Kentucky barns, part 2 -- the last part, for now

            WHY DOES THE PRINT START OUT SO SMALL!  I have to trust that once again it will look normal once I am finished pulling it together.  I love working with my photos for each post, but I sure can get irritated (as much as I ever get irritated --- which, actually, isn't much) over digital idiosyncrasies.

         Four more photos of the old barn which has been part of what I called my home place for 45 years:

 

 

        

            and now some photos of Jean's barn that Jonathan rebuilt!  He lowered the roof a full story.

taking out a floor, I believe, and using the materials to make a newer barn

Jonathan likes horses -- and cattle!

    

 

Bravo, Jonathan!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

the barn in use

 

Then these beautiful sheep - in Vermont and not in Appalachia -- share a barn before one day being dinner....

    This has been fun and I look forward to offering other gathered images. Every two weeks. It feels good to be back at it!!!

    In the meantime, don't forget to vote soon!  Of course I support progressive ideas, so I'll just say it's insulting that men --- who don't get pregnant through no fault of their own -- are sometimes not able to accept the rights of women to decide their own health care needs.  But in any case, let's all vote and support democracy for every person. And try hard to imagine ourselves in the footsteps of other persons. After all, we share a single earth.

I am finally reunited with my blog!!

        I finally discovered the setting I needed to change on the blogger website in order to prepare a new post.  So here I am!  I hope my readers enjoyed the most recent three posts --- about the Arctic Circle and Norway.  I continue to be amazed that I really went there.  My thanks again to Patty who kept me from giving up hope about ever being able to make the trip and for all the laughing we did, just like that week 50+ years ago when we met while training to be VISTA Volunteers in eastern Kentucky (me) and eastern Tennessee (Patty).

      Here we go!!!  

     I have wanted to share some favorite photos from the dozen or so years I have been doing this blog.  I may try to give the title or date of the post for each photo soon so that additional photos that go with it can be visited. If anyone wants to encourage me to do that, please let me know.  Enjoy!

mourning dove, out the kitchen window

April on the ridge, near my home

 

George Ella Lyon, after she gave a presentation at Natural Bridge State Park

George Ella and her college roommate/friend Chris, showing up to speak out in Kentucky's capital (Frankfort) about the damage done daily by MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL MINING.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I have visited family in England and in France:
 

winter grazing in England

NOTRE DAME, a year before the terrible fire that was felt around the world.

my son on the Seine  (River in Paris)

                                                            Now the inside story --- for the rest of us!

                      

on Christy Creek, almost to Morehead, one spring evening, for my photo class at MSU

Christmas decorations at my nearby friend Sandy's, lovely every year

More soon in two weeks, I sure hope. This all reminds me about how I love seeing what I see with a camera.

Our snows here this year in KY reminded me of the same, in England.

    I am going to try a new font, because why not.  We can always get wild and take a new path. This font is called Carrier.  What I have liked and used for forever is Ariel.  I want to see if the letter "l" looks either more or is it less than what I usually see. (When is an l not a 1??) Look closely. There is a difference!

    I got distracted a half hour ago. Then the photos that showed up were of snow in England, during the winter of 2013! After all, it does snow other places. I was visiting my stepmother who was living then on the main street in picturesque Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds.  The Brits had a hefty snowfall during my visit, and even though these photos are not all totally fixed up I think they give the flavor of the place at that time.  My stepmother, whom we called Potter, was staying 2 weeks several towns distant recovering from having her hip repaired. When I drove to see her, with snow on the roads and cars on the left hand side of the road, I managed to do a little damage to her car.  Well, maybe a little more than a little.... But it all worked out. I hope these photos are fun to see. 

    

in town, before the snow came

This view from the third floor is included because the other photos of this garden show everything covered with snow.

This oak tree and sheep were on my way to see Potter -- before the storm.

driving by the next day...

The tree and sheep were off the main road, and it didn't seem the milk delivery had gone smoothly this day.

The sheep market, hundreds of years old, is in the middle of town.

other winter trees en route

what awaits even then

 

outside the house, not too many tourists on the sidewalk for a change.....

in Potter's back garden

  across the street

warm inside, and I always loved this wisdom on her wall

more of the back garden

                     I ended up fixing this image a bit.                        It may well be my favorite photo of this post.

    If I try to put these photos in perfect order tonight, I would be in deep distress. MY apologies. I am familiar with imperfection -- believe me, it can have its benefits.  I wish every one well, and how fabulous it would be if a war based on greed and ego wouldn't start this week or ever need to happen. When all is said and done, it snows and rains on each and every one of us.

 

 

renewal season during these serious times

post #483
        What I planned to do was to go out today and share new flowers and/or trees in bloom. I was trying to speak to how we have more reason than ever to live in the present. Deal with the day we're in. Pay attention to what are the important things to do and acknowledge our immediate priorities.

        But it has been super windy all day long. This does not make for good photography. So I chose to improvise by choosing photos I have from every year for the end of March -- give or take a day or two from March 29.  I became very curious about what I would discover.

        It so happens that out of the last 10 years, two of them had a lot of snow at this time!  (2018 and 2014)  Two other times I was away, once in Massachusetts with our daughter and her family, and once in England to visit my stepmother there. Also I've gone ahead and included a photo of the extreme wet we experienced in 2015, and some sheep that I loved being with while in Massachusetts.  Part of living well in the present is to go along with the flow, right?

      SO, here's some random photos never necessarily ever meant to be grouped together.

2009  X 2:

earlier photo of the legacy steps

2010   
 

crocus near the house

These used to grow in abundance, close to the house.

Bluets, or Quaker ladies, not out this year yet

 2012:

a good year for daffodils and for growing a granddaughter....

trillium, not yet in bloom but still lovely

2014:

bird feeding evidence

my neighbor, June, on her 80th birthday

big year for turkey visitors -- no dog around the house at this time

 2015:

flood waters at the Forks of the Caney, in Elliott County

very early redbuds

tiny first flowers in the woods -- name to be added as soon as i am absolutely sure of it

        I'll be working more on this post tomorrow, but at this very moment, it's time to call it a day. I'd like to dedicate today's effort to the many members of my Friends Team with whom I talk often, when I can, and who keep me honest and laugh at my jokes. Sometimes I actually forget that I am currently here by myself all the time and trying to do what Andy tells me.  (I guess I should consider our Kentucky Governor as part of my support network!)  May we be a better nation as we become more seasoned, and I hope spring's coming can be a blessing that will nourish each of us.