Reflections on an Old Gate

Old gates on George Queener's GDQ Ranch, McLemore Cove, northwest Georgia.

These old gates stood for years by an old farm road on George Queener's GDQ Ranch, just down the hill from our home.

They were retired from "gateing" by that time; apparently George no longer needed them and left them to age gracefully away. Yet, they still seemed to be sound and usable. Kinda like what I had in mind for my own old age.

Unfortunately, old age doesn't move in with slow decay like old wood. It begins with small nuisances -- a back that doesn't want to stay erect, legs that no longer find walking enjoyable, strong muscles that don't seem so strong as they once were -- and moves on to leaking heart valves, bowels that don't want to cooperate, and steroid injections that give relief but don't last very long. 

I've been blessed to live an active and vigorous life and, perhaps foolishly, thought I could keep right on until I fell over at maybe age 95 or so while out making photos for another book. But a few months after my 87th birthday I had a bad fall, from which I haven't fully recovered (read about it here). Old age, which had seemed to be in the distant future, is now threatening to become my daily reality. I don't like it much.

But whatever comes, my goal in life is to emulate my father's faith, courage, and perseverance. 

(The gates are probably gone now. I photographed them about 35 years ago with a Pentax 6x7 camera loaded with Fujichrome Professional 100 film in 120 size. The lens was the Pentax Takumar 105mm f2.4.)

Visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 1990-2025 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

Tags:   photography     film photography     McLemore Cove     Pentax 6x7 camera    Pentax Takumar 105mm f2.4 lens    Fujichrome Professional film     120 film     transparency film     northwest Georgia