Roots.

"There's still black marks on that county road, where we drag raced our pick-ups and mustangs

And weathered all the sun and rain
And to this day up on that overpass, even underneath the new paint, you can still see,
"Allie, will you marry me?"

It was almost 10 years ago, when my Dad was about to turn 75 and I ventured back to the town where he was born. It was relatively easy to find, it was 10 miles from Pella, Iowa, and I had a meeting at Pella Window Company. If you know anything about windows, you know they make very good ones.

Because I wanted to make sure I was going to find Monroe, Iowa, I asked for directions after my meeting had ended. I had explained I was going to visit the birthplace of my Dad. The people I was meeting with all thought it was very cool that I was going to do this---no one thought it was any cooler than I did. I wanted to walk in my Dad’s footsteps; okay, he left when he was very young, but I still think it’s something every son or daughter should do if they have the opportunity. Especially if they live in a town far away---this qualified.

The timing was right because this was when the photography bug had ventured into my life and was getting ready to take a huge bite. This was before I had a digital camera and every shot had to count—it was film after all. I traveled back home, knowing I was going to have them processed, when I accidently opened the camera body and exposed the film. True story and one I feel stupid telling. 

Fortunately many of the pictures were not exposed—but I guess many were. I will never really know.

I am really not a small-town guy, however I have always been attracted to them. Maybe it was when we would spend vacations visiting my Dad’s family in Colfax, Iowa, or growing up in an area that was once farmland but had been leveled and made into a housing development. One of my most vivid memories is when we would line up at the bus stop in our subdivision and hear the farmer chopping away. I won’t provide too many details, but let’s just say they weren’t laying any more eggs, and they really do run around with their heads cut off.

Throughout the years I have traveled to some of America’s best-known farming states and I have enjoyed every minute being there. Probably one of my favorites was when I went to New Hampshire and Ohio---they have beautiful farms, fences and farmland. Especially during the fall when the leaves turn colors.

The photo above was taken recently in Western Illinois---I was photographing barns, and as I backed up I looked in the side mirror to make sure I was not going to hit anything such as a cow. I saw the farm in the background and the words, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Oh how right the mirror turned out to be.

Thanks for stopping by.