One of Thousands

Today the temperature has dropped 25 degrees in the Finger Lakes Region. Skies grey and cloudy with a drop or two of rain in the air.
Still a good day for photography if a bit tricky with the light.
On days like this it's always good to remember the pre digital era exposure rule of the "Sunny 16".
It's well worth looking it up on google for a refresher or if you've never heard about it. I must confess I had forgotten all about it until I was reading an article last night and put it into practice today.
I'm pleased with the results I got using the rule and today's blip has no post processing at all. Straight from the camera, manual settings including +2 on the sharpening curve and then converted from RAW to jpeg.

Now about today's blip.

Also took the compulsory tourist covered bridge in Newfield NY and the various waterfalls in that area. The cloudy day really set off the remaining fall colors and were a spectacular sight.

However, there are thousands of early to late 19th Century barns all over America that are simply being left to rot away. From humble A frames, huge grain storage barns to this magnificent part barn, part home, hand built in 1885.
No computer drawings, no mechanical diggers, levelers or machines of any kind.
Just human ingenuity and an eye for perfect detail.
The dovetailing on the minor joints is a amazing. Very few nails and the inside roof is quite simply a masterpiece. The huge timbers are balanced perfectly and held together with " trunnels" which literally means tree nails.

Despite being surrounded by marshes the earthen cellar is bone dry anther tribute to the builder's art.

An attempt to restore it had been made about 50 years ago but now it is destined to go the way of many thousands like it. Big or small, plain or ornate, the ravages of the seasons show no mercy.

These are not the grand tourist attractions of the Finger Lakes, the waterfalls, the covered bridges, the quaint villages, the magnificent fall scenery, so we all drive past them thinking "what a waste" with locals thinking they're just a "blot on the landscape".

The only people that take any interest are a few disillusioned photographers who think they make great blips !

These are an intrinsic part of our heritage.
Set up a "Save the Covered Bridges Fund" and everyone will rally around.
Set up a " Save the 19th Century Barns Fund " and the men in white coats will come and take me away.

Thanks for viewing today's blip and hopefully reading my comments.

douglas