Driving in a Winter Storm – Life in the Storm

For this second part of my photo art blog about my drive in a winter storm, I’m focused on how life goes on in a storm – today and in the past.  It’s a reminder that sometimes, life in rural America can be rather tough…..

Winter Red Barn

I love the pop of color the barn in this image adds.  Altho the sky and snow let you know its cold outside, it’s somewhat tempered by the bright red of the barn.  Somehow, I don’t think it’s all that warm in the barn, tho!

Gray

This cabin is one of my favorite photo subjects, and even tho it’s falling down, it still provides a great focal point for this image.  It makes me think that anyone who used to live in and care about this cabin are long ago gone.  The road is so deserted, it seems as if the world has forgotten this cabin.

Sentry Looking Left

As I drove along a wintry road, it seemed that no one else was up and about – but I was wrong.  The ravens were out and on the look-out for whatever food they could find.  This guy, perched on what I think was an old fence post, was quietly surveying his domain, and paid no heed to me.

Winter Graze

Driving along a small two-lane road, I noticed some cattle grazing just off the road.  When I was processing this image, it reminded me of days gone by, and what was the “norm” several decades ago.  Today, in our modern world, it almost seems quaint, but remember, someone has to grow the food that we eat.  Here’s to all the ranchers and farmers who don’t get to take the day off because of the cold!

Winter Signpost

The snow was really kicking up when I saw this deserted cabin in a small town not far from where we live.  One would need to know where one was heading on a morning like this – the signpost sure wouldn’t be of much help with all the snow clinging to it!

Winter’s Wrath

The storm seemed to be particularly heavy around this deserted adobe building.  Generally, people think of adobe buildings being in an area that’s always warm and sunny, but when one lived at a higher elevation, those adobes had to be able to withstand some wintry weather as well.  The fact that it’s still standing speaks to the toughness of this type of structure.

Snowfall

This image brings to mind, for me, what life may have been like back in the day when this deserted cabin was called home.  It’s not really insulated, so heat would have come from a stove or fireplace inside.  Windows and doors would have been shut as tightly as they could, but I suspect cold still seeped in.  Dress warm and stay close might have been the family motto for the winter!

Storm Shelters

I turned off the main road to get this image of two deserted cabins – one made of wood, and the other adobe.  They are situated so close to each other, I have to wonder if one was a side house of some sort – maybe even a barn.  You can also get a feel for the desolation in this area.  Altho there is a small town in the area now, I can’t help but wonder who the closest neighbors were to the family who lived in this many years ago.

Heart of Winter

Don’t you just want to pull whatever you’re wearing closer around you right now, looking at this image?  Trees are bare, snow is on the ground and swirling in the air, and the doors and windows are open!  Brrrr!  Chilly!  Still, there’s something very stark and dramatic about this image that is compelling.  Sit, study it, and imagine life as it once was.

Cabin in the Storm

The detail and texture in this image is rather incredible.  I purposefully added a vintage tint to it to accentuate the feeling of times gone by.  A roof long in need of replacing, now with open slats made more visible by the snow sticking to those that remain.  The wood walls seem speckled with the snow swirling in the area.  Enjoy a look at yesterday.

Enjoy!

Just fyi – these images are available in a number of different formats on Fine Art America – www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg