The wife and I took a ride yesterday to just enjoy the countryside. It was such a beautiful day and everything has turned green around us. I took along my new camera to capture some of the scenery. I don't aspire to be a photographer of any kind but do enjoy sharing my pictures. All pictures are memories and as such, should be shared. After all, each click of the shutter does capture a particular instant in time, one that will never exist again. What a gift it is to be able to do that with such ease and low expense these days. I remember all too well sending film out for developing, waiting for its' return and then being disappointed with the results, not to mention the waste of money! No concerns in that regard today. I can tell instantly if I like the picture or not! The only thing we can't do is rewind time and take that shot over. Strangely I can rewind live TV! Well I know it is really just rewinding the live television that was recorded, but still, we say we can rewind live television?
Living out here in the country you just never know what you might find. I like seeing all the animals in the fields and the crops being planted. I especially enjoy seeing old farms and farm houses tucked into small groves of tress. The fields have been cleared of trees for many years with just a few standing next to the houses or barns. I imagine the farmer at the end of a long day taking refuge in the shade of those trees. Back in the days before air conditioning that is all they had. Those trees also blocked the harsh winter winds somewhat. I love seeing the silos standing above the whole scene, almost as sentinels to the coming winter. That is when they serve their purpose, storing up the summer. I like to imagine what it must have been like back in the days of horse and buggy. The amount of ground we covered in just a few hours would have taken weeks to explore in that fashion.
Yesterdays little foray into the countryside was a reminder of just how beautiful a country we live in. The wide open spaces are really quite, well, wide open! It is hard to fathom that each square inch of the land we see is owned either by someone or the government. That is a thought I often have. I wonder who owns this land? The Indians, native Americans if you prefer, didn't believe anyone owned the land. They did believe in protecting their territory however. Their concept of ownership was really not that different than ours, they just had a socialist attitude toward the land. Land belonged to the tribe, not the individual. It was defended by the tribe as well. But it was a simple time, when folks needs were more basic. Arguably it was a better time, depending upon your viewpoint. All of that is fun to think about. But, you did have to be concerned about trespass even then. The penalty for that could be quite severe depending! At least today I can ride the public highways without the concern of attack. That possibility surely added to the adventure of a road trip! Or, was it a trail trip?
Whatever the case I did enjoy yesterdays little ride. The corn is popping up in rows all around me. There is milo and other crops planted. It won't be long before the farm stands are open. Fishing and crabbing season is upon us as well. Spring surely has to be the most beautiful time of the year. To see the earth springing back to life, renewed. You really do start to take things for granted unless you take a good look around. We all should take inventory every now and again. Count our blessings as our Moms told us to do. We are surrounded by them if you just take the time to look. And, don't forget to share. I found a hidden gem yesterday on my journey. It is a cemetery called Howards Hope. I spotted first a wooden cross close to the road and went back to investigate. There is a small overgrown area all fenced. Back a few feet stands a sign that identifies this as Howards Hope. Below that proclamation is a bible verse. It reads, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Living out here in the country you just never know what you might find. I like seeing all the animals in the fields and the crops being planted. I especially enjoy seeing old farms and farm houses tucked into small groves of tress. The fields have been cleared of trees for many years with just a few standing next to the houses or barns. I imagine the farmer at the end of a long day taking refuge in the shade of those trees. Back in the days before air conditioning that is all they had. Those trees also blocked the harsh winter winds somewhat. I love seeing the silos standing above the whole scene, almost as sentinels to the coming winter. That is when they serve their purpose, storing up the summer. I like to imagine what it must have been like back in the days of horse and buggy. The amount of ground we covered in just a few hours would have taken weeks to explore in that fashion.
Yesterdays little foray into the countryside was a reminder of just how beautiful a country we live in. The wide open spaces are really quite, well, wide open! It is hard to fathom that each square inch of the land we see is owned either by someone or the government. That is a thought I often have. I wonder who owns this land? The Indians, native Americans if you prefer, didn't believe anyone owned the land. They did believe in protecting their territory however. Their concept of ownership was really not that different than ours, they just had a socialist attitude toward the land. Land belonged to the tribe, not the individual. It was defended by the tribe as well. But it was a simple time, when folks needs were more basic. Arguably it was a better time, depending upon your viewpoint. All of that is fun to think about. But, you did have to be concerned about trespass even then. The penalty for that could be quite severe depending! At least today I can ride the public highways without the concern of attack. That possibility surely added to the adventure of a road trip! Or, was it a trail trip?
Whatever the case I did enjoy yesterdays little ride. The corn is popping up in rows all around me. There is milo and other crops planted. It won't be long before the farm stands are open. Fishing and crabbing season is upon us as well. Spring surely has to be the most beautiful time of the year. To see the earth springing back to life, renewed. You really do start to take things for granted unless you take a good look around. We all should take inventory every now and again. Count our blessings as our Moms told us to do. We are surrounded by them if you just take the time to look. And, don't forget to share. I found a hidden gem yesterday on my journey. It is a cemetery called Howards Hope. I spotted first a wooden cross close to the road and went back to investigate. There is a small overgrown area all fenced. Back a few feet stands a sign that identifies this as Howards Hope. Below that proclamation is a bible verse. It reads, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1 Corinthians 15:19 Context
16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
I had to look it up to understand the meaning. That is what I found. Like I said, you just never know what you might find. In that cemetery there are four souls, I found that information on line. The last buried there in 1871. Surely someone is taking care of the sign and the cross if not cutting the grass. I'd say Howards' Hope lives on and that is a wonderful thing. Interesting that I found the four names buried there and not one of them is Howard. There has got to be a story there. 
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