2020, The Big Reveal - some highlights of a historic year
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!” Dolly Parton
And isn’t that a wonderful perspective to take as we close out ‘2020, The Big Reveal’ - well, that’s what I am calling it at least. In a dramatic year that has seen so much loss, sadness, division, dispute, and abandonment; and where true colours have been revealed, I wanted my final blog post for 2020 to focus on the positives of the year, from both a personal and a wider perspective. My deep feeling is that 2020 is the year we were meant to have, where all our (metaphorical) masks and crutches were taken away from us, in order to reveal who we truly are as people, as communities, and as countries. My heart goes out to those that have suffered greatly this year - there are so many - and I recognise that, whilst I’ve had a few inconveniences this year, I’m definitely one of the lucky ones, and my appreciation of so much has sky-rocketed. So, I wanted to share with you some things that have made me laugh, or inspired me, or that I’ve found beautiful, in this crazy year of 2020.
January
The year started with my family visiting Paris. What a way to start! This was the gorgeous view from the outdoor terrace of our quaint Parisian rental - I loved the feeling of immersion into Parisian life.
A visit up the Eiffel Tower was a must. I also enjoyed writing about ‘The Iron Lady’ later on my Instagram account @christinadayphotography, where I explained how it was a wonderful symbol for myself and my three tall daughters - it’s strength, elegance, and proudness, and its representation of the eternal human striving towards new heights. It acts as a reminder for us to do the same, even though our height sometimes feels like an obstacle that has to be overcome, especially during the teenage years.
There were beautiful scenes to be photographed everywhere,
and interesting murals aplenty. This felt inspiring at the time, but looking back now, it feels quite ominous!
February
I started this blog! In the biggest surprise to myself in 2020, I started writing, something I’ve always lacked confidence in. I’m finally realising that in my past, there have been far too many overbearing voices in my head about ‘not being good enough to follow a creative path’, and I’m extremely grateful and thankful that 2020 is squashing those voices, and revealing some of my deepest feelings from within my heart. My first blog post The Trailing Spouse was all about the journey of moving to a new country, and how great it is for your personal growth to get out of your comfort zone.
I also attended a social documentary photographic workshop run by ‘Momenta Workshops’, whose motto is ‘documentary photography for social good’ and whose mission is ‘to change the world with storytelling.’ You can read more about it here: Exposing My Fears. It was another example of getting out of my comfort zone, and it was a highlight for 2020.
Little did I know, coming home from LA would be my last flight for 2020. I absolutely love flying - particularly the thrill of travelling to a new destination, and I appreciate it even more now! This was the view over Atlanta.
A beautiful friend painted and gifted this to my daughter, Ali, for Valentine’s Day. It was a joy seeing the look on her face when she opened it.
I think it sparked some more painting creativity, as she made this toilet-paper-roll art which I just loved.
March
Spring Break saw us embarking on a road trip to Chicago via St Louis, where we viewed some amazing feats of architecture! Below is the St Louis arch. Standing at 192m tall, it’s the world’s tallest.
In Chicago, ‘The Bean’ is a stainless steel construction with no seams, and was impressive by day and night!
The candy stores in the US are A.MAZ.ING. The colour alone makes me smile.
Experiencing snow on the drive home - not on a mountainside but along a highway (a first for the kids) was a thrill!
And of course, we came home to COVID lockdowns, toilet paper shortages, and home schooling - the image below of the ‘toilet paper aisle’ at our local Target.
But this made me laugh! Of all things for people to hoard…
Closed Churches in ‘The South’ is virtually unheard of, but this was to become a reality.
And it was the beginning of much more creativity for many.
On the blog, I wrote about COVID19 - A U.S. Perspective, and what we can learn from our Grandparents.
I also wrote Memphis Ghostown, but the King is Not Dead - a photo story of the iconic Memphis landmarks, in a COVID era.
April
Was all about Zoom calls, COVID memes, learning to survive with your own household 24/7; and most importantly - appreciating the small things to a larger degree. I was thankful for a roof over our head, a swimming pool in the backyard, a backyard!, a husband that still had a job, and technology! The importance of our health care providers and essential workers came to the forefront, and we started to notice who was the most affected by COVID.
I was very appreciative of the ‘Greenline’ walk at my back door and loved my daily ritual into the forest.
The farm girl in me loved this meme.
This also made me laugh. How a show like ‘Tiger King’ could bring people together is quite stupefying.
‘Iso birthdays’ became a thing,
and home hair-cuts were the go.
On the blog, I wrote about the emotions I was feeling at the time, matched to a metaphorical photo story, see here: Pandemic Emotions.
I wrote Treasure Hunts, Jigsaw Puzzles, and Things That Make Me Smile, a summary of some of the positives that come out of adversity, along with a photo story of bright and colourful snaps.
