|| why i take photographs ||

why i take photographs

pictures are a way of...

preserving,

of holding on to,

of capturing special moments,

 

of taking in beauty,

and so much more.

exactly 100 years ago, this picture was taken.

to you it may mean nothing,

but to me it means so much.

you see pictured here on the far right

is a young woman...

this woman is my great grandma penzora byrd.

here she poses with her family from the backwoods of north carolina.

i'm not sure where they located a camera.

you have to understand,

their life was simple,

they hardly had a thing,

they were just backwoods people.

people who didn't get birth certificates when they were born.

people who worked their lands for a living.

people who sat on their front porches, listened to frogs peep, watched lightning bugs fly by, and talked with those they loved for entertainment.

people who raised their young ones to do just exactly what they had done for a living.

people who didn't go to school, didn't know how to read or write.

these simple people are my people. and i long to know them and their life, but while i may never know the story behind this photo, or the stories of their life, i'm thankful for this simple picture,

because to me this picture

preserves a moment in time {which would have otherwise probably been forgotten}

gives me something to hold on to {my heritage, and something for me to pass on to my children}

it captures a special moment {these simple people recording their history}

and it displays beauty {the beauty of family}

 

 

//thankful for...//

Caroline, Blanche, Daniel, David, Grandma Ruby, and John 

...I am also thankful for old stoves, warm hearts, worn hands, twinkling eyes, and easy smiles. Folks who have spent their whole life loving their families, where sacrifice is never a question, but an immediate reaction whenever possible. People who have chosen to love others more than themselves, and to stop the world if a neighbor is in need. I'm thankful for neighbors and front porches and rocking chairs and the steady tick-tock of old clocks. 

{Christy Jordan}

//a s p i r i n g//

This apron was a gift from grandma to me just a few short months ago. She gave each one of my sisters and I an apron out of her apron “closet”. What a treasure that was for each one of us. 

As you can tell from the looks of this apron it has been well-used. Worn many times to cook up a mess of food and then serve with a heart full of love. 

I've been going through hope chest stuff lately. Seeing what I have. Seeing what I need. And as I look at each item in my hope chest {which is mainly kitchen stuff} I think and I dream.

I aspire to be like my grandma.

Oh sure she's aged now. 

But those worn out {hands}...

They're from cooking meals and serving others. 

That aching {back}...

It's from being bent over working in the garden. From carrying babies. From working hard. 

Those {wrinkles}...

why they're from laughing.

Those worn out {knees}...

that's from spending countless hours kneeling before her Father and bringing each family members name up before Him. 

Those weary {eyes}...

are from staying up caring for people, watching for people, crying for people.

That worn out {body}...

it's from spending her life poured out to make a life for her children. And her grandkids, and great grandkids, and great- great grandkids.

But that {heart}...

oh that heart. I think it's stronger and fuller now than it ever has been. Because her love just keeps on growing. 

You see that is why I aspire to be like her. 

Because what an amazing woman she is. 

{sorry this is a picture of a picture. It's my grandma feeding me and my cousin Jed}

Serving...always serving...

I hope to be the wife she was, the mom she is, the grandma she is...most of all I hope to be 

{the virtuous woman} 

she is.

  

//about time//

I guess it's about time I took the time to post again...

my sister keeps nagging reminding me to post...

so- I'm posting. 

2015 has been pretty busy, it's hard to believe we are nearing the end of the month already. 

I have a hard time finding a happy-medium when posting...

meaning I try to keep it exciting and not become a boring, run-of-the- mill blogger, while at the same time try not to go on and on about //life// around here.

I guess I'll start with most likely my newest "adventure"

//geocaching// 

I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but just kept putting it off for a warmer day. My brother and I finally decided to do it-- and the sun was bright, cheery, and warm. Hidden behind the clouds. In other words by the time we were done, I was freezing and unable to feel my fingers. I found it though!! I am definitely looking forward to doing this again when it is {hopefully} warmer! 

While thinking about the cold, there is one thing that I love about the cold winter days, and that is the lovely, picturesque //sunrises// and //sunsets//...

I was just reading this, this morning in my devotions-- The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalm 19:1 

On Saturday we had a //birthday party// for my Grandma, who turned 87 today. Of course we had a "party" before the party- doing some shooting...

...this gives you a glimpse of what my family and I are like. Let's just say our roots run deep in the hills of the south. For those of you wondering if I shot or not, of course I did... I shot lots of pictures :) 

Finally we all gathered together-- family from around the state, some who I haven't seen for years-- and we celebrated this womans life:

An amazing wife, mom, grandma. Leaving a godly legacy for us all. God is so amazingly good and I am so //blessed// to call her my grandma. 

Our party in the garage...lots and lots of food, noise, and people!! 

Grandma with 6 of her 9 children. 

