April 22, 2008

Zeeeeeeeeees!

I went out driving around this past weekend in hopes of finding something interesting to photograph and just wasnt really feeling in the mood to battle through blackberry bushes to get into an old abandoned house or get hollered at for standing on someones yard trying to get pictures of their old broken barn...so I found myself on the edges of Zee's Recycling out on the Guide - a place I think may very well be the ultimate Heaven and where I want to go when I die.

Wandering.....for all of eternity, through the mazes of mounds of rusty goodness - yes, if I could pick where Heaven was - this would definately be it for me. ;)


I couldn't get in of course - at least not without having someone call the police to rat me out...its right on the busiest road in the county and there were old watchful eyes peering out at me from the house across the street, just waiting to see if I was going to try to climb over the boxcar barricade or squeeze my tiny self between the two that would have possibly let me in with just a few small bruises on my ribcage ;) - probably with fingers poised and ready to dial 911 upon seeing me disappear into that wonderful land of "Yummy."


There are SO many different things to photograph just on the outside...I can only imagine all the joyous things Id find on the other side....but alas, I was doomed to wander the edges of Heaven and find myself denied by barbed wire, chain link fences and giant textured boxes - which were enough to fill my entire memory card with photos of close ups of the peeling paint, rusted edges and various odd cracks and dents that they were so proudly displaying.



These are some of my favorite shots - I just love all of the different colors and shapes...








And I couldnt help but laugh at this last one - when you cant find any paper...just write it on a boxcar door..."Red Sam - Going out today!"

I kept expecting to find a grocery list on the other side ;)
Anyway - thats my walk through Zee Heaven.
Someday, I'll make it to the other side....
My luck, Im going to Hell - where everything is shiney and new ;)

April 2, 2008

Trailer Trash...er Trashed Trailer?



One of my favorite things to hear as of late is "I found this broken down *Insert object here* on the side of the road and thought of you" - Friends are emailing to tell me of falling down barns, cousins are calling to tell me to visit them sometime and take pictures of old broken machines, and random people are telling me about couches they found in gravel pits or rusted pieces of metal they saw on their way to work - its awesome. :) Not just because they are leading me to great things to photograph - but because more and more people are starting to stop and notice the little things they pass every day and see them in a different light - something beautiful instead of something ugly.

I feel like Im having a tiny chance to change the world a little bit - even if its just something silly like finding beauty in the little things we so often take for granted...its a great feeling :)


My husband has been working on location up in Blaine the past month for his new job and kept telling me about the "Sploded trailer" he passes every day on his way to the factory hes working for. He drove me out there this past weekend to give me my wedding anniversary present...he got permission for me to enter the building and take pictures of industrial equipment! (stay tuned...Ill post them soon) - and to show me the "sploded trailer" he sees all the time.

Now thats a man that knows the way to his wifes heart... ;) give me a broken down trailer on the side of the road and a free pass to spend an hour inside a place with machines and rusty things (with PERMISSION!) over a diamond ring any day!


Needless to say, I squealed like a schoolgirl when I saw this trailer. I have no idea what happened to it, but I have alot of various scenarios running through my mind! Was it a lovers quarell? Did it get attacked by some crazed mad man or a hungry bear? Did the party get too wild? Angry teen? hmmmmmm so many thoughts - and such a lovely piece of eye candy!




I think someone had way too much fun beating the life out of this trailer - which in turn gave it a whole new life for me to photograph. It was surely beautiful and shiney at one time - and you know, Id not have given it a second look if it was parked on the side of the road back then. But here I am, all googly eyed and drooling over this junked pile of someones life.
I can never get past the stories I wish I could hear. I want to know who lived here...why? Was it a good life? Good memories? Sad story? - or maybe I dont want to know. Maybe it was a tormented, lonely soul and eventually they just couldnt take it anymore...



All I know is - I treasure it in its current state. You might think Im crazy - but its beautiful to me. Most everything is...you know.