Yes, once again it is horn tooting time. Just to clarify, it’s a virtual horn…more of a metaphorical horn, really. Though I played the trombone in high school, I promise that you would not want to hear me tooting that specific horn today. So all said, I hope you enjoy this horn tooting as I fill you in on the latest accolades that have come my way.

And, it’s a bit more than just photographs. There was something about one of my photographing expeditions that affected me deeply. At the end of today’s article, you will see what it is. I’m wondering if you will experience some of the same emotions that I felt then, and still today.

“Toot!!!”

— Steve

The international Spider Awards is a competition for black and white photography. The recognition today comes from the 17th annual competition, which had over 7,000 entries from 69 countries.

A word about the recognition. Over twenty international, industry experts reviewed the photo submissions. There is a competition for professional photographers and amateur photographers…as I don’t come close to making a living off my photography, I am an amateur. When we submit photos for this competition, we must designate one of 15 different photo categories for each of our submittals. The judges initially nominated 850 photos for further consideration and recognition. The winners in each category are awarded as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Then, there are the also-rans which receive Honorable Mention recognition. Though I’ve placed in past competitions, this year I received recognition in the Honorable Mention and Nominated categories. Drat…better luck next year, right?

So, here are the two photos which received the Honorable Mention designation…and I’m ashamed to say that neither were taken in Italy.

Honorable Mention

I very much prefer my color version of “Standing for Something”, which you can see here.

Nominated

You’ll start to see very quickly that most of the photos are in the desert environment of Arizona. That’s because I absolutely love the desert…even though there is no pasta, wine, grapes and other such Italian influences. But, there is solitude, beautiful cacti, and resort hotels with lazy rivers. Nough said.

That last photo creates a lot of emotion for me…I’m an emotional guy (ask any of my close friends who’ve seen me blubbering at the drop of a hat). I’ll explain this particular emotional journey with a few accompanying photos.

The Story of “It Was A Home”

Chances are high (astronomical, actually) that you’ve never heard of Garcia, Colorado…even if you are from southern Colorado, you’ve probably not heard of it. It is just north of New Mexico on a seldom-traveled road, about 2,700 feet into Colorado.

Garcia was aptly settled by a family with the last name of “Garcia”. The town was originally settled in 1849 as La Plaza de los Manzanares. That name hints at apples and apple orchards, though I can’t envision those now as I look at today’s Garcia. A post office called “Garcia” was established in 1915. So, this place is old.

It is a collection of very old, long-abandoned adobe homes. These are not the cinder-block-with-plaster adobe-like homes of the modern era, but the real deal…a combination of clay earth, straw and water, hand formed into large blocks or “brick”.

Here is a view of the particular home where the doorway photo above was taken. You can see the doorway in the left-third of the photo.

***Abandoned Adobe Home in Garcia, Colorado***

And here is a slightly different view of the doorway…and what caught my eye. Do you see it?

That wallpaper in an old, abandoned adobe building took it from just a building sitting abandoned, to someone’s home…a home where they had the pride of ownership to install wallpaper on an adobe-plastered wall. They took time to select wallpaper from who-knows-where (was it from a Sear’s catalog, yesteryears precursor to Amazon?) and then they lovingly hung it. All the while, the home never had anything but a dirt floor.

But wait, there’s more. Let’s go inside…

Now we can see more of the motif of the wall covering.

It looks a bit like white peonies interspersed with a vertical lace pattern, doesn’t it?

But, there is something else. That wallpaper is not the first wallpaper to be hung in this wall. There is another paper pattern underneath this one. See the yellow color amidst the cracked adobe? Here’s a closer look…

Seeing their dedication to creating a home, as they toiled to decorate their home in this hardscrabble land of southern Colorado, that’s where my emotions took over as I looked at what they were creating many years ago…again, that being, a home.

My mind began to imagine their family makeup and size, their daily work, and their origin journey

Ultimately, did their dreams come true, or did they dry up in this arid land? Was this home abandoned quickly in failure, or only after a long and fruitful life?

I want to believe that, though times were probably difficult, there were times of joy and laughter around the family table…just as my own family has experienced.

Were they in this place for many years, or was it perhaps a successful waypoint to places and things better?

Were they people of faith, gathering with neighbors at a small nearby church, seeking answers to prayer just as we do today?

These are questions without answers, I gather.

In my travels in the west, I’ve seen countless abandoned shells of life tried…where I’ve been curious whether there was abundant pleasure or insufferable loss.

All of this leaves me wondering if there was vast happiness for awhile or even longer, or whether there were just broken hearts, and busted dreams.

I’ve thought of this home and the imagined occupants many times, and my fervent dream is that there were many evenings of joyful light and love in this home with floral wallpaper.

I hope you didn’t mind that diversion into the past, but let’s get back to the present. And at present, I’m working on a trip to Italy this fall! Yes, we will be heading to the land of friendly people, great food, beautiful scenery, ancient history, and of course, a bit of wine. And, we are super pleased (that being more than just plain-ole pleased) to be taking friends with us for their first Italy adventure. So, stay tuned for more on our trip planning. But, until then I say,

Ciao for now,

Steve

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The Results Are In - Part 22

Honorable Mention

Nominated

The Story of “It Was A Home”