Positively Red

Red.  It can positively conjure up all sorts of emotions.  To a farmer, red may trigger an excitement in spring that she will be able to plant her crops with her Massey tractor.  To a young man, red may create a desire to show off as he speeds down the street in his new red sports car.  To others, red is a reminder of anger or danger or a signal to stop, look, proceed with caution.  This weekend, red made me feel creative. 

Snow once again returned beckoning me to get all bundled up and venture outside with my camera to experience the cold, biting wind and the magical work of the snow.  My favourite red towel accompanied me.  I wondered if I could collect and capture various snowflakes on the red towel.  The contrast between red and white really tickles my eyes, so I thought, "Why not take the towel with me and photograph different scenes with it?"

I know what you are thinking, "Who would take a towel outside in the middle of December and why would someone do that?"  It is a bit weird, but why not?!

With cheeks red and tingly, I challenged myself to think of scenarios... What could the towel be besides a towel? 

How about a red cloak... awaiting on a bench, surprising and tempting a love smitten young lady to welcome a rich young pursuer into her heart?

The red cloak could be abandoned by the damsel in distress, perhaps because she is frightened by a big, bad wolf hiding behind a tree.  In her haste, the young girl runs off, dropping her cloak.

The bright red cloak against the white clean snow teases a romantic old lady to pick up the cloak and place it on a wooden swing, reminding her of her first outing with a school boy she had her eye on since the first day of  grade school, whom she later married.

The young damsel returns to the scene and is relieved to find her red cloak given to her by her new love. She places the cloak upon her shoulders and ventures to the gazebo, where she is supposed to meet the gift giver.  As she nears, she glimpses her beau with another girl, her worst enemy.  She has always been jealous of her perfect golden locks and sky blue eyes.  She dashes to the gazebo, confronts the two, they argue and the maiden slaps the young man's cheek, and in anger and embarrassment, she turns, and dashes off, tossing her cloak into the snow as a message that she cannot be bought and strung along!

Later, a poor farmer boy, on his way home from school, spots the cloak and decides that the cloak would make an excellent horse blanket and would keep his horse Blacky warm while he stands and waits outside the school house for his daily trek down the prairie dirt roads.  He leaves the blanket hanging on the half barn door to air out and dry, allowing his horse to get accustomed to the new blanket.

The young maiden, decides she is being foolish and returns to the gazebo and to her disappointment, she cannot find the cloak, but on her way back to her house, she spots something red hanging from a barn door.  She doesn't have the heart to ask the poor farmer boy for the cloak, because she realizes that the horse far more needs the blanket than she does.  She sees the boy in a new light, as he lovingly tends to his horse.  She notices that he is quite handsome.  Her cheeks redden and her heart flutters...hmmm,... red...It can positively stimulate one's imagination!

Yes, after all that, I did actually photograph some snowflakes! 

I didn't completely forget why I went outside in the first place!

Blush, blush!

The story and photographs are soul property

 of Renee Dowling.

Contact her at dowling@shockware.com

to use them in any way!