Babs Young writes: As you can see we had a white Christmas and it was a beautiful sunny day in northern Michigan today. In the foreground are former fields of sunflowers that have been harvested. This will be the last photo for 2010. Next week begins 2011 and who knows what new and exciting images will come in the next year.
There is nothing quite so fine as a red barn glowing in the afternoon sunlight. See you in January, Babs!
Posted in: Babs Young photos
Torch Lake Views 
uphilldowndale
December 27, 2010
Ah, Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the Sun,
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done.
Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from the their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go.
– Ah, Sunflower by William Blake
And sunflower stems were used to fill life jackets before the advent of modern materials. Thank you for the beautiful photos through the years Babs.
P.j. grath
December 27, 2010
That photograph is spectacular! Happy New Year to Babs! Gerry, I’ll wish it to you in a few days….
Gerry
December 27, 2010
PJ! Happy New Year, a little early.
Gerry
December 27, 2010
Mrs. Uhdd, you are full of surprises.
Babs, take a bow.
I cannot imagine Torch Lake Views being itself without either one of you.
Scott Thomas Photography
December 27, 2010
Sunshine? What’s that? Been cloudy pretty much every day this month. At least, we are missing out on the east coast storm today. Lovely photo, Babs! Happy New Year to you and am looking forward to your 2011 photos from rural northern Michigan.
Gerry
December 27, 2010
Yup. We had sunshine yesterday. We’re supposed to have some more today and tomorrow and Wednesday, too. But on Thursday and Friday . . . oh ick. We won’t talk about it. Maybe it won’t happen.
“Rural northern Michigan”? Now you’ve done it. For the next month Babs will capture nothing but urban northern Michigan, just for mischief.
Babs Young
December 27, 2010
Thank you to all of you who comment both on TLV and to me personally. I love the comments an the direction they take. Often the comments go where I would never have thought they would go. I do enjoy taking these and never cease to be amazed that each week one comes along often when I least expect it. That is part of what keeps me interested. I will continue on with this for as long as Gerry will have me and it continues to be fun. Thank you Gerry for your generosity. Soon I will post all of 2010 on the web.
Gerry
December 27, 2010
The ricochet of post-comment-comment is much of the fun, isn’t it! Serendipity, the reliability of surprise – the minute we feel stale, something comes along. Here’s to many surprises in 2011.
Kathy
December 27, 2010
We shall await many many surprises in 2011! We have sunshine for the first time today…Kiah and I are “shopping” in Marquette, although I am really collapsed in a coffee shop, totally exhausted after lunch and a book store. lol! Happy New Year, Gerry.
Gerry
December 27, 2010
Happy New Year, Kathy! And to Barry and Kiah, too. I see you are making progress. Exhaustion from books and excellent treats is a fine thing. Happy napping.
isathreadsoflife
December 27, 2010
Oh! those colourful American barns in a snowy landscape ! I just love them. Thanks Babs and Gerry for sharing this quiet and lovely image to close the year. It has been so pleasant visiting with you.
Gerry
December 27, 2010
Thank you, Isa–and thank you for visiting.
Louan
December 28, 2010
I’m from Ingham County,MI, where a winding fence row and a well kept woods are as great a view as the Great Lakes. Farmy girls like me, just can’t resist a glowing red barn and a snow covered forty. The ”View” has been fine from here. Happy New Year, to you Gerry, and to everyone.
Gerry
December 28, 2010
Happy New Year, Louan. I think there’s a song in there somewhere. Maybe even more than one.
Nye
December 29, 2010
I’ve been enjoying Babs’s photos and Happy New Year to your Barbs, looking forward to 2011. 🙂
flandrumhill
December 29, 2010
Happy New Year Babs and Gerry! The snow between the layers of crop rows looks blue and then purple in the distance. That photo belongs in a calendar.
Gerry
December 29, 2010
Hello Nye, Hello Amy! And a Happy New Year to you too. Many more Babs photos to come, we all hope.