It’s tough getting old. In fact, this week, it’s been painful to walk the dog because of problems in my right foot–arthritis. I know I’ve seen better days. In fact Richard and I always talk about it. “Remember when we…….?”

But I don’t think that’s what Tina had in mind when she challenged us to post pictures of items that have seen better days. Over the years, I’ve taken many, a lot, an enormous amount, zillions of pictures of things that have seen better days. It was difficult to find them in the archives, so I picked two from each year. I love texture, rust and anything old. Here is what I found.

When I first started photography and going on outings we frequently passed this house that became more dilapidated each time. The boat “The Point Reyes” was another draw for photographers. However one group decided to do steel wool photography on the stern and caught most of it on fire. Imagine lighting steel wool on an old wood boat! This was particularly sad because the boat had rested there a long time. She’s still there, minus much of her back.

Apple Hill is a Fall favorite of ours, and one of the farms has old trucks and equipment. A small town off the I-80 has an old hearse and the garage that housed it.

On one of our farm trips, the buildings, except for the family home, were left to do their natural thing. Here are steps of the interior of a building and the window of another. Also the “Spirit of Sacramento” has been left to die a natural death. She’s usually on the dry ground, but at this point it was a rainy winter and she’s in a large puddle.

The small town of Rough and Ready may have been rough, but they weren’t ready for Marlene and I to visit. We couldn’t find a parking place and residents weren’t friendly. We did find some old stuff to photograph. These may not be that old, but they’ve seen better days.

And, last, on a more recent outing we came across this old house on our way home.

As we remember the days behind us, let’s make the most of the ones ahead! Thanks Tina for this fun challenge.

42 thoughts on “Lens Artists Challenge #168: Seen Better Days”

  3. A great example of better times and I’m not talking about your arthritis… 😉😘 A beautiful photo !!! Remember when…? that eternal question that we all ask ourselves, although sometimes don’t you think we idealize the past a bit?

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    1. Thanks Ana! I don’t think we idealize the past. I’ve got 20 years on you (I think). Growing up in the ’50s, getting married in the early ’60s life was very different and less complicated. News came slower, technology wasn’t giving us immediate results and people talked to each other more. While I like the advantages technology brings us, like this blog, it has also brought disadvantages. We could debate this for a long time. Take care!

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  5. Loved your closing thought this week Anne – and that house in your closing image is perfect! I did have a problem seeing the images and had to click on all of them individually. Worth the effort indeed but did you plan it that way???

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    1. Thanks Tina! Yes, by default I planned it. I don’t know how to make a collage yet! I was trying to put all the images together at the end, using captions, but the text covered the pictures. Oh well, more to learn.

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  6. Great selection of shots for this theme – I can tell you have an eye for the old and picturesque 🙂 I did smile at your opening thoughts, as I had (very briefly) wondered if I should post a series of selfies 😆

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    1. Thanks Sarah! Right now I’m laughing about your selfie comment. I live in a senior community (which I thought I’d never do.) and it’s amazing how the spirit of life infuses the activities and all that goes on here. You learn to joke about aging which eases the physical pain.

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  12. Beautiful set. Come to think of it, isn’t every photo that we show to others a memory of wonderful days?

    I love that photo of The Point Reyes. Old hulks will decay, faster when thoughtless people strike of course, but I think they remain lovely as ever. And your photo is wonderful.

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  14. A wonderful collection, Anne. The photo of the Spirit of Sacramento is so haunting. Same is true for the shutters in black and white and the collapsing building at the end of your post. Love your post!

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  15. I love this series, Anne. Each tells wonderful stories. These photos are well captured showing texture, rust… beautifully! The boat is like a beautiful painting.

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  16. Wonderful collection, Anne! You truly have a way of inspiring others through your photography. Every time Michael and II are out and I see a photo op, I still channel you and think to myself “what would Anne see in this photo?” Thanks for sharing! 😉

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    2. Thanks John! I think you’re right. We were out photographing murals a few days ago in downtown Sacramento and couldn’t believe the homeless population and what it has done to the city. It’s sad.

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