My Childhood Home ~

Looking back I wish I would have insisted that my parents stand together in front of our childhood home and let me snap a photo of them both. I love capturing memories and that would have topped my list as one of my favorite memories. It never happened, maybe there's a photo somewhere of them together in front of their home, the one that they brought my two younger siblings home to after they were born, but I still haven't found one yet.

I made my way back to Central Iowa last week to visit my mom and I took along my camera and lenses. I knew that with a little bribing I'd get some photographs of her in front of the home that my dad & she purchased in their early twenties and so proud of. She agreed to let me snap some photos, they turned out lovely. My mom has a love for flowers and she has some pretty amazing flower beds. Looking back I never appreciated her talent as much as I do now. She's incredibly proud of all she's done to make her home a happy one and might I add......beautifully landscaped also.

Growing up I remember doing dishes in the kitchen with a dish rag, we didn't have a dishwasher, I was the dishwasher. At the time I'd be so angry because it seemed like I was the one always stuck doing the dishes. If I had to go back in time I'd do it all over again. It builds character , right ? At least thats's what I tell myself now 50 years later !!!

My mother in her element, admiring her flowers, I'll admit they are pretty amazing, just like her. My grandparents always had beautiful flower beds around their home on the lake and I think having a "green thumb" may just be in the blood. My daughter Tia has a green thumb too and has the yard looking bright and cheerful also. See, I might be onto something about having it run in the family.

My mom has people in town that are more than happy to help mow the yard, that was my dads job when he was alive. He actually seemed to enjoy it, I think at the time he had a riding mower which made mowing a lot easier, I'm not sure what ever happened to the mower. Whenever I come back home her yard always looks well kept and so thankful for the people who mow it for her, I consider them her tribe. That's one of the blessing of small town living, every one looks out for each other. You truthfully don't get that in the big city, at least not where I live.

Off in the distance you can see a snippet of my dads garage. It was the place where he worked on wood projects, the crafts that he'd make all year he'd eventually give out to family and friends. I must say he was very talented. This was the neighborhood hangout, there were many beer parties in there I'm sure. My dad loved his friends and they all loved him. We all still have all of the trinket boxes he made for us. The boxes have our names engraved on them and made especiallly for us by him. Thank you dad ~ I'm not sure I truly ever told him how appreciative I was of those unique and well crafted trinket boxes.

My mother with my nephews dog Charlie. He's a sweet guy. He's similar to my Champ in that they both bark at the Amazon Truck and UPS Truck, heck they bark at all the big delivery trucks.

I know Charlie and my mom seem to get along well. I think it's good for her to have him there to keep her company. I don't think she's admit it to us but she needed a pet.

It's always wonderful visiting my mom and I especially love that I get to go to the home where I grew up. It holds a lot of great memories. So many great ones and truthfully there are a handful of times that yes maybe things weren't perfect but who has a "PERFECT" family. If you say "I DO" than you're lying. It simple as that, we all have the "stuff". ! As I've aged I apprecaite everyhting my parents did for us, such as my father being the sole financial provider. He worked so that my mom could stay at home and make sure we had supervision, warm cooked meals, guidance, someone to talk to on rough days. It was a time that I now appreciate so much. Hug your loved ones, tell them how much they mean to you.