Today’s “assignment” in a photography class I’ve been taking was to photograph pictures of “Home”. So, I walked around the farm soaking in the views to really see where my heart and eyes fixated. And, these were the shots that made the cut.
As I asked myself, “Why these?”, I landed back on the same reason that even the word “home” is a comfort to me. Each of these pictures held a lifetime of stories… AND, each of these spots were far from perfect….. This, to me, is the tension that is life….Beautiful yet imperfect….Hard but rewarding…. maybe even bittersweet….
These pictures speak of memories easy and difficult…times where life itself wasn’t always neat and tidy…..sometimes it was just hanging on to survive. And, then sometimes, it was truly happy and peaceful.
The huge trees in our field, the well pumps, the barn poles, the handmade doors, and so on have seen over 3/4 of a century of life: the people and the animals that have lived here….they’ve seen a lot!
And, in thinking about what they’ve seen, I thought deeper into the tie and the tension of farm life….loving your animals as they grow and yet thanking them for giving their lives for a family to survive. While we no longer have to do this in our own lives, there wasn’t another option for the family that built this farm and lived here for so many years. And I again marvel at the tension of life.
Then I looked at the Well House (in case you’re wondering what it is…..it houses the well pump), and it reminded me of the time I sat on our porch with the gentleman who grew up here. He shared about walking to the stream each day for water until the time of year that it dried up. Then he spoke of having to walk almost half a mile more during those times. And, I marvel at what a joyous day it must have been when the well pump was installed! It no longer works in our lives, but it’s still of memory of our home’s past.
I found myself looking at the ladder to the hayloft and wondering how many other feet besides our family and friends have climbed that ladder. I wondered if they also felt nervous crossing over the boards that let the light of the floor below shine through. I wondered about the games they played and the times of stacking hay to make sure the animals would survive another winter.
I looked, too, in a fast forward movement at the handmade quilt I just bought, the herbs that we dried this year, and the egg-gathering apron my daughter gave me as a gift. My heart was filled again as I love these new stories that are taking shape here in our home.
And, honestly while our physical home here on the farm is surely a gift, the memories we’ve created through the tensions of life are what really matter
These are the lines of love that have formed with a strength that weathers joy, sadness, anger, frustration, and peace….Those are the true walls of “Home”.
So while, these pictures of home are not semblances of perfection, they carry stories of conquering challenges and celebrating the wins…..And, today we are wishing you that same heart-filled kind of Home! Thanks for joining us on this journey….
AND….. WE’RE SENDING YOU MANY BLESSINGS FROM THE FARM!
