The buildings sit in the middle of the field with these huge old trees surrounding the homestead. I can visualize the lady of the house telling her husband not to cut them down when the house was being built, but to leave them for shade and character. Perhaps it was he thinking of her and the pleasure she would get from them. Perhaps they were even planted by the couple after the home itself was up. It just seems to me that these trees would have made the home complete. I can visualize the two of them sitting out front, tired after a long day in the fields just sitting or rocking, looking out at their domain, proud of their accomplishments, planning for the future… hoping they hadn’t made a mistake in betting their lives on this particular piece of Manitoulin Island. Who were they? Did they succeed in their lives here, did they move away, did they die here on the island; are their descendants perhaps even now working the still active adjoining farms? Ghosts and memories…
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I often pass by old, seemingly abandoned farms on hwy 6 as well and often wonder about the stories that are held there. A friend showed me a photo of one of the farms and there was a tree growing through the roof of a dilapidated farm house. It's quite magnificent. I'm not sure where exactly this one is located, but I'd sure like to photograph it myself. Amazing.
I think the one you mean is either off Green Bush Road or Macleans Mountain Road. It was years ago the last time I was up there and saw it... maybe I'll take a little drive tomorrow and let you know.
Excellent! Please do :) I think I'm going to try to find it and show my students. I think it's really neat.
OK, so it's about one mile up Green Bush Road on the left after you turn in from the "Strawberry Lookout." The walls of the house are no longer up and only parts of the foundation remain with this good sized tree growing in the middle. The last time I saw it (must be at least 20 years ago) the building was there except for the roof and it was a real curiosity to see. Sorry, but it's not as impressive as it used to be.
Awwwww! That's disappointing :( So, do you think it's even photo worthy then? Think it's even worth the drive? Hmmm...
Any drive around Manitoulin is worthwhile. There is always something you haven't noticed before, some little change in the weather, a different lighting pattern that gives that same old view you've seen an hundred times a new hue and feeling. I came past Providence Bay the other day and there were big waves rolling straight in off Lake Huron, something I've seen many times before but the way the light was hitting on the whitecaps and the snow and ice building up along the shore made me stop for a few minutes and take it all in.
I like to hit roads I’ve never travelled before and the other day I turned in on 10 Mile Point Road at the top of the big hill leading down into Sheguiandah. It comes out a couple miles farther up the road but I’d never been down that way before and it was worth the few minutes detour. It brought a sense of wonder about what life might have been like years ago… fields cleared of trees and rocks… miles of split rail fences… knowing that I couldn’t have done it. People then must have been much tougher than most of us today.
I agree :) I love going for drives here. There's always something that catches my eye. The Island is such a beautiful place. We were up by 10 Mile two days ago and the view was stunning. We even saw a sundog, which just made it an even more perfect day out :)
I really need to start bringing my camera with me EVERY time I leave the house...because there's always something that I'd like to capture on film (err...on memory stick!).
Speaking of split rail fences, aren't they just beautiful? There's just something about them that I love so much. Hubby and I had to repair about a mile of split rail fences. It's hard work! He cut the cedar with his chainsaw, I cleaned them up with the axe, and we both fixed the rails into place. Not bad for a city girl, eh? :) I'm always learning new things here.
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