September 20, 2011
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What would you have done?
If you had your camera handy and saw this at a distance what would you have done? Especially on a bright sunny autumn day. I parked the vehicle and took this shot
zoomed in on this
and this
But it wasn't enough to appease my appetite for this long neglected and abandoned church building in this field.
So I drove where I could park and tramped through the field, very carefully since the grass was high and often old wells remain uncovered or very dangerous in areas like this.
Out of fear and being alone I decided not to get any closer to peak inside so that will remain a mystery to me just as the history of this church building remains for now. Maybe someday I will find someone who knows about it, meanwhile I have preserved it in the only way I can.
Would you have stopped like I did?
Comments (60)
YES! I would have stopped ant tromped right up there just like you. You got some nice pictures for your effort.
@C_L_O_G - Thank you for your understanding, I knew you'd understand LOL I have dozens of shots of this and like this building so much I think I'll do some in b/w and frame a couple for my office.
You'd be worried about an old well, with all those weeds, I'd be worried about snakes!! One has to wonder if anyone is still alive, who could tell the 'heart stories' about this place. Revival meetings, Sunday School Picnics, potlucks, quilting by the ladies.......... Yup, I'd have probably stopped too. Looks as if it's been used for storage.
I'm not as much a shutterbug as many... I'd have thought about it and then snapped a photo from the road... Great shots!
@GrannyHummingbird - Ahh another like minded person! The metal sign nailed to the front must have been placed to cover a window. As former farmers we wonder why it has remained here since Iowa property tax would include it and it has to be mowed around. Many mysteries remain like where did the bell go? Surely someone retrieved it.
Thanks for your comment!
@murisopsis - Since the day was so nice it was delightful to walk closer to this old church. My shutterbug tendencies would have been dampened if it was raining! But the gloominess of this neglected building might have played right into a dark rainy day. Thanks for your comment.
I would have stopped too, but I don't know how far I would have walked in the weeds.
@ata_grandma - Most times I wear flip flops and capris until it snows. On this day it was chilly and I was wearing jeans and sneakers or I'd have had 2nd thoughts over those weeds and who knows what else lurking about! Thanks for your comment
An old church out in the middle of nowhere. How interesting!
My imagination would have taken over and I would have started singing 'In the Sweet by and by, we will meet on that beautiful shore" Could you hear it while taking pictures? With the old wheezing pump organ. Write a story to go along with the pictures and publish. Voila
Seriously, good job.
@peaceinyourheart - You know Peace I didn't give a thought to those hymns, I really should have. I do have something along these lines to post later where the hymns came to my mind as I shot the pictures.
@LoBornlytesThoughtPalace - Thanks for your comment.
I don't know that I would have actually tromped up to the church through all the obstacles and unknowns in the grass -- but I WILL tell you this -- If I had gotten that close, I don't think ANYTHING would have kept me from putting my camera through that front door hole and snapping a picture of what was going on inside. It makes me so curious, indeed! And I, too, like to think of the stories the old church could tell. I really wonder what the history is.
The pictures are lovely, Nancy! I think framing some of them for your office is a good idea.
@Buckeyegirlie - Thank you BEG. If I get that way again and have someone with me for sure I shall peek inside armed with my camera.Have you had frost yet? Are you still harvesting from your garden? I hope you have a good day today!
Beautiful photos. I can just imagine what the walls would say if they could talk. I probably wouldn't have taken pics of it. I just can't seem to get over this hurdle of carrying my camera around with me all the time. I need to just put it in my purse and be done with it! Surely someone did retrieve the bell. I'm sure just for sentimental value alone.
@SealedbyGrace - Thanks for the comment. Since bringing my camera with me (nearly everywhere I go) I see the world in an entirely different way. Makes it so interesting for me.
@Lucy_or_Ethel - I also, thought about the bell, as I looked at the photos. When our little church closed, (Don and I were married there) it sold to a couple living across the street, who use it for family get-to-gethers, and storage, and etc. I worried that someone else would buy it, and it would turn into an eye-sore, next to their beautiful home, but I was relieved when they bought it. All the furnishings went to a small church in southern Illinois, and the bell was taken down, and set on a foundation on the lawn, of a church nearby, where several of the members re-located. I often sub on the organ in that church, but attend regularly, elsewhere.
I would have had my husband pull up as close he could get with the truck, and hang out the window with my camera. hahaha~
Esp, love the 4th, 5th and last shot. Thank you for stopping!
@GrannyHummingbird - Thanks for this information, very good to learn of the salvaged church and it's valuable uses today and your familiarity with it. Soon I shall post a series of shots from another church that people tried to salvage in our area.
I'm off for brunch with my friends! Wish you could join us!
@Lucy_or_Ethel - Join you???? ME TOO!!!!
@WildWomanOfTheWest - Hey girl with those boots you wear you could tramp through the weeds,snakes and insects without any trouble! Thanks for the visit!
Glad you stopped for these pics, each one draws your focus to something else! Hope your weather is good, ours is cooler in Texas!
