Sunday, January 30, 2011

23-29/365 Days of Photos

29/365 ~ Key Memories
I remember when I was in the 5th grade, my parents bought me a used typewriter from a sale being held at some government agency. It was green and had keys just like these. I found it in their closet before Christmas and typed several letters and notes on it long before "Santa" had a chance to leave it under our tree. It's funny when I think back to all the things I loved as a child that I still love today. Even though I'm not the reporter I thought I would be, I still get to work at a newspaper ... too bad it's a newspaper in the 21st century and not one in the early 19th century when the pecking of these keys was a sure sound of a busy newsroom. Taken at Wedge Studio in the River Arts District, Asheville, NC

28/365 ~ Papaw's Daddy's Farm
This is the view from the back door of my great grandfather's home in Bethel. I remember this view from my childhood the most. I also remember the smell of fresh cow's milk sitting on the back porch chilling. I have a picture of my grandfather, whom I called "Papaw's Daddy," wearing a suit but in real life I only remember him in overalls. I was born on his 67th birthday - maybe that's why my favorite clothes are overalls!

27/365 ~ American Made
I'm not sure what kind of car this is but I'm hoping it's American made with that flag tucked into the hood so neatly. Taken near Laurel Park today.Note - found out later in the day that the car is owned by Chuck Freeman and it is a 1961 Comet.

26/365 ~ New Technology
Picture 3 of 365 was my old crown after falling out - Today I got its replacement! Who knew dental technology had come so far. Truly, this was amazing to watch Daina design my crown on this program called Cad Cap. My new crown is tooth colored instead of silver or gold - that was a happy surprise. I made this picture of the day because it really made my day to have a dentist appointment that didn't send me into orbit in pain. Dr. Meinhold and Daina have accomplished something NO other dentist has ever done for me.

25/365 ~ Just when I think the day is a waste because of all the rain, I spot this lonely tire swing at a farmhouse just off 191 in Mills River and it reminds me of this sweet poem:

THE TIRE SWING
A poem by Zach McClure
He gazed across, The wind-swept meadow
To a lone tree, Standing there
Its jagged, silhouette, Surrendered ‘neath
A sky more firey embered, Than his flaming hair
Which crowned him then, But it was neither tree nor sky
That stole his youthful eye.
It was the tire swing, Whispering, promising,
“With-me, you can fly!”
The boy lept across the meadow, Like a deer panting for water,
Till at last, He climbed aboard his dream.
His round, black, holed, Flying machine.
Then, holding tight, And bending to and fro
With all his might, Began to drive
Began to glide against, The sinking sun
Till it was night outside, Across the starry littered sky
Beneath the moon’s soft lullaby, Ascending ever higher
Make believing, He’s a flyer,
He smiles, As he tips a wing. He is an aviator. He is the sky king!
And all because of one, Old tire swing.

24/365 ~ St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock, NC:
When I first decided I wanted to take my hobby of photography to a more serious level (back in 2002) I went to talk with a man named Bill Logan. Mr. Logan was an older photographer who had interned under the great Ansel Adams. He gave me an assignment - "Go take pictures of churches and come back and see me in a week." So I did and this church was one of my first stops. I came back in with a shot like this of the shutters and the urns and he said, "You didn't take pictures of churches." I said, "You didn't want me to literally just take pictures of the buildings, did you?" He said, "Good Girl. I will take you on as a student. These are wonderful." He preceded to tell me that in all of his years taking photos at the church, he had never shot this grouping at this angle. I owe a lot to him for giving me the courage to keep shooting. I took the first photo on Ilford Delta 400 B/W film and developed them myself under his guidance. This time it was shot digitally and "developed" in Lightroom.

Church History: In 1836, twenty members of the summer colony formed themselves into a parish and the Barings deeded the church to the new Episcopal Bishop of Western North Carolina. This made it the oldest Episcopal church in that diocese. Since that time the church became known as St. John in the Wilderness for St. John the Baptist.

It is noteworthy that before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, servants and white families worshiped side by side in the church pews. In fact the first wedding held in the church was that of two slaves. In addition an area was made available by the Barings for the graves of servants and later freedmen on the church burial ground.

So rapid was the growth of Flat Rock community in those early days that the length of the church was doubled in 1852. Much to the surprise of the people already buried up next to that east side. The church was simply extended over them.

23/365 ~ Birthday Boy Matthew - today is my son's 19th birthday. At lunch his dad corrected me to say he was 9 pounds, 5 ounces - whatever - I'm the one who was in all the pain and if I want to add 5 ounces to the story I will :) jk. He was a big baby but he was worth it. Happy Birthday, Matter

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