The Cattle Weren't Lowing

Next to Round Hill Cemetery and Chapel stands an old cattle barn, which is showing its age but holding up nicely, thank you very much.  On most previous occasions when I photographed the barn, it was complete with cattle.  This time they eschewed the photo shoot.

The occasion for the trip to Arkadelphia was “Gold Tiger Day,” a gathering of former Ouachita graduates who did the deed 50 or more years ago — somewhat of an academic post-menopausal/age of Viagra gathering.  When I looked at the GPS before the trip, I noticed that it showed an alternative “walking route” of 68-plus miles as opposed to the 86-mile driving route.  I figured why not?

The walking route takes one over a long-stretch of gravel road, some of which I had been over before, but not the western end of the route.  The trip meanders through Willow, a quiet and non-descript hamlet.  A few miles east of Willow is Round Hill Cemetery, a large well-kept place of interment waaaay out in the boondocks.  It has a chapel, which I suspect was once a church from the looks of things.  It is always good for a shot or two.

Have You Seen the Movie?

This almost looks like some sort of down-and-out movie set complete with dog.  Despite the appearance, you can rest assured there was little forethought wasted in the placement of the artifacts in this country cacophony.  There are retro-fitted fence chargers mounted on the right side of the porch and amazingly an electric meter, so one can presume that the “light-bill” is being paid.  The old house is east of Round Hill.

Let's Move Closer.

A closer look at the same doomed domicile.  Can you see the little dog?

Hoof-Prints, Meadow-Muffins

Unlike the nearby house, the barn is showing signs of life — if hoof-prints and meadow-muffins can be so considered.

There’s also a neat barn on the premises, which is also pixel fodder.  On this trip I discovered an old abandoned residence replete with a wheel-less old Ford F150 and a resident dog.  There was little evidence of any human companions for said canine.  On the same patch of land was still yet another old well-worn barn.

On the Other Side of the Fence

Here’s another glimpse of the old barn through the road fence that keeps cows in and interlopers out.  Photographers would call this one an exercise in “depth-of-field.”

There is nothing particularly spectacular or noteworthy about this trip aside from the fact that I was, with one exception, the only driver on the road and had an opportunity for one shallow ford and a couple of four-wheel drive instances.  The 68-mile trip took longer than the 86-mile hard-surface trip.