The Mighty Oak, A Bards Tale - and some other stuff

In this post we wanted to share a little piece that we pulled out of my archive of "written but never published" articles. This particular creation came to be several years ago while I was experiencing my personal epiphany or awakening. This will be the prologue for a series of stories and short tales that I am writing which will deal with a number of emotional issues and life situations told from an observers perspective, the tree's.

The Mighty Oak;

I am an old and mighty oak tree.  I was born from the seeds spread by my father, and found a place to root and grow in the skin of my mother, the Earth.

I have held my place in history and nature for a long time, watching the world move and change around me as I grew.

I hold the memories of my father and those of all our fathers before him.  Stories passed down to me as a seed while I still hung from Dad's wide branches.

I have heard the songs of my mother, sung softly as she held me close in the soil, nurturing me and helping me grow tall and strong.

I have felt the sun shine, and the rain fall.  I have witnessed the mountains rise through the stories whispered on the winds, and I have seen great rivers rise and recede away.

My stories are those of the Earth, of Nature, and of Man.  Come sit under the shelter of my branches, enjoy the shade, and share the tales I whisper along the winds.

Stuff

As we continue our creative journey through life and share our work and experiences with you, our audience, we would very much like to get your feedback. What would everyone like to see more of? Art and photography? Personal growth and development articles? Please feel free to leave a comment or if you prefer e-mail me at rgp.robert@yahoo.com with the subject Share More.

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The Best Camera I Ever Owned

When I was three my parents gave me a Vintage Fisher Price Toy Picture Story Camera No. 784 for Christmas. It had a big plastic rotating cube on the top and a fogged up clear plastic view screen. That was the best camera I ever owned.

Some time between my third and fifth grades my mother purchased a new Kodak camera, passing down to me her old Kodak Instamatic camera with “magic” cube flash. For two years I shot as many of the stray cats that would follow me home, as my allowance would permit. That was the best camera I ever owned.

My sophomore year, I was lent a camera by my father on the pretense that I take a class so I could teach him how to use it. Topcon, manual settings only with 3 lenses, 35mm S.L.R. with an ugly green shoulder strap. I took a class, learned that my photography was just a further tool that I could use to create my art in my vision. You couldn’t wedge that camera from my hands the entire year. That was the best camera I have ever borrowed.

In a not so subtle ploy to have his camera returned my father bought me a new 35mm Pentax K-1000 camera outfit with 2 lenses. Most of my early work was photographed with this camera. I don’t remember the year it was stolen but I do remember shooting my very first official paid model session. That was the best camera I ever owned.

Today I shoot in the new digital age, my medium format camera in it’s grand silver case next to my 35mm equipment snuggled tight in their cases, gathering dust on the studio floor, waiting. Today I shoot with an Olympus D.S.L.R. E-510, it is the second Olympus digital camera I have owned. It’s predecessor, the Olympus E-10, travels with me as a back-up and is used when my wife wishes to shoot alongside me on one of my outings. Attached to me like a third limb or extra eye, the Olympus E-510 goes everywhere I go. It is the best camera I have ever owned.