home coming

would you like something a bit less introspective?

I miss the old playground equipment that allowed play as exciting as a ride on the midway. Yes it was dangerous but today's playgrounds have no adventure. These photos are from the church's playground.

My favorite was this old merry-go-round. The design was such that big kids could push from the middle easily as a result the merry-go-round would go at tremendous speeds. Then all you had to do is jump on the bar for a ride.


The last time I saw this merry-go-round it was falling apart. Someone has fixed it!


Do you remember be dropped from the highest point of these old long tall see-saws?


I would guess this plank is the same one I used to stand on to pump up to the highest level of swinging this incredibly tall swingset would allow.


The tremendously scandalous statue that has lived for as long as I know outside the Mark V, the hotel we stayed at. Turns out it is an actual hand-carved replica of the orginal.


This is the limestone house. It seems that little is known about it - I've tried a bit of research and found nothing. But, everyone who has passed along the stretch of road where it stands knows it. It is a landmark of beauty and familiarity. Photos probably in the hundreds have been taken of it and paintings made. I've never been close to it. Now I have. I didn't walk into the pasture it stands in because of a huge sign that read "No Trespassing - Danger Falling Rock" but the fence of the adjacent pasture ran close to it so that is where I walked.


I lamented the wary nature of Western Meadowlarks while on my visit. They are flighty birds and won't sit around for you to walk up to them. I wished to take my own photograph of one sitting awkwardly on an osage orange fence-post head thrown back as he gave voice to his inverted trill of a song. As I walked the house I heard one quite close but never saw him; until I was working on my photos. There he sits a black speck on the top of the windmill.


I saw some dates and names that were from distant places and times. I didn't photograph those though.


I was surprised to discover how large and beautifully made the hosue was. From a distance it simply doesn't look that large. Close to the wreck one can see that at one time it was a gorgeous house with wonderful clean lines and detail.



I am afraid my attachment to tonal scale means that these aren't easy to see - but even the roof supports (the name escapes me) were beautiful.