Neither Done nor Dusted

Ephemera fades at warp speed during fall in New England. Sometimes one can see each phase of a life cycle within a single fallen leaf.

Photographs and photographers are keepers of otherwise ephemeral memory, both for the person behind the lens and whatever was captured.

I continue to seek out and hoard such images. They seem incomplete unless I can share them. I’m delighted when someone else sees something worth capturing in their unconventional beauty. A partially skeletonized leaf or a rainbow in an oil slick. An arthritic lavender leaf atop a bed of dessicated seagrass.

There’s beauty to be found in redolent colonies of late-season barnacles and in chipped shells and seaweed calligraphy on icy sand. The star shape within a tree trunk’s severed stump. Encrusted docks hauled out of the Atlantic for winter

And there’s a wonder and a comfort in the way such treasures fade and disappear but make their way back, in new generations, for however long anything that dances with light can stay.

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Author: Stephanie

In her spare time, Stephanie has published articles and delivered talks in arcane fields like forensic evidentiary issues, statistical presentations of human and canine DNA testing, jury instructions, and expert scientific witness preparation. She attended law school near the the banks of the Charles River and loves that dirty water; she will always think of Boston as her home. You are welcome to take a look at her Facebook author page, or follow @SMartinGlennon on Twitter and @schnitzelpond on Instagram. Bonus points for anyone who understands the Instagram handle. All content on this blog, unless otherwise attributed, is (c) 2012-2023 by Stephanie M. Glennon and should not be reproduced (in any form other than re-blogging in accordance with the wee Wordpress buttons at the bottom of each post) without the express permission of the domain holder.

5 thoughts on “Neither Done nor Dusted”

  1. A day is long, it is the years that quickly pass. Sometimes you want to microwave time, but as soon as you do, you’re desperately looking for the pause button… still haven’t found it. I guess photography is the closest we will ever get to a pause button. But, still, it is not the moment… it is representative of a moment… of a feeling… a xerox of beauty, faces, places… Wonderful post and images. Thanks for sharing.

  2. A lovely set of ephemeral subjects now captured to be available far longer Stephanie. I loved all of your choices, as always. You have a marvelous talent both for word and image, and a true talent for putting them together. thanks so much for joining us this week.

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