She don't ever worry 'bout what's gone

Wow. Did I just drop off the face of the earth or what?

That's what it felt like. Still does, a bit.

Now it's December and my month of black and whites is over. I felt like it was my baby, and that I let my baby down by not being here. But what else could I do? Life happens. You think you've got those ducks all lined up and then somebody comes along and knocks them all down.

Doesn't matter. The best thing to do is to pick them up and just start lining them back up again.

So, we've left the great and beautiful state of Tennessee and moved back "home" to Georgia, which is decidedly more flat and just a bit less chilly. We're not actually in Atlanta yet, though. We're in a temporary, top secret location. Though the digs are not luxurious, there is something very wonderful to be said for family who respond with an immediate and sincere "yes, of course!" when you call and ask for help. So we've got most of our stuff in storage and R is looking for a job in Atlanta. Then we'll move, yet again(!). V has been a doll, an absolute and total dollbaby. While I have looked around at our temporary home and thought oh my, she is excited that her room came with glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. And who wouldn't be? What's not to love about glow-in-the-dark stars?

I truly, truly enjoyed the month of black and white. I feel like I learned a lot, but we'll see about that, now won't we? Now that I've switched back to color, it's almost shocking to me. I already kind of miss it. I'm thinking I'll make it some sort of annual event.

The move. It rained off and on the whole drive down to Georgia. Here's one of my last shots of Tennessee. Oh, I'm gonna miss me some mountains!

I put V in the car and the two of us took off, bye-bye girls on the go, stopping only once for gas and to pick up some dinner. While V watched cartoons on the DVD player (I thank God for inexpensive portable DVD players), I sang the old Hal Ketchum song "Mama Knows the Highway by Heart" to myself, over and over.

Mama knows the highway by the songs
When she hears a good one, she always sings along
She don't ever worry 'bout what's gone
She says, "Good country music will never steer you wrong"

Being back "home" is a weird thing for me, I won't lie. We haven't lived in Georgia in four years. Things are different in my hometown (which I have a love/hate relationship with). New shops are open, others are closed - or just gone completely, empty lots with the weeds growing up. It's too much for me to think about yet. But the houses. The old houses I love are all here; they're still the same.

The old barns are still being used for something or other.

The tiny, old towns are still in good order.

And, perhaps best of all, you can find boiled peanuts in just about any town out in the country. Goodness gracious, I love boiled peanuts!

Watson's Mill Bridge is still very much the same as it was in 1885.

Old fireplaces still stand in fields among the cows and the horses.

Though hunting's not my thing, it's a good thing that it's somebody's.

I took my camera everywhere with me on the last day of November, hoping to get some good shots, but it just didn't happen. I only took two photos. The first is this old truck that now sits in the yard. Bad picture of a cool, old truck.

And then I took this photo. It's bad, but I like it anyway. It rained here for several days, so everything was gray. These are bales of hay out in the field. I was too slow getting the camera ready and I shot it without checking my settings. Off in the distance it was foggy, which is what I really wanted to capture.

Moving on.

Thanks to all 52 of you who left comments on my last post. Thanks to those who emailed me. It'll take me a while to get caught up, but you'll be hearing from me.

Tomorrow, I'll have a brand new banner (just a few days late), and I plan to get back to the business of life - trying to find my new normal, to smooth the edges of the chaos, to find the reason for things. Am I happy this is all happening? No. But I'm going to be happy anyway. I think that's going to be the best use of my time. And I'm starting to look forward to exploring the area where I live now and seeing it with my camera in a way I never had the chance to before.

Can I get an amen?

Comments

[leaca]

Lovely black and whites.

[Ms.Tee]

Glad you're back! I missed your posts!

Did you know I grew up in TN and now I'm in the same state your in? I miss the mountains, too. :)

Hope you have a great week settling in.

[Elizabeth]

Welcome back! A lovely end to your black and white series.

[Fighting Windmills]

It's so good to hear from you! I missed you. Like, a lot. And when I bought my son some Go Gabba Gabba underwear for Christmas, I soooo wanted to tell you about it. Hahaha.

