A morning for exploring

I decided that since this morning was gonna be quiet around the house, Chuck had to go to work for a little while and the boys were at school, that I would take sometime to explore around the area that I have been before. But the leaves weren't changing yet and I didn't want to drive down there now, and then again in a few weeks.

Yesterday, before I took Eric to the Dr's for a checkup, we went to the Sock Outlet to get some more socks, at .50 a pair, you can't beat that. So, while driving down the road I spotted this, but I didn't have my camera with me, so I decided to drive down the road again today to see if it was still there and it was.





I had some time to explore a bit before I had to be at school for lunch with PJ, which is now once a week. So, I decided that I would head straight at the 4 way stop that I never get to go down. And I am so glad I did. Dry Valley is a farm area, very quiet area, and some great shots. Today was a gorgeous day, I didn't want to waste the day sewing, and I am so glad that I went for my little ride.

The first thing I noticed was the Farm Machinery sign, ok, I have to admit that you don't see very many of those around this area anymore. But what I really didn't expect was the entire area. It hasn't been hit by subdivisions or huge brand new homes. Everything out there were the old farm houses, or some trailers that just got planted there 40 years ago. I was amazed at what I saw.

I spotted several things that I wanted to take pictures of, but I wanted to drive a bit and then turn around. Yes, I was glad that I did. It was a quiet, peaceful road, I wasn't in any hurry and I wasn't being pushed down the road by a truck or someone that just needed to be in a hurry.



And a view from the other side


On my way out to where I was gonna actually turn around, I spotted this, rather sad I have to say. On the other side of the trailer that was on this property, I spotted a little shed, but someone was home in the trailer, and I already had the sheriff pass me 3 times, so I didn't want to take any chances with taking a pic of the shed. This is sad to see, so much of someone's past, just falling down around, and no one there to care or even to finish tearing it down. So, they let it come down in time.



There was so much to see, and I was running out of time. I had a very important date that I had to be there on time. So, a few more shots, here and there, looking through the lens of a camera gives me such a new way to see things. To me they are no more buildings that are falling down, to me I see it as someone's life. Someone built that barn, that shed, someone worked on that tractor, someone worked day and night to make a living. And in comes the people that want it all gone to make the area more welcoming, more accepting, prettier with pretty houses, perfectly manicured lawns and flowers. To me, this is the stuff that is pretty. The open fields, the barns that had a life moving through it at one point. The other is to show that someone has money or they can live beyond their means, the latter is the people that worked for a real living, that lived within their means, that made things with their own hands. That is to be admired.





This is the only farm that I saw that I think is still operating. Considering the Farm Machinery crossing sign was right before I got to this farm. It is still in pretty good condition, I didn't see any sign of life, but right around the corner was a bunch of cows. Funny, seeing cows in Cleveland anymore is a rarity. But this is the last picture that I took for the day. I probably could have gone on longer, I think the next nice day that I have next week, I will take advantage of the longer ride, the changing colors, the view from the past, the life that was there way before I was there. And since gas has fallen to below $3 a gallon, I think I can spare a few dollars for a moment of peace and a time for reflection.

Time hits everything. Nothing is sacred from getting old. The past is all around us, we just have to open our eyes and see what was there before we got there.

I was parked taking a picture of the long shed, I didn't want to get to close because I don't know how stable the area was under it. I went around the back of the car to take a picture across the street of the operating farm, and here were the locks and bolts, haven't been touched in years, left there to rust, left there because someone just walked away from their life, foreclosure, relocation, death. Time touches us all at one point or another, time touches us all, in some form or another. Time touches everything, leaves nothing in it's path that it doesn't touch.