I have always had a passion for photographs. When I arrived in our family, my mother purchased a box camera. I still have quite a few photos of myself, starting as a babe in arms, and my growing up years on the farm. I don't have any siblings so I was the 'star'! When we moved to the city, and I was attending school, Mother used a Brownie camera, with the glass view finder, which I still have in my collection. The definition of a trove, according to Webster, is a collection or store of valuable or delightful things, and I certainly have a trove of photos.

My first job, when I attended High School, was at a photo studio where I learned to hand-color photos, both studio wedding photos and portraits. It was a fascinating art and desired by customers because there was no such thing of colored film for cameras. 

My parents gave me a camera when I entered Nursing School so that I could create memories of three years of training, with new friends and of new experiences. During those years, in the late 1950s, colored  slides came into being. I have several large photo albums, with black and white photos mounted with 'corner stickers', that were always available at every class reunion, which were held every five years. I also had carousals of slides and a projector, that we could enjoy together with friends and classmates. When we were preparing for our 50th Year Reunion, I discovered that the colored slides were beginning to deteriorate, so I scanned about 800 slides and burned them on CDs, as a commemorative gift for classmates. They created a flood of memories for all of us... with lots of laughs, happy and sad stories, and some forgotten details.

The photos taken of our family, from our wedding, the birth of our children and their growing up years have been preserved in many albums. It is the closest to being a journal, not in written words, but in photos. My dear husband was so generous in supporting my passion of photography with a variety of cameras, from 35 mm with additional lens, to compact pocket cameras, to digital. Our travel experiences have been recorded and shared with family and friends; an experience that my father called "armchair travels".

I still take photos frequently with the camera in my phone, which is always within reach. It's the best camera that I've had, and I  can sort out the mediocre ones from the treasured ones, at no extra cost, and enjoy them whenever I want. 

They are my treasure trove!

Tags: Photos Memories Journal