7.14.11: My grandpop would have been 111 years old today. He died in 1987 following a rough stretch of survival after having a stroke. He was one of the hardest workers I knew, and remember his days of gardening from morning to night so well. We lived in his home during my younger years until we moved into our own house when I was 11. I connect to his spirit with every session of hard yard work. I think that's one of the reasons I love sweating it out in the dirt no matter the weather.
I believe that I took this photo when I was in a senior in highschool for my photography class. My grandpop wore this suit for special outings. A trip to church, a visit to the bank, or a Sunday afternoon at our house. I remember telling him that he could smile and that he didn't have to be perfectly still. It was just the way, and I appreciate that there's still an element of that in the image. It's one of my favorite prints of my Grandpop, chemical discolorization and all.
