Thanks for the Memories

Does the holiday season put your memory files into overdrive? It does for me. As I’ve thought about today’s post, I kept coming back to memories. One in particular kept flooding my memory drive: the annual ritual that my cousin and I observed of going to visit Santa. I just knew that somewhere – somewhere – I had one of those photos.

It took less than five minutes to find it and I was so happy when I did. You see, my cousin was my best friend for the first 18 years of my life, and never more so than when we were young and almost inseparable. My guess is that this is probably the Macy’s Santa Claus as we lived in New York then. Macy’s had the best Santas!

What a treasure this photo is! And that brings me to the point of today’s post: we, you and I, we are the memory keepers in our families. We hold the power, a.k.a., the cameras in our hands.

Unfortunately, not all my memories have physical photos, they reside only in my heart and mind. One such memory is firmly etched in my heart and my mind. When my daughter was two years old, she was, as all two year olds are, in overdrive about Christmas.

On Christmas morning, we heard her tiptoe down the hallway from the bedrooms to the living room and then coming running back, saying at the top of her lungs, “He came! He really came!!” Oh! What I would give for a picture of that chubby little girl in her one piece sleeper, curls flying every which way, running to get us out of bed to share her joy. (And, yes, I'm pretty sure all that loot under the tree was for our daughter!)

This memory puts me on a fast track backwards to when I found out the truth about Santa. Do you remember how you found out? My granddaughter is nine and won’t reveal whether she “Believes” or not. But the fact that she chose a family outing to see the new Star Wars movie rather than our traditional visit to the Kentucky Horse Park to see the Southern Lights and Santa is a pretty good tip off.

But I digress. When I was seven years old, we lived in a two story home. I distinctly remember that Christmas Eve. I’d been hustled off to bed early so Santa would be able to come to our house. Like most seven year olds on Christmas Eve,  I couldn’t sleep. I was sure I heard Santa’s sleigh bells on our roof. So, what did I do? What any curious seven your old would do. I crept down the stairs – only to find my mother putting the toys under the Christmas tree. Yes. True story.

So where does all this reminiscing take us today? To the point I made earlier: we are the memory keepers. We have a sacred duty to click the shutters often this holiday season. You just never know when a seemingly mundane photo will trigger the most precious of memories.

Memory is such a fragile thing. Let’s do our part to keep memories alive with our photography. And with our stories! We’d love to have you share a memory or two in our comments today or with a photo in the Flickrstream or IG feed.

Happy Holidays!

Summer Favorites

By Cathy

The summer is coming to an end. Officially autumn doesn't begin till later this month, but for many of us vacations are over, children are back in school, and we’re beginning to feel a little change in the air; a little less heat and humidity. Most of you know I don’t particularly care for summer, but I promise this isn’t be a negative post about summer. Even though I’m not a fan of summer, there are things that I can ONLY enjoy during summertime. I try to look for the best in everything, so I went outside (IN THE HEAT), sat in my swing, and quickly wrote down ten things I will miss about summer. Then just as quickly I went back inside! 

So, here they are, ten things I love about summer.

1. dragonflies dancing in the air, their wings shimmering in the afternoon light

2. birds and insects singing their choruses all day and croaking frogs at night

3. the beauty and smell of fresh fruits and veggies

4. homemade ice cream and watermelon on the Fourth Of July

5. walking barefoot in the morning dew

6.    watching the antics of hummingbirds as they swarm the feeder

 7. relaxing under a shade tree

8. seeing the vibrant colors of flowers

  9. spending extra time with family, hearing their laughter, feeling their love

10. extra hours of daylight, which is great for photographers

I stopped at ten, but I probably could have gone on. Summer is a time full of good times and memories. I wrote this list in my Journal Of Lists. Yes, I have a journal that is full of lists. I love lists. Anyway, when I’m hot and miserable next summer, I can get out my journal, read this list, and focus on the things that brings me happiness in summer.

If you were to sit down and write a list of the things you’d miss most about summer, what would be on it?

By all these lovely tokens September days are here,

With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.”

~ Helen Hunt Jackson

On Repeat

by Linda

Taking a picture everyday is good practise. It helps us become better photographers in many ways. We all know this. Whether or not you are officially in a "365" group, just a photo (or more!) a day not only helps us to see the world around us in new ways but lets us capture everyday moments to reflect back on. I enjoy looking back through previous "365" photos and even though I am not officially part of a "365", I still take a photo a day.

The problem becomes, how to keep the pictures fresh. How do I take pictures of different things even if I am in the same place day after day. How many pictures of the same thing can I stand? But maybe this is not really a problem after all.

Because I do take a picture of the same thing. Everyday. And when I look at them, I discover they are not the same at all.

