As you’ve seen previously (here, here, and here), Kako fell in love with the fireplace only after a bit of a rough start (i.e., she absolutely hated it and feared for her life when a fire was lit).  While going through some old photos I’d originally discarded but now felt might have some value, I came across these archaic shots from December 2003.  Despite their lack of clear focus, the colors and imagery somehow felt different this time, as though the pictures had morphed while in digital cold storage.  I originally thought them unworthy of showing.  Now I’ve changed my mind.

What they demonstrate is her adoration of flame.  Once she overcame her fear, she rushed to the opposite end of the spectrum and became addicted to fire.  She can sit in front of the lively heat and dancing inferno far longer than I thought possible.

And to prove that’s actually her and not an impostor, here’s a flashed version of that last photo.

I really love how the flash diminishes the impact of the fire.  It’s like theft, as though the lightning bulb of progress steals from the ancient light of incendiary intrigue, subjugating it even.

[let me say one of the things I found compelling about these photos was the warmth inferred by the fire burning behind her; I had deleted these pictures long ago as being too unclear and too uninteresting to post, but stumbling on them recently brought back memories and feelings I had long since forgotten, and the sudden impression of a comfortable afternoon in front of a roaring fireplace easily overwhelmed the aesthetic clarity problem and spurred me to reevaluate my previous decision as to the fate of these images; I’ve likewise done the same with a great many photos already relegated to the not-gonna-be-posted pile, photos replete with wonderful memories and newfound magic, so expect to see more of those in the coming days, weeks, and months (dare I say years?)]