One of my cousins sent around a huge bunch of 150 digitized photos from old albums that were my Grandmother's. There are lots of tin or paper portraits of various family members taken in the early 1900's - some people I recognize, some I don't. Many photos are also more recent, of my Gramma's family, of my dad and his 4 siblings in the 40s and 50s. These folks are the farming side of my family and this is evident in most pictures.

The picture above is my favorite. I think it's absolutely beautiful. The scene, the mud, facial expressions, headscarves, the cows, the lighting all seem to harmonize and it makes me smile. I think this photo could easily pass for something artfully composed, the optimal product of a series of photos, and prop arrangements. My Aunt Pat smiles engagingly from the hood; Aunt Peg, Uncle Tom and a couple of girl friends crowd onto the seat and axle posing for the unknown photographer. I don't know who the photographer may have been. My dad maybe. Someone participating in the light and youthful mood of the day down in the barnyard.

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