Sunset / Sunrise Tour

 My last few blog posts have been tours... let's keep it going. These sunset and sunrise photos were all taken with my cellphone over the past two months. Believe it or not, I didn't touch the color or use any filters on any of them. Those are my horses, Karla and Karma, grazing as the sun comes up.

Karla heads for greener grass as the skies light up. It just so happens that we've had some incredible clouds at dusk and dawn leading to some photogenic moments.

This Amish phone booth serves the family that lives in the farmstead in the background. They can't just pick up the phone on a whim. You may recognize some of these pictures if you follow my Amish Horses Facebook page.

I snapped this beaut as I headed out to do morning chores. I couldn't believe the colors.

 This picture is of the same Amish farm as the phone booth photo. I travel this road to work every morning, therefore it's often a subject for my phone camera art.

 This photo has an interesting twist... it was taken early in the morning, but we are looking due west! Our bright sunrise lit up the entire sky... even the western view. The Amish buggy horses contrast the sky perfectly.

 Another Amish farm waking up under a glorious sunrise. It may look quiet here, but I guarantee that the family has been up for a while when I drive past at 7:00 am. In fact, chores are almost done and breakfast is on the table.

 A white draft horse highlighted in the morning light. Anyone that drives highway 1 between Kalona and Iowa City should recognize this Amish farm and white Percheron.

Open fields under the heavens.

 Another early-morning walk out to my barn.

Sunset silhouettes fences and horses.

 The sky glowed as orange as a pumpkin this evening. Click on each photo and take a closer look.

Morning in Amish Country

 Morning is stunning in Amish farm country. Imagine the sound of a rooster crowing while you look through these pictures. If you've read any of my books, you know that I love to write about sights and sounds of early morning on an Amish farm.

 You wake up at the crack-of-dawn to go out and do chores. There is nothing on earth closer to heaven than morning on a farm.

Everything is still, except for a soft tinkling of feeders as livestock wait for you to give them their morning grain. Birds began singing softly, as first, as though they also are rubbing sleepy from their eyes, too.

 Horses slowly rise to their feet and nicker deep, warm greetings to their two legged friends, "Come and open the pasture gate." They seem to say.

 Grasses are wet with dew, looking delicious even to the one that opens the gate. Kittens stretch and yawn before they scamper through the barn, hoping for a taste of fresh milk.

 Few words are spoken. Each child knows their morning duties and goes straight to work. As birds began to break into full song, human voices also rise. Some singing hymns, others laugh softly.

 A buggy horse clip-clops with a nice sharp sound on the pavement. Where would an Amish family head this early in the morning? Maybe they are on their way to Grandma's farm to help can tomato sauce or make homemade ketchup.

 Baby foals lay near their mamas until they decide to rise for some warm milk.

 When cows and goats have let down all of their milk, and kittens are full and licking their paws and washing their faces, then the Amish family heads back into the house. Breakfast is sizzling on the stove and Mama says, "Vella essa!" (Let's eat!)