And I also wrote Nationalism and Nostalgia, an observational exploration of the great and diverse United States from a newcomers perspective, matched with a photo story of American themed pictures.
May
Whilst May was much of the same as April, we did manage a day trip to Clarkesdale in the Mississippi Delta. There were some intriguing abandoned buildings to photograph, and it kicked off my interest in learning more about the Delta. My favourite building was ‘Gates Piano Company’. Apparently Mr Gates has since passed, but I’d like to discover more. The message on the yellow sign below made me smile:
“I’ve been beaten, kicked, lied to, cussed at, swindled, taken advantage of and laughed at,
But
The only reason I hang around this crazy place is to see what will happen next!!!”
To view more photos of this building visit my Instagram account @christinadayphotography
We were delighted when our favourite donut shop (Gibson’s) reopened - with social distancing of course, and it reminded me to ‘look at the donut and not the hole!’
On the blog, I wrote The Gift of Great Teachers, where I reflected on the wonderful teachers throughout my life.
I also started the Abandoned Series, with Part 1 exploring where my intrigue in abandonment first came from - the generational farm I grew up on and the Irish and Indigenous people forced to abandon their lands.
On my Instagram account @christinadayphotography, I started a weekly photographer series where I profile a photographer that has inspired me. It’s been a wonderful introduction to some of the best photographers in the world.
June - SUMMER HOLIDAYS
The kids and I were due to travel back to Australia in June, and then family were coming to visit us in the US for the month of July. Well, of course all of that went out the window! What was I going to do with the kids for 3 long months of summer holidays!?!
Well, it became an opportunity to explore some other parts of the US we may never have had the chance to visit.
Living in land-locked Memphis, we’d all been missing the ocean, so off to 30A along the pan-handle of Florida we went. I’ve written all about it here - Whitewashed Florida - which includes numerous photos that I took. Here are a few of my favourites.
This made me laugh on the long drive home,
and once home, our house became the community hub for some neighbourhood kids. I loved it - pool competitions, backyard cubbies, and playing on the streets until dark - it felt like we were back in the 70s.
I also wrote Part 2 of my Abandoned Series on the blog, an overview of Jim Crow Laws, Redlining, White Flight and Food Deserts in Memphis. I explained the deep rooted impact those inequities play in the blight of abandonment we see in Memphis and throughout the US today. I paired it with a photo story of abandoned buildings in Memphis.
July (& late June)
We were off on another road trip, this time through the states of Kentucky, West Virginia, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina, which I wrote about here A Road Less Travelled. It was a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime trip where we experienced sombre and stirring emotions related to ‘Black Lives Matter’ events and confederate statue removal. We also made the most of some stunning US countryside and activities.
Louisville, Kentucky
Washington, D.C.
Richmond, Virginia
Mills River (near Asheville), North Carolina
I was excited to discover the wonderful Melbourne photographer, Rowena Meadows, after the colourful COVID family portraits she took went viral.
And I was impressed with my daughter Immy’s first rainbow cake - yum!
This really made me think.
And I really liked this quote.
I also wrote Midsummer Break on the blog, a summary of my first 6 months of blogging, and what life was like for my family throughout the month of July.
August
By now, after 5 months with the 5 other members of my family 24/7, I was in dire need of some alone time! I drove to Greenwood in the Mississippi Delta and had a couple of days of photographic exploration and soul searching. It was absolutely wonderful! I’ve written all about it here Mississippi Soul - Abandoned, Part 3. Whilst not intentional initially, it ended up being about the abandonment of our true selves, why we do it, and its consequences. It was quite the self-reflection of my mid-life period!
Throughout the US, disparity between the haves and have-nots is very noticeable, nowhere more than the Mississippi Delta. On one hand, much wealth was made off the back of cotton farming and there are some beautiful ‘Southern’ homes, on the other hand, its one of the poorest counties in the whole country.
Houses like this abandoned one intrigue me. There were even still clothes hanging in the closet.
And this is ‘Skeeter’s House’ on the outskirts of Greenwood, that was used in the film ‘The Help’. As an Australian that had watched this film back home, seeing this gorgeous home in person was quite the thrill.
This artwork by the fabulous Memphian artist, Frances Berry Moreno, made me smile. No offense Mother!
And I loved this poster by the very clever Karen Hallion.
Then it was back to school, COVID style. Extremely grateful that our school was able to work this out, whilst other local schools continued with online learning - and still do, until further notice!
September
Life changing for me in September was my third daughter becoming settled into a wonderful new school! It had taken 20 months of living in the US for this to happen. As a mother, I think you’re only as settled as your least settled child. There is a sign at her school similar to the one below, and I certainly feel this was the case.
