Today a friend and I met for lunch, then took off to explore this county around us.
We covered a lot of ground, visiting four cemeteries that date back to the early 1900s, checked out a couple of old vehicles that have been left to decay on a long abandoned homestead, and checked out some of the scenery that is on our doorstep.

Imagining what the earliest settlers that inhabited this area went through, living in sod huts and making homes and lives out of literally what they could carry with them is awe inspiring.
I don’t know if I would have had the guts to leave everything I know and start a new life in a new world. I have a lot of respect for those that did.

Something else that is total awe-inspiring is the scenery not even 20 minutes away. The badlands near where I live have a beauty to them that is tough to describe, yet a harshness as well.
I didn’t shoot a lot of pictures today because today was mainly a scouting trip, as well as an opportunity to play with settings and the new polarized filter I bought the other day. I am definitely happy with the photos it’s taking so far!

The beautiful but harsh landscape near my home. April 17,2019
As you can see in the last couple of photos the filter definitely helped make the clouds pop out against the blue of the sky. I’m kind of wishing I had taken some without as well.
All in all it was a great day out with a friend. I managed to see some parts of the country side around me that I have not had the opportunity to check out before, and managed to spend some time honing my photography skills.

My plan for the summer is to spend a couple days a week when the weather is good to get out and take in the beauty of the world around me. Thanks for following along.
Kevin