Slice of History

When I photographed the old buildings below, I felt like I was photographing a slice of history – the history of the area that I now call home.

Days Gone By

The barn reminds me of what life in the country may have been like in days gone by.  The rustic wood, corrals for horses or cattle, dirt roads providing paths to town, and the wide open expanse of one’s land.  This sense of yesterday is enhanced by the handwritten ledger in the background – perhaps one kept by the rancher, or perhaps kept by a shopkeeper in town.  Life, I feel, in those days was simple, yet complex, easy and hard, all at the same time.

Old Homestead

When I saw this homestead, I couldn’t help but imagine what life was like when this was a new building.  Could this have been one of the first homesteads in this area, before the town it’s now a part of existed?  The area where the town exists was first settled in 1887, and many of the homesteaders were cattle ranchers.  I imagine what it must have been like to look out the windows and see cattle grazing.  In the background, you can see the remains of an old windmill, used to draw up water from underground.  Some handwritten notes were added to hint at the records kept of the operation of the ranch, and also letters to family back east.

On the Plains

When people think of life in the Old West, most of them think of cowboys wandering thru the mountains, on rough terrain, and perhaps through forests in the mountains.  However, some of the west is made up of plains before one reaches the foothills of the mountains.  And, many of those who settled on these plains became cattle ranchers.  There isn’t enough rainfall throughout the year to have managed to grow crops, but cattle were more adaptable to the lack of rain that often makes up the weather here.  This may have been someone’s home, or it may have been a cabin built to house the ranch hands as they worked to move the cattle from season to season.  Whatever its story, you can almost feel the history in its walls.

Enjoy!

Note: These pieces are available in a variety of finishes and formats by visiting http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Backroad Drive in Moriarty

There is a small town not far from where my husband and I live in New Mexico, called Moriarty.  One morning, just as the sun was coming up, I decided to drive down it to check out an old barn and homestead that I saw several days before.  I thought they might make some wonderful images and I was right!

Day Break on the Farm

One of my favorite times to capture images is early in the morning.  The first rays of the day’s sun on the tall grass in front of the barn, as well as along the fields behind, create a feeling of good things in store for the day.  For the family associated with this barn, maybe it’s a leisurely morning – most likely not, but perhaps.  Or, perhaps just a day when all the chores get accomplished in good time without anything going wrong or being overly complicated.  Whatever might make a day a bit brighter. 

New Day Dawning

Sometimes, in the mornings when I’m out photographing the day as it begins, the air is amazingly crisp and clear smelling.  It’s one of my favorite times to be out, doing what I love to do, and not bothering anyone doing it.  The peacefulness of this image captures how I feel when I’m out capturing the early part of the day to share with everyone.

Barnyard

Something caught my eye as I kept looking at this barn, and then I realized it was the barnyard off to the right in my field of vision.  There was a simple grace about it, something that is well worn from use, but well cared for, with a simple elegance that is sometimes elusive, when we strive to achieve that impression.  This barnyard seems to do that effortlessly.

Thru the Fence

As I drove down the country road, I noticed this wonderful framing of a deserted homestead.  I love the feel of the rough fence posts, contrasted by the new freshly hewn log, made to fit and complement the barbed wire fencing.  Late summer grasses add some color to the scene, and ironically, the homestead becomes a supporting character to the fence put up to surround it, and protect its land.

Enjoy!

Note:  These images are all available in a variety of sizes and finishes on http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) Watercolor Sketches

Altho the day was gray, I did find a couple of scenes that made for some wonderful digital watercolor sketches!

Birch Stand

I purposefully accentuated the mistiness of the scene with this sketch.  The colors were vibrant, but also muted by the mist that hung in the air at this point.  

Village on PEI

This is one of several villages that we drove thru in the western portion of PEI.  What a charming picturesque place!

Enjoy!

Prince Edward Island Treasures

There were a couple of images that I was lucky enough to capture on our drive around the western portion of Prince Edward Island.  I believe they are worth highlighting on their own.

Birch Stand

I admit I have a weakness for a stand of similar trees.  In this case, they are birch trees.  I love how the tree trunks are mostly parallel.  And, those trees that aren’t, they add some dynamic tension to the image.  The different shades of green are very complimentary with the trees.

Tattered Life

When I saw this doorway to an abandoned house, I had to highlight it in its own image.  I feel like I could make up any number of stories about people who lived there – the state of disrepair, the slight opening of the door, the worn curtains on the door window - each of these can serve as a springboard for tales from the past.

Enjoy!

Note: Each of these is available in a variety of sizes and finishes at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Cape Breton Trail Watercolor Sketches

There were some wonderful views along the Cape Breton Trail that made for some nice digital watercolor sketches.

Pleasant Bay Wharf

I love the different shades of blue in this scene.  It left me with such a peaceful feeling.

Along the Beach

That’s Jeff walking along the beach at Halibut Head.  I thought it was amazing that there were so few people around.  Just as we got to this area, another couple were leaving, and we didn’t really see another soul while we were there.

Nova Scotia Daisy

Again, along the Halibut Head coast, I noticed some daisies.  They made a lovely little sketch.  Just a happy little snippet of life.

Enjoy!

Cabot Trail Watercolor Sketches

Cabot Trail did offer up a few sketch worthy scenes.  Take a look –

Reflect at Cape George Lighthouse

There was a lovely little bench next to the Cape George Lighthouse on the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia.  I can imagine someone sitting on the bench, reflecting on one’s life, the choices one has made, or just the beauty of the day and the scene in front of them.

Livingstone Cove

Livingstone Cove is located on the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia, just off the Northumberland Strait.  It’s named after Malcolm Livingstone, a true pioneer and someone with absolute grit, which translated into the village, dating back to 1800.  I loved the idea of the rugged settlers, and that spunk and determination passed down to the fisherman of today.

Enjoy!

Note:  These images are available in a variety of sizes and finishes on http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Deserted Buildings on the Cabot Trail

While we were exploring the Cabot Trail, we passed a few great deserted buildings – a house and a barn.  Take a look at some images that reflect the character of the places.

Clapboard House

While in the Atlantic Canada Provinces, I noticed that a lot of the older buildings had clapboard exteriors.  I really loved the look of the graying wood tiles!  Altho this house has regular plank wood siding, the front has that great clapboard – and the red really made everything pop!

Rusty Barn

This barn in Nova Scotia had a lot going for it, in terms of texture – the clapboard portions, regular slatted wood siding in other portions, and then the rusty metal on the side!  The red door molding just adds a great pop of additional color to the rust.

Clapboard Window

This window just really reflected a great difference in patterns.  The clapboard siding of the building is a sort of checkered pattern, with lovely shading.  Then, the window adds some lateral stripes in a bright color that really offsets things wonderfully.

Enjoy!

Note:  These images are available in a variety of sizes and finishes at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.