Photo Scavenger Hunt

The things to hunt for in July were:
sprinkler
dandelion
clothesline
road side stand or farmer's market
American flag

A few layouts have come in. Email yours to me and I'll be happy to post them.

 Jan's layout. She has some incredible old pictures in her collection.

 Another of Jan's layouts that incorporates the rest of the items.

Karolyn's layout. Here's her journaling:

 Summer Fun

I’m a Summer Girl! Because I tend to be cold all the time, summer is my favorite season.

FLAG:  We fly our flag often but especially for the holidays. At the farm, we fly one all the time. This summer (2013), I helped Shane, Grace & Ellie make flag t-shirts while babysitting in June.

DANDELION:  I love to make a wish when blowing a dandelion! I captured this one while on our 40^th anniversary cruise in Greece. It looks just like American dandelions but this one is pretty special.

ROADSIDE STAND:  I can’t get enough fresh produce in summer. I was going to snap a produce stand but instead asked Bruce to seek one out while in Albuquerque. No surprise that he found a roadside taco stand instead! He & the fellow pictured couldn’t communicate but another person stepped in to interpret. The story quickly got out of control with Bruce getting the photo & a free dinner!!

CLOTHESLINE:  I am reminded of my childhood in Laf. when I helped Mother hang clothes on the backyard line. They smelled so good as we folded the dry clothes! When we went to Italy in 2007, I was surprised to see they just run their lines outside the windows for all to see. At least mine was in the backyard!!

SPRINKLER:  I don’t recall getting to play in the sprinkler much but here I have Stephen, Lauren & Erin on the Slip ‘N Slide at ages 4, 6, & 9. The grandkids also love to Slip ‘N Slide @ the farm.

I always hate when summer ends. The fresh produce, sunshine, & tan become a distant memory as Fall & Winter approach.

Here's my layout. I've decided on a format that I'm going to use throughout the year. I'm going to compare and contrast each item with a childhood memory. Here's my first set:

When I first found out about a photo scavenger hunt, it sounded intriguing. Knowing I probably wouldn’t take the time to do it myself, I decided to make it a challenge for my friends. I modified the concept and reduced the number of photos to just five per month. These five simple things remind me of essential summer from my childhood.

1.   American flag: Memories of the 4^th of July barbeques with the Self family are the best. We had shot off firecrackers---carrying the punk between our teeth. We roamed and played all day. Once it got dark, we settled on top of our cars to watch the fireworks display. Back then, a bunch of kids could lay on the roof without fear of collapse! 

When I saw Morgan and Victoria’s flag fruit fantasy pizza on our vacation, I knew that would be my choice for this photo.

2.   Dandelions were a dime a dozen when we were growing up. We wound the yellow flowers in to jewelry, but it was the whispy seeds that really got our attention. We would make a wish and then “blow.” If you managed to blow ALL of the seeds, then chances were good that your wish would come true.

With today’s weed killers, it’s getting harder and harder to find a dandelion. I found this one on the path to the beach in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Honestly, I’m not even sure it’s a dandelion---but rather another wildflower. Still it reminds me of the ones from my youth.

3.    You could always count on sprinklers as being a good source of summer entertainment. Anything to cool us off. Playing in the water was synonymous with hot, humid, muggy St. Louis.

Now-a-days, we don’t run through the sprinkler anymore. It’s as if we’ve grown up and the sprinkler has become the sophisticated device to keep our gardens watered. Still, I watch the flowers grab the mist and hang on. Whether I’m in the sprinkler or not, it’s a refreshing feeling.

4.   Mollerus’ roadside stand was “the” place to get your fresh fruits and vegetables. My sisters both worked there. But even if someone wasn’t there to collect your money, it was an honor system---take what you want and leave payment.

I’m not sure that would work today. There’s nothing I like better in the summer than fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s the perfect time to concentrate on eating healthy. It’s so much easier with an abundance of produce available. Jeanne was with me when I got this shot. The nectarines and plums were delicious.

5.   Every yard in the neighborhood had a clothesline with fresh laundry blowing in the breeze. Even if the clothes were a little stiff, it was worth in just for that smell!

Unfortunately, it looks like clotheslines just might be a thing of the past. I searched and searched and couldn’t find a single one.

The list for August is:

1. A fountain

2. A Historical landmark

3. An unusual flower

4. A swing or hammock

5. A fire truck or fire station

Good luck and if you have a layout, be sure to send it to me! Can't wait to see what you come up with.