Looking back through my photo library, it's time to recollect 2010. Eleven years ago when coronavirus pandemics only happened in the pages of preposterous science fiction novels. My photos for that year are filed in a folder named, rather unsurprisingly, "2010 Archive".
In snowy January into February I spent forty hours or more down in our underhouse area working on a mosaic that was inspired by my trip to Easter Island the previous year. It depicts the "birdman" that I had seen carved into the rocks above the cliffs of Orongo. In competition, brave young men would swim out to those offshore islets to collect the first sooty tern eggs of the year:-
In April, Shirley and I enjoyed a short break in Valencia, Spain - flying out there courtesy of one of Britain's budget airlines. This picture shows two of the modernistic buildings in the city's science park. You can see two window cleaners at work - almost as brave as the cliff divers of Orongo:-
However, life carried on after Paul's death.
In July, before schools were out for the summer, we headed down to Cornwall in south west England. We visited my old teaching colleague Mike in Kingswear, Devon and also went to the Eden Project near St Austell, Land's End and St Ives. This is a souvenir shop window in St Ives - filled with typical tourist tat:-
And this was our hotel pool, high on the cliffs to the east of a resort that we first visited in 1982 - the year after we were married:-
Treasured memories indeed. Photographs release so many memories, quite a few happy ones but occasionally sad moments in our lives.
ReplyDeleteWithout the photos, 2010 would have become an absolute blur - apart from the clarity of Paul's early death and the farewells that followed.
DeleteIt certainly was a very mixed year for you and your family, Neil - grief and joy, walk and travel, crafting and photographing.
ReplyDeleteYour sister-in-law must have been devastated. I hope she learned to find happiness again in the years that have passed since Paul's sudden death.
For me, 2010 was the year I was mostly trying to find my feet again after November 2009, when Steve died as unexpectedly as your brother did.
With my sister, I had a great Yorkshire holiday, spending time with many of Steve's relatives and friends. That certainly helped.
Steve's death was even more of a shock given his relative youth. I don't think we ever reach a point where the healing is ever completely done.
DeleteThe photos are lovely and I'm so sorry about your brother's death.
ReplyDeleteThe moth is an emerald moth.
The photo of the men back filling your brother's grave was heart breaking and beautiful. To do the work themselves, instead of leaving it to strangers, seems like a much better way to let go of the dead. It's personal which in this day and age is rare.
I'm impressed with the mosaic you did. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're artistic.
In County Clare, cremation is a rarity unless you live down near Limerick.
DeleteDo you look at these pictures and wonder how in the world eleven years have passed so quickly?
ReplyDeleteFine pictures they are, too.
Yes I do. It might have all happened just last year.
DeleteBeautiful pictures. In some ways 2010 seems so long ago, and in other ways it seems so recent. That moth is spectacular -- like nothing I've ever seen. What did you do with your mosaic?
ReplyDeleteI still have the mosaic. I did all the hard work but not the easy bit - displaying it on a wall.
DeleteA year to remember indeed.
ReplyDeleteI still find it hard to believe that Paul is dead. It all seems like a film I watched eleven years ago.
DeleteI have 2 of those little wooden beach huts in my bathroom YP. As for the countryside grave, I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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He was buried in a remote cemetery known locally as "The Island" - an area of raised ground above the bog - in sight of The Atlantic Ocean.
DeleteToday's post shows how important and personal our blogs are. Thanks for sharing that year with us YP.
ReplyDeleteBlogs can be like secret personal diaries that we allow others to read.
DeleteI think it's lovely and poignant that you look back each year like this. It was on December 23rd six years ago that my sister got sick, only to die two months later. I can relate to your comment about still finding your brother's death hard to believe. You captured some beautiful images in 2010 and thank you for sharing your memories along with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading this post Kelly and may I say that I am sorry for your loss though it was six years ago. It might have been yesterday.
DeleteMy brother has been gone for 12 years and I still think of things I need to tell him or ask his opinion about.I too still find it hard to believe.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they are in the next room.
DeleteI agree that photos and looking back are so important. Pictures also release my feelings and memories. So sorry about Paul--it sounds like you (and many) have great thoughts of him.
ReplyDeleteThe church was filled to overflowing on the day of his funeral and there were perhaps a hundred at the remote cemetery where he was buried. Everybody knew Paul in that part of Ireland.
DeleteVivid memories, assisted by your excellent photography, Mr Pudding.
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling by again Catalyst.
DeleteA friend and his partner were on a sea cruise and our friend woke to find his partner had died in his sleep. While not a bad way to go, it is a terrible shock to those left behind. I wonder what makes you doubt that he had heart disease and died from the disease.
ReplyDeleteHe had an accident at work five or six years before. He broke his hip and there were complications re. blood clots - but the postmortem report did not refer to this as it should have done.
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