Country Field

Lisa at The Creative Exchange has asked us to pick a photo that we felt compelled to take but weren't sure why...a photo that tells a story. I stumbled upon this image while out driving in the country with my husband. We love to turn down random country roads that "lead to nowhere" and see what beauty we stumble across. My husband is always ready for my sudden, "Pull over here!" I loved the feel of this location - it was completely quiet and there was no other traffic. The hay bales (is that what you call these??) were proof that a family owns this land and works hard to make their living. The flowers had obviously been lovingly planted on this corner, but the farm house itself was nowhere in sight. The clouds were heavy and it smelled like rain as the birds sang softly from the trees. The hand-built stone wall reminded me of the rich history of Virginia. Did Civil War soldiers lean against this wall for rest? Whose hands built it stone by stone, and what were their lives like? Was a battle fought right in this spot? This image felt like history, and family, and callused hands roughened from hard work...every time I look at it, those emotions return to me.