Photos-of-the-Week #223: Sweet Memories--Fall On The Ranch, Winchester, Virginia, October, 2008

Today's photos are about reminiscing. It's just nice to be able to stop, relax and recall some wonderful past memories. This is a photo I shot along the front fence line looking north with the early morning sunrise to my right and the long, relaxed shadows. It's obviously the fall of the year with the resplendent colors Mother Nature reveals during this season as the northern hemisphere prepares for the coming winter and its muted tones.

The ranch provided so many awesome Kodak moments. The rolling pastures, the stark black fences, the beautiful forested areas, lots of different kinds of wildlife and birds including eagles and hawks. Of course, the horses in the pastures were a subject unto themselves. They are not pictured in this photo.

This photo is the old ranch house with the morning sun lighting it up. This was during my last month living on the ranch, so it's particularly poignant. If you look closely, you'll see "stuff" on the porch I was eliminating through "moving sales" during this period. I have so many fond memories of standing (and sitting) on this porch in the early morning. It was glorious and the view was mine, all mine, for about six years of my life.

I also have fond memories of sitting on this porch in the evening as the sun was setting. The house faced east, so the sunset was behind the house and it was all wooded back there, so I didn't get to see the actual sunsets. But, Nature was kind and usually reflected the beautiful colors, albeit a bit more muted, in the front of the house.

Especially pleasant times were discussing any topic, typically, not earth shaking, with my buddy from our Air Force days, sitting on the porch in the evening and sipping a glass of 16 year old, single malt Scotch. Those were grand days. Dave and I speak of those days from time to time and how we miss them.

But, this is not the only beautiful place I've experienced, so, while it's nice to stop and reminisce once in a while, I look forward and onward to more awesome vistas.