We spent a weekend on the Tennessee River which was both beautiful,
and eye opening!
There was a day trip to the historic Oxford, Mississippi, where I enjoyed seeing the University colleges, similar to what I had watched in movies my whole life, and dreamed of attending!
And this message in the local pub made me smile.
October
Fall in Memphis is STUNNING!
And fun.
We did a little trip to Hot Spring, Arkansas, quite an interesting town. I loved the retro motels, and I wrote about the visit here Nostalgic Feels, but I didn’t mention the magnificent building in the photo below. The building - now called the the Arkansas Career Training Institute, was once the Hot Springs Rehabilitation Centre, but began its existence in 1887 as the first combined general hospital for both U.S. Army and Navy patients in the nation. Encyclopedia of Arkansas. The building was vacated in 2019, and this year, 2020, it was included in Preserve Arkansas’s annual list of most endangered places.
Sadly, it’s likely to end up as another magnificent ‘abandoned’ building in the US.
But back to some positives; I saw live music again, and with a Willie Nelson look-a-like! I didn’t realise how much I missed it, until I heard some good old rock’n’roll.
On the blog, I wrote I Come From a Land Down Under and highlighted some Fall/Halloween decorating and dress up ideas. Americans really know how to decorate!!
I spent much of September and October researching and interviewing locals for my post Why Vote Trump 2020. I was trying to gain an insiders perspective as to why they might vote for him, and it was very insightful indeed. It was also my most widely read post to date - I guess Trump sells.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Mark Fleischer from Storyboard Memphis, and we chatted all things Memphis, my blog, and the election. This was recorded for the Storyboard Memphis podcast, and was also later played on a local Memphis radio station. You can read more about this on my post Why Vote Trump 2020 Follow Up.
November
I went to my first Gun Show - for research! I found it quite the family affair. The beauty of living in another country is that you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do at home, and you tend to come from a place of curiosity over judgement - speaking for myself at least. I’m a little fascinated in the gun culture here in the US, and will be doing some further research and a blog post next year.
I found these…… um, intriguing?
And of course I experienced my first US election whilst living in the country. I must admit I became a little addicted to the whole process and the surrounding national conversation! It was great to be able to discuss it all at length with my kids who were studying it at school.
I really loved this quote from Pope Francis.
And I found myself falling in love with the trees of Memphis! I think one day I was feeling quite disheartened by the state of the world; and I just looked up at the trees thinking - they just humbly stand in their power, doing their job, changing with the seasons. I felt the smallness of the human race next to the enormous power of nature, and found myself wishing more than ever for governments (particularly Australia and the US) to take climate change seriously so that the human race actually has a future on this planet.
For the week of Thanksgiving, our family took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, then on to Dollywood! It was just wonderful. Following are some highlights.
The view from our cabin.
Reflection time for all that I’m thankful for.
We were extremely excited to see two bears in the wild - a Mama and her baby! Here’s a couple of screen shots from the video I took. Not the best quality, but you get the picture…
Now that moment, was an absolute highlight of 2020!!!
This made me laugh, and was reflective of the political bias of the area we were in.
We drove up into the mountains to see if we could find the cottage where Dolly Parton grew up. Whilst we think we found the location, it’s hidden from view by a huge wooden fence, but the drive was interesting, and gave us a feel for her roots, and where some of that wonderful storytelling comes from.
I soaked in as much ‘Dolly’ as I could, at both her hotel, the ‘DreamMore Resort’, and her theme park ‘Dollywood’. I really loved viewing her gorgeous retro album covers that were on display at the hotel. Did you know it was Dolly that wrote ‘I Will Always Love You’ in 1973, the song that Whitney Houston later sang in the 1992 film The Bodyguard? Elvis Presley also wanted to sing it, but due to a complication with ownership rights, she had to decline him recording it. It was a story about leaving her professional relationship with country music icon Porter Wagoner.
This made me smile, and reminded me of the phenomena that is ‘family t-shirts’ that you see on cruise ships and theme parks here in the US.
And we experienced masked, socially distanced theme park rides! With a third of the usual Dollywood capacity only at the park, and with strict COVID restrictions, it was perhaps the best time to visit!
December
I’ve been enjoying what’s in our backyard as much as possible, remembering that I need to make the most of my time in the US. My ‘Greenline’ walk has been my constant throughout a calamitous time in history - in my lifetime at least. Not only has it been exercise that I’ve been allowed to do during lockdown, it’s been wonderfully grounding - a time when I can be one with nature, creation, and my own heart. Usually I’m listening to an educational or spiritual podcast on the way to the river and forest, then I stop, be still, and breathe it all in. On an especially special day, I’ve had deer stare me in the eyes, spiders and their webs inspiring my writing, or had butterflies land on my arms. It’s my peace, my quiet, and my time to connect with Mother Nature.