I always have my phone with me as I walk each (almost) morning and I take mostly the same route each time. I do have a few favorite vantage points that I always look at more intently as I pass.

Each time, something catches my eye. Each time something is different about the locations. Similar but different and never to be the same again.

So, why not take the same picture again and again? It's never the same. There is always something different about it. Something magic about each place.

...

The way I see things..

something is always different, something has changed, whether it is the place or it is me

appreciating the difference in each shot takes a moment, a moment to remember being there, to feel it, smell it be a part of it again, it's a moment of time captured forever

and there's nothing wrong with that

...

How about you? Are you on repeat? Do you take the same picture over and over? Don't you love it?

...

about my pictures-

first 3 were taken at one location, different days

second three were taken at another location, different days

...

"Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man"

~Edward Steichen

...

Vacation Memories Revisited

by Kelly

"Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art."  ~Maya Angelou

It's that time of year.

We are going on vacation in a couple of weeks, and while my husband has been double-checking all of our rentals and flight status, I have been doing important things like ordering activewear online and taking an inventory of my flip-flops.

In addition, because of my role as chief photographer and memory capturer in the family, I have also been spending time looking through some of our old family vacation albums.

I know...it's a tough job....

I like to do this for a couple of reasons.  Number one, it's just a giant warm fuzzy.  Seeing the faces of my loved ones, reliving such fun adventures, remembering with awe some of the amazing places I've seen...yeah, I love that.  But the other reason I like to look back over our vacation albums is that it sort of gets me in the vacation mindset.  It helps me to think ahead to this year's vacation and reminds me of the kinds of memories that I want to capture.

Anyway, as I was flipping through the pages of some of my favorite vacation albums, I thought I might share with you some of the memory-keeping techniques that have really worked for me over the years.  From the photos I take, to putting together a vacation photo album, for me it starts before we even leave on vacation.

One of the best bits of advice I can give is to take a little notebook with you.  For me, once I get in 'vacation mode', I tend to completely lose track of time.  And even though in the moment it feels like the magic will last forever, once I get back home it's like all of those magic memories run together.  So even if it's just a few words - a couple of quick notes about where we went and what we saw - I find that keeping a notebook is a huge help it putting my vacation albums together.

Next is a sampling of some of my favorite vacation albums.

New York City - July 2004

As with most of my vacation albums, I nearly always organize them by theme rather than chronologically.  And my reason for that is because I'm not just telling the story of our days (like I do with my Project Life album)...I'm also telling the story (or trying to capture the essence of) the place where we are visiting.  So for instance in my NYC album, I have sections for the main parts of town we visited regardless of which day(s) we spent there.  

The other thing I would like to suggest is to get in the picture with your family.  Don't worry about the pounds you'd like to lose or if your hair is flat or your forehead looks like oil-slick.  It doesn't matter.  Let me repeat that-

IT DOESN'T MATTER

As the family documenter, you are just as big of a part of your family as your spouse and children.  And twelve years from now when your daughter is grown and living on her own, and you are wiping away tears as you go through old vacation albums, you will be so very glad you did.  So just do it, Okay?  Trust me on this one.

Italy - July 2008

 

 

Once again, notice that I organized my album by theme - the cities we visited.  And the other thing I would share with you is to say some of the ephemera from your trip - maps, ticket stubs, other bits and pieces that remind you that you're not in Kansas (er, Oklahoma) anymore.  

Also, even though we were in ancient Rome, surrounded by some of the greatest art in the world, I also took pictures of our little apartment kitchen and bathroom.  Because those things are just as important to our story as the city itself.  This is where we 'lived' while in Italy...and we shared a lot of great memories here.

In terms of the actual album, I used mostly 12 inch, 4x6 divided page protectors - sort of like a Project Life album (only before Project Life even existed).  I had so many pictures, it would have taken me forever to do an album of traditional scrapbook pages.  This was so much simpler - I slapped my pictures into the pockets, then added a card on each page with some journaling.  Looking at this album now, I could care less about the stickers and embellishments...it's the memories that touch my heart.

St. John - July 2011

 

 

I love this album for a lot of reasons...lots of really awesome memories were made on this trip.  And as you might imagine, I have a lot of pictures of the magnificent beaches and the crystal Carribean seas.  But what was different about this trip was that we went with friends - and those friendships were every bit as beautiful as the island we were visiting.  And that was reflected in the photos I took.  So keep that in mind as you prepare for your trip and begin putting together your album.  Think about the relationships and the connections you want to celebrate and remember.  

As with my other albums, I created a table of contents page showing the sections of my album.  And once again, I mostly used divided page protectors to make it a little easier. In terms of paper and embellishments, I stuck to a really simple color theme using one paper pack and a couple of sheets of travel-themed stickers. Which is the great thing about this kind of album...you can keep them simple or more decorative depending on the amount of time you have or your particular design sensibilities.

