The farm house on the hill

The farm house on the hill

Farm house on a hill in Ohio farm country

Farm house on a hiil in Ohio farm country

There’s a lot of farm country near my daughter’s home north of Johnstown.

About two miles away on the crest of a small ridge sits an old farm house recently refurbished from a condition that showed years of abandonment and disrepair. It now has new siding, roof, a mowed front yard, cars in the garage, and  is filled with the sounds of family.

What hasn’t changed is the wonderful perspective I get from the bottom end of the eastern rise of that small hill. The house, garage, and trees make near perfect stencil cut silhouettes against the setting sun and sky almost every time I visit.

The exact shape and color of the sky is always different. Sometimes, depending on the season, the sun sets directly behind the house, its bright orange orb dominating the frame.

Other days, like Easter Sunday, it’s the clouds that make the statement allowing the sun to splash its rays through the cloud edges casting inspirational rays across the land.

And, I’ve been there during rain, snow, corn too tall to see over, and drought so hot that the ground cracked and crops shriveled.

What is common about these moments, about the times I pulled a camera to my face, is the house on a hill. A house that is now a home and much more than a silhouette cutout.

Perhaps a last Spring at the Cooper Road farm

Perhaps a last Spring at the Cooper Road farm

Cooper Road Farm implements It’s been some time since I spent time at the Cooper Road farm. With today’s weather being relatively pleasant, sunny, and clear, I thought it time to add to the photo collection. Also, it might work out that Sunday will offer a contrasting photo as the weather forecast has the possibility of several inches of snow.

Development plans for most of the farmland behind the barn also means this may be the last year the acreage is farmed. Next use may be a senior retirement facility and other businesses. I’ve always known that was a possibility but the development company has made several proposals to the planning commission and I’m sure one will be approved.

Otterbein University purchased most of the remaining land on the other side of Cooper Road although it has not yet announced what the fields may be used for.

Spent about 30 minutes wandering the fields, especially the bee hives along the front of the property and the farm implements lying still in an open field.

Shot with several lenses but chose this iPhone photo shot with the 6×6 app and processed with TiltShiftGen, and Camera+.