When was the last time you took a drive out into the countryside?
We did that this past weekend. Although we’re out in the rural areas frequently for appraisals, we don’t often take the time to just LOOK – at the trees! The cows! The fences! The fields!
Normally, the articles we write are specifically about appraisal issues or home valuation practices and principles.
Vanishing Texas
Today, we’re going to share a little more than that. We’re going to share our weekend adventure into what would most aptly be described as Vanishing Texas, named after a Flickr group that I joined to share some of the rural photos I’ve been taking lately.
I’m finding it impossible to resist the pull of the rural areas, especially the ones that have ample examples of the days gone by in Central Texas.
As more and more people move into the urban areas, rural areas are hard hit with abandoned homes, falling-down buildings, and lots and lots of rusty vehicles piled about, some in junk yards, but many other in fields. As some of this stuff ages, it crosses over some invisible divide between abandoned-old-junk and historical-and-interesting. Rust and falling-down buildings in particular draw my eye.
More City Dwellers, Fewer Farmers
We have far fewer working farms, ranches and dairies than in the past, although the “Locavore” movement may help bring some of them back. Locavores try to source the bulk of their foods locally, eschewing the imported, trucked-in, out-of-season, chemically washed produce that normally fills the bins in the grocery stores during the winter.
We support this movement in our own household by visiting the farmer’s market and buying locally-sourced products as often as we can.
One Long and Winding Road
We drove out into Bastrop, along Sayers Road, off 95, maybe 45 minutes south of Austin. Here are images of what we would consider to be threatened in Texas – images of places and animals that may or may not be around for future generations to enjoy.
I wish we had things like this in the UK! I would LOVE it but you just don’t see it….
Lovely shots, I love the old rusty car and Image 5 – the one trees eitherside of the path. Beautiful!
I’m loving the pics of my Texas….lol, I miss it so much. I was born in San Antonio and had thousands of trips to Austin visiting relatives, etc.
Makes me homesick, but keep the pics comming!!
Nancy (Bamamom)
These shots are amazing. I am always afraid to go out and just shoot in the country. I am afraid I will get in trouble! Maybe that will be something I work on in the new year!
Love my Texas too! These are beautiful and I agree it is vanishing, unfortunately.
Those shots are incredible! Very impressive!
I am drawn to rural/country areas also. Your photographs are beautiful!
Nice shots! Very evocative!
These are great. Very emotional.
These are fantastic. Great attention to all the details.
Love the variety of these shots. They tell such a story. Great job.
You know, In Texas, you gotta watch out for the guns! We made absolutely certain we were on public property and didn’t step foot on private property. We carry business cards and our cars has Realtor signs on it to help put people at ease when they see the long lens sticking out of the window!
Thanks everybody for stopping by today to take a look!
Gorgeous shots! Love taking drive in the country and finding interesting stuff to shoot!
Great shots! Love the detail!
These are great, looks like home. 🙂
Beautiful photography! You really captured it. Come stay with us at Pecan Street Inn in downtown Bastrop and give yourself more time!
Shawn Pletsch