Malibu - July 2014

 
 
 

I made this album through Artifact Uprising and I think this might be my favorite album of all-time. 

Like the others, I organized this album by theme, but what stands out to me most is the simplicity of it.  And that simplicity - both in putting it together and in finished album - allows the memories to stand out.  It's like because I wasn't worried about using this page protector or that paper or that doodad, I was able to focus completely on the stories of that trip.

In addition to the themes or sections of my albums, I almost alway include a little piece at the end that is just a mishmash of photos that didn't make it into the other sections due to space constraints (or whatever).  Most of the time they are just details - little things that touch my heart like the way the road ahead is reflected in Tripp's sunglasses or the way the light shines on Kelsey's hair.  Snapshots that tell the story of my heart.

Oh I do so love these vacation albums.

Now, as I look forward to our upcoming vacation, this little trip down memory lane is exactly what I needed to get into vacation mode - both in my head and in my heart.

Whether or not you consider yourself a 'scrapbooker', my guess is that if you are a photographer, you are also a memory keeper.  And I would highly, highly encourage you to consider making a vacation album. Go to town with paper and embellishments or keep it super simple and use an online service - but either way, get your memories off of your devices and computer and into your hands.  It is so. totally. worth.  the time and energy it takes to make one.  And just like the memories it contains, you will treasure your photo album for a lifetime.

Until next time,

Kelly

One, Two, Three! It's A Collection!

By Cathy

What is about collecting that brings us pleasure and satisfaction? Does it connect us to or bring back emotions from a period in our lives that we feel strongly about? In looking at what I collect there is definitely a connection to childhood memories. For instance, I have a collection of bears. My mother told me I loved my first teddy bear; carried it, hugged it, and slept with it. I still have that teddy bear and over the years have added a few more unique ones.

Along with my teddy bear, I loved Little Golden books. They were the first books that I remember someone reading to me. The oldest one I have from my childhood  is Prayers For Children by Eloise Wilken. I still have my copy of Mother Goose, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Tom and Jerry, Nurse Nancy, Zorro, and Sleeping Beauty. Oh, how I loved Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty and I loved the plump fairy godmother in Cinderella waving her wand and chanting as she changed Cinderella's rags into the "loveliest ball dress that ever was."

“Salaga doola,

Menchicka boola

Bibbidy bobbidy boo!”

One day after I was looking through my collection of over 200 Golden books trying to find one about a train to read to my grandsons, I realized they needed to be in some sort of order. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon sorting them by themes:  trains, fairy tales, bears, dogs, Christmas, religious, Disney, etc. Of course, part of the afternoon was spent reading several of them; bringing back memory after memory. Sweet, sweet memories.

I love to scatter little collections throughout the house, such as my shell collection in the bathroom that makes me think of family vacations, old keys in the guest bedroom that remind me of my grandparents’ house, and wooden spools in my sewing room that make me remember all the things my grandmother, mom, and I once sewed. These little things are special, sometimes only to me.

My favorite collection though, is my collection of rocks. Yes, you read that right – rocks! This collection began when my grandsons were small. They would pick up rocks and bring them to me as gifts; rocks for gramma instead of flowers. Oh, I’ve gotten flowers, but I’ve gotten many more rocks. They still bring me rocks now and then, especially if they find a heart-shaped one. I display these precious gifts in an old cracked bird bath in my shade garden along with others I’ve picked up on my wanderings.

It seems we all collect something. I’ve read all you need is three of a similar thing to have a collection. It may be photographs, ticket stubs, children’s school work, cameras, or books. The scope of collecting is absolutely unlimited.  Those who know me know I love to research. So, of course, I did a little research looking for unusual objects that are collected. You would not believe some of the things people collect. Here’s just a few of the “not so very strange” collections I found.

  banana stickers – over 7,000 unique labels

 bars of soap – 5,000 bars from all over the world

 joker playing cards - 8,520

 napkins – 125,866 different napkins

 erasers – 19,571 from over 100 countries

And the list goes on and on!

I enjoy the quest of collecting whether it’s a book, a shell, or even a simple rock. Do you collect anything? Do you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the organizing, and the displaying? Do you collect for investment purposes, sentimentality, or simply because you love something? Wander through your home and spend some time with your collections. Maybe your collection is pretty journals stacked on your desk, family pictures arranged on the wall, delicate teacups displayed in the kitchen or an album of vintage postcards. Whatever it is . . . touch it . . . arrange it . . . organize it . . . enjoy it and smile!!

Small Things - Many Memories

by Cathy

We don’t plan or coordinate what we write about here at Focusing On Life. We just write what is on our minds and in our hearts. Sometimes those thoughts lead us in the same direction. Yesterday Dotti wrote about her thoughts on Mother’s Day, which is what I am writing about today. I hope you enjoy another look at mothers and grandmothers.

