Friday, April 16, 2010

Up To The Mountain


Recently, my son said that his girlfriend had rented a cottage in Tennessee that was large enough to sleep 18 people, and we were invited to come along for the long week-end. We were packed in a heartbeat...ready for a road trip after the winter months, and knew the weather would be pretty heading South of where we live.

There were many activities planned each day, and it was a whirlwind week-end. While there, my hubby tires easily and had a busy week at work before the trip so he didn't go on many of the activites. I decided I would drive him up to the top of the mountain, and it would also be a great photo opportunity. He had never been to Gatlinburg to visit nor had he been up on the mountain.

While we were driving to Tennessee and also up the mountain, it took me back many years in my mind. When I married my husband, he was a musician who traveled on the road. I was only 17 and he was 19 when we married. Being young, it was quite an adventure. The trip that week-end brought me back to how we use to have our clothes packed in the back seat of the car, as that was our home, and to how young and different we were then.

We have traveled 46 years together since those days, and life has taken us in many directions. We were so young, and thought we knew what it was all about. Were we in for some surprises along the way. We only traveled those first few years before we settled down to raise a family. We have stayed in the same place for the past 30 plus years. My hubby gave up being a traveling musician, worked a job, but we did have a family band that lasted until our youngest was about 16 (that's another story in itself).

That day driving to Tennessee though it was kind of nice to also travel back in my mind and remember those young, carefree days. If we could only have the insight that we have today, would our life be the same as it is now, would we make different decisions or mistakes.

Reminiscing can sometimes be fun when your traveling up a mountain on a sun-shiny day, and you're still together and life seems good.


(pics from the mountain at the bottom of the page) enjoy!! and stop back and visit me often.

Photography

Photography is my favorite hobby, and I enjoy passing time out and about taking photos. My favorite, I guess is photos of scenery.

My first camera was won selling seeds door to door for the American Seed Company when I was barely in grade school. I had no idea they would sell so well, and that I would end up getting to pick an awesome prize. I had many choices, but I chose a Kodak Brownie camera (the kind where you flipped up the top and looked down in to see the image), and they also included free film for a year plus developing so I was thrilled.

Even at that young age, people were already getting use to seeing me with my camera, and not only use to it they would duck and hide from me. Family does the same today, they always laugh and say, "oh no, she has her camera". I am usually never without.

Recently, with the warm Spring weather, my sister and I have been out and about walking along with my camera. Even after all these years, I'm still in pursuit of a great shot.

There are many free photo editing software available that can also enhance a photo, if needed. One of my favorites is Picasa, which is free. I also use photo editing software that came with my Micrografx Draw programs and Paintshop Pro. It is always great though, when I edit in these and my photo doesn't require any fix at all.

Do you enjoy photography? What do you think is the most fun to capture? Portraits, Scenery, Action Shots, Nature?

If you have any tips for better photography, feel free to include that in a comment also.

Click my video below to see some of the pictures from the walk at Delaware Dam.