Celebrating Family

After moving 100 miles south of my family 30+ years ago... I don't get to see them very often. And sadly it takes me forever to get around to processing my photos from each trip. This year was a bust as far as my photography expectations where. The weather didn't co-operate, rainy cold, in fact it had been so rainy previously that some of the roads I wanted to explore were too muddy or rutted. So I didn't get to capture the barns and scenery I was hoping for.
The main reason for this trip however was to celebrate my dad and step-mom's 80th birthdays. (One in April and the other in October) It was good that most of the family able to come. Marilyn volunteered to do it in their garage and screened in porch so we came early to help with preparations. After everything was over and I was in bed it dawned on me that I didn't get one photo of them together that day. In fact I didn't even see the cake until someone brought me a piece. Where was my head? Helping dish up food I guess. I got some before pics which only I would treasure such as these too.

I stopped working long enough to play a couple games. (I actually beat him... and I know he didn't let me, he's far too competitive.)

 This gun was discussed for quite some time by the boys.

Two boys with their "pops".

She looks pretty darn good for nearly 80!

All previous photos were with the iPhone. The rest taken with my Canon 7D. All were processed with Nicole Young's presets at Craft and Vision, found here.

There were lots of great-grand kids around.

AJ and his siblings with fresh summer haircuts.

Rueben eats his first ice-cream bar.

My eldest brother and his first grandchild. (I have 3 more.) That's another thing that got by me. I should have had someone do a family photo of us siblings. It's been 5 years since the last. Good grief!

I did find lots of peonies blooming at the cemetery however.

It was hard to find any that weren't covered in bugs.

In spite of the pitfalls, the party was a great success and that day the weather was perfect. Hurray for family!

I'm linking up with Barb for Sunday Sundries.

Mom

January 27th. . .

I moved a thousand miles south a couple decades ago. 

I was in my early 20s. Because of the distance I was lucky to get home once a year. 

Five years later my mom  died from injuries as the result of a very tragic car accident. 

I'm thinking about her friends. 

I see their smiling faces. A deep love in their eyes. Connections that cannot be broken. 

Of shared experiences with their children. Their husbands. Their community. And especially fishing.

I don't always get to see these women when I come home. But when I do it brings a clenching to my heart. Overwhelming emotions that are hard to control. It's like the funeral was just last week instead of 30 years ago. Even now as I picture their faces, my throat closes up and my eyes fill with tears. I picture myself as a little girl and them having their arms wrapped around me as I cry. They cry too. 

In honor of my mom whose birthday is today. She would have been 77. I look at her sisters and try to picture what she would look like now. I imagine what our conversation topics might be. What type of art she might be doing or if she would have established an art related business. . . thoughts. . . imaginings. . .