17^th Annual Thanksgiving Photo Show - 2010

This year I wandered off the hill and toured my adopted state of Vermont. That is not to say that I didn’t take a few up here but this year I took pictures from the Northeast Kingdom, from South Royalton and the 1^st branch of the White River Valley stretching past Tunbridge to Chelsea area. There are some from Sharon, and some from Beaver Meadow, and a few from other hills in Norwich. But this year’s show it is far from being just about Vermont. I found a few spots to photograph in our visit to The Florida Keys, and I also had my camera ready on our visit to the Kennedy Space Center to watch the shuttle Atlantis launch. Of course Emily and Andy's wedding is included - at least the few shots that I was able to take.

Then in September we drove the Lincoln Highway across country from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Salt Lake City, Utah. This drive was slow and back road, many times stopping to shoot things that caught my eye. This ride with Susan, and our longtime friend Pearl Wolfson (I drove while Pearl and Susan navigated using all the latest GPS technology). It was a great deal of fun.

Then in Salt Lake, Susan and I met up with the McCampbells, and the Bagnatos to head off in a 30 ft RV (we called it the Tin Can) around Utah visiting The Arches N.P. , Moab and a raft trip on the Colorado, Natural Bridges N.P., Monument Valley, Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Damn, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (across the border in Arizona), and finally both Zion and Bryce N.P. There were many stops along the way and in between destinations. All in all this cross-country tour was, for me, the trip of a lifetime.

So welcome to this year’s photo exhibit in the barn. This annual photo show has become a family tradition each Thanksgiving, and also a chance for friends and neighbors to come by and see what we have been up to. For me it has always served two-fold. The first is it helps me organize a year’s worth of my photographs. This has been helpful. However, more important, it is my attempt to give something to my neighbors and friends on this my very favorite holiday – Thanksgiving. I hope that this year’s show is interesting. I hope that you all find something that you like.

So look around and enjoy this year’s show. Tell others about it who might be in the area and might enjoy it. And have a Happy Thanksgiving holiday.

This year’s show is dedicated to my friend Uwe Bagnato. As he now fights the good fight we all are in his corner, doing whatever it takes to see to it that he gets back on his feet. On this tour of Utah, Uwe’s love of the outdoors shined through. In addition, his sense of humor and his camaraderie made our life in The Tin Can not only tolerable, but enjoyable. I Look forward to being able to laugh with Uwe again about our Life in the Tin Can.

Chad Finer

November 2010