Strange Bird

Strange, I really don't know what she was doing.

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know." ~ Diane Arbus

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense." ~ Mark Twain

This is a strange picture taken at a strange moment in time of a strange child with a nutty sense of humor. Yes, she is mine, I still claim her. Sometimes I wonder what planet she came from, but I was awake when she was born so I know she's mine.

The nose is a Toucan beak. Why? The only thing I can come up with is just goofing off. Apparently she had a pillow stuffed under her shirt; maybe pretending to be Santa with a big nose? Thank goodness she didn't want to go out in public looking like this.

The little outfit brings back memories though. I bought the black knit material in Oklahoma City. We spread it out on the tile entry area of the house and put fabric paint in pastel colors of pink, yellow, blue, green and white in large metal pie tins. Then I helped her put her three year old hands in the paint and we made prints all over the material. After it dried I folded it with every intention on making a little dress right away. Things came up as they always do and we moved to Mississippi. I pulled the material out a few months later and cut out this pant suit. It was a record of her hands, one of my favorite creations. It is now packed away waiting for her to use how she wants; maybe for her own little girl or maybe to be used in a memory quilt.

Nyssa doesn't remember the fun we had making the prints, but I do. This strange picture reminds me of so much love.

Submission for PXITE topic "strange". (end of post)