Beginnings

 Across the street from the farmhouse pictured on your left, once stood the home where I began. It has since burned to the ground.  My cousin's family still operates this 1,000 acre farm.  I was lounging on top of a silo, chatting with extended family when I snapped this shot.  I still enjoy be-ing there now and then.  In my early preschool years, we moved about a mile northwest of here, and then a mile southwest, where I gathered most of my childhood memories from 3rd grade through a year or so of college.  I liked to climb trees, one in particular, a walnut tree firmly rooted between property lines, with a pond on our side and 8 horses on the neighbor's.  There was only a nub of a branch that was reachable, almost the size of my hand, that I could jump up and grab, after a few tries, and then maneuver my way up.  Often I would just sit, a few branches up (not too high), and observe, absorbing all that there was to learn from; the plants, horses, water, birds, sky, and insects, while sensing the active stillness.  ​​