Thursday, 4/8/10 - The Gathering

My challenge to myself this week was to photograph from the same place at the same time every day and to have each set of pictures look new and fresh.

The place I chose was the lakefront across from the college. The time was 7am.

You might have noticed me out there at 7am every morning this week but I didn't think anyone else had noticed.

An older man who lives across the street from the lake cautiously stepped his way down his steps, across his lawn and then, looking both ways before crossing, trekked across the street to the lakeside.

"'mornin. You with the county?"

"No, just taking some pictures."

"You been doing a lot of that lately."

"Yes, I like the way the lake looks in the morning."

"And in the afternoon. You were by here yesterday afternoon."

"Yes, yes I was."

As he was letting me know that my movements over the past few days had raised some suspicion, an electric company truck pulled off onto the shoulder and put on its flashers.

The driver got out and we all passed around a sprightly "Good Morning".

"Are you with the county?"

"No, just taking some pictures."

And the conversation went pretty much the same as it had with the older gentleman except we were now three and they knew each other. The conversation momentarily veered away from my comings and goings when the older man asked "yer boy goin ta college?"

It went like that until a young man, maybe in his 20's arrived on foot. I didn't see where he came from but he seemed to know everyone and after some more Good Morning's he just hung around and listened.

With the amount of scrutiny that had been bestowed on me by these fine people I thought it best to pass out business cards. I pulled three out of my holder but when I passed them out, I was one short...

...because as I was fumbling with the cards, a woman holding a small child on her hip had joined us.

"Good Morning. No, I am not with the county. Just taking some pictures."

I handed her a card.

There,
   by the road,
      in the early morning,
         we all stood by this beautiful lake
            and talked about the county
         and drainage
      and roads
   and growth.
The only thing missing was a basket of freshly baked buttermilk biscuits.