architecture,  Barn

Cloudless Sky

October 4, 2011
The Old Barn

A cloudless sky was whispering my name. After loading up the car I started driving east, I knew would end up at this old barn set against this open sky. I’ve taken several images of this barn and always with some wonderful cloud pattern to go along with it. But on this particular evening the lifeless sky was barren of clouds. Even the birds and flying insects seemed to be lost without a cloud painted sky. And, this barn has always intrigued me. I wonder about its history. When was it built and what was it’s initial purpose? I may visit some of the farms houses around the area and ask about it. If I do it could make an interesting story.

I parked the car and headled across the newly plowed field, circling the barn for an appealing perspective. I can’t remember the last time I walked in a plowed field. It may have been in my high school years when our family would visit relatives in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandle area where they farmed. We would time this visit during their wheat harvest, giving me opportunities to work in the fields. A different world for a city boy.

As I stumbled along, I realized how much of my life is lived on level and smooth concrete, asphalt or tile, very seldom ever making full contact with the earth. The smell of the dirt was refreshing to me, stirring from sleep memories of the past. I smiled. I reached down and grabbed a handful of earth, feeling the texture, breaking small clods of dirt and let it fall through my fingers. As I stood up I noticed how vast the scene was around me, something not experienced in our large cities. With only the barn and no trees, I felt so small and insignificant. So what did this land look like 200 hundred years ago. What plants grew here before the plow? Was this area a massive prairie dog town? Enough of that. Hope you enjoy these images.

Cloudless Sky

Retired. Having fun with photography. Journal daily. Meditate daily. Learning haiku. Have a love for fountain pens.

10 Comments

    • Monte Stevens

      October 5, 2011 at 6:03 pm

      Thanks, Earl. As soon as I saw those clear skies the barn came to mind. This may not have been the exact image my mind envisioned but it was what I came home with. Just those memories were worth my time and effort.

  • David Leland Hyde

    October 7, 2011 at 9:53 am

    I like all the extra space here. It works very well and adds to the setting and mood. I have been experimenting and learning more about what I like regarding space around certain subjects like buildings. I was just photographing an old barn yesterday and found the images with the most space I liked the best.

    • Monte Stevens

      October 8, 2011 at 6:47 am

      Thanks, David. I’ve always enjoyed the wide open spaces and appreciate it even more since I returned from living east of the Mississippi River for three years. It is so difficult to see vistas such as this along the east coast. The only exception I can think of is the coast itself. So, you’re shooting barns, let’s see them! Have a super weekend and stay dry.

  • Paul

    October 10, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    I usually avoid cloudless skies, simply because of their lack of interest for certain subjects, but here it works great. There is no competition for the barn, setting it apart as a nice subject!