Sunday, October 9, 2016

Scene & Story - September 2016


I once dreamed of living in a large, renovated, white clapboard farmhouse with a wide wraparound porch. From my white rocker on the porch I would have a peaceful view of a lush, sprawling lawn that two golden retrievers frolicked on all day long.

Some of that dream came true. Although, instead of white rockers and a wraparound porch, I have a large wooden deck with chaise lounge chairs that lookout over a large, lush backyard where for many years two golden retrievers did frolic. Instead of a white clapboard farmhouse, I got a 1980's, yellow vinyl-sided ranch house with a three season porch. The renovations have been a work in progress the whole thirteen years we have lived here.

The dream hasn't gone away, but it has changed. Now, instead of wanting a white clapboard farmhouse with a large lawn; I dream of a weathered, cedar shake cottage with a view of a quiet, mist-covered lake. The wide wraparound porch and white rockers remain the same.




This photograph was taken at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park the last week of September. This replica farmhouse with wraparound porch and white rocking chairs is located in the Michigan Farm Garden.  It makes me laugh when I think about taking this picture. There was a picnic table right next to this first rocker, I couldn't move the picnic table so I wedged myself between the top of the table and the seat to get the angle I wanted. Thank goodness I had a 35mm lens on a full frame camera.

My friend Lee of Sea Blue Lens and I are starting a monthly practice of sharing a favorite photograph from the previous month along with a story about it - we have named this monthly practice Scene & Story.

If you'd like to post your own "Scene & Story," we'd love to know about it. We hadn't planned on a formal linkup, but if you would like to join in, you could leave a link to your post in the comments section. 

19 comments:

Lynne said...

Reflective . . .
Reminded me of some of my dreams . . .
Like Irish Setters playing in the back lawn while we watched from the porch . . .
Like you . . . dream bits and pieces seem to make their way into our reality . . .
Your post felt like artistry . . .

chasing the sun said...

Your story resembles my dream too...Add some fireflies those evenings when it is hot....This monthly practice sounds like fun! The weather is getting cooler and prettier here, good times for me to go out and shoot :-)

Karen Lakis said...

I think that maybe having the picnic table in the way was a good thing - I love this shot! I always wanted an old farmhouse - or an old Victorian - with a big porch and rocking chairs. We just moved out of an old house - and I'm all set with the old house thing now. Sometimes dream and reality don't go together. I'm going to have fun watching this challenge - and may join in from time to time. I'm headed over to Sea Blue Lens to see her story.

Anonymous said...

I love this photo and the story. Maybe all of us have a "dream house" in our hearts. All my life, whenever I've seen a place such as you describe, I've longed for it. But my dream has changed too, as I've grown older, and now I yearn for a little cottage of my own with a tiny garden...and yes, still a porch with a rocker on it. Great job, Sarah - I'm already looking forward to next month!

Beverly said...

Such a great shot Sarah...reminds me of the view from the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. I do love your dreams, both of them. This is a clever idea to post a photo and a story in collaboration.

Cathy H. said...

Love your story and I share you dream of the wrap around porch and a rocker. This is one of my dreams that does come true when I visit my daughter. She has the perfect warp around porch and she also as rockers, a glider, and a swing!! I love to sit on her porch early in the morning and watch the sun rise. You and Lee had a great idea. I miss photo-heart connect. It was a wonderful way to get to know others a little better. I'll be looking forward to you monthly posts and may join you occasionally.

Carol said...

I too am looking forward to following you both as you share your photo and post of the prior month. You're off to a great start.

Ahayes1225 said...

Good morning my friend. Seems like the wrap around porch is a pretty common theme. Me too! Lovely photo... I am guessing you want a full frame camera now??

Barb said...

A porch, a view, and a comfortable place to sit - dreams do come true! I'm not sure I ever dreamed of my current life-style, but sometimes it does seem like a fairy tale. I like your rocker photo which makes me think of relaxation, possible with a friend.

Unknown said...

Lovely photograph, Sarah, and I so enjoyed the words you chose for it.
Happy Sunday to you!

Jeanne said...

Such a fun photo of one part of your dream, and sounds like you had to work pretty hard to get the shot.

Nicki said...

Dreams do change with time. Wonderful image.

Sandra said...

Nice story about your dream place to live. I like your photo of the white rockers which looks like a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by! Dreams sometimes do come true, but sometimes we just make do and be grateful for it!
I love your idea of a photo and a story on a monthly basis!

Unknown said...

It's wonderful to dream and even better when they become reality! Never give up the dream girl!!-----because then I can come visit you at the lake. :)

Unknown said...

sounds like my dream of an old farm house!!! swoon!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

I have dreamed of having a front porch and wish we could add one to our home. We have a nice 2 level deck on the back but there are no neighbours to see wandering down the sidewalk with a dog on a leash or young ones learning to ride a bicycle.
Scene and Story is a great idea for supposedly every photo should tell a story.

Michelle B said...

A house seems to always be a continuous in work in progress...I guess our dreams are too... My dreams have changed from a farmhouse with a wraparound porch to a house in a warm climate with a wood burning oven on the back patio to make pizza and bread.
Lovely image and story to go with it...the things we do for a picture. :)

Deborah Tisch said...

I'm celebrating with you and Leon on this new adventure! I'll look forward to seeing more images and reading lovely stories. This view of the rocker on the porch just invites me to come sit and have a cup of coffee on a fall morning.

Electric | Journal said...

I had the same dream as a child, because I always wanted a horse. And I was young enough to think that in order to have horses, you needed to live in a farmhouse on lots of land. I never gave up on that dream, and ten years after I was married, I finally got my farmhouse and a few acres, plenty of room for my horse. I never got the wide covered porch with a rocking chair, but my 1923 farmhouse has plenty of charm, and I've called it home for 31 years.