Willa Cather's grave. Keene, New Hampshire.

Willa Catha's grave. Jaffrey, N.H.

My Photos And Their Stories

By:

Dan Murano

5 July 2024

Willa Cather’s grave

I haven't read much of Willa Cather's work, but was honored to stand in this spot in a small churchyard in Jaffrey, New Hampshire contemplating her creative spirit. An October breeze ruffled the surrounding trees, thelr long shadows tenderly brushing the tombstone.

My friend standing next to me dropped her sunglasses and I purposely left them inside the frame. I probably moved them into their position here, though I don't remember for certain. I made many other photos that day.

When the film was processed, I was annoyed by that bright blue strip of sky and rejected the photo, wondering why I'd included the glasses. Looking again, years after the memory of this moment was fresh, I saw those traces of clouds in the glasses as markers of time's passage and remembered why I had left them there.

Read the wikipedia article about Willa Cather in a separate window or tab.

Click any image below to enlarge.

Angel

Wings and roses in stone at an old cemetery in Pittsburgh. Do people still erect huge markers like this?

Nightstand

After getting my first job, one of the things I spent money on was for memberships in mystery and science fiction book clubs. I sometimes read those books by candlelight, aided with this high intensity lamp on my nightstand.

Urban decay

This seemed a dodgy neighborhood, especially after a storekeeper called me over to ask what I was doing there with my camera. He wasn't unfriendly, but was dead serious when he looked at me and said, "You don't want to be doing that here!"

I don't know if it was before or after that when I saw this colorfully dressed couple rushing up the sidewalk.