Penning Photography Daily

I imagine this is some sort of palm.

The pink is what caught my eye. It reminds me of rhubarb.

We grew rhubarb, among many, many other plants and trees, on our ‘farm’ as I was growing up. Where we lived used to be part of a farm, and the part-time farmer full-time coal miner sold off a chunk of it to my Mom & Dad, who then built a house and dug a pond, planted a zillion trees, and tended gardens. Not just one garden, but many. We had a rhubarb patch, as we called it. Rhubarb pie. Yum.

Growing up with the big outdoors as our playground, was special. We didn’t recognize it as such at the time. I recall moaning and protesting about our chores, and for a long time looked back and groaned at all the maintenance that was needed for the big plot of land. Now, I see how special that place was, and what joy there is to be found outside.

Photography has given me back the love of the outdoors.

I look forward to the times I can get out and explore new places, seeing what can be seen and grabbing the scenery with my lenses. I find myself seeking out nearby places to explore wherever I go. On business trips, I plan ahead to see where the best places I can explore might be found in my off hours.

There’s so much fun in just being alive, no matter what limitations there are. For now, my abilities allow me to walk about with relative ease. I hope to keep that for a long time.

I used to think about all the books I’d be able to read when I had more time, but now it’s all the places and things to experience and see that I look forward to. I do that now, not knowing what the future brings, so that I can have these moments of wonder along the way, not saving up for some future “bucket list.”

I have now, and I intend to use it to the full.