Our son Mitchell
Abby and Richard are the legal guardians of A. Mitchell Garis, the biological son of Gwyn Garis, Abby's sister, who died in October 2000. Mitchell is into role-playing video games, attends New Bethel Baptist Church, is an excellent swimmer, and loves animals.
by Richard R. Barron
Mitchell and Abby, December 2004
Mitchell smiles as he adopts his dog, a Chihuahua named Max, at the Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society, January 2006. Max was just one day away from being euthanized when Mitchell adopted him.
Photo by Abby S. M. Barron
Mitch loves the water, like in this scene from Flagler Beach, Florida, July 2004.
Mitchell's favorite thing to do when we camp is make a big fire and cook things. Here he roasts a hot dog over a fire from brush and garden debris in our pasture, December 2007.
Mitchell at home, November 2008.
Looking amazingly young, Mitchell makes pictures in Ada's Wintermith Park, New Year's Day 2004.
Mitch has an entertaining and intelligent sense of humor, shown is this 2006 image of him with a big bubble gum bubble.
Mitchell, covered in Chihuahuas, 2007.
After seeing photos from this session, my sister Nicole told me she thought he should be modeling, if for no other reason than he seemed to be good at it.
Mitch helps me in the garden, spring 2007.
Mitchell made friends with this shy Italian Greyhound named "Loki" with little effort. Loki's owner had never seen anyone get so close to this nervous dog as fast as Mitchell did.
Mitchell poses in our friends Michael and Thea's tree, spring 2004
Mitch contemplates a career opportnity.
Mitchell and Max, 2007.
Almost, but not quite, a candidate for "people who look like their pets."
I was testing a camera, so I asked Mitch to pose with his dog in our pasture.
Rainy day nap with Max and Sierra: this is another image that Nicole thinks indicates Mitchell could have a big future in modeling. "He's just beautiful," she explained.
Mitchell plays his electric six-string on the day he got it, his 16th birthday in 2008. He looks about as "rock star" as a non rock star can.
Father and son fun: after crawling under the house to find a water leak (assisted by the goats), we were so filthy that we decided to play in the mud down at the pond.
Photo by Abby S. M. Barron
A more contemplative image at the pond, later winter 2007.
Mitchell swims with his second cousin Ally in Abby's sister Gail's pool in Ryan, Oklahoma, July 2008.
Mitchell took tennis in junior high and he and I still play tennis with friends.
Mitchell has a chat with our goats in the back yard, winter 2005.
Mitch watches a hoilday program on television, 2005.
Mitchell explores the pasture behind our country home, December 2005.
This is my favorite image of Mitchell, which I made in the late winter of 2005, when he was 12.
All content Copyright 2010 by Richard R. Barron and Abby S. M. Barron