the ground - it might have just been cold.

I take the photos in my backyard - my backyard in Chicago. Not a lot of open space in Chicago. On a clear quiet night you can hear things going on in your neighbors' houses. If you're in the right rooms of your perspective dwellings, you can hold a conversation with your neighbors that folks walking by can chime in on - I've done it.

My neighborhood is also quite active. Comings and goings all the time and we're all very friendly - thanks to some well planned block parties!
We've had some families move in recently and not only has that made the neighborhood more diverse (hence, I am no longer the only pigmented person on the block and now there are English, Polish. Italian and Spanish speaking folk as well. Throw in a French speaking family and we qualify for NATO.) Theses families have brought younguns with them to go with the already eager younguns who were born to the couple next door. These young folk are...inquisitive..shall we say? They need to know everything. One can barely leave the house without one of them asking where you're going, what you're going to do once you get there, how long will it take to complete your business, and the route you're going to take home.

I was entering the house one afternoon when three girls (ages 3-5) stopped me:
"What's new, Miss Bev?" One of them asked me with the other two standing close.
"Nothing, girls."
"Really?" said another, quite seriously. "Because it appears you've cut your hair."
I swear, put them in airport security and no one flies.

What does this have to do with the snow? No one in the past twelve months since I've opened the shop and started taking photos outdoors has questioned what the hell I'm doing. No one wonders why I bring stuff out in the backyard at all times of the year - but especially in the winter - and take their picture. Even when I march out with mannequin heads. I've seen them watch me, but no one says a word. Not even the girls - who practically live in our backyard because they are in love with Mr. Honey.

I can only surmise their was a neighborhood memo warning folks not to ask what the lady with the Styrofoam heads was doing - avert your eyes! Or perhaps someone ask Mr. Honey and depending upon his mood that day he told them it was part of some therapy and it was better not to ask. (Way to drum up business for the Mrs.)

But not one person has asked. Curious, that's all.