A dress, a hat and…..

A SoFoBoMo Story by Marina Nieuwenhuijs

This is a story about a dress and a hat on holidays in Spain. I have a preference for portrait photography.

That is why I wish to create photographs of the dress and the hat individually as well as worn by my daughter Belle.

At the same time the portraits intend to reflect the atmosphere of Spain as well as the local 'flavour'.

When the dress met the hat It was love at first sight They perfectly matched His straw and her white.

They travelled together All the way to France She needed fresh air She hung out on a fence.

A beautiful girl Was suddenly there And put on the hat On her lovely blond hair.

She put on the dress Walked slowly away Out of the garden On that bright sunny day.

At the end of the garden She walked with no fear Bravely and stately To the street of career.

It led to a graveyard The entrance was closed But through the bars of the gate She saw a white ghost.

It opened the gate, She entered and then Respectfully, put down her hat On the grave of a man.

She slowly walked further Put on her hat, Bowed her head in devotion And greeted the dead.

Out of the graveyard She let the wind blow Through her hair and the dress And danced with the flow.

She sat down on a wall Enjoyed the view Then continued her journey To see something new.

She had to consider Which way she would choose She decided the South, She had nothing to lose.

She arrived in the courtyard Of an old Spanish house With flowers and trees That grow in the South.

She entered the street Along a wall of raw stone To look for somebody, She felt so alone.

She knocked on the door, Nobody was there So there she stood lonely The girl with blond hair.

She walked down the stairs The dress in her hand To prevent her from stumbling Her head slightly bent.

Two little bare feet On stairs of old stone Went down and down To a place, yet unknown.

Her surprise was so great When she saw the blue sea “Here we are”, she cried, The dress, hat and me.

She went up to the water Little feet in the sand Gazed at the horizon Where the sun just went.

Her feet in the water The moon in the sky The little blond fairy The minutes went by.

“I’m wet” said the dress “You let me hang in the sea So please let the wind Take care of me”.

“I’m sandy”, the hat said On the wall I will lay But take care that the wind Does not blow me away”.

When the dress was dry, And the hat was clean, She went to a church She already had seen.

She took the grip Tried to open the door But then she remembered That before….

She could go inside, She should take off her hat That was a rite, She somewhere had read.

She lighted a candle To remember the dead Who were wandering around Sometimes in her head.

Back in the shadow Outside of the church She walked down the street Saw a castle emerge.

Who could live there? A king or a knight? Ivy hang down From the walls at each side.

But sorry for her Nobody was there, So there she stood With her fairy blond hair.

Her feet were in pain She sat down on the ground Hoping by someone She finally were found.

She discovered a window And stood up again Saw way up in the hills A village in Spain.

The hat covered her eyes From the burning sun And with new energy She started to run.

The streets in the village Were deserted and hot The hat and the dress Were all company she got.

Under the arcade From the bridge where she stood She saw a field with flowers Ran as fast as she could.

Surrounded by flowers She sat down on her knees And rested a little In front of the trees.

Then she remembered All the beautiful things Danced like a fairy Who spread out her wings.

She danced to the beach Over hills, over land To cool down her feet In the loose and fresh sand.

The moment had come To say goodbye To the dress and the hat Though she did’nt know why.

Back in the suitcase, Left in the sand So came their journey In Spain to an end.

I enjoyed participating in this educational project.

I thank my daughter Belle who was very cooperative with posing in the white dress and the straw hat despite the hot Spanish

weather. My mother in law created the little stories that accompany the photos.

I look forward to joining the project next year.