Penning Photography Daily

The Penning Family Christmas Card was a near annual event.

In this one, I’m just a few months over 2 years old, dearly clutching my beloved Pooh Bear. Next up in order are Trish, John, Mary Anne, Frank, Nick, Dennis (in-between Mom & Larry) and Larry at the top right. Dad & Mom leading from the left.

I keep up the tradition with my own version of the family Christmas portrait. Chris & now Jennie indulge me. =)

After taking my self portrait, I turned around and grabbed this one.

Just a bit of the sky and the late sunlight brightening up the turning leaves.

Good views wherever I turn.

I broke out the Winter coat today. Brrrrrrrr.

Of course, next March, after a season of below 40 and below (some much more below) temperatures, I know that today’s 48F will be a welcome “heat wave.”

That’s then, this is now, and I’m not quite ready for it. Tough toenails, I say. I’ll get used to it.

This was taken from the trunk of my car in our driveway. I liked the color of the leaves on the tree behind me.

My Dad was a physician & surgeon, obstetrics & gynecology was his specialty. This is a photo taken by another physician of Dad in the operating room during surgery.

What got me was the look of concentration by each person in the photo. Life and death in their hands and with their every action.

That kind of stress, with the rewards of success and the devastation of failures, would take a real toll on anyone. Dad decided to quit surgery when he felt he couldn’t give it the perfection that he demanded of himself and those around him, the perfection he owed his patients.

His body gave out long before his desire to heal diminished.

That was a hard realization for him. I’m appreciating his willingness to step away from his practice more as I’m aging myself.

I found this in a scrapbook, it’s pages sparingly stuffed with mementos and clippings, none of them arranged or set into place. A project that he never bothered to finish. I imagine that it was a hard book to go through for him, knowing that what he absolutely loved to do was no longer in his grasp.

Dad lived 20+ years after his medical practice ended. He had the joys of family and dear friends to fill his life. We sang songs, enjoyed many family gatherings, and he and Mom loved their time together.

Seeing this reminds me of the whole other part of Dad that he shared with the world.

Healer.

We had just bought our new home. July 1986.

Karen & Chris & I, along with our parents, Jean & Howard, Tom & Mary.

Chris was 3 years old. Can you tell he was excited by the new big yard? I love his expression.

Chris has his own home now with his bride Jennie. We just were together tonight, celebrating Jennie’s birthday.

My Mom & Dad are gone, but Karen’s folks are still active as ever.

The tree behind us is a lot bigger, and we’re standing under where we would later put a sunroom and deck.

Time changes, people change with time.

Still smiling, though. =)

Another from yesterday.

Today, this would have been near impossible. Wind gusts up to 40 MPH, have everything in motion. This serene image needed some gentle breezes and nothing more.

Well, the sunlight is what makes it really pop.

This one was my favorite. My first photo that I took of the set.

With the wind being so gusty, that my car was rocking from side-to-side while driving, I was inspired to capture the wind in today’s self portrait.

I left my over-my-regular-glasses sunglasses on for an additional bit of interest.

I thought of driving to an open field, where the wind could really whip my hair around, but figured it would be better not to waste gasoline. =)

At the end of our street, by my driveway, wind-whipped.