I’m back in Michigan, and it’s lovely here, with sun and blue sky, a bit of white snow left on the ground. It might get to 50F this afternoon.
My last night at the lake the sky finally cooperated and provided a worthy sunset.
Still.
The fact that it was a foggy morning made it somewhat easier to leave.
In Alabama it was beginning to warm up too, daffodils were blooming, and when the sun broke through the rain clouds we enjoyed temperatures in the 70s.
For weeks, this trip, I passed this field and remembered one year when cows where there and how photogenic the spot was. But I never saw any cows there until the day I was leaving town.
My last day in Alabama I sat on the deck and enjoyed listening to the birds singing. The brown thrush were chasing each other around the yard. Blue birds were flitting everywhere. Robins sang in the morning and ducks and geese gathered in the lake.
I took tiny little two lane roads that curled through the mountains as I headed north. The better to find interesting things to photograph.
It would have been wonderful, after almost a full month of rain, to sit there for a few more days.
There were a lot of interesting places along the way.
Still.
You don’t always have to have a structure to make an image interesting. Especially with fog.
My husband and my Katie-girl were in Michigan and I’d been gone a long time. I felt somewhat guilty lounging around in the South while my husband dog-sat the demanding princess.
So many old, abandoned homesteads tucked in the hills.
Still.
I think about all the families whose dreams moved on to somewhere else.
My sister and brother are in the South and I hadn’t seen either of them in more than two years, so it was great to spend weekends with them, painting with my sister, going on a boat ride with my brother. It would have been nice to stick around and spend more time with them.
So many barns hanging on.
Still.
So many decisions to make.
My girl, who lives in the moment, had spent enough moments without her mama. She must have felt like she’d never see me again.
A high point in Alabama. Plus the sun started to break through the fog.
Still.
Lots of barns still in use.
There were more adventures to be had in the south.
I turned around to get this, because of the car.
Still.
A cozy barn nestled in the hills.
There are adventures to be had in the north too.
Solidly facing a new day.
So here I am, enjoying sunshine while wearing a coat, tickling the princess tummy, feeding my birds, watching the squirrels. And it’s good.
Some grey barns are by design, not by age.
Still….
Photos in this post are from my last evening at the lake, and my drive north.
Kinda missing this place now.
Change Is Hard 
March 4, 2021 at 7:24 am
i always love seeing your barn photos!
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March 5, 2021 at 9:08 am
Thank you very much, I love looking for them!
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March 4, 2021 at 8:32 am
Lovely fog photos. And always love the barns.
Katie sounded like she was happy to see her mama but also a bit disgruntled that you were gone so long.
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March 5, 2021 at 9:08 am
She’s over it now, and just glad to follow me around, so as not to lose me again!
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March 4, 2021 at 9:48 am
I know the feeling. Two of my kids live in North Carolina. The other kid lives in New York City. (Actually, they are adults who are in their forties. But they will always be kids to me.) Haven’t seen any of them in over a year. It will probably be close to two years before I see them again. Too bad there weren’t portals where we could zip back forth between places with great ease. Alas!
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March 5, 2021 at 9:09 am
It’s so sad that we are separated for such long periods of time. I hope you get to see them sooner rather than later, even if it is across a driveway.
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March 5, 2021 at 10:29 am
I hope so, too. It all depends on how soon the pandemic wanes.
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March 4, 2021 at 10:23 am
Always enjoy your pictures Dawn, feel like I have been on vacation!
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March 5, 2021 at 9:09 am
I’m glad, Joyce! I like taking everyone along with me. I had a nice time even though it rained so much. But I got to see the siblings, so even the rain didn’t dampen our fun.
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March 4, 2021 at 3:08 pm
Boy, can I ever relate to this, Dawn! My only sister and most of my relatives live in the Deep South, and it’s been far too long since we’ve seen or hugged each other. But wee Sully can’t travel that far right now, so we’ll wait for a better time. Besides, Spring is on its way, and it’s SUCH a beautiful time of year in the Midwest! Everything’s waking up (and the pollen isn’t bad yet, ha!)
