Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures and travels.
First Week of January, 2015
January has started off with a winter full of sub-zero temperatures. Yesterday the sky was blue and the temperature was -3 with wind chills dipping down around -20 degrees. I have never written a blog before and writing is not my forte. But I thought I would just write down some thoughts and post some of the images for the start of 2015. I don't know how good or bad I will be at this but with a glass of wine I will share my journey.
I started off the driving to LaSalle County, IL on Wednesday since we had no school to see how some of my favorite barns and farmland looked with a blanket of snow of it. I started off at the Lime Green Barn that I shot in the fall. (see below) I wish someone could tell me what kind of barn this is. I know it is not a pole barn, so what do the Midwesterns call this type of barn? I see variations of this barn through out the Midwest but I don't know what it is called.
Then I started making my way back to Naperville which took my about 4 hours. Driving, looking, and watching for barns and the perfect light. There were no clouds in the sky yesterday for the first half. Just bright blue sky. Off to James Road where the snow was blowing across the open field and this lone barn sits all by himself (see below). Now here is a different type of barn and I don't know what it is call either. If someone knows, please let me know. I think the middle of the barn is to house farm equipment but I think this farmer has his boat stored here.
Traveling down N 33rd Road I came across a farm with snow being blow across and a horse standing in the sunlight letting the barn block the wind and snow being blown. The horse just stood in the sun watching me as I watched him. He did not move toward me or go into the barn. He just stood there in front of the barn door. The wind was howling and the temperature was cold but Mr. Horse was protective by the barn.
Down the road I when zig zaging alone my route looking for the next shot. An "S" Curve caught my eye and I backed up the truck and jumped out with tripod and camera in hand. By the time I got this shot lined up and snapped it my hands were frozen and my face was blood red. I had to sit in the truck with my hand at the heat vent to warm up. The wind was so cold hitting me in the face. Cold and bitter cold this day. Next the hay bales caught my eye but after looking closer they were not hay bales but cornstalks bales. A farm does not waist anything. He will feed them to the cows during these cold winter days. (See below)
I think this is one of my favorite shots all day. Another kind of barn which I don't know the name of, so someone out there please help me out. Then two very lonely trees caught my eye on the horizon. I changed this photo to black and white, which I think they look much better. Clouds were starting to form in the West.
My favorite is this barn (above) with the tree casting a shadow onto the snow and the loneliness of the barn in the field with nothing in site. What shall I call this photo? Maybe "Cold, Lonely Barn", will that work?
I turned and looked down the road and what did I see. Snow being blown across the road. Very Cool. I just wonder if I could catch in on film, well, digital image. Well, what do you think? Can you see the wind blowing the snow across the road? Can you feel the cold wind blowing?
Can you hear the wind blowing the snow? Will watch and listen to the video. Hear the wind howl.
Now heading toward Earlville, IL, this little out building with a snowman and red water pump caught my eye. Stopped in my tuck and shot it from the window, not a car in sight but then I looked again in my rear view mirror and I had three cars sitting and waiting for me to take my shot. I guess they were wondering what I was doing sitting in the middle of the road. Where did they come from?
Isn't it cute. I wonder if my neighbor would mind if I build this in my backyard. Well, one might get a little upset. He would not be able to see the swimming pool from his house. Now making my way home and getting board driving down Route 34, I take a turn down a country road and then another turn which dead ends at the most beautiful red barn. Built in 1903, The Ebsleezer, was staring me in the face. Saying take my picture. I stopped at the fence post and jumped out of my tuck. I could not believe my eyes that I found this big old red barn. I will have to come back to this barn and see who lives here. I am sure the farmer has some great stories to tell. I hope he does not mind that I wandered down the lane to find this great treasure.
I turned my truck around and head down the lane and to my surprise, I had missed the green barn on the hill. How did I do that? Well, I did and here it is.
Now I have to get home. I had an appointment that I need to be at by 4 o'clock and it was 2:30 now. I turn and headed south to see if I could find a road that was heading east. I did and found an elderly lady getting her mail out of her mailbox. I stopped and asked her if she minded if I took some photographies of her red barn. She stated, "Oh, you go right ahead. There are lots of people who stop to photograph my barn." I took some shot from the front and then headed on my way when I saw the horses on the backside of the barn. I pulled over and took a few shots and here is one.
I hope you have enjoyed my adventure though the countryside and have enjoyed my discoveries. I love finding new but old barns. It was a treat getting out in the countryside. Oh one more thing. This time last year it was just as cold and snowy as well. Here is a shot that I got in Naperville.
January 8th, 2014:
It was just a cold but we were getting a snow storm on top of the cold. Well, it is way pass my bed time and I have school tomorrow. Naperville will be in session. So good night.