5 Photographs I Wish I Would Have Taken

1. My dad passed away about four years ago from lung cancer. There was a time before his illness struck him that I did wish that I had my camera handy. My parents were visiting that summer, persuing a strenuous move from Fairbanks to Homer. My husband had taken one of the horses out for a trail ride on his own for the first time. He took such a long time that I began to worry. I took the dogs with me and we followed the tracks of my husband's horse. After a brief search, I gave up and returned home. As I walked down the driveway, dad was waiting for me, sitting at the picnic table under the trees. He was wearing his white t-shirt and his Sears Roebuk gray work pants. He appeared relaxed to me and his tranquil state helped to calm me down. Shortly, my husband arrived all in one piece.
2. Our dog, Bandit, was laying in front of the wood stove one night. It was -40 outside and seeing that dog laying there beside the fire the way he was comforted me. He was sprawled on his belly, front feet out, and back legs behind him. He reminded me of a super-hero dog, flying to the rescue.
3. My mom used to play the organ for our church when I was a kid. She really got into her playing and she did beautifully. She'd present herself proudly before the keys, dressed to impress and looking lovely. My sister and I used to giggle at her; she'd dip and sway back and forth, side to side while she played. We'd always get in trouble after church for laughing.
4. One misty, warm, and especially icy October morning, I was on my way to work. I regularly have to face a large hill in order to make it into town. I never really had trouble with this hill and I thought nothing of it. When I reached to top of the hill, I couldn't help but notice lights down below. When I reached the hill's descent, I witnessed several ditched cars and a bus cast off on all directions of the hill. I, of course, ended up in the ditch as well. Two men who were digging their cars out of the ditch, immediately began working on my truck too. I was reluctant to escape from the ditch mainly because the rest of the hill was an ice rink and I felt quite comfortable where I was. It took ten other ditched cars to encourage police officers to close that section of the highway. All of us had become a community at that point, a little girl was even serving us hot chocolate. About twenty minutes later, the gravel truck arrived. Tow trucks had lined up behind the police barrier, awaiting a race for sales, we were a money pit. It had been an excellent opportunity for pictures as well as photographing those people who had helped me with my truck. If only I had my camera.
5. There is a tree on the side of College Road. The tree was shaped in a very abnormal state, as if it had been blown half way over and remained in that position. Every time I'd pass that tree, I'd always wonder about it. How did it get that way? At times, I'd even worry. The other night I finally captured a photo of it. Someone had strung lights on it, giving it character. The batteries in my camera were dieing and the picture of that tree made it look even freakier. I had my camera set on Night Illumination. I provided this picture to share. Perhaps you recognize this tree.