Pictures That Bring Peace to My Soul

1.) The Delta Garden At the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.

2.) Gulf Shores Alabama



3.) Gulf Shores Alabama

4.) Gulf Shores Alabama

5.) Gentry's Farm Franklin Tennessee

6.) Montgomery Bell State Park Trail as it crosses the creek near Hall Cemetery in Burns Tennessee

7.) One of the Boat Docks at Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns Tennessee

8.) Luther Lake Dickson Tennessee

9.) Dunbar Cave in Clarksville Tennessee

10.) These were picked for me by my oldest son

11.) Water Splashing up around a truck, this was taken on a dirt road in Burns Tennessee

12.) Buckner Park Ball Park Dickson Tennessee

13.) Taken from the back of a truck at the intersection of Hwy 47 and 46 in Dickson Tennessee

 

 Each one of these pictures has a story. A story that I am going to share with you in hopes that you too may find solace in the scenes just as I do.

1.) I recently came across this picture and realized that this picture was taken after Gaylord Opryland Hotel opened the Delta Gardens. It is such a lovely place, especially at Christmas. If you ever find yourself in Nashville during the holidays, go check out the Christmas lights at the hotel. It is a lot of walking, but worth every bit of it. This picture was taken before I became a mother, at a time when I was having an okay relationship with my mom and her close friend. All of us and my sister were there that day enjoy some laughter and relaxation.

2. through 4.) All Gulf Shores, probably from 2007. The first time I ever went there was in 2007. I had recently been fired from a job, it was a real wake up call. For a short time I took some time off from working and just let the unemployment coast me along. This was a time to get myself together and spend time with my oldest son. But I went to Gulf Shores in the Spring of 2007, and I fell in love with the ocean. I loved the sound of it, it just lulled me into a different place. Someday I hope to own a house close to the beach. I want to hear the waves lapping at the sand. These pictures were on the cubicle at my last job. They were there to soothe me on rough days.

5.) Gentry's Farm. I was barely pregnant in the fall of 2008. I went here on the spur of the moment with my sister, my oldest son, and her new baby. It was a warm day. But it was nice to see the pumpkin patch, get lost in the corn maze, check out the barn. This is one of the oldest working farms in Tennessee. The main house was beautiful. This was a little boat dock the hay ride took you past. I was still working at this time and I hung this picture up at my cubicle to remind me of warm sunny days.

6.) The trail that runs between Hall Cemetery and Montgomery Bell State park is a very long trail. It is a nice trail to just mosey along and enjoy the sounds of nature. I just happened to come across this picture in my picture box and thought it looked so pretty and peaceful.

7.) This is one of the boat docks at Montgomery Bell State Park. The entire park has a lot of trails that take you back into the woods but civilization is always close by. Its so nice to take the kids and walk a trail and wade in a creek or stand by the lakes and watch the ducks.

8.) Luther Lake is a wonderful little lake with Ducks and sometimes you can see a turtle. It's in the middle of town, but you can walk around the lake and if you go often enough you will see the same people pretty much everyday. There was an older gentleman with two prosthetic legs who walked around this lake every day no matter the weather. I often wonder if he is still out there walking. When I would drive by him I would think to myself "girl you are so lazy, look at this man and his drive to reach a goal, because I'm sure that is why he is out here"

9.) I went to Dunbar Cave in Clarksville Tennessee many years ago. I snapped this picture and it actually turned out pretty good. I used to have a copy of it framed and hanging on my wall. This was also around the time I was still thinking I might be a photographer.

10.) My oldest son picked these for me from the field across from our house. I put them in this pretty green vase. To me the gesture was the same as if he had given me roses.

11.) This was during the time I wanted to write a book about small town life and include pictures. My sister is actually the one who rode in the back of the truck to get the perfect shot. I bet it took at least ten tries to get it right. Of course back when this was taken we were using 35mm film.

12.) This was taken in 1998. This was also one of the days that my life took a turn. My best friend that I had been inseparable from since our sophomore year was moving to Arkansas. I was so sad that day and the shading in this picture to me reflects that sadness.

13.) Like I said, small town life reflected in pictures taken from the back of a truck, and by my sister.