The sun struggled to come out today, but ultimately lost its battle with the clouds. Errands needed to be done this morning & because of road construction, a detour had to be made. Now, there are many ways to get to where I was going, so I decided to opt out of using the detour. I made my own detour away from the confused leaf peepers lost along the way on Adirondack back roads. I went down REALLY back roads. As it turns out, it was the perfect day for a little distraction. The lighting was beautiful & highlighted the more colorful maples. I brought my camera, but decided to just soak it into my memory instead of stopping to click away. I passed old farms tucked in the hills, some still in use, others collapsed and abandoned. I daydreamed about what life must have been like for the hardy folks who made this place home in the 18th & 19th centuries. It couldn’t have been easy. Heck, it’s not easy now! If I had any sense at all, I’d be following the snowbirds down south! I may not have the hardships that they experienced, but I know what it’s like to tend to a wood fire 24/7. I know the ‘joys’ of having to dredge through the snow to feed the animals & bust ice out of water buckets. I know what it’s like to have near freezing temps in my drafty old house when the outside dips to negative 30 and the wood stove struggles to keep up. Their lives revolved around the hearth and when the outdoors finally reaches the freezing point, so will mine. I find a certain kinship with them. My brain gets seized with nostalgia & I long to be done with all the distractions of modern life. But then, I put aside my uneasiness about the times we live in and instead decide to be in awe of the foliage, the mountains, and the old architecture that we still have left. Yes, I guess these days aren’t so bad after all.
lost in the valley studio 