Memories on the Hill

A few miles north of Paradise, on a long chalk hill, sit the remnants of the farm homesteaded by my great-great-grandfather in the mid 1800's.  Five generations of my family have known and loved this place, and I found myself there last summer, loving it still.......

The roads are better than I remember - driving, vs riding in the back, perhaps?
The way to grandma's hasn't changed, though now the pond is full, the house, empty.

Left at the pond .... over the hill ...
"First to see the silo!"   My breath catches at the memory.
My heart is full - I am "home."

As the afternoon slips into evening I share a pizza with the silence. The cows are disinterested, the road remains empty. A few raccoons are curious for only a short while, soon disappearing into darkness....

The sky is magnificent in this dark, lonely place, but I am not alone. More than a century of family legend, tales, and lore keep me company throughout the night. Stars punctuate the stillness ... the Milky Way arches overhead ....

Soon the sun will rise and I will pack my bags, but the beauty of our "Family Farm" is imprinted on my heart forever.

~ Tammy
SEIZE THE NIGHT ~ WITH CAMERA IN HAND