June 2012 – A Prairie Godmother

Have you ever had one of those moments when the sunlight came through a window or shone on an object so perfectly, that it was THE MOST PERFECT MOMENT in the world?! I had just that kinda moment this afternoon. The light streaming in the window was perfect. The breeze was perfect.

Yes, I coulda toned down the light, and the highlights when I edited this picture but then, I didn’t really care to see what was outside and besides, that’s not how it looked. I coulda upped the shadows and darks but I didn’t want it any more defined. I wanted to capture just exactly as it was – perfect. This scene reminded me of when I was a little girl at our grandparents’ house, on the farm, in the summer. Sometimes when I had to take a nap I got to lie on the softest, whitest chenille bedspread on Grandma and Grandpa’s bed. Their bed had an almost natural, cradling indention on Grandpa’s side that, toward the foot of the bed fit me just fine. Grandma had sheers similar to these in their room, and a window fan. There were always breezes coming in the two windows and I used to lie there watching the fan blades switch directions as the windows took turns bringing in the breezes. As the curtains billowed in one window, the other window’s curtains were drawn in so tightly they’d form around every shape’s nook and cranny. Sometimes the breezes would be enough for the bottom of the curtain to reach out to touch my toes or foot and just slide right back off. So comfy, so comforting, so sleepy, so perfect. I think of those naps often when I see the sun filtering through the sheers like this. I still love to watch the curtains wave in the breeze, then just trail off and start all over again. Ahhhh. It was a good afternoon. Who’d think that sucha treasured memory would come, all from just looking at the window.

Man, I hope I’m not the only one out there that when I get a wild hair to do something, I wanna do it like, ‘while ago! Well this “wild hair” took THREE WEEKS to get accomplished!!! Remember I said I loved to photograph old barns, silos, corn cribs and the like? Well I was able to get permission (oh yeah, it was a God moment) from the landowner to take pictures of our son on their old farm. So between schedules and weather, we were finally able to get out there and get some pictures taken. I’m actually hoping to take pictures of him with his girlfriend but I thought we’d best scope out the area first. We wanted to make sure the spiders and snakes were to a minimum (like ZILCH!!!! for both of us females’ sake – it’d be a rather blurry picture with both of us running!!). I’m happy to report there’s just poison ivy, or oak or whatever it is that grows around a tree. I have a photo where Tate is leaning against a tree and the poison “whatever” has made it’s way into the frame. Anyway, without any further ado, here are some pictures of our son, Tate (the cowboy).

I really could use some suggestions on this picture. The sun was so bright that I needed to tone the colors down but in the process I kinda feel as though I muddied them. The poles really were a very washed out grey and the ends of the bushes were really brownish. Just seem kinda, too contrast-y. Any suggestions? I’m using Adobe LightRoom 3.6 to edit.

_MG_0010Chessie's pool — Everybody, this is Tate. Say hello to everybody, Tate.

The place where we shot had GOBBS of utility poles!!! If there was 1, there were 50 on the property!! The only thing I can think of is that they musta escaped from the “pole” barn. Sorry. Country humor – or at least an attempt at it. Side Note: For those of you not exposed to much farm stuff, a “pole barn” is an outbuilding on the farm that’s covered in metal. They were framed with poles partially buried in the ground creating an all wooden framework. Back-in-the-day (uh-hum, so I’m told) that’s what the outbuildings (or machine sheds and such) used to all be made of before posts and the metal construction became available. Everything was called a pole barn – except a real “barn” which was . . . just a barn. Nevermind.