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March 5, 2021 at 9:10 am
I bet wee Sully will be a wonderful traveler when he’s a bit bigger. He’s adorable. I hope you get to see your family this summer or fall!
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March 4, 2021 at 6:20 pm
We need to send you out in the rain more often. Adored those foggy, misty shots.
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March 5, 2021 at 9:10 am
I was walking down a road to get a shot of an old house when I saw that single tree up the hill. That tree is my favorite shot of that day.
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March 4, 2021 at 9:42 pm
I sense the wistfulness, and how you are really torn between these two beautiful places. It is certainly a challenging time – missing our loved ones and not being able to see them as often as we’d like.
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March 5, 2021 at 9:12 am
It sure is. I have a few family members that live within an hour of where I live, but haven’t seen them for this past year either. Hoping this summer or fall will be the point we can be together again. Most of us are old enough to get the vaccine soon, so maybe that will help. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
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March 6, 2021 at 9:28 am
I am hoping the vaccine will help. Keeping fingers crossed.
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March 5, 2021 at 7:02 am
Great photos – I am sure it’s good to be back but that warmth. I bet your princess was overjoyed to see you roll into the driveway! and your husband, too.I have been spent at least a week in the south the past couple of years – it was fun, but I am glad to be planted in the upper midwest this year. The past few days have been sunny and warmer, but when my wife and I were walking last night then sun dipped below the horizon and the temperature dropped almost 10 degree. Spring is in the air and the birds are singing! Stay well and peace.
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March 5, 2021 at 9:13 am
I like the midwest too, most of the time. It’s always fun for me to get away for a few weeks in the winter though, and I’d probably have stayed down there for a few more weeks if I’d had my husband and the princess with me.
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March 5, 2021 at 11:05 am
A wonderful collection of images! I like to meander along country roads too liking the same subjects!
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March 5, 2021 at 11:48 am
It’s a lot of fun,meandering, but it sure adds to the time it takes me to get anywhere!
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March 5, 2021 at 12:11 pm
Love your barns. If only we could be in two places at once – the teleported idea is great, but then we’d miss the barns.
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March 5, 2021 at 12:47 pm
Good point. During the drive there were moments I wished I could wiggle my nose and just be home.
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March 5, 2021 at 12:52 pm
Your pictures are stunning. I love to travel but I love coming home too.
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March 5, 2021 at 1:31 pm
Thank you Helen. I love to travel a lot. But I am most happy on the WAY to somewhere, more happy on the trip than the actual getting to the final destination. I think I could live full time on the road, but I am probably viewing that with rose colored glasses.
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March 5, 2021 at 2:03 pm
You had a great trip! I wish it were possible to travel a bit but with my husbands infusions every week it is almost impossible. The last time were were gone and he missed an infusion he was sick for many weeks. I love all your barn and country photos! Better spoil Katie now:)
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March 6, 2021 at 6:36 pm
I was very careful, but if I had an underlying condition like your husband I wouldn’t have risked it. Plus I had covid in October, so I hope I have a little immunity anyway. I should get the vaccine soon and then I’ll feel better about it all.
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March 6, 2021 at 11:12 pm
You do such a find job of finding all those interesting things to share with us. Thanks again. P.S. I love your fishing worm in the cover photo!
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March 7, 2021 at 1:03 pm
Glad you enjoyed it!
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March 7, 2021 at 9:59 am
This is such a beautiful post – photographically, poetically and conceptually. It speaks so loudly of the contradictions that constantly pull at us. Very powerful!
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March 7, 2021 at 1:03 pm
Thank you, I never seem to be entirely happy with where I am, always wanting to know what’s around the next corner.
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March 7, 2021 at 10:09 pm
oh, yah, see … barns! Hmm, hmmm. Ok, I loved that fog and tree photo too.
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March 8, 2021 at 6:22 pm
For all of my married life I have known this feeling, and you never get used to it!. Missing friends, or missing family. Missing one country, or another country! When goth sides are equally good, it is worth coping with it:) Happy you contacted me again:)
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