Sunday, May 06, 2007

Ramshackle

While I was in Oliver last week, my dad and I went out on a photo shoot. We love to do this and we can get quite competitive. We both take loads of shots of the same location and it is amazing the different kinds of photos we get. Here are a few of mine.
We can both look at something in such different ways and focus on different aspects and shooting angles. When we get home, we load up our memory cards and analyse our results. His photos turned out much better than mine did. He really captured the hazy light just nicely.






This old barn house is so dilapidated. It is a shame it isn't better kept as it is a heritage site. If the town would put a new roof on it, the rest of the building may stand a chance. But maybe it has already become too rickety to be roofed safely.












In all the years I have been visiting this area, I had never before ventured out to the old barn. However it isn't the first time I have seen its likeness.
My Grandfather loved to paint and was moved to commit this aging construction to paper via his paint brush. He gave me this watercolour painting years ago.
It has hung in my house along with others Grandad did. Now this painting is even more special to me as I now can see why he wanted to paint it. The petrified planks are saturated with history and whispers of lives past. Just as Europe has its castles and grand old churches, Western Canada also has historic architecture. Sadly, unlike the Europeans stone and rock edifices, our short history is built of wood, which lasts a much shorter time. If the leaders of this area could be made to see the importance of preserving our historic landmarks then perhaps my grandchildren will have the privilege of hearing the ghosts of the past whisper to their hearts, as they did to mine just recently.
Dad came across this jawbone, maybe that of a deer?
I wonder, could the hoof beat of this critter be amongst those ghosts?
HUH? What KEEP OUT sign?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

What a beautiful story about you, your father and your grandfather, his watercolor paintings and your thoughts about the old structures and buildings to save as heritage of Canada. Quite fascinating. One more question: Is that your cousin Teddy Eddy on the photo in the previous post?

sharon said...

Well I see where you get your love for photography. It's great that you can share that with your dad. As long as people like you are capturing images such as these, they will live on so that your grand children can hear the ghosts' whispers. Then maybe your grand children can do the same for theirs.

ellen said...

Sorry I haven't been around for a bit, but I think I'm beginning to claw my way out of the abyss. As always, your photos are stunning.

Susan said...

Herman,
That is actually Keith in the previous post on the beach. Eds mum took us there. Actually, I just now remembered something. While she led us along the beach, we came across a message someone had written in the sand. It said "I love you Mom". It was as though it had been left for her!

Jo said...

Susan, it would seem your whole family has an artistic eye. Those photographs ar exquisite, as is your grandfather's watercolor painting. What a treasure to have! It must have been a nice feeling to see the barn "in person" for the first time.

I love that part of the province. It's so different from here, isn't it?

Smalltown RN said...

wow your photos are amazing....I love Oliver....you come from a very artistic family...that painting your grandfather did is very special.....

Thanks for dropping by my blog today...cheers

Vickie said...

I have always said you have talent and now I see you are not the only one in your family with talent---your dad and I love your grandfather's watercolor painting.

Thank you for sharing such beauty and allowing me to see your country through your eyes.

It is neat you love photography as you do and use it to have some very special time with your dad making special memories in many ways for the future to always have and share.

Annie said...

I'd love to have a day like that with my father, or my mother, or anyone who wanted to go along and do a companion photo shoot and talk over the things we see. What fun you must have had.

Shannon said...

Those are beautiful pictures. Thank you for stopping by my blog!

Dick said...

Very nice photos! It sure is fun just going roaming with a camera and it is so great with digital. Much less expensive!