I could go on, but...

my cup of tea has been long gone and there are other things to do. Before I go though, I'll tell you about this tea cup. My sister {Olivia} gave me a whole set of this toile print china. They're made in England. Here is a dialogue about my other sisters {Anna} thoughts on me drinking out of a tea cup:

A- "Never really took you for a China type person. Mason jars and China...hmmm." 

{Because if you know me well enough you know that I always drink out of a mason jar instead of a glass.} 

E- "I was thinking that elegance in the morning and hick the rest of the time." 

A- " There you go...New blog title: the elegant hick ;)" 

For now though, I've decided to keep my blog title the same :) Be watching for some change on here soon. Also I have yet to post the pictures of my first photo-shoot of 2015. Hopefully soon!! 

{Yo-Yo Quilt}

Years ago, 

when I was just a little girl

I remember my grandma sewing on a 

{yo-yo quilt} 

She'd work on it while she watched a Hallmark movie.

I have no idea how many countless hours she spent on it. 

She never finished it...

it got put in the closet after some health issues caused her to not be able to sew anymore. 

A few years later my sister had an idea for us girls to do together.

"Let's make a {yo-yo quilt}" 

So we did...

we worked on it together while we watched movies...

The Waltons,

Anne of Green Gables,

Road to Avonlea,

Etc. 

I have many memories working on that quilt together. 

As life got busier, 

the quilt kinda got put off.

As everyone started new chapters in life,

and went separate ways,

someone had to be given the unfinished quilt.

I, being the youngest, was given it.

I'm not much of a seamstress. 

Matter of fact,

I don't sew. 

I know how to,but I don't.

While I was staying with my grandma last week she dug out her old, unfinished 

{yo-yo quilt} 

Then she gave it to me. 

She wanted me to finish it.

After some sewing today.

It's completed.

Her's and ours. 

Together.

I'll think of my grandma and sisters often when I see this 

{yo-yo quilt} 

full of memories. 

Good Deals

I think bargain shopping is part of my heritage...my mom,sisters,and I do it,my aunts do it,and my Grandma D. does it...I'd say we are all pretty good at it too. 

You can't beat a good deal!! 

Mom went to Sears the other day after she took me to work. When I came home there was a bag on the sofa.

I will admit the thought did cross my mind that it was something for me.

Alas,I looked in the bag,only to find a shirt for my dad.

I was a little disappointed.

Then my mom started telling me about how it was on clearance and she got another amount off. 

Let me remind you,we are not mall shopping people. When we want clothes we go to thrift stores and buy it second hand-we let someone else pay the ridiculous prices.

Apparently she got some sort of card there and so she earned another $7 off,so she said we should go in sometime. 

We ventured in there today and left with a sweatshirt for my brother...

and a scarf for me. 

I really wasn't going to get it...

but my mom insisted.

Really,she did...

I walked away from it and she kept going on about how nice and spring-like it was...

so I went back and got it.

It was a $24 dollar scarf on clearance for $11.99,with an additional 30% off...

and then my mom had $7 dollars off...

so we got the scarf for a little over $1 ! 

it's double sided polka dots!! 

We walked out of Sears today with a shirt and a scarf and the bill was only a little over $10.

I'm sure my sisters and I will pass on the heritage to our children and grandchildren of bargain shopping...

because who doesn't like a good deal?!?!? 

Photo's from the past

These are some of my grandma's (on my dad's side) old photos that I scanned!I hope you enjoy them!

This is my dashing young grandpa in his army uniform.

This picture was taken a month after him and grandma had been married.

This is one of my personal favorites of him in his army uniform again!

Grandpa and my Aunt Linda

Grandpa at an army plane

Grandpa as a young boy

My Grandma and Aunt June

Grandma Aunt Linda and Aunt Deb

Grandma,Aunt Linda,Aunt June,and Aunt Deb

Grandma and a friend

This one is pretty old-the people sitting in the front are my grandma's,grandpa Lace and wife Sally.IN the back right corner is grandma's parents Bill and Penzora.This was a picture taken during a Bible School.

This picture was taken in 1915-the girl with the white shirt on is my grandma's mom-my great-grandma Penzora.

This is D.L.-one of Grandma's brothers and her dad-Bill.

This is Grandma's brother Rabe

This is Grandpa's brother Richard

This is Grandma's brother Fred

This is Grandpa's brother Richard and sister Opal-this is one of my favorites.

This is my dashing young great uncle Richard(grandpa's brother)

This is my grandma's brother Budge and his wife Doris

On the right of the photo is my grandma with her son John on the left is Blanche and Caroline with Daniel and David

This is some of my Grandma's brothers-from left to right-Budge,Billy,Rabe,and Rob

This are some photo's that my Grandpa took while over in Japan.

This is the camp in Japan where grandpa stayed

This is grandpa logging with grandma's brothers

From left to right-Rose and daughter(on the hood),Grandma(and sister Madeline on the hood)and Grandma's dad Bill

This is grandma's dad and brother's Budge,Fred,and Billy

This is grandma's grandpa and his son Roy.

These are some of them,sometime I'll put the rest on here!