Do you remember in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the lovely present Hagrid gave, at the end of the book, to Harry? It was a photo album of his parents, James and Lily. But it wasn't a traditional photo album--but then nothing was traditional about Harry Potter. The photos were moving and live. Like little videos.
It was a magnificent idea and when the movie of the same book came out, we got to see these moving pictures. I never imagined we'd come close to anything so spectacular, but we have. On my iPhone is a "live" feature that records 1.5 seconds of movement and sound before and after the still photo.
I enjoy the "live" photos immensely.
For Christmas, our children gifted us a Frameo. It is a digital photo frame that I can send photos to. Our children can send their photos too. It is a gift from Hagrid to the world.
From December to August, everyone only sent photos. It was a quiet recapture of lovely memories, adored children and adorable grandchildren. It is a place to stand next to while waiting for the water to boil, and watch grandchildren laughing and smiling, children swimming in the ocean, and simple meaningful moments like eating together at the table. While working in the kitchen, a favorite photo will catch my eye and interrupt the mundane with gratitude.
The last picture upload I made to the frameo, I wondered if I could send videos (someone didn't read the manual). I sent the best clip of swimming with a whale. It was a clip where the whale was other-worldly moaning. It is haunting. I sent a second clip of our little two year old granddaughter, sitting on a paddle board while I balance her in the soft waves. Tony is in the background speaking like a doting grandfather while filming the moment.
The transfer was successful.
Now, imagine hundreds of family photos, streaming through the digital frame--silently. It is the silent picture show that we are used to. Then unexpectedly, the haunting snorts of a whale. At first it was a surprise. We would stop, look around and then we would laugh.
But Tony has stopped laughing and now he looks irritatingly bewildered--at me. I can read his mind. Take that strange video/sound off the frameo. But he doesn't say anything because he thinks I like it. But now I laugh not because of the discomfort of the whale's wailing, but because I'm thinking of what Tony is thinking.
The other uploaded video brings a different feeling. It is joyful to hear Tony speaking to our granddaughter. It is joyful to hear his voice unexpectedly in a different time and place.
I must admit, that I've found a different kind of adventure with the frameo whale video. Knowing my grandson was returning to the kitchen from the outside barbecue, I scrolled back a few frames before the whale-moaning video. Tony and I waited and watched while Max prepared his hamburger, for the whale moans to begin. When they did, Max startled. Looked around, trying to pinpoint the strange noise.
Tony and I laughed. Our grandson laughed.
As I think about the frameo whale-moaning videos even now, I laugh again.
Though Tony worries about the space videos take over photos (think abundance Tony!) I'm excited to upload videos specifically of each beloved member of our family speaking. I look forward to the interruption of my silent kitchen work, from a child's voice, or a daughter's familiarity. I will ask my granddaughter with the beautiful singing voice she hides, to sing just a short verse. I need a video of my mother speaking.
Technology I once only marveled at in a Harry Potter movie, is in my kitchen.
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