~ Please Note ~

Unless otherwise noted, all photographic images in this blog are the sole property of Kim L Branson and therefore may not be copied or used in any way without expressed permission by the owner. Thank you.

Welcome to CLIQUE!

I can trace my love of photography back three generations, to the early 1900s and my paternal great-grandfather, Henry Mattson. I have a really cool photo that he took of the old family homestead in Minnesota, sometime before 1910. According to family history, Grampa Mattson frequently took photos of his world - the people and places that he loved.

It warms my heart to know that this love of photography didn't skip any generations as it passed down to me! I am blessed to have such a legacy and I hope to pass it on to my own children and grandchildren some day.

I experience a physical and spiritual thrill whenever the Lord shows Himself in His marvelous creation around us and in the people I meet. My dream vacation would be to spend a year or two just traveling around the US, stopping at little out of the way places and photographing the interesting characters and the beauty of nature to be found along the way - those things that draw me closer to GOD and help point others to Him, too.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

We Remember

Ten years ago today, my Husband and I were sound asleep when we received a phone call from our son, J, who worked at one of our local TV stations in Anchorage. Rog answered the phone and walked back into the bedroom to tell me that J was on the phone with disturbing news -- it appeared the US was under attack - in NYC.  I was recovering from a shattered elbow and struggled to get up off the mattress on the floor. Rog had gone back into the living room and turned on the TV. I came out, sat down on the couch and remained glued to the set for the next several hours - watching in wonder and amazement.  I don't recall anything else about that day. I do know that our local news reported airport closures and heightened security around our army and air force bases. Anything beyond that is just a blur. 

Denali National Park, 7/10/10

Today, I am watching assorted special programs on TV commemorating that surreal tragedy. Some is actual footage taken during that day and others are re-enactments of the days and hours leading up to the attack. I'm not really sure why I am watching. Out of respect for the lives that were lost and for the loved ones left behind - but I did not know anyone personally who lived through or died in NYC, Pennsylvania or Washington DC. Still, as I watch these programs, my heart is touched and my prayers are with those who lost loved ones on that momentous day. My thoughts and prayers are also with those who are fighting in "the war on terror" - Bless them for their courage, determination and sacrifice. Bless their families for their own sacrifice and hardships as they watch their loved ones march off to war for the benefit of many.

Angelus Memorial Cemetery, 5/30/11

~ klb

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