My 5 favorite photos are of the wonderful, fresh produce that came from our garden this Summer. Living in a small farm community means that a harvest of any sorts is a big deal. Whether it be the bushels of corn that comes from my dad’s big fields or the green beans and peppers that are picked daily out of our gardens, a good harvest is worth celebrating.

Fall is here now. The leaves have all changed colors and the trees are almost bare. Mother Nature is preparing the earth for it’s long winter’s nap. Each time I come across these colorful photos I am reminded of the hot Summer we had this year and how each and every garden picking was such a blessing. There is nothing more rewarding than planting a garden in the Spring, seeing those first seedlings sprout and then enjoying the fresh vegetables every night at the dinner table. Coming from a long generation of women who like to can foods, I am especially fond of the photo of my freshly canned jars of salsa. This photo takes me right back into the hot kitchen, with large pots of boiling water, my family sitting around the table cutting up vegetables and my mom and I in our aprons. Having photos that evoke these kinds of memories is really the reason why I take photos and preserve them in my scrapbooks.As the seasons change quickly it seems, these types of photos have to be taken just at the right moment. If you have seasonal memories you want to capture, don’t wait too long. Capture those veggies when they are at their peak of ripeness, take a photo of your favorite flowers while they are in full bloom, snap a photo of the beautiful leaves on the trees before they are gone.

Looking ahead to the holiday season, these moments will pass quickly also. We seem to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, but don’t forget to pick up the camera. Be sure to capture that glistening turkey on the dinner table, the first time you light a crackling fire, the sunset over the lake, that first snowfall with your kids making snow angels. It may not seem so unimportant right now because we can remember these short term happenings. But as the years go by we will be so happy we have these photos.

…..You can learn more about Michelle here + check out more of her photos and Project Life pages on her blog.

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