Nostalgia

Upon reading a blog entry written by one of my Sisters-in-Law, I felt I should write a similar post. So here goes.

On Sunday the 7th of September 2003, I felt inspired as I listened to testimonies in my Young Women's lesson, to start a journal. Before then, I had been encouraged by my Mum, but as a child I didn't understand and my entries usually consisted of quickly scrawled "I got up. I went to bed." or "I went to school then I went to bed.". Occasionally I would write a sentence more, but often I would write nothing. Since that Sunday, I have written regularly, not every day, but regularly.
I had just turned 16 at that time, and my entries, I'm sad to say, do not reflect whatever maturity I had at that point, if indeed I had any. They consisted of boys, horrid parents, me - the victim, college, church, and more boys... More pleasant memories were recorded as my teenage angst faded, and then even more as I realised that my childhood was slipping away from me, and that soon all that would be left would be memories. Amongst all the every day nonsense that I wrote, there are occasional gems of great value. These are what I was writing for, these few precious memories from my 'childhood' that I would have otherwise forgotten.

For all of this to make sense here is a little background. I have two parents and two sisters. My sisters are Hannah, 1986 and Martha, 2001. I remember little from my childhood, mostly just fractured memories or impressions. My overall impression is that I was a happy child and was well loved. I adored my older sister, Hannah. I drove her crazy following her everywhere and wanting to do everything together, she was SO MUCH FUN! I loved my parents as well and though I would get cross with them often, I felt a great sense of gratitude for the many sacrifices that I knew they made for me. I remember more from my teenage years, but still not a great deal and often when I read a journal entry I have no recollection of the specific events described, which makes me eternally grateful for that impression I received to keep a journal.

(Idea: As my children are still so young, I want to record things that they do and interactions we have so they can have some sort of record of their early childhood. I started a journal for my eldest a few months ago and often record things in my own journal as well.)

I would like to share certain memories with the world, or at least my blog readers. I'm no Anne Frank, but I understand the value of history and I love reliving the sweet gem-like memories I have from my past and others that I have recorded in my journal.

I will entitle these posts 'Memories' and 'Journal Entry', sort of like a series mixed in with the things that are happening now.

Ee-ee-ya

Olivia has a friend over to play and they are sitting eating their lunch at the table. A few mintues ago, I heard Olivia calling, "Hold on! Hold on Eli! Hold on to leg! Hold on to *Eeeya's leg! Hold on tight! Hold on tight Eli!". Eli just sat there, eating his sandwich.

Children are so fun to observe interacting with each other!

*Eeeya is how Olivia says her name (Ee-ee-ya)

Aesthetically Pleasing

Here is the first installment of photos that I love. No copyright infringement intended.

This is a Cooper's Hawk that graced my garden with it's presence.

I love this picture from the wickedly curved beak to the savage red eyes. When I think that I took it, I feel like a wild child that nature has embraced and welcomed by showing me a deep beautiful part of herself.

Taken by me, Dec 2010.

I love how the background is mute and misty whilst the subject is vibrant and crisp and I especially love the bright red frills that are spilling out of the bottom of her skirt. I find a sort of effortless ease to what I assume is a jump, which creates a feeling of youthful whimsicality in me that is hard to shake off. I feel as though I want to prance around shoe-less in a field infested with moles and that by doing so I will attain eternal youth.

Unknown photographer/model.