On the Road Again

Finding Glimpses of the Past

It felt so good to be driving out among quiet winter fields on a gray day yesterday afternoon. We were kind of craving a motel by late afternoon, but it was a mini-wander which means we weren’t that far from home.

We went primarily to check on a house in Kansas, Illinois that we’ve been watching sadly crumble for a few years now. I thought the odds that it would have been razed since our last visit were pretty good. It still stands however, well, sort of.

Here it is the first time I saw it, about five years ago.

And then again about a year and a half ago. It’s hard to see because of the foliage but the left side of the second floor had completely collapsed.

Again, I’m surprised it hasn’t been knocked down. Honestly, it looks as though leaning on any part of it could knock it down. It makes me wistful. I realize it’s far past any reasonable hope for preservation, but I love seeing these glimpses of the past in our landscape.

I’ve gone down the rabbit hole online trying to find info on this house. If anybody has some, would love to hear or see it.

The first time we saw this house we also saw this one about a half a mile away.

It was too buried in foliage to even get a picture last time. Yesterday it was completely gone. After doubling back we finally saw the cut-in where the drive had been. No other trace remained. I was ridiculously sad. Again, I knew there was no hope for this little house, but it was still there, peering out of the trees, letting us know the past is all around us.

Now, the fields are that much quieter and I can’t wave to it and let it know that I see that bit of the past shining through. I know, somewhat ridiculous, but then again, I chat to my Christmas lights.

We continued down the road as it turned to gravel and came across one of the Eighth Judicial Circuit County Seat markers, now a marker of the past, as well as part of the past itself.

We’d come across another one earlier in the day. I have a soft spot for these handsome little guys.

Even though I know this march of time in our landscapes is inevitable, it does make me sad. I thought of that little white house all evening long, pausing the tv every so often to go into a diatribe of why I was going to miss it.

Oh, and we also drove by this house.

I tried to remind Ernie of what it used to look like but he couldn’t recall it. “The porch trim looked like it was DANCING,” I told him.

A year or two after I took this picture I saw all the trim in a bundle, for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

A few more glimpses of the past. I loved this house, just look at the pitch of that roof!

Nothing but a pump, a drive and some small grain bins left at this spot.

A homemade tombstone for a 9 year old boy, using marbles. MARBLES. He must have loved playing marbles.

Onward. Onward to more glimpses of the past in 2024.

Oh, and happy birthday to this one, who is, shockingly, 22 years old today.