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Sunday, April 1, 2012

30 Days of Photographs II: Silence

“Then something woke you. What woke you up? Did you dream? What was it?”

“I woke up and heard the lambs screaming. I woke up in the dark and the lambs were screaming.”

“They were slaughtering the spring lambs?”

“Yes”

“What did you do?”

“I couldn’t do anything for them. I was just a –“

“What did you do with the horse?”

“I got dressed without turning on the light and went outside. She was scared. All the horses in the pen were scared and milling around. I blew in her nose and she knew it was me. Finally she put her nose in my hand. The lights were on in the barn and in the shed by the sheep pen. Bare bulbs, big shadows. The refrigerator truck had come and it was idling, roaring. I led her away.”

“Did you saddle her?”

“No. I didn’t take their saddle. Just a rope hackamore was all.”

“As you went off in the dark, could you hear the lambs back where the lights were?”

“Not long. There weren’t but twelve.”

“You still wake up sometimes, don’t you? Wake up in the iron dark with the lambs screaming?”





“Good-bye, Clarice. Will you let me know if ever the lambs stop screaming?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’ll tell you.”

From “Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris. Sorry about the photo, it was the best I could do, in Finland the lambs are still hibernating this time of year.


This post is a part of the 30 Days of Photographs II challenge. Please visit the rest of the participants for more fantastic photos: MikeWJ, Nicky and Mike, Mo, Meleah, John, aka nonamedufus, Bryan, aka Unfinished Person, Mariann, Malisa, Nora, LaughingMom, Tanya, Elizabeth A., 00dozo, Cheryl, Kristen, Pam and Katherine. *
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43 comments:

  1. Ok, I was going to make a witty comment about this not being a cat pic so we win, but you're so fucking talented and this picture and post is so brilliant that I just can't. Absolutely gorgeous, Lemmikki. 

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  2. Ah, a very interesting interpretation, Ziva. I love the picture. The shadows in particular. Nicely done.

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  3. I just found out about this goofy meme and would love to join in the insanity because insanity is my best thing. Still okay to join?

    Love the shadows in this shot.

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  4. Now I feel guilty about asking "Murphy's" mom to bring down racks of spring lamb from Canada but none were available.  I guess they're still hibernating up there, too.

    Very nice composition of picture and prose.

    ;-)

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  5. You and Michael are making this hard. You both have thrown down the gauntlets for the next 30 Days...and oh, Mo, too, from the few I've seen so far. You folks are amazing. I bow.

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  6. Why would you apologize for this photo? It and the combined narrative are amazing. Love the shadow!

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  7. "Sorry about the photo", she says.

    It's awesome.

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  8. Taking the lead right out of the gate. I'd've never thought to do something like this. I love it.

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  9. I think the photo works perfectly with the dialogue.  While the story is horrific, the lamb is childlike and to me expresses the innocence of childhood and how most children, unlike Clarise, experience a lamb.  Very imaginative and interesting.  

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  10. This is amazing and creative!  I'm blown away that you thought of this!  The lamb photo is awesome!

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  11. I love the idea, and the photo is great. Of course I would like to know whether your plastic lamb came up with the idea or was just a willing prop?

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  12. The lamb is innocent, nothing but a silly spring lamb, posing for a girl with an idea. And it may have accidentally been served as dinner to two very hungry cats after this photo was taken.

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  13. Well, when you have no other ideas, turn to books. ;) Thank you, Linda, I'm glad you liked it.

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  14. Thanks Jayne, this one is all about contrasts, isn't it? Good and evil, light and dark, the innocent lamb and the devious mind of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

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  15. I don't care about taking the lead, as long as I beat Mike. ;) I think all the photos today were incredibly imaginative and creative, this is going to be very challenging!

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  16. "She rubs the lotion on her skin or else she gets the hose again."

    Sorry, couldn't help it, for some reason your comment made me think of that quote. ;) I was apologizing for the lack of living lamb. Too late I realized I should have really been apologizing for the lack of cats...

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  17. I had to work for that shadow, you know. The sun doesn't shine in Finland, so I had to bribe the pretty weather girls to make it shine long enough for me to get that photo.

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  18. I think all the participants, including you with your very clever library shot, started this challenge with amazing photos. The creativity everyone is showing is incredible.

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  19. Thank you very much. I wouldn't worry about eating lamb, it's not like they're tiny and cute and furry and helpless and loving creatures or anything. Yum, that's what I say.

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  20. Yes, please join! The more the merrier! :) Could you send me an email on ziva042@gmail.com so I can add you to the email list? (This is where I crack the whip to get everyone posting on time and linking to each other. ;)

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  21. Thank you dufus, I'm glad you like it. Obviously you can't actually hear the sound of silence, but at least you know the plastic lamb won't be making any noise.

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  22. Not as gorgeous as you! For you, I would even consider posting a photo of a cat, that's how much I love you.

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  23. Oh snap!! Way to use one of the scariest movies EVER! Brilliant! 

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  24. s'ok. I'm sure you'll up for it :D

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  25. Oh, my gosh! You made an adorable plastic lamb into a monster. When one sees a sweet, little lamb, one thinks of it bouncing through fields of Easter wildflowers or being in the manger. But your mind goes to the dark side. I love it! That lamb casts a long, dark shadow and you were genius to think of it!

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  26. Thanks Meleah! It's no golf course, but I think it still says "silence" pretty well..  ;)

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  27. Yup, that's what I do best; turn adorable little plastic toys into monsters. ;) I have a thing for the dark side.

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  28. Can I still join in? I just found this and want to try it!

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  29. Okay, reading that quote totally creeped me out -- what a great movie. Best of luck in the photo challenge!

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  30. mikewjattoomanymorningsApril 2, 2012 at 5:07 AM

    I agree, and that means something, because I'm incredibly unagreeable.

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  31. mikewjattoomanymorningsApril 2, 2012 at 5:10 AM

    We're not going to be seeing pictures of tiny plastic animals for 30 days in a row are we? I mean, I like toys and all just fine, but I was hoping for something more.

    Just kidding. I love this photo, which is not only perfectly lit and composed, but also a bit creepy and a bit funny all at once, making it perfect for theme. Which is not me conceding defeat. Not by a long shot. You're going down, Ziva.

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  32. mikewjattoomanymorningsApril 2, 2012 at 5:12 AM

    You'll never beat me, Ziva. No matter how much you'd like to.

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  33. Great post. I loved how you went right to "silence" - the only real silence there is. Ugh. The thought of the movie gives me the creeps. And I love the photo. 

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  34.  Oh my.  It's anything but quiet over here.  I'm glad you didn't show the lamb belly up.  :)

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  35. Thank you, so glad you liked it!

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  36. We'll see who goes down in the end, Michael. I'm willing to bet I could beat you even if I only took photos of tiny plastic animals for 30 days in a row. But of course, this is not about you and me and such silly things as me beating you, so I'll stay away from the toys in the future.

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  37. Thank you, Kristen, and welcome to the party. ;)

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  38. Now that would have been a great idea, why didn't I think of that?

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  39. Lambs hibernate?  That's freaking awesome!  I didn't know I was gonna learn stuff!

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  40. Oh yes, and just wait until tomorrow. I'm going to tell you all about the mating habits of ants.

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  41.  Oh my.  It's anything but quiet over here.  I'm glad you didn't show the lamb belly up.  :)

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