Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Of Sweet Peas, Old Farms, and Summer's Farewell



This wonderful place sits at the forty-fifth parallel...which is the halfway point between the equator and the north pole...







This is how we ended our summer...
meandering near the forty-fifth parallel---
a most pleasant peninsula.
Lots of these sweet peas grow wild ...
they were scattered everywhere.




There they are again!







All these were taken on the Leelanau Peninsula right before the summer's end.

What a beautiful place to explore.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a wonderful place to look around; and to our delight, there is a beautiful and large area dedicated to the rural farm historic district.













(The only downside about photographing these old empty barns and farmhouses: it makes me feel as empty as the buildings are.)














...If I close my eyes, I can hear the bell ringing, the kids feet running on the ground, and the teacher's voice greeting them for their morning lessons....












Several of the old farms sat on a bluff, high above Lake Michigan, we explored, and hiked down the steep steps to the lakeshore below....and what beauty!











You could see no one else, see nothing but shoreline, and hear nothing but waves...



I sure will miss you, Summer.


9 comments:

Mom of 3 Girleighs said...

gorgeous!!!

Becca's Dirt said...

Beautiful barns and buildings. Love to imagine the life and goings on during a busy time in the barns and land.

mary your sis said...

What beautiful, peaceful places. The stonework, weathered barn wood, quiet farmhouses, rolling hills and gently waving grasses make me want to put in an offer and move right in. That area of Michigan has a sound, look and atmosphere unique to it and it's proximity to Lake Michigan makes it one of my favorite places in the world. I'd love to have a home or cottage there someday... thank you for sharing your fun trip with us!

Aspiemom said...

Such beautiful pictures today! Very peaceful spots. I have a blogfriend who loves old barns and I told her to visit your site today!

Mari said...

I am Aspiemoms blog friend. I loved looking at your photos - they are beautiful!
I live in Michigan too - between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven.

Donna said...

Absolutely beautiful photos! Love those sweet peas, proudly showing off their radiant pink blooms!

FarmHouse Style said...

What a beautiful place to explore. Thanks for taking us along on this bitter sweet tour.

Rhonda

Kathie Truitt said...

The lake looks so much like the ocean. And I wnt the farmhouse you took kind of a ways back, where you're photographing kind of behind the tree. I wouldn't paint it either.

Anonymous said...

I love your pics and account of summer in Michigan. I've taken lots of barn pics too and even have made a folder of them....Yours are super!