Monthly Archives: October 2023

My seventh birthday party

Events, Friends, Photographs,

Unlike these days when kids expect parties for every birthday, I only had one birthday party in my childhood. Actually I’ve only had one real birthday party in my life — not counting when family gets together. I used to be sad about that, but I think I like it better with just family.

I don’t know why my mom decided my 7th year was party-worthy. It couldn’t have been easy for her — she had an infant to care for.

I don’t remember too much about the party except for having this photo taken, hunting for taffy, and the ice cream. Mom decided to make her own ice cream and some of the kids said it was icky.

I’m Facebook friends with over half the girls in the photo.

L-R, back row: Kim Gibson, Devin Wolf, Cindy Choitz, Stephanie Gudeman. L-R, front row: ? (daughter of friend of mom), Me, Kathy Wolf, Lori Norris.

Sunrise over pond with tree

Photographs, Travel,
Landscape showing the sunrise over trees in the background, a body of water in the middle ground, and a tree in the center of the foreground.

There was a time when I remembered when, where, and why this was taken. It was taken in England, for sure. And it was sunrise, and cold, and I remember walking with a group of friends when I took it. It was most likely taken winter, 1979 when I student taught in London.

I do remember that I was proud of it. It was probably the best photo I’d ever taken up to then, I even had it enlarged and framed. Yes, it’s blurry and was taken with a cheap camera, but I still like it.

Recently someone whose artistic judgement I value remarked on a photo I took and said I had a good eye for composition. I agree.