I've taken lot's of slide pictures since the Fall of 1983. Many thousands; the whole collection would fill a ten gallon hat. And, I've oft been tempted to propel them there. The time needed to organize and keep them accessible is considerable. My payoff arrives when Rankin 'Opportunity' Rob comes a-knockin', tempting me to post photos on his blog.
There's an interesting twist to this 'organized retrieval system' stuff. It involves the classification of content: like, what's this a picture of? The store at Mountain Grove is a good example. I took it at twilight following a full satisfying day on the backroads. Friday began early for country breakfast at French's diner in Marlinton, West Virginia; followed by a 20-mile drive down Forest Service route 55, a magnificent dirt road along the line between Bath County, Virginia, and Pocahontas County, West Virginia; thru the George Washington and Monongahela National Forests; landing in Mountain Grove under falling light - the kind special to photographers.
So, how should this image be classified for content. Is it simply a rustic old building, or porch and door, coca-cola sign, or country store. I used to work in a store just like that during my high school days in the 1950s. Elvis and Little Richard were a big deal back then. I have powerfully fond memories of my days as a 'clerk'. I loved the customers. The twine dangling from a dispenser in the ceiling. A hand-cranked adding machine. Old guys suckin raw eggs and eatin sardines from the can with a pocket knife. The smell of white beans in the bin, or the huge block of hard cheese. Sweeping compound on the floor and baloney ends in the cooler…
Clearly, I'd best call this nostalgia.
Title: Mountain Grove Store. r0340-11
Series: Windows and Doors
Location: Mountain Grove, Virginia
Bath County
Date: Friday 1 June 1990
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