Week 7/26 BW Project 26
I have a vivid memory of a dark and stormy night when I was about 3 years old. I was running across a lawn, holding my mother's hand to go to look at something that was happening at the house next door, although I don't recall what that was – maybe a fire, or flood or something. Suddenly I felt a pain in my eye and cried out. My mother swept me up in her arms, a look of panic on her face. I had been struck with the spoke of someone's umbrella. Blood poured down my face mingling with the driving rain drops. My memory of the rest of the night is hazy, but I was taken to emergency where my eye was examined and it was discovered that the spoke had just cut into my eyebrow, missing my eye, fortunately.
My poor distraught mother must have been devastated as she thought of her darling little daughter, my face (she thought) scarred for life. The cut was not large, perhaps 1/2 an inch in length, maybe a bit less. I had often wondered where the scar was (I had never seen it, it was really very small) but a few weeks ago, so many years later, I found where the scar was. As a result of the trauma (mostly caused by my mother's panic and hysteria) I never could be convinced to carry an umbrella, even during the 21 years I lived in England. I am always very careful when I walk by anyone carrying one.
A few years ago, I told myself that it was foolish to be so unreasonable about using an umbrella and I have since bought ones that I use occasionally.
The theme this fortnight is "Umbrella", however so far we are still buried under snow (although today it has rained, in sympathy with the theme!). I dug my umbrella out of the car door, dusted it off (not very well) and set up the photograph more as an art(icle) piece than utility. The theme brought back this memory to me of that long ago accident.
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#BWProject26 | Curated by +Tisha Montgomery +Brandon Luk +Lauri Novak +Alison Christensen
#hqspmonochrome +HQSP Monochrome curated by +Luis Vivanco S. +Оксана Крысюкова +Nader El Assy +Howard Salmon and +tri rini nuringtyas
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Thank you very much, +Rumiana Nikolova
+Dreamstime thanks very much.
Wonderful story, beautiful and creative!
nice macro +Ellie Kennard
Thanks so much for the visit and the comment, +Beena R – I'm glad you enjoyed both! 😀
Didn't know an umbrella could look this gorgeous! Love the dof!
And a great narration of your childhood experience, read it like a short story or a dream described 🙂
+Gernot Glaeser What a wonderful comment, Gernot! Thanks a lot my friend. 😀
+Alison Christensen You are so right, Alison, thanks very much.
+Sumit Sen thanks Sumit.
+Rao Gobburu I'm glad I made you smile. That made me smile.
+Annie Irving Thank you Annie
+Liz C Thanks Liz. It's best to be careful.
+Peggy Handley Wow, what a story! So glad the cub had a chance to survive after that. And what a shame to be afraid of barns. Those are some of my safest places.
+Alan Bland thank you very much Alan.
+Diana Boyd lawnmowers? Who'd have thought it? But with those blades… not surprising, I guess. And thanks for the compliment on the image, too.
+John Dusseault thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked the photo.
+Heiko Mahr Thanks my friend, Heiko!
+Terri Queen thanks very much Terri. It was a good thing it didn't end badly, so many accidents do.
+Janet Patterson It is the safest way to have those. Thanks a lot, Janet.
+Lauri Novak thanks Lauri!
+Marsha Leigh thank you Marsha.
+Tom Crews you are so welcome, Tom. And thank you. 😀
+Giselle Savoie it is indeed and funnier still is that when I considered the theme and was taking the photograph, I had forgotten about it. 😀
+Susanne Stelle I'm glad you enjoyed it. thanks a lot.
+Prue Stopford I know you love stories (and we get to read some of yours sometimes, too!) Thanks Prue
+Marlène Rak that's lovely that you think so, Marlene!
+שלמה ארגוב thanks 🙂
+Tisha Montgomery Thanks Tisha!
+Childa Santrucek Thanks a lot for reading it. Yes, it didn't turn out as bad as my mother feared, glad to say.
+Elizabeth Lund Thanks a lot, Elizabeth. I thought at first everyone might post a similar pic. 😀
+Shelly Gunderson it was close. Thanks a lot, Shelly!
Amazing story, Ellie. Fantastic shot.
What a story to go along with this stunning picture! I absolutely love the dof, and the light – this is so obviously an umbrella, and at the same time, it's such a surprise to see that it's an umbrella ! Excellent picture, +Ellie Kennard !
Childhood events can have a lifelong impact, can;t they Ellie?
This is a cool image to go with the story.
Excellent photography!
Unexpected.. smiled when I saw this take….
Nicely done, Ellie.
Oh my! I always fear getting poked by one! So glad you've overcome this.
barns do it for me once very young age 7 or so my mom and dad like to take pic's of old barns so me and my dad walked into and old milkiing barn that had stall on one side and open on the other we look at the stall and walk out but mom came in with a metal detector which made a strange noise and up jumped a bobcat mom ran for the door shuting the bobcats paws in the door .. dad shot threw the door to put the animal down so is not to harm us all 4 small kids and 3 adult we held all the barn doors tight as dad did this the howls of that old bobcat would put the fear of god in any young soul. we found she had a cub in there she was so old she had no milk for the young one which was given to someone to attend to it and her teeth where perty shot to .
Wonderful story and a great image to go along with it!
wow, I feel that way about lawnmowers… similar reason, love the DOF and tone
wow, great story…cool shot
What a great story with a great minimalistic image +Ellie Kennard Perfect
So glad your childhood accident didn't cause worse physical damage. Beautiful photo of a safely closed umbrella.
I see that you kept the umbrella safely folded up, +Ellie Kennard. Good idea, in every sense of the word.
Excellent – love the POV!
How creative.
Wonderful, thanks for sharing the story and the image that triggered the memory.
Marvelous shot, loved the story, funny how things that happened years ago will come back to haunt us! 🙂
So nice reading your story +Ellie Kennard
Lovely story 🙂
Well done Ellie. Learning more about you all the time
Definitely more art than article +Ellie Kennard​! Beautiful!
+שלמה ארגוב ok ok
☑🆗
Waw
Lovely image! I too would be a bit hesitant to use an umbrella after that.
That was quite some story +Ellie Kennard…luckily it had a good outcome!! A beautiful photo of that torturous object..
You wouldn't know it was a brolly,good
Love the POV and details +Ellie Kennard 😀
Neat image! Great take on the theme. Wow, what a story too. Yikes, that was close.