Landscape Pictures

Recently I took some pictures while attending our family's annual winter reunion in Southern Indiana. The family has been gathering like this for decades, in the town church that dates back to the days when some of the wood used in the church came from the trees on the family farm, and were crafted thoughtfully by the hands before us. In these parts, generations have been born and passed in the same family homes sprinkled among the farms in these southern towns.

In the summer, the leaves are bright on the mighty oaks, the vast farming fields are rich with corn rows and beans, and the silver shining from the silos can be seen in every direction. The silence is hard to describe, not hearing the roar of the city like I'm used to hearing outside my windows. But it's warm and lush and peaceful.

In the winter, there is a barren stillness when one looks out into these fields. Snow crusted rows of overturned soil leftover from the October harvest, hides the livelihood of what the ground has to offer each year. The chill in the air that takes no effort to cut right through you because there are no big buildings to shield the wind - only land that outstretches as far as the eye can see.

On this particular 2 hour drive to the reunion, there were several things that caught my eye out the window that would have made a great snapshot, and I wished that I had taken out my camera sooner. But with all the chatting and catching up, it is hard to step away and snipity-snap all the things I was hoping to.

Here's what I did get though... enjoy!

Above is the quaint church that stands proud. This is where we hold the winter reunion each year.

Above is the cemetary on the church grounds, tucked neatly between farmland.

Above is the headstone of my father-in-laws beloved parents.

Above is an example of the many working family-run farms that dot the town.

And above here, we have a train carrying loads of what appears to be coal. At the time, we were able to tell Carter that Santa has that train ready for naughty boys and girls coal-filled stockings....hahaha!