I absolutely love this structure.  I even had some decent conditions in which to photograph it.  There was some sort of farm implement parked incredibly close to it, but from the right angle I could avoid all that.  This barn almost looks like it’s half elevator, half barn!

I suppose that makes me sound like a Kroll’s lady, but that’s the best I could come up with for this little shack along I-94.  I had some nice, white, poofy clouds to work with earlier in the day as I took the fam for a little hike in the Badlands, but they all cleared out by early afternoon.

You’re probably familiar with the St. John’s Church up in Arena, North Dakota. Well, it’s time to pay it a visit as soon as you can; it is unlikely to remain intact for much longer.  If you know what to look for you can see in the photo above.

The block foundation has collapsed on both sides, but that’s nothing new; it’s been like that for a couple of years.  But the back has collapsed as well, causing these support beams to shift and tilt backward.  They have been the only thing keeping the church from collapse.

As you can see, the entire church has settled backward and the front section is beginning to pull away from the main structure.  That means the entryway and steeple may not last much longer.

Seriously.  Once this settles back far enough and the beams give away, it’s all over.  If you have never seen this church before, now’s your time.  If you’re familiar with it, better pay it a visit before the inevitable occurs. I’ve got a fond connection with this place, and it’s going to be heartbreaking to see it go…but the clock is ticking.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in the right place at the right time with the sunset and an old farmstead.  Now that the kids are old enough, it’s time to take them (and their new cameras) with me.  Sometimes an old farm will have a surprise, like an old car or tractor, to add to the mystique.  In this case, all the ingredients came together quite nicely.  And I needed it; I’ve been a bit of a workaholic lately.

I don’t know why it struck me the way it did, but I suddenly found myself marveling at how large this barn is.  It must have been quite an undertaking to build it, and I bet it was a fantastic asset when this Fallen Farm was operating in its heyday.  That’s the sort of thing that, on its most basic level, enthrals so many people when they see old buildings in decay.

It’s a neat journey to imagine what the structures must have been like when they were a home, a business, and a way of life.  It’s remarkable what it must have taken to build them way back then, to get the materials and labor to a remote location and construct something that people would later drive by and photograph.  It’s nice to wonder how the mundane had become so enchanting over the years and even generations.  And, of course, to wonder how many lives had been affected by these buildings.

Finally, there’s the wistful realization that these structures don’t have much time left.  Many of my favorite Fallen Farms are no longer in existence.  Maybe later this year I’ll feature a few.

I love this farm.  It’s a little too remote for me to just dash out to at a moment’s notice, but I have plans to try to capture it in some sunrise and sunset light someday.  Hopefully soon.

I may have already mentioned that I had ambitions of drone flight after work last Friday, but the constant sprinkles put a stop to that notion.  That’s okay…I got one of the best photos of spring so far, and I didn’t even get any ticks on me!  Yet.

Everything except my lawn appears to be turning green!  I can’t wait for the trees to be full as well.  It’s been a long winter, and I’d love to leave it in the rearview mirror.  How about you?

While there have been some holidays, Friday was the first day I took off this year as far as I can recall.  Been a busy spring.  I headed out with my gear for a day of roaming, even though this is not a fantastic time for photography.  Everything is brown, no matter how nice the weather is outside.  But I did manage to find some color here and there.

The wind was ridiculous – there’s no way I was putting a drone in the air.  Of course, as soon as I rolled in to Bismarck the wind quit entirely.  I just had to laugh.  I didn’t come home empty-handed, even though I fought the wind at every turn.  Gradually I’ll roll out the pictures I brought home.