@ThexGodfather - Very nice here this morning with 58 degrees, sunny blue skies and as a bonus a brunch date with my Forget Me Not friends! Life is good here! Cooler is good for Texas isn't it?
BEG and I agree! Having braved the weeds I would have gone on and taken a look inside. I wonder if there are pews etc. Great pictures!
I would be afraid of a bull loose then a bad guy!
I love it!!!!!!!!!
@Dominie - What about a deep open well, big bad snakes and things that go bump in the night? LOL
@Babyboomerjill - Yes indeed along with the a fore mentioned possibilities, so I was braver than BEG and my sister Dominie give me credit for LOL
@Lucy_or_Ethel - I really love number 2 and 5-they are perfect! there is a bus tour in Texas that goes to old church building in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming here in Texas. It's expensive or more then I want to pay but the people come back with beautiful photos.
yep, would have stopped too!
i've learned that these are the kind of things that if i don't..
i always regret it later.
i'm trying to get more brave with my camera!!!
very cool building and great shots~
@Hutch5 - I took some shots of an old barn one day and within a week the barn was bull dozed in and the remains burned. We learn don't we Amber to capture the moment like you do so well with those kidlets of yours.
You have sent me on such a good 'trip in my mind down memory lane' this morning. Thank you.! Don't know if I had been as curious as you through the weeds, unless I would have had a companion. There must be history recorded somewhere .
Can't count the number of times I've pulled the tractor trailer over on the shoulder to grab a few shots of something that caught my fancy. It helps that I wear 8" workboots for my job, but I'm a whole lot more likely to go tramping about in deep weeds during the two or three cold months I give in to weakness and wear long pants instead of shorts.
A thousand times, YES!
That is so interesting! I'd love to know what the inside looks like, and how old it is, and what happened that it's abandoned. Too cool.
I might not have stopped...so thank you for doing so...you have captured something special! Just looking at your photos gets my mind to thinking...all the people, emotions and memories that reside in this old church! Wow.
HUGS!
Can't believe you didn't look inside. Not that there probably would have been anything there but still. I do love your "eye" for these sorts of pictures.
First of all your photos of this old, abandoned church are amazing. Yes I would have stopped and done exactly what you did. I would not have peeked inside either. Here where I live, there would be a homeless camp inside and not a safe place to be alone.
Yeah I would have stopped! It looks intriguing!
@Lucy_or_Ethel - No frost yet, and YES! I think the hurricane must have given my garden a new lease on life -- Tomatoes and Lima Beans are all coming back like nobody's biz. I am very happy for the lima beans, but I'm pretty much tired of doing tomatoes. If we go on when the goldenrod bloomed, we have another three weeks until frost (according to Certain Man).
you better believe I would ... do it all the time ... some places are just begging ya to stop and visit ... ;D
@SewWorthIt - @lightnindan - When/if I learn more about this old church I shall post about it. And yes, if I can get someone to go with me when I return I shall peek inside to see what is there. Thank you for your interest.
@ColeenSr - @AdamsWomanFell - @TheSunnyC - Thank you for your comments. I hope I can do "the rest of the story" on this old church.
@Grannys_Place - @beauty_is_truths_smile - @Buckeyegirlie - Thanks for your comments!
@windupherskirt - We are kindred spirits of the adventuresome kind aren't we? Thanks for your comment.
@Lucy_or_Ethel - kindred spirits indeed! ;D
Absolutely I would have stopped, though I would probably not have gone closer than you did unless I had somebody with me! You have some lovely shots here of a wonderful old church building!
@slmret - Thank you.
I probably would have stopped as well......but thanks for sharing the pictures! They are awesome!
@atticusfin - Thanks for the comment and for subscribing.
Yes, I would have stopped and stomped through the field to get closer, probably would have peeked inside too. Lovely photos you took.
I always have to go inside. You're probably wiser than I in that area. Great shots!!
Who knows what old treasures were left behind. Though more than likely mere memories of a time past saved in wood and some cement.
@drawmafreezone - Thank you!
@thistlepatch - You are more daring than I for sure! Thanks for the comment.
@The_Eyes_Of_A_Painter - I will plan a trip to this old church and with a companion so I will feel more secure about getting closer and able to peek inside with my camera. Thank you for the comment and the subscription.
I volunteer to go with you!! At first I thought it was an old school building ~ I think it is such a shame there aren't many country schools in the area anymore. But to find an old church is even more rare. Very nice photography, Nancy.
Yes. Yes I would have. If I remembered to bring my camera with me. >.<
Definitely! It's beautiful (and your shots of it are gorgeous) and the sheer history!! I would easily have easily lost a few hours there. But I would have brought/use a whomping stick.
@song_of_praise - If I have the time and am heading that way armed with my camera, hiking boots and jeans I'll give you a call and drop by to get you since you'd be along the way. Thanks for the comment.
@mtears - I now really regret not getting closer to this old church so will dedicate some time to following up on learning the history and also to peek inside.
@Lakakalo - Thank you for your comment.
@Lucy_or_Ethel - You're welcome.
Comments are closed.