63 Years of Memories.... that's what I have now. The photo below shows the chair on the point which for so many years was my father's favorite after-supper place to contemplate and cast for walleye. As much as I feel guilty about what's happened, I know he would understand and even say there's nothing to forgive. He lived life fully and moved on many times. I'm the one with the unique experience of being attached to a beautiful place for my whole life. And despite all my best efforts, yesterday the 'cabin' was sold. I signed the papers and, truth be told, a weight was lifted. A new life lies ahead without the obligations, but with all of the wonderful memories. My unrelentingly positive attitude says this is truly how it is, but my heart is still sad.
There are some things in life for which the balance between the obligation and the joy of ownership often cannot be sustained forever. It became clear that I was no longer up to the task of taking care of the place quite a while back. However, knowing what needs to be done and doing it are often far apart. Finally, no choice was left. It had to be sold.
Now it's gone. No more worrying about how long the grass or how deep the snow is up there. No more sublimely pleasurable early morning cups of coffee sitting on the dock when the color of the lake is like pale blue glass and the air is completely still. No more endless repairs, high taxes, and utility bills. No more late nights around the fire pit with friends and family - warm from both fire and friendship. No more frozen pipes or emergency calls to the furnace guys. No more saunas and midnight skinny dipping that make you feel like you'll live forever while your connection with nature is confirmed by the gazillion stars of the milky way and the loons calling out in the dark. No more concerns with low well water levels or water so hard and full of iron the clothes turn yellow and your newly washed hair feels like brillo. No more finding the way home by boat in the dark after a long day on the lake feeling like this is the only place you really, really belong. No more praying that the boathouse will make it another year without collapsing. And ultimately, no more making new memories with friends, family and loved ones. No new memories, that is, at Half Bay, Lake Vermilion, Tower, MN. New life... here we come!
How do you thank a place for memories?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Rural Iraq
This is a resevoir that looks very out of place in the desert. Notice that no plants grow at the edges.
I have so many questions I don't know where to start. And I know you don't have time to answer them. But I'll ask a few just anyway. In the typical farm house picture... Is the woman doing something with that white thing on the ground near her? Is this farm raising animals of some sort? Is that a satellite dish on the ground in front of the woman? Are those birds on the roof of the corner building? What is the long pole used for that is lying on the ground partially in the small building toward the center of the photo? Inquiring minds want to know this and more.
The people who raise animals tend to be nomads and wander with the herds. This is a farm that grows crops. They are very clever irrigators. They dig giant wells with bulldozers so they are almost like a wedge shapped canyon that ramps down into the ground. From there the use a gasoline pump to send the water to the surface and an open aquaduct that is made of dirt. The aquaduct will lead to a pond at the base of a big rotary sprinkler system that is fed with a second pump. Some farms just use one pump and a system of canals. The pipe on the ground is drainage of somesort
I don't know what that white thing on the ground is, it maybe a sack of foodstuffs. That does appear to be a satelite dish and is pointing south so that would be right. Those are birds on the building. There are so many birds here it is crazy; we are constantly dodging flocks as we fly.
3 comments:
I have so many questions I don't know where to start. And I know you don't have time to answer them. But I'll ask a few just anyway. In the typical farm house picture... Is the woman doing something with that white thing on the ground near her? Is this farm raising animals of some sort? Is that a satellite dish on the ground in front of the woman? Are those birds on the roof of the corner building? What is the long pole used for that is lying on the ground partially in the small building toward the center of the photo? Inquiring minds want to know this and more.
I forgot to say how cool your photos are but I say that every time. Just keep them coming. They are so interesting.
xo,M
The people who raise animals tend to be nomads and wander with the herds. This is a farm that grows crops. They are very clever irrigators. They dig giant wells with bulldozers so they are almost like a wedge shapped canyon that ramps down into the ground. From there the use a gasoline pump to send the water to the surface and an open aquaduct that is made of dirt. The aquaduct will lead to a pond at the base of a big rotary sprinkler system that is fed with a second pump. Some farms just use one pump and a system of canals. The pipe on the ground is drainage of somesort
I don't know what that white thing on the ground is, it maybe a sack of foodstuffs. That does appear to be a satelite dish and is pointing south so that would be right. Those are birds on the building. There are so many birds here it is crazy; we are constantly dodging flocks as we fly.
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