A Closer Look

In my last post I shared the wonderful Me & McGee Produce Market I found.

I thought you might like to see a little closer look at the many displays.

Every where you looked there was a pumpkin peeking out.

This was one of my favorite displays.

I really like the metal flower in the middle of an old window frame.

There were pumpkins in every shape, size and color,

veggies,

Arkansas black apples,

 and flowers too!

These didn't even look real, but they are!

The pumpkin I brought home was a smaller one.

I loved it's color and it's bumpy texture.

This cut little guy came home with me because of it's wonderful little stem!

My rule: When buying pumpkins you must always find at least one with a curly stem!

I love autumn!

I love the colors,

the smells,

and

the cooler air!

I sincerely hope you are enjoying your autumn!

Something New

I can take picture of nature over and over again. I delight in spending time outside discovering the beauties of things like mushrooms, rocks, water, trees, and such. There's always something new each day to discover. But, taking pictures of nature limits my experiences, so I tried something different. Something I have never done. I took my camera to the grocery store and enjoyed the beauty and smells of fruits and veggies.

If you know me very well, you know this is totally NOT ME! I am one of those people that never wants to call attention to myself. I definitely don't want to stand out. Just let me be a wallflower and I will be happy. Taking my camera out in a grocery store and taking pictures was very hard for me to do. I was uncomfortable and slightly nervous. The thought that circled round and round in my head was "what will people think?" There was one lady that looked at me very strange several times, but I just smiled, ducked my head, and kept taking pictures. I honestly expected a call over the store's speaker any moment "security to the produce department!"

After a few pictures I did become more relaxed strolling down the aisle looking for color, shapes, and textures.

I survived the experience. No one confiscated my camera or sent me running for the door. As I walked outside to my car, there was a smile on my face. I'd done it! I'd been brave and I had pictures to prove it! 

Changing up what we normally do, might be scary, (this certainly was for me!) but new experiences can refresh and inspire. That's not only true in photography, but in everyday life. We need to get away from our ordinary and try new experiences. It could be as simple as driving a different way to work or reading a book in a genre that we normally don't read. 

I not only came home with a better attitude about myself and a few pictures, I came home with some delicious looking fruit!  

* * * * *

I'm working through Kim Manley Ort's book Adventures In Seeing. This week's assignment was opening ourselves up to a different type of photography and experience.

Reed's Bridge

I was never very interested in history as a child. It seemed that history only consisted of memorizing names, dates, and places. I never was very good at memorizing and struggled through every history class I took. My interest in history peaked later in life. As I've grown older, I've taken the time to read about and visit historical places and I don't have to memorize a thing! One such place is a short drive from home near Jacksonville, Arkansas. Right outside of town is the Civil War Battlefield of Reed's Bridge. Reed's Bridge crossed the Bayou Meto which is a tributary of the Arkansas River. It is a low stream with a miry bed, abrupt banks, and a heavy growth of timber on the sides. 

On the battlefield site a small homestead has been reconstructed. The main log cabin has one room downstairs and an attic for sleeping. When my sister and I arrived the cabin doors were locked. I had been here several years ago and it was all open, but due to vandalism they are now locked. We were a little disappointed that we couldn't go inside. Much to our delight one of the battlefield preservation society members happened to drop by while we were there. He was so kind and opened the doors for us. The inside of the cabin was only lit by the sunshine coming in the two doors. In the attic, the only light was from our camera flash! Therefore, these pictures are really grainy.

The last time I was here I sat in one of two rocking chairs on the back porch and ate lunch. The chairs are no longer there. I wonder if they were destroyed or stolen. 

Behind the main cabin was the cookhouse. The preservation society really did a pretty job of decorating the cabins for autumn.

One of the cabins that had been there several years ago is gone. All that is left is the chimney.

Beside the cookhouse was the garden. 

A beautiful garden still producing vegetables. I've never seen such black, rich soil and I've never seen a garden so healthy in late October!  Someone spends a lot of time here!

 On the other side of the garden is the barn . . .

complete with an old red wagon.

We had a great time exploring the homestead and walking a nearby trail, but as we walked through the battlefield we became more and more quiet. Men were wounded here and lives were lost in the battle to keep the Federal Calvary from crossing the Bayou Meto on their march toward the capital city of Little Rock. At the end of the day the Confederate Army were able to hold the field and the Federal Calvary retreated. There is a feel to this place; a feeling of sadness and loss.

Friday Finds & Randomness

My find today is a little unusual. It's not as if I were looking for these two historical columns. I just happened to bump into them...not literally though! Our downtown library had a book sale and being the lover of books that I am, I went with my sister. As we approached the library I noticed four old columns that I've never seen before. You pass through them from the parking lot to the front door. Of course, being a lover of historical things, I had to check them out. Engraved in marble below them was their story. The four columns supported the portico of Little Rock's first public library which was constructed in 1910 with funds from the Carnegie Foundation. The library was demolished in 1963. Oh, how I wish it was still there!!! During the demolition Carl Martin, from Mabelvale, recovered the original four columns. In 2009 the columns were given back to the library and this beautiful display was erected. What makes this an even better story is that Mr. Martin and his family lived right across the street from my husband. Even though the columns were in sections, I asked him where Mr. Martin could have kept such large pieces. He said that Martin had a huge building on his property that was full of just about anything you could imagine. That blows my mind, that an old building nearby had the columns to a Carnegie Library! Below is a picture of the first Little Rock library.

(Carnegie Library:  this media file is in the public domain in the United States.)

Linking with Kim's Friday Finds.

That was rather long, so I'll try to keep the randomness short!!

#1

Going to the book sale has always been a treat although it's rather hard on me. It's held in the basement of the library which is crammed with books and people. My social anxiety overcame me the moment I walked in. I looked straight ahead and there was the photography section. I was hoping for a great find and to calm my panic. A few minutes later with no great find and not calming, I searched for my sister. I followed her around for a few minutes, took some deep breaths, and began to calm. I did find a few books by an author I like to read. I don't buy many books any more. I would rather check them out from the library. Someone found a way to brighten up the basement by painting fairy tale characters on the columns. Pretty cool. Okay, so that was not short...I'll try to do better on the next four!

#2
While my sister and I were downtown we also went to the River Market to check out the delicious looking fresh produce. Oh, how I wish we had fresh fruits and veggies all year long!

#3

One way to preserve those fresh fruits is to make freezer jam. So far this year I've made strawberry, peach, and cherry. There is nothing better on an English muffin, toast, or pancakes than homemade jam. It's also pretty tasty to put a large dollop on top of vanilla ice cream!

#4

Check out this cool shadow I found on the bathroom wall. I have this tin flower poke that is in my philodendron right across from a sunny window. I don't know why, but it just makes me smile!

#5

Lastly, I give you a close-up picture of my doorstop. Every time I walk by it and see it in the north light, I want to take it's picture. This week I did just that! My daughter and her family gave it to me for Mother's Day. It's a heavy ball of some sort covered with rope that is woven into a design. It has a really nautical look to it, which reminds me of our vacation at the ocean.

It's been a good week here. The weather has been unbelievable.  Absolutely perfect for someone that doesn't like summer.  Yesterday's high was only in the low 70's! Normally this time of year we're right at 100 with a heat index of 104-106!  I don't know what's caused this milder summer, but...

I. LOVE. IT!