#1348. Lost Acres

A drive to view the rising on a Rockbridge County farm leads to a colorful timelapse :)

Linda Wilder and her husband own some Rockbridge County farming property not far south of Lexington. Called “Lost Acres Farms,” it’s perched on a small hill, with a stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape, including House Mountain to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. The view is most spectacular in the winter when the trees are bare. In mid-January Linda invited me to witness the dawn after the previous day’s rain. I drove out in darkness, but when I reached Lost Acres, the remaining clouds filtered the early light and then opened to reveal glimpses of sky and mountains. I was utterly entranced. I’ll present these images in temporal order, so you can see for yourself how the light changed and different reaches of the scenery appeared.

The first two look east upon the Blue Ridge Mountains, just as the sun was coming up.

A diffused light colored the sky, as I looked north.

Then to the west I saw a glowing county landmark, House Mountain (actually there are two Houses, both visible in this view—Little House in the foreground and Big House behind it).

The sky turned orange as I peered south of House Mountain.

Trees flamed as I glanced once more to the north.

The sun had climbed above the low clouds, and a clearing above the Blue Ridge gave glimpses into another world. {1944, 1955}

House Mountain was a suitable backdrop for silhouetted trees.

As we made our way down an adjacent hill, I had these glimpses of a pasture and rural structures looking across to the Blue Ridge.

It was a magical morning, and these images only hint at its magic. But I hope to return sometime this spring for more.