[thea]

oh yea you can. AMEN! Go girl. Transitions are always a challenge. Thanks for sharing!

[Kim]

Yes and amen! Glad you're back!

Can't help it - I love glow-in-the-dark stars too.Pr

[ELK]

you are back

I got used to your
humor
creativity
positive force

and
photos!

these are wonderful

hang in there

as
you
find
your
new
normal...

hi V~

[spread your wings]

so glad to have you back. thanks for sharing your trip down with us in black and white - nice even in the rain.

[Howard]

Finally you are back...Amen!!

Hope the move was smooth and things are finally settled. Really wanted to thank you for a month of really interesting photo taking and the bringing new friends with your BW challenge :)

[Alex]

Having gone through a move just this spring, moving back closer to family, to a place where I had lived briefly when I was 18, I could relate to some of the things you said...I hope your transition will go as smoothly as possible for you and your family. Looking forward to your pictures. Take care.

[lisa e.]

amen!
So glad you are seeing this move in a positive way. Moving is never easy, I know. I really wish you the best of luck, I know you will make the best out of it.
p.s. I sure missed reading your blog the past few weeks.

[shelli]

MAYA! I've been thinking about you as I've been trying to get back into my routine after our Thanksgiving trip. So glad to know you made it and that you're trying to stay positive. These are awesome photos - all of them. I think you should definitely have the b&w thing be an annual event.

Now...we gotta make a date to meet.

[kristen]

Welcome back! Missed you. I really like some of those photos. I too may just keep going back to black and white. You have such a good attitude-looking on the sunny side. Good for you!

[Gayle]

Yay! You're back. Wow, what great photos. Maya, I love your attitude. So glad I found your blog.

[Toni]

Amen! And so glad you are back!! I've been wondering about you and how the move went and if you go their before Thanksgiving and, and, and...Great captures, even the bad ones. ;) That wooden bridge is really cool.

[Toni]

You know, I really need to proofread before I submit. "...if you got there before Thanksgiving..."

[Maiz]

Welcome back, Maya! I took some b/w photos in your honor while you were gone, and it was very fun. I even convinced my dad to give it a try! Love the glow-in-the-dark stars... little kids always amaze me by being so adaptable. As long as they are with their parents, they feel like they are home.

[Liss]

Cant wait to see the new banner. Thanks for hosting november in black and White it was great fun and I really enjoyed it.

[Amy]

Amen sister.

[Monkey's Momma]

AMEN! I'm glad you're back. I missed you! Moving is always tough, and going back home is tougher. Been there, done that.

I love Tennessee too. When we came back from our trip to North Carolina in October, I picked up a Real Estate book at the motel in Cookeville, Tn. For a week, my husband and I looked through that book, marveling at all the deals we could get if we lived in the mountains. I LOVE the mountains. Tennessee is definitely on my possible list of places to retire to (if I ever retire).

[sarah jane]

oh you are just a lovely person. Perspective is everything. What an irony you have camera to teach you in the process of gaining perspective. and to share it ...even more profound. love the feeling in these pics. i have to say I think your experience is influencing your photos. there is just something different...tangibly nostalgic...in these photos. beauty-ful. thanks so much, and best to you these holidays!!
xoxo
sarah jane

[Michelle]

YAY! she's back! i kept looking at your blog to find out if you were there :). nice to know you guys are moving right along and V loves her glow-in-the-dark stars! :)

[sheri]

You sure were missed! Glad you all got there safely.
I have been praying so hard for little V. Children are amazing aren't they? LOVE the stars. Grace had them here on her ceiling at Grandma's. They were mine when I was younger.

That place doesn't look too bad! lol That bridge is amazing. Looks like you are going to find plenty to take pictures of. Praying for a job!!

[kristin]

"Am I happy this is all happening? No. But I'm going to be happy anyway. I think that's going to be the best use of my time. "

perfectly said
bets attitude to have , honest and frank.

xo

[Andrea]

Hope you find happiness in many unexpected places, as well as some of the places you know you can count on for a bit of joy.