Best Thursday Challenge of 2013

This week we are being asked to choose our best Thursday Challenge post from 2013. This was originally posted April 2013 for the theme "blue."

I know what you're thinking... What does a horse and a hippie have to do with the color blue? This is me circa 1979. I'm at my friend Benji's farm...

I attended a small college called West Virginia Wesleyan in Buckhannon, West Virginia. I met Benji from a fraternity where we were members. Benji was a local student and lived at his parents farm outside of town. I lived on campus. We would occasionally go to his house for lunch or dinner. His mom was a great cook and always had plenty of food on hand for two hungry teens. One of our favorite activities was horseback riding on the trails around the farm.

Benji had to teach me how to ride and let me saddle up the mare you see in this photo. She was always so gentle for me being the novice I was. Every time we went horseback riding I choose her to ride. I think she chose me as well. She got to know me as well as I knew her. I always had a little snack for her.

Her name was Blue.

Posted for Thursday Challenge. This week's theme is "blue." If you are feeling blue, you will feel better if you check out a few more Theme Thursday posts by clicking here.

Barking Cat

I always knew those cats were fakers.

Peace Pole Shadow

Peace Pole Shadow
Leslie's Retreat Park
Salem, Massachusetts

Photo: CrazyasaCoolFox

 

Peace poles can be found all  around the world!
This one speaks, "may peace prevail on earth," in 4 different languages.

Posted for Shadow Shot Sunday 2.

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My Grandmother's Aprons

Photos: CrazyasaCoolFox
(click to magnify)

"He was tied to his mother's apron strings." I'm sure you have all heard this phrase. To be honest, that phrase applied to me as a young boy. But it wasn't my mother's apron strings to which I was "attached,"  but to my grandmother's apron strings. To this day (and I was reminded of this at this year's Thanksgiving gathering) I am known as Grammie's little boy.

As a very young boy I was cared for by my grandmother during the daytime as my mother worked. Grammie always was cooking, and was at her happiest when she was cooking. She would always include me in her cooking especially when it came to preparing the dessert of the day.

She could cook a great meal and probably could put some of today's celebrated chefs to shame. Her head was full of recipes but when she needed a resource she would refer to the venerable "Betty Crocker Cookbook." That quick glance was all she needed.

Grammie never cooked without an apron. As you can see by the photos I found in our family albums she had one for every occasion. She even received aprons as gifts, some lovingly handmade, some bought at a fancy department store. Today when I cook I don't use an apron but I'll remember my grandmother's aprons when I find ingredients all over my clothing.

Just a side note here: Grammie was notorious for avoiding the camera. She was extremely camera shy. When she allowed her photo to be taken she had to be all prim and proper. If one of us were to sneak a candid shot of her, as most of these shots are, she had a look of surprise. What you don't see in these photos is the fist she would shake at the photographer after the flash went off. It was always good fun to tease her with the camera and she was always the good sport.

There many more apron related blog posts cooking over at Sepia Saturday. Just click here!

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Peace Pole

Peace Pole
Healing Garden - Lynn Union Hospital
Lynn, Massachusetts

Photo: CrazyasaCoolFox

 
Peace poles can be found all  around the world!
This one speaks, "may peace prevail on earth," in 12 different languages.

Posted for Thursday Challenge. This week's theme is "peaceful."
To find many more peaceful photography, click here for Thursday Challenge.

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