Every time I visit West Union Covered Bridge I am taken back in time and can't help but wonder what has happened at that bridge. I am sure there have been some memorable times since 1876! I have visited the bridge many times- in snow coming down so hard I could hardly see directly in front of me, in icy cold wind I could barely feel my fingers even with gloves on, and on simple, yet, perfectly sunny days. I've shared lunch in the West Union Bridge with friends and family (no worries about cars passing through the bridge- it's been bypassed). I've met an older gentleman who gets his daily exercise by walking back and forth in the bridge. And I've been witness to a dear friend's baptism in the creek below.

My camera was with me most of those days, but some days it was not. Some of those visits I captured the moment that was there and then gone again. On other occasions, I did not have my camera with me, nor my phone. I am sure you're asking why, but if not bear with me because I am going to tell you. Those moments- with no camera, no phone- I captured those moments with my heart. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE photographing the covered bridges- it's a passion, almost an obsession. But there are some moments (like my friend's baptism) that a picture could never capture completely. And so, those moments, they're stored up in my heart.

Heart of Parke CountyI found this heart in West Union Covered Bridge and decided it would make a great image. I don't usually like graffiti in the covered bridges, but this one captured my attention. Covered Bridges are truly the heart of Parke County.

"State of the Union" West Union Covered BridgeA beautiful sunny day, dotted with a few clouds, depicts West Union Bridge in a great way.

The Parke County countryside has just as much to offer as the covered bridges. It is so beautiful, but also easy to get lost there. I've been lost in Parke County on more than one occasion, but those times have proven to be some of my most favorite journeys with my camera. Eventually I find my way back home, so am I ever really "lost?"

Thirty-one covered bridges, countless barns and farms, gravel roads, two state parks and one state rec area, and rural and rugged landscapes are just a few things Parke County can boast about. And I can't forget about the breath-taking sunrises and sunsets! I love driving the countryside of Parke County. Every turn, every curve, every bend in the road has something new and beautiful for your eye to behold and your heart to experience. I love capturing those memories; memories that can be held forever in the heart. So, enjoy a few of those memories of Parke County that I have captured for you. 

Sunrise at Big Raccoon CreekSunrises in Parke County are beautiful. The Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge is just above me to the left. It was a chilly 19 degree morning, but, oh so worth the wait! Moments before the sunrise at Big Raccoon Creek just below the Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge. I think every color of the rainbow was captured in this image.

SunlitAfter a workshop at Turkey Run State Park one evening, I decided to stay and shoot a little longer. So I ventured off on my favorite trail, and the early evening sun was coming through the trees, lighting the rock. It was a beautiful moment that I knew I had to capture. I spent an afternoon and evening at Turkey Run State Park. As I was hiking one of the trails, I saw that the sun was poking through the trees, painting this ancient landscape in light.

Towpath FallAutumn is an amazing time in Parke County Indiana. Made along the Wabash and Erie Canal in the morning, the sun was shining just right to light up the brilliant fall colors. One of my favorite roads to drive in Parke County is Towpath Road. This road is aptly named because the mules used to pull barges on the nearby Wabash and Erie Canal. This past fall was stunning! Through the Iron BridgeSnow makes everything beautiful and pure. This is an image I made at Big Raccoon Creek looking through the Bridgeton Iron Bridge. I was looking through the old Bridgeton Iron Bridge at a winter scene when I made this image. 

Parke County SunsetThis image goes along with "Before the Storm" and "On Fire." The tree you see in each of the images is the same tree. I made this image knowing that the sunset was going to be spectacular! I thought I should end our journey with a sunset. I made this image while listening to the thunder rumble off in the distance. I knew I had to work quickly to make this before the storm rolled in. And, let me tell you, it rolled in with some amazing thunder and lightning!

I hope one day you have the opportunity to experience Parke County like I have. I am always seeking out my next adventure in Parke County! The photographic opportunities here are endless! If you are interested in purchasing one of these prints, please go to my shop and check out what I have to offer. Just click on the "Portfolio" button and check out what I have to offer! Stay tuned for the next covered bridge blog soon!

I have met many people who love the covered bridges in Parke County, I have sold many covered bridge prints to people, and I have listened to many stories of the covered bridges. I love listening to their stories- how they grew up playing in this bridge, how they have a certain Christmastime tradition of hanging a Christmas wreath on that bridge with their family, or how they come back, year after year, to the covered bridge festival and visit a particular covered bridge that they've fallen in love with. It is such a cherished time for them to convey their memories to me, and I cherish those times I get to hear them. So, maybe instead of a covered bridge holding a special place in their hearts and mine, it's the memories made there that they hold in their hearts. It's the memory of standing in knee deep snow with my camera, clicking the shutter button of one of my very first images on a journey. A journey that has taken me to all 31 covered bridges in Parke County in every season- and some more than I count on one hand. It's the memory of a journey that began 5 years ago and one that continues to this day.

As long as I have a camera in my hand and a memory remembered, as long as I have a memory remembered and memories yet to be made, I will make it my mission to capture your covered bridges and make them into your memories, as well as mine.

"Spring Snow" Phillips Covered BridgeOne of the first days of spring, we had a foot of snow, and I knew it would be a great chance to get some beautiful red covered bridges in the white snow. It was one of my first images of a covered bridge in the snow that I made.

Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge is the northernmost covered bridge in Parke County and rests in one of the most picturesque parts of the county. It is quite a drive to get there but well worth the view once you arrive. I have even been known to stop more than once on my way to Bowsher Ford just to capture something more than a covered bridge!

Our journey through Bowsher Ford begins in Spring and the time is "sunset." I'm almost to Bowsher Ford, and I know that the trees sometimes block the sunsets. Being careful for crossing deer, I push the gas pedal down a little further to get there a little faster- seconds count! Usually, I am prepared for a sunset, but I lingered a little longer at another covered bridge than I had planned. I slow down when I approach Bowsher Ford and drive through at what seems like a crawl. I drive down the gravel road a bit, so as not to get my car in the picture. I notice a red bud and make the decision to set up my camera so that it's in the foreground. I park on the side of the road, grab my gear out of the back seat of my car, and set up quickly. The sun is beginning to make its descent behind the trees, but not before I capture it, Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge, the winding gravel road, and the red bud tree. Victory!

I linger past sunset, admiring and thanking God for a nice evening. It is so quiet, and I enjoy the solitude. I do not have to be conscious of approaching cars- rarely does one pass, and not on this night. My mind wonders- it wonders back to the builder of this bridge, Eugene Britton. I wonder if he took pride in his work- for it truly is a work of art. I have to believe he did, as well as the other builders of the covered bridges. Sure, they made them for practical reasons, but I believe, too, they were made to blend and add to the beauty of the countryside. The covered bridges are not just concrete pads- all made the same. They are different heights, different lengths, made by different builders. These differences make each covered bridge unique, with a story to tell. With each captured image, I hope that I can help preserve that "uniqueness" that each builder brought to the covered bridges of Parke County.

"Springtime Splendor" Bowsher Ford Covered BridgeAfter I drove through Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge, I looked in my rearview mirror to see this image staring right at me. What a sight