Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Windmills have long been a staple of farms all across the country. They have provided life sustaining water to families down through the centuries.

This windmill is near my home in Southern Indiana. It stands alone against the storms that roll through this time of year. A symbol of the ingenuity and how the phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" applies to so many leaps forward in our civilization.

The windmill, especially with the backdrop of an ominous wall cloud brings to mind the Kansas Prairies of the Wizard of Oz. I tinted the photo in sepia to add to the vintage look of days gone by.

One of our fellow bloggers, Cynthia, recently stated a blog with her daughter in home decor. On the wall of of one of the rooms photographed was an Oklahoma windmill. That was the inspriration for this image....Thanks Cynthia. Her blog is: Cyndeelyn's.

21 comments:

Karrie said...

what a beautiful photo Dan! It looks so lonely standing there but it doesn't realize how important it was and is and how windmills have made a comeback. I have seen some huge ones on the way to upstate NY and they are wonderful. I wish someone could paint a happy face on it or something to make it look happier...LOL!

septembermom said...

Awesome picture! There is an ominous feeling as I look at that lone windmill. You're so right about those Wizard of Oz images coming right to mind.

KnockKnocking said...

beautiful picture and post.

Heather said...

Oh man. I can almost feel the coming storm. What a great photo! We don't have too many windmills down this way - they say there just isn't enough wind to justify the investment. The company I work for recently bought into a wind project in Iowa, though. Of course, the windmills there probably don't have the same nostalgic quality as the lone one in your photo.

Cynthia L. H. said...

Beautiful, Dan! I think it is that lone, austere quality that makes the appeal of the windmill so magnetic. They are a piece of Americana. Thank you for capturing that in your photo and in your written words. Lyndsey wants me to post better photos of her work. She didn't think anyone could get a very good feel for it with just the photos of photos on the wall. :^) I told her that you were inspired, any way. :^) And the decor blog is CynDeeLynds@blogspot.com
Thank you!
:^)
C

Cynthia L. H. said...

Oops. CynDeeLynds.blogspot.com

Thank you.

Again.

:^)

C

shabby girl said...

Do you see the giant eye in the clouds to the left of the windmill? Yikes! Or am I just seeing things again? It might be like one of those pictures that went around years ago. You had to look at it just right to see the dolphins leaping through the air.
Great photograph!

Dan Felstead said...

Karrie,
This is a lonely photo...just to the right of the windmill off frame is an old shack...probably used as a maintenance shed at one time.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Septembermom,
It was an ominous wall cloud but believe it or not...the storm passed without much fanfare...thankfully!

Dan

DawnTreader said...

What a powerful picture!

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Knock Knocking...great to have you back on the blog again!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Heather...I take it you are taking about the huge wind machines. Yes they have replaced the old windmills...much more efficient but not as inspiring!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Cynthia,
I guess it is because of my interest in photography but whenever I see any kind of photo...I am curious to get a closeup view of it!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

shabbygirl...
I hope you check back...tell me exactly where you see the eye. I looked and couldn't see it but I love it when people see things in my photos that I didn't see.

Is it in the dark clouds to the left or the white clouds directly left?

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader....
Greeting to you and Sweden! Thanks for stopping by.

Dan

Lily said...

NICE PHOTO AND REALLY WELL CAPTURED ATMOSPHERE!

I HAVE GIVEN YOU AN AWARD:
http://weihnachteninskandinavien.blogspot.com/2009/05/spirit-of-life-lebensbekraftigendes.html

DID YOU RECEIVE MY E-MAIL?

~ Denise ~ said...

I love the way you captured the wheat/tall grass (not sure what it is up front) and how the wind seems to have swept it to the side. Almost like a person pushing their bangs to the side so that they can gain more clarity. ;)

...and thanks so much for the donation! You're very kind. ;)

Dan Felstead said...

Sarah,
Yes I did receive your email and I will get back to you. I do want to put your link up. Thanks for the comment.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Denise,

That is a great description of the tall grass in the field. A much better description of the wind blown grass than I could have made. You are welcomed on the donation.

Dan

shabby girl said...

The white clouds directly left is the white of the eye, and the dark clouds directly left of that is the eyeball. So funny, I see eyebrow and all!!! The eye pretty much takes up the whole width of the photo. Oh I hope you can see it!

Dan Felstead said...

Shabbygirl...Yikes! I see it now...looks like it is frowning and I can see the eyebrow as well. I may send this one to the national enquirer! Just kidding. But I doo see it and now I can't look at it without seeing it. Thanks for pointing it out.

Dan