Why I am here

This blog was started to connect with and keep family and friends up to date on life in Texas as I know it. A place to share my love for this area through photography, history, and stories of this adventure Shaun and I call life.... and what an adventure it is!
Warning: Some or all of this blog may contain nuts or stories of nuts, proceed with caution
Love to y'all

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Barbed wire

I have become consumed with barbed wire!  There seems to be more and more shots of this barbed marvel showing up in my photographs all the time.

It is simply amazing to me! It rusts beautifully, catches the light perfectly and is a very large part of my family history. 
                              Barbed Wire in Texas and Arizona

I love the history, the nostalgia of barbed wire, of how it changed the lives of the people who helped tame and document the west.  The wars that were fought over it and with it. 

My Great Grandfather Andrew Speelmon was a large part of the changes taking place during that time of turmoil.  He and his two brothers lived on a ranch in Eastern Montana where they raised horses for the army.   They were photographed by L A Huffman, a  post photographer at nearby Fort Keogh. Fort Keogh was a military post established shortly after the Custer incident in 1876 to provide a military presence in eastern Montana.   Later those and many other photos would be published in a book called Before Barbed Wire.
The most amazing thing to me about this book's photographs is that they were of such incredible quality considering they were taken in the late 1870's with such crude and complicated equipment.  Not just still, posed photo's.... action photo's!  Clear, detailed action photos...amazing!
Remember my post  "The Piano, November 11"?  This is the photo I remember sitting on top of my grandmother's piano. It was published in the book Before Barbed Wire

This is a hand colored copy of Andrew Speelmon, my Great Grandfather,  "Saddling A Wild Horse"
I grew up with the black and white version, so was surprised to see the hand colored version.  This was hand colored by L A Huffman himself.   My mom and Aunt still have the B & W photographs that were given to the family by L A Huffman.  What a treasure!

If you have a chance look at the L A Huffman website  http://lahuffman.com/index.htm  His skills were amazing, a true artist. 

I recently found two, out of print first editions of  Before Barbed Wire  online and have purchased them for my boys for Christmas.  (No, they don't read my blog)  I hope that they cherish and pass on this incredible memory to future generations.  Memories that were made before paved roads, digital cameras, and before barbed wire.

Today I am thankful for my boys, Robert and Jeremy.  Generations before them would be so proud of the men they have become.  Men with a sense of history, the importance of hard work and of family.

What are you thankful for today?

Love and Miss all of you
Jeanne


 

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