Christmas, Churches, Back Roads, and Old Barns

I love living and working on the rural route, the backroads, the Farm to Market roads, the small communities... 

This week, my adventures (work) have taken me to several small communities on the rural route and I carried my camera with me to capture some of the fall foliage along the way. 

Country road take me home - Monday version... 

Tuesday afternoon, I headed back out again - 

I delivered Christmas flowers to the Perryville Cemetery. In all my years in the floral business, I had never been in this cemetery. 

Cemetery vases and saddles were placed for the holidays. 

I've passed this church many times, but never stopped to take a picture. Since I was at the cemetery next to it, I walked to the church to finally take a picture! 

My schedule was quite for the rest of the afternoon, so I wandered home slowly, stopping to take lots of pictures. 

Wednesday adventures had me 12 foot high, decorating western Christmas trees! 

Tip: When decorating a tall tree by yourself, confiscate an Easter bucket from the decor closet, load it with an assortment of ornaments, before going up the ladder! You'll be glad you didn't have to go up and down the ladder 1,567,384 times! 

Thankful for friends and customers who ask me to create arrangements and decorate their homes for Christmas! 

I've been by the Glade Creek church before, but decided to take a picture of it, on my way back to town. I love the old churches and fall foliage! 

I passed this barn and had to turn around and go back for a picture! 

Hmmm, now I wonder where we will wander tomorrow?!? It's Thursday, so that means we will be Gone Junkin' with Angea! No telling where the road will lead us or what we'll find! 

Why I Drive Trucks

In three words, the reason I'll always be a pick up truck driver: FEED AND FURNITURE. 

You never know when your going to come across a truck load of furniture or some good junk! 

The last three weekends, I've hauled in a load of furniture from estate and garage sales! 

Of course there's always feed or fuel for equipment in the back of the truck, along with cows to check. The desk (above) was sitting on a couple of feed sacks!  

And this would be the reason my truck is filthy dirty - dusty back roads, pastures, and even my driveway. Every time I think about stopping at the car wash, there's always something in the back of the truck. 

This piece made it right in the house, with just a simple cleaning and found a home in the bathroom. 

So are you a pick up or car person? I've never owned a car and can't see myself driving one anytime soon. 

For the Love of Old Barns

Some weeks I seem to be drawn to one subject or another when taking pictures. This week the lure of old barns has captured my attention. I saw the hashtag  #broken_roof and it prompted this photo.

 

A few of these were shared on Instagram this week.  

While traveling the back roads and passing various farms, there are many rustic old barns. Many sitting vacant, where you know they used to be the center of the farms operation. 

I decided to revisit my collection of barn pictures on my computer and share a  few more photos from this theme. Hope you enjoy these barn and farm scenes as much as I do.

 

 

On the Road

I love driving the roads less travelled and find myself able to stop and take pictures along the back roads. Many times, these are the pictures that make up my photo a day on Instagram. 

I'm the kinda girl who often drives with the window down, even though the air conditioner works in the truck and its 90+ degrees outside. I'm also the girl who thinks that the road ways look awesome when everyone else thinks they are overgrown. I love the quite of a dirt road and the peaceful journey to enjoy the beauty. 

I'm not a big crowd person, so the black top suits me well. 

This picture along the back roads reminds me of a line from the song Get Your Shine On when it says "summer sky dripping rhinestones." 

I stopped and picked a few wildflowers one evening on the way home from work. 

While I prefer the back roads, sometimes we do have to travel the four lane highway...

Wild pink roses growing on a fence line on the dirt road. 

Thankfully the mowing crews haven't mowed all my favorite roads yet or most of these pictures wouldn't exist. 

Hope you are having a great summer. What's happening on your road?  

Welcome to the Farm Wedding

 

Welcome to the Farm Wedding!

How we turned a plain gate into a fancy farm wedding entrance.

 

 

 

Guest drove down the winding black top roads to the farm where Kadyn and Matt were to be married.

 

From the road, you couldn't see the wedding decorations, so we wanted guest to know they had arrived and be wowed when they pulled off the black top into the cow pasture.

We draped and wound burlap and honey suckle vine around the entrance. Two large lariat rope wreaths with sunflowers, burlap, and lace flanked each side of the gate.

A few hay bales were propped up and we used wagon wheels, stars, horse collars, bits, and milk cans to add character to the scene.

My rusty bucket  and crock of  yellow petunias sat on each side of the entrance.

This pallet sign was a gift to the bride and we propped it against the fence post. It read:
Today I married my best friend. The one I laugh with, live for, dream with, LOVE.

The mother of the bride had found the tin WELCOME letters on a trash pile and rescued them from the landfill.

As I left the farm wedding for the last time, the sun was setting beautifully over the pasture and I couldn't help but stop and take one last picture of the day.

 

 To see more pictures of Kadyn and Matt's Farm Wedding, please click on the following links:

 

Kadyn and Matt's Vintage Burlap and Lace Wedding

 

Junk Style Photo Booth

 

Farm Wedding Decorations