This old barn near Summerville West Virginia always seems to have something to offer my lens. I was raised in agriculture. I look at the old barns and think about the life that was housed there. Not just grain, hay and farming supplies but the people who worked the land. I can hear the ghostly echoes of conversations about life and love, business and pleasure. I can hear the footsteps of young people who think that they’re up to mischief but really are just learning about life. People who share work are investing in each other. Work parties often ended in generations of close friends. You may not have barns where you live but odds are that you do have people. I want to encourage you to reach out to a neighbor and offer to share in some work. You’ll be surprised to see how large your family really is.
Tag: Black and white photos
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
The mountains of Appalachia provide a lot surprises. Common sense told me that there are tunnels here and there but I had never spotted one until the day I took this picture. As I look at the image the obvious thought is about the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a phrase that we use when encouraging a friend who’s having a tough time. But, we never really think about what the tunnel represents. The tunnel at Kimberly West Virginia was put in this spot to ease the efforts of traveling through the steep landscape. The tunnel made the path straight and eliminated a grueling climb.
The times in life when it seems like we’re in the proverbial tunnel just trying to make it to the light at the end it helps to remember that it’s a shortcut. Just stay on the tracks and keep moving forward.
Coin Operated Binoculars 1
I love the coin opreated binoculars at Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia. When I was a kid they reminded me of robots from a 1950s science fiction movie. Maybe it’s the chrome in combination with the lenses but I can’t help but think “Take me to your leader” when I see them.
WelcomingÂ
Gauley Bridge West Virginia is a town of just over six hundred people. At one time it was a local center of commerce tied to the railroad. The trains still come to the small village but they don’t stop. As you Enter the city limits this mural welcomes you. It beckons you back to a simpler time along the three rivers area.
Painting by Nancy Coleman Lane of Jodie West Virginia
Natural LifestyleÂ
Nature doesn’t hurry, yet everything is accomplished. – Lao Tzu
I have come to despise clocks. It seems like every second of the day is regulated and choreographed according to the clock. Our high tech society should be sophisticated enough by now to allow for a more organic life. I don’t need to go into the details of timecards and obligations or deadlines and expectations. Suffice it to say that that most people these days are so preoccupied with keeping life organized and running smoothly that the joy of living is missed. When it comes right down to it, it seems that most of today’s problems stem from the desire to live in liberty vs the obligations of Society. It’s important to take time out and find a balance.
When I observe the patterns found in nature they are a blend of the highly structured and the organic. And there’s always room for joy.
The small snail shell was found on a trail at the Scenic Overlook of Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted West Virginia. The park is seated on the rim of the New River Gorge above a flood control dam.
As observe the shell I see the highly organized structure. The spiral is formed by a natural process. It doesn’t stress out about the calculations needed to form the symmetry. The snail didn’t consult with an engineer to know it’s shell needed ridges for strength in the structure. It simply grows into what it was meant to be.
Even though the surrounding environment seems random there’s a natural flow of the organic that is based on highly organized. The texture of the stone us formed by complex and organized crystalline structures. The twisted and gnarly branches of the trees and bushes are based on the structure complex sugars and interlinking molecules that determine how much to twist and what part of the tree should be stiffer and where it needs to be flexible.
All of it was accomplished by life growing into the details and patterns granted by God at creation.
Am I suggesting that we need to give up all of civilization and return to the wilderness? Not exactly. But as I stated earlier, I do think that our society is out of balance. And I also think that regaining that balance will depend upon the individual seeking out their own patterns and growing into the details.
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