 As we approach this Mother’s Day weekend, my thoughts have turned to my mother and her mother. I’ve been thinking of how they filled their days; how they gardened in the heat of the summer, cooked and canned in a kitchen without air conditioning; how they made quilts to provide warmth for cold winter nights, and how they sewed to provide clothing for their family.

My life is so much easier than theirs, at least physically anyway. I don’t put in a vegetable garden and can those vegetables. I don’t make quilts for my family’s warmth. I did inherit their love for sewing and made little frilly dresses for my daughter using yards of ruffles and lace. Instead of sewing from necessity though, it was a form of creating to me.

When sewing these dresses I loved to go shopping for the buttons that were sometimes functional, but sometimes for decoration. Special buttons were like the crowning touch. I still love buttons. I still stop in fabric stores and just look at them and sometimes I buy a card just because they’re pretty. Don’t let me get too close to those jars of vintage buttons at flea markets though. I want them all.

I am fortunate to be the keeper my grandmother’s buttons. The metal can in which she stored them is now rusty, but the buttons inside fascinate me; many colors and shapes, simple ones and elaborate ones, tiny ones and huge ones. My grandmother’s button box is a collection of beauty and treasures. 

I love to see her choices of buttons and imagine what kind of dresses she sewed them to; the fancy ones on her church dresses and the simple ones on her everyday dresses. Some buttons have pieces of fabric and threads still attached. When a garment wore out, she snipped the buttons off and saved them for future use. Some buttons are still on the cards. She would use how every many she needed and leave the rest on the card.

My mother passed away less than a year ago. This Mother’s Day will be hard for me, so all this week I’ve focused on happy memories she and I shared. Memories of pretty dresses she made, paper dolls she spent endless hours cutting out (paper dolls where my favorite thing to play with), the time she spent teaching me to sew, and our mutual love for buttons. Something as simple as a button can bring back memories and feelings of long ago.

I’m hoping that each of you enjoy Mother’s Day and spend a little time reminiscing about the special times you’ve shared with your mother or grandmother of if you’re a mother with your children or grandchildren.

Happy Mother’s Day to you!

Life Reviewed

by Carol

image from titanichonorandglory.com

Deanna's thoughts about the movies last week brought to mind an idea for a post that I have long been pondering. Do you remember the beginning of the final scene of "Titanic!" ? As Rose, now elderly, lies in her bed passing away in her sleep, the camera pans over to her night table. The table is filled with framed pictures of Rose doing all the things she dreamed of doing when she was fighting for her survival in the cold waters of the Atlantic. Here is Rose riding a horse in a pair of pants. There is Rose getting ready to fly in an airplane, and there climbing on an elephant! And here with her children - there her grandchildren. Dreams big and small, come true. Cherished memories of a life well-lived; carefully framed in gratitude.

I have just returned from a visit to my parents. Every time I go to their house I pour through the family photographs. My one grandmother's family was wealthy before the depression, and my other grandmother was an artist. Round that out with a father who loved photography, and I am so fortunate to have many, many photographs and drawings of my family history. I just love to look closely at the clothes they wore, and the cities behind them. I even have grocery lists, showing a loaf of bread that costs 5 cents, a movie ticket, a telegram; clues to life in another time, and clues to their lives in particular. I would just love to talk to my grandmother who bobbed her hair in the 1920's causing my grandfather to stop speaking to her for days. Or to ask my artist grandmother what it was like to commute to Pratt art school in New York and be one of the only women on the bus. 

My paternal grandmother and grandfather

My maternal grandmother proudly holding my mother

I love to look at the expressions on their faces. It gives me a sense of timelessness. The same range of human emotions visible there in the 1920's (of course) as those we all feel  now. There is my three year old mother looking none to happy about the new baby sister who has just come home. My grandmother is looking quite flirty there on grandpa's lap. Parents from the 1800's showing off their babies at the beach with pride. People  bustling through New York, trying to get to work - model T's flying by, stirring up the dirt roads. A trip to Europe, standing near the Eiffel Tower, where I stood two summers ago.  It all just stirs my imagination.

Priceless expression - dethroned by the new addition!

Mother , happier, with her new umbrella

Anyway - it occurs to me that I am working on my collection, as are you all. It's what we all hope and pray for - dying safely and comfortable in our own beds, after long lives, surrounded by family and memories. I think of my nightstand. In recent years I have been fortunate to add favorite photos from New England, Arizona, France. I have beautiful portraits that I have taken of my family and my friends. I have a shelf that holds portraits of each pet who has shared my life. I have a picture of my childhood home, Mom and Dad outside. I know - I am a hopeless romantic!

Tell me - should we be so fortunate - what will your nightstand hold?