A study into the spiritual meaning of the animals I’ve seen in 2020 has been quite revealing. From the deer that represent strong intuition and mastering the art of being both determined and gentle in your approach, the turtle that opens your mind to self-worth, the bear that represents a time to be courageous, and the rare red-headed woodpecker that represents wisdom, the power to unleash your creativity, and new opportunties coming knocking; it’s been quite a reflective time in my life.
A couple of female Tennessee singers have inspired me this month, both storytellers with soul - one young, one old. The first is Taylor Swift. With three daughters (2 teens and a tween), it would be an understatement to say that Taylor has been a part of my life for many years. But I’d never really listened to her lyrics, or taken a deeper dive into what they were about - she was just in the background, keeping my girls happy. My eldest and I sat down last weekend and watched her documentary ‘Miss Americana’, and what a wonderfully honest and insightful story that is. A few things have really stuck with me:
1) Her quote: “I want to still have a sharp pen, a thin skin, and an open heart”. I really resonated with this. She writes “if you close yourself off and build a protective armour, there is a price you pay with that - of not feeling. And feeling is important when you are a songwriter.” I remember feeling like society was always encouraging me to grow a thicker skin to deal with life’s ups and downs, but a thinner skin means a more open heart, and that’s where the creativity comes from.
2) Deciding to take a stand in politics at the Tennessee 2018 mid-term elections. See here for what she wrote.
3) Her amazing videos! I had heard her ‘Lover’ album songs, but hadn't seen any of the film clips. I’ve since watched a few and, oh, they are brilliant! In case you haven’t seen any, I particularly loved this one. Watch it, it will make you feel happy!
The other singer - if you haven’t already guessed - is the one-and-only Dolly Parton. Like most of us, I grew up listening and dancing to Dolly songs, but I didn’t really know much of her background story, until this year. What an inspiring lady! Besides being 1 of 12 children from a poor family, and rising from rags to riches, she started the Imagination Library in 1996 - with a goal to gift every child in the county that she grew up in, one book every month from the day they are born until they are ready to start kindergarten. The program started with two thousand books a month, and is now run across 5 countries, with over 150 million books having been gifted! All of this because her father was unable to read or write, and she felt inspired to not let this happen to anyone else. Her charitable donations are enormous, and a recent donation has gone towards funding the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
I loved reading her book ‘Dream More’, where she expands on the hugely popular commencement speech she gave at the University of Tennessee in 2009. This is the outline:
Dream more - Dream of doing more with your life
Learn more - Learn from everything you see and do
Care more - Care for everyone and everything that crosses your path
Be more - Be more than you ever dreamed you could become.
And you only have to listen to her song lyrics to be inspired. This one I thought appropriate for 2020:
Light of a Clear Blue Morning
“Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of a brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh, and everything's gonna be all right
It's gonna be okay.”
Dolly came back into my life just at the right time, as around October and November, I found myself being drawn into a vortex of negativity and division. It was hard not to with everything that has happened in the world in 2020, especially in the US, around election time, and with COVID raging. I became so frustrated about the ‘either/or’ culture that I was experiencing, and I wanted to shout from the rooftops that there really isn’t a truth, just different viewpoints, depending on a lifetime of experiences, teachings, environment and conditioning. The intensity of living in the US can be a bit too much at times for this thin-skinned, sensitive soul.
But as I listened to some Dolly, screamed on a rollercoaster, squealed with delight seeing a bear in the woods, and reflected back on what 2020 really meant for me, I was able to pull myself out of this vortex and back into the light, and I reminded myself of all of the things I have to be thankful for.
I certainly don’t want to minimise the difficulties, sadness, loss and frustration of 2020 - for some, it has simply been a devastating year, but I do want to try and look at the year from a ‘glass half-full’ perspective, at least from my angle. Whilst there has been much rain in 2020, I can only hope that the rainbow is around the corner - and I want to believe that 2020 was sent to us so we learn what is important in life.
I’ll leave you with one last series of three images which I made in Paris at the beginning of 2020. It’s artwork by French sculptor Bruno Catalano, and it symbolises the human life at its different stages. I view it as ‘a man becoming himself, or a man losing himself,’ depending on which way you look at it. I think 2020 just might be a year where we can reflect on this and ask ourselves - is it a year we’ve felt we’ve lost ourselves, or is it a year that we’ve perhaps found ourselves? It all depends on our perspective….
Thank you so much to everyone that has read my blog posts this year, and for the support you’ve given me. I’ve loved opening my heart and sharing with you all, and I look forward to sharing more with you in 2021!