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This is a photo of me at Christmas 1963. From the gifts I got, I guess I was expected to grow up to be a housewife!
I visited the farmer and his wife down a long country road. They showed me how to feed pigs, how to gather eggs and check them. They were so happy and they worked hard. They worked together to make the life they wanted and cherished. I visited the neighbors behind my house. They had cheese with holes in it! Swiss! I'd never before tasted such a delight. One of my favorite neighbors lived across the street. I would spend hours at their house. Mrs. Neibour taught me to how to play bridge and we would sit and have cookies and lemonade. She was a stay at home Mom and she kept her house so neat. She was proud of children and she showed me the projects they had completed. Her husband raised sheep and she had a garden with grape vines. Oh the grapes were delicious! I always wanted to know more about the world. There had to be more than what I saw at home. When my little brother got old enough. I drug him along on the adventures too. We often got in trouble!
Back then I lived for the freedom of summer days. Now the learning could really begin. I'm not saying I didn't learn anything in school, but school could painful. School is where you learn that not all people are nice, but that is another story. Finally the summer of my 10th birthday came to pass. I got my first camera! It was a Poloroid Instamatic. We went on vacation and I took photos. After that I dreamed of traveling and taking pictures of beautiful things. I sold my first photo when I was 14. It was a sunset with a shed in it. I remember feeling proud that someone wanted a picture I had taken.
Through the years I worked off and on in the photography industry. I made a pretty good living. Things got tiring after awhile dealing with the general public. I went off to learn new things and meet new people. The one constant thing was my camera. I love the memories that photos hold. Sometimes you don't realize how precious things are until you look back. Too bad we can't see those at the time.
Life went on and I went on, still taking photos all along the way. It wasn't until the year 2005, that I became passionate about photography. It was like a light came on and now nothing would stop me from recording the great beauty of the world. The digital age was exactly the format I'd dreamed of.
Yes today was suppose to mark the day I would take off and travel around the country taking photos and meeting online friends. However life has a way of trying to distract you. I have been called to jury summons for three months. That keeps me here at least until the end of July. I am also now unemployed, thanks to my back and neck problems. I don't have a decent vehicle and on and on. The thing is, even though I can't make the journey I dream of at this time. I can still have adventures! Just like when I was younger. There are things to explore right out your door. Somethings may have been there all along and I've passed them by. It's time to take a look at the world around me with the eyes of myself when I young. Everything was an adventure then!
So I will continue on and try to make the most of each day. Tonight we started a fire and roasted hotdogs. I won't give up my dream, for I know it's out there now. Each passing day, each photo I take just brings me closer to it. Have a wonderful day and dream big or don't dream at all.
If you haven't had a chance yet, please check out The Ultimate Photography Adventure page on Facebook. Thank you!
