Americana

Since I’m in a nostalgic, black-and-white kind of mood, I thought I’d share this photo taken by my uncle Jim, a truly gifted photographer who couldn’t have been older than 19 or 20 when he took this. The composition of the photo is magnificent. And he really captured something here—something that feels like it’s gone forever. Not my youth! That’s not gone (at least not in my head).

Innocence, maybe, or simplicity. That and perhaps the American ideal.

Lafayette, Indiana Aunt Krystal says it was in L.A., in her backyard and we were probably visiting from Indiana (or maybe Tennessee…). 1963 (proof that I was of the “grew up swooning over Paul Newman” generation). Dad and my bunny and me on the swingy thingy. Mom flirting (?) with one of Dad’s Purdue buddies (?) Aunt Krystal says he’s probably my dad’s cousin. And she pointed out that the little hand on the swing in the middle is probably hers!

Mom was a beauty, Dad was a cutie. They were only 23 and 24! Mom, still a glamor girl, does Red Hats now.

Click the pic for a giant version.

Since I'm in a nostalgic, black-and-white kind of mood, I thought I'd share this photo taken by my uncle Jim, a truly gifted photographer who couldn't have been older than 19 or 20 when he took this. The composition of the photo is magnificent. And he really captured something here—something that feels like it's gone forever. Not my youth! That's not gone (at least not in my head). Innocence, maybe, or simplicity. That and perhaps the American ideal. Lafayette, Indiana Aunt Krystal says it was in L.A., in her backyard and we were probably visiting from Indiana (or maybe Tennessee...). 1963 (proof that I was of the "grew up swooning over Paul Newman" generation). Dad and my bunny and me on the swingy thingy. Mom flirting (?) with one of Dad's Purdue buddies (?) Aunt Krystal says he's probably my dad's cousin. And she pointed out that the little hand on the swing in the middle is probably hers! Mom was a beauty, Dad was a cutie. They were only 23 and 24! Mom, still a glamor girl, does Red Hats no