BARBARA BOBBI KOLBY

Such a long time ago. I married in '71. Worked for many years at Blue Ribbon photo while having my children. Then one day I turned 40 and decided it was time to really be happy and to venture out of Toledo. I divorced in '92, went to work for Ritz Camera in /96. During the years as a store manager for both Blue Ribbon and Ritz Camera I shot weddings, teams, reunions and nature photography. I also got into stained glass and mosaics. In '98 I transferred with Ritz camera to Colorado. I opened 2 stores for them and settled in Fort Collins for 6 six years. I have done a lot more nature photography since then. I probably have 2000 moose pictures! And during my travels to the other western states I found this little piece of land and a hunting cabin. Since then I have been trying to make it a home. I should have blown it up!!! I think it is a money pit. I have stories to tell! I also have deer, bear, wolves, coyotes and more domestic animals - Chickens, peacocks, goats, my horse Joe, dogs, cats and kittens on the property. Now my days are made up of feeding the pets, splitting the winter wood or helping to gather the wood. But it is a wonderful life style. I wish I had done it sooner. Imagine not a single traffic light, very little crime and a town of 1200. And yes the smaller building is an outhouse, but only used 2 times while I was replacing the bathroom floor! Lately I've been creating Snippets! They are anything I can create from recycled items.... like earrings from cans, lights from bottles, kegs, insulators. It's fun and keeps my mind working. 2018 - With aging comes a realization that I can't do it all. I will attempt to downsize, gather the few things that have meaning and become a gypsy! My children and grands are in the Toledo area and outside of Dayton with my daughter in California with her family. I want to be moveable to go where I want to and see these guys. Winter here is getting too hard on the body and more important the mind.

I pretty much just blended in. I was pretty quiet and gees.. not allowed to do much. We girls usually obeyed our Dad. But I did enjoy my time at Start. I worked on the Galaxy which helped me get to know a few more people. Loved writing and taking pictures. I guess that was the beginning of my passion for photography. My children at times wished Mom wasn't a photographer as I often did their proms and sporting events. But it was fun, hard work and full filling. So in reality it was my time at Start that got me where I am today! NORTH WESTERN MONTANA!!!