Little Mysteries

The weather's been lovely of late - diffuse afternoon light, violet skies at dusk, and low thick fog. On a gray morning weeks ago, we finally made it to the Fairfax flea market, and I collected a handful of old photos along with a mid-century birdwatching book (which I'm sure will make their way into future posts). The most curious find, was at the bottom of a bin of old papers - a negative in a puzzling envelope. Across it's front, "Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S." was printed in an official typeface, the phrase "Birds & Bananas" penciled smoothly beneath. So very strange. I scanned the negative, and the image itself has such an enchanting use of light - blurred and atmospheric. An ethereal brightness shines through delicate curtains, and a spindly white birdcage contrasts the dull sepia of a room with patterned wallpaper. It's melancholy yet almost inspirationally calming in a collage with cheery yellow canaries from my sketchbook and a tartan button for good measure. It all kind of reminds of one of those cloudy, rainy days with intermittent bursts of blue sky and sun.