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A Rural Snapshot

The first half of my life is punctuated with parking lots, street lights and loopy lines connecting tall telephone poles. There are photos of houses squatting side-by-side, small patches of grass we called yards and a narrow road shared by cars, bikes and skateboards. Once a year, however, my parents packed suitcases and six squirming offspring into the station wagon. We were headed to visit relatives on the farm!

Our country cousins graciously let us stick to them like burrs on cotton socks. We did everything together and hung around the barn like flies on a cow patty. Climbing hay bales, tossing corn cobs to the hogs and swinging from ropes tied to the rafters, our cousins patiently taught us rural rules. Watch where you step. Don't panic if you seek a snake. Stay out of the bull's lot. And don't get between the piglets and their mama.

Sometimes we fished in the pond and presented our catch for the evening meal. Actually, we "city slickers" contributed very few. It was our cousins that knew how to snag those slippery trout. A trip to the country wouldn't be complete without riding horses, even though our sit-down-spots would be oh-so-sore next morning. Knowing we could brag about it later to our friends back home was worth it, though! At night, there were campfires, marshmallows and spooky stories on the back porch.

When it came time to leave, we six kids waved at our cousins until the curving country road snatched them from us. We were close to tears, knowing it would be a whole year before we'd see our cousins and the farm again! Windows down, the sweet aroma of fresh cut hay wafted in and settled around us like a gentle comforter.

Fast forward a dozen years to college, where I met a "southern gentleman" that stole my heart. After graduation, we moved to northern Alabama, landing just a stone's throw from where he grew up. It's a rural setting worth every click of my camera. Rolling hills, acres of hardwood trees and two ponds that reflect autumn leaves are some of my favorite subjects. Often, while driving down these back roads, I find more fodder for my portfolio. Rustic old barns, fences covered in morning glory vines, twin silos kissed by a sunset - all of these paint a picture of life in the country.

We raised our three children here and made many happy memories along the way. As a family, hard work meant we could enjoy the fruits of our labors. A big garden not only supplied our table,

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