Nestled In the Pines

   We ventured west 
for the weekend...

left the cats 
and the prairie 
behind for 
a couple of days...


The beautiful Black Hills
beckon us now and then...

Sall lived there 17 years,
and in 2001 that is
where our life together
started...

We loved it there
and spent many weekends
on drives and walks
in the forest.



We left the hills for the
prairie (and my hometown)
nine years ago...

It's still our 
favorite area
 to visit
not just for the scenery
but also the many friends
that still live there!







This trip we stayed
with our friends Kevin and Glenda
and enjoyed a relaxing
and fun time!

While the guys had some 
work to go look at,
us girls went for 
a walk in the forest...









Glenda told me about a recent project
of the Black Hills Preservation 
and the Forest Service,
she thought I would love 
the old buildings and the scenery
and she was RIGHT!







We drove a couple miles 
and walked maybe a mile...

and there it was...

a gorgeous open prairie
with an old abandoned homestead

all surrounded by gorgeous rock cliffs
and sprawling green pine trees...








Totally secluded...
you can only get there
by foot or A.T.V...

"Off the beaten path"
is an under-statement...





The buildings are mere shells
now of their passed existence...

the root cellar an open reminder
of how food was canned 
and stored underground
for survival a year at a time....
  




the little house was 
empty with just scraps of old 
news publications scattered
and empty jars left behind...






A tattered curtain
still hanging in the window...





Someone's window
to their past...


someone's blood,
sweat and tears
left behind...





Now they are
opportunity for us
to hold on to our history...
to share with our grand children
the way things used to be done...

the ways of our fore-fathers.




a window to the past.


nestled in the pines...







Here is a link to see more on 
this great preservation project
near Custer, South Dakota!



I hope your window to the past 
is always open,


Linking with Little Red House 

Comments

Country Gal said…
Beautiful land and photos ! Its a shame to see so many old falling buildings ! Sounds like a wonderful time ! Have a good day !
Brian King said…
Wow, the Black Hills are gorgeous! Love those old buildings, too! Beautiful country for sure!
spotted face said…
Beautiful photography, Lisa! That scenery is hard to beat, for sure.

Take care -
Jill said…
Thank you so much for sharing your walk with us! I would so love to visit that old homestead but thrilled to at least see it here.
TexWisGirl said…
what a wonderful spot to visit! so pretty!!!
Oh that looks like fun poking around in those old places. If they could talk there would be lots of stories. V
Michelle said…
Beautiful pictures of this spot. Sad and gorgeous photos of that old homestead.
Michaele said…
Wasn't it neat that you could go for a walk like this in February. Great photos and I love the new green header.
Beautiful country, and a great opportunity to poke around in old buildings.
ju-north said…
What a beautiful old building! so often these characterful old structures are just destroyed. What a heritage!
Beautiful post! My husband and I took a trip there some years ago - such a gorgeous area. We ended up (long story) camping out in some guy's backyard in the middle.of.nowhere and in the morning took a walk up to an abandoned gold mine as the sun was rising. It was so much fun!
Breathtaking said…
No wonder this is a favourite place of yours to visit,its really
beautiful.
It would be fascinating to walk there, to imagine the lives of those who once lived and worked in these buildings..
It would be fascinating to walk there, to imagine the lives of those who once lived and worked in these buildings..

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