Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Thursday 29 October 2015

Mirror Images

It’s 1983 in the woods near our home in Germany, and my daughter pauses on an Autumn walk to check the mirror and make sure her hair is tidy.

Mirrors don’t seem to feature in our family albums much, although we’ve often unwittingly captured our own reflected images when taking a photograph, especially near shop windows.


Our Budgie Pippin (1990 - 2000) loved to look at his own reflection, and of course had one with a bell in his cage. We also used to place a small handbag mirror on top sometimes, for variety. Pippin would be free-flying round the house most of the time, and only went in his cage when we were all out, or at bedtime. He liked anything which reflected his image, including teapots and shiny door handles.








I found this picture of a mirror, which I took a couple of years ago on a visit to a National Trust house. It was propped up in the window to catch the light, surrounded by all sorts of odd old objects.

I rather liked the way it reflected the leaded windows and the pattern it created.  I expect I thought it might inspire a poem or a piece of creative writing. It may still do that yet, but in the meantime, I’m reminded of a poem I wrote in response to a prompt of woman looking into a mirror. I kept thinking of The Lady of Shallot and you can see the image which inspired it on Lost Cause.

No lost causes where Sepia Saturday is concerned. Join us this week for reflections on Hallowe’en, love, mirrors, magic and the future, prompted by the image below.


19 comments:

  1. Oh goodness, that photo of your daughter is just gorgeous! It's pictured-painting-perfect. I'm still working on what I shall post, but since Saturday is Halloween here, hmmm it might be mirrors and-

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  2. The picture of your daughter looking in her little mirror in the woods is precious! As Karen says, 'picture-painting-perfect'. I like the way that propped mirror reflected the leaded window without the glare that hindered a picture taken directly of it. But the picture of Pippin looking in the mirror brought back so many memories. I had a parakeet named Tweety (not very original, but - oh well) Like all parakeets he loved mirrors. I was advised not to put any mirrors in his cage because he wouldn't pay any attention to us if he could look at himself in one. Ha! How wrong that advice was. I put all manner of mirrors in his cage & he loved 'talking' to himself in them. But he loved us better & never missed an opportunity to cuddle with us instead of his mirrors!

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  3. Pippin used to have a friend in the shiny brass decorative coal scuttle on the hearth. He couldn't understand why he didn't follow him, but he was always there on the other side every time he looked.

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  4. We have had a budgie but could not let him fly because of our cat. We tried it once with a nearly fatal outcome...

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  5. I agree, that first photograph of your daughter is stunning, and the earth and autumn tones together with her clothing make it look almost like sepia.

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  6. Another vote for the photo of your daughter. THAT should be the inspiration for your next poem or story.

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  7. I like the one with the budgie.

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  8. It never even crossed my mind to go with the mirror theme but after seeing your blog I realize I could have found a few. But your examples are so good, especially the one of your daughter. That one really is worth enlarging and framing.

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  9. The picture of your daughter is lovely. I too like the mirror theme.

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  10. The budgie/mirror connection is good! But the absolutely winner is your daughter primping in the woods using a little compact...boyoboy, don't lose THAT one!

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  11. You should take that lovely photo of your daughter into Photoshop or Picmonkey and turn it into a painting!!

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  12. Three wonderful turns on the theme. I enjoyed your poem too.

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  13. You got me with the first photo of your daughter - so perfect. Enjoyed the others, too of course!

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  14. What an excellent shot of your daughter in a candid moment. I enjoyed the post very much.

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  15. I always like photographing my reflection on various things.

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  16. Like Postcardy I too like to photograph my reflected self. The images are usually distorted in some way.
    Your daughter is so cute and the dress she is wearing makes the photo really special.

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  17. I thought someone might choose mirrors as a theme and your three photographs were spot on. The enchanting photograph of your daughter has an old fashioned Edwardian air about it - perhaps through the muted background and smock style dress. We too had a budgie. Joey who was green and yellow and enjoyed talking to himself in his mirror. The Lady of Shallot was one of my favourite poems at school.

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  18. Lovely pictures! I enjoyed your poem too.

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  19. I find reflections among the most interesting things to photograph.

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