November 25, 2015

Sunday Afternoon

When I was about 12 or 13, I got really into photography. Or at least, taking pictures. I am not sure  enough technique was involved to call it photography. It was about this time that I saw the book Day in the Life of America. Have you seen that? In the early 1980's, Kodak provided a large group of photographers with film and for one day, these photographers went around their area taking pictures of everyday things. I loved that book. And I loved the idea of recording everyday things. History is full of the things that happened to famous people. I always wondered what the other people were doing--the people standing just out of, or a long way away from, the spotlight. The everyday sort of people. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Now, since the advent of the blog, instagram, and facebook, everyday things are no longer a rare commodity. But I still love them. 

After being enamored of the Day in the Life book, my twelve year old self used to pretend to be one of the photographers. Going around taking pictures of people doing their thing. Sunday afternoons were generally when the mood struck me to be an everyday photojournalist. I would wander around annoying everyone by taking pictures while they had a Sunday nap, read their book, made brownies, washed dishes, played games, or went outside.   

For some reason, this all came back to me today as I was going through these pictures of this past Sunday afternoon. Apparently, I still love taking pictures of people doing their thing. Especially on Sunday afternoons. When everyone is together.


Uncle Evan and a rosy pink Abilene


The boys, waiting for lunch and talking


The girls, playing war


Lincoln, the gun-slinger. He discovered his cousin's cap pistol in the haymow on Saturday and was pretty attached to it. 


Owen pretending to play the piano while taking a bite of pie


Hoyt with his accessories


Uno, a loose interpretation


Dishes crew


We had a Thanksgiving, since Clover and Evan won't be with us this year for the real deal. So after lunch, the kids and I needed a walk


Kids running through the cedars


Lincoln couldn't find his jacket, so he was stuck with a cousin jacket


Crawling under the fence



The New York cousins. Minus Abilene, who was having a restie.




Cheyenne is quite grown up--a big help with the little kids. 





This sky! This place! 




Clearly, he spied a threat to our safety





Quite proud of his missing tooth








One last dandelion for the season


Those crazy White boys





Checking out the old bus



Gilbert pricked his finger on the prickers.






This sweet Elliott boy walked beside me, chattering all the way. But then, after Gilbert pricked his finger, he moaned all the way home. And Elliott decided to walk on ahead. 


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