My 365 | Week 52

6.22.14 – 6.28.14

WEEK FIFTY-TWO!!!!!! An entire year of daily shooting. I set out on this project to improve my photography as well as to capture our life for my children. To tell our story with little daily nuances that normally aren’t deemed camera worthy.

“Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”

Elliott Erwitt

My mom commented to me at some point through this past year that most of the pictures she took of us kids were of the big occasions – holidays and birthdays – and she admired that I was getting the every day. That really stuck with me. While I wouldn’t dare miss capturing my kids’ birthdays, my most cherished memories from growing up aren’t of my tenth birthday party. They are of my sister and brother and I swinging in my grandpa and grandma’s hay loft or building forts in our tree belt or fishing at the river with grandpa or playing with our cousins in Huron.

This is my last week of this 365 project but I am too sentimentally happy looking back at the past year’s images to stop, though I might allow myself to skip a day now and then.

---

Jimmy’s face was covered with a concentrated grin as he ran the poles pattern. We had it set up for big sister to practice for the upcoming Hand County 4-H Horse Show.

The boys enjoyed a warm summer evening playing in the sandbox.

In official 4-H dress (white shirt, dark jeans, cowboy hat) for the County Horse Show. Oakie has never been so slicked up before. He looked pretty darn good! (And so did Patricia!) I am proud of how well she did and the confidence she gained in herself and her horse. She was super excited to qualify for the State Show in the Beginner Showmanship and Stock Seat events.

The next morning was foggy and misty in the pasture. Helping daddy and grandpa pen cows every morning has boosted Patricia’s horse skills immensely. 

We’re lucky that a former neighbor returned to the area this summer and is lending us a hand while she is here. Her family moved from a neighboring farm here to Kansas when she was about seven years old. We are thoroughly enjoying getting reacquainted. She is getting a crash course into the long hours of summertime ranch work.

Playing hard all day means a shower every night. He still has a smile on his face, but those eyes are tired.

The kids dug through the treasure they “won” at a benefit held in honor of my Aunt Lisa. The organizers did a fabulous job of gathering items for a silent and a live auction. My boys were especially happy when daddy got the winning bid on a couple of tractors.

Thanks for keeping up with our daily photo journal the past year! I have all the photos in one spot HERE – My 365. (A link is also under the “My Portfolio” tab on the top of this site.)

Congratulate Jodie on completing her 365 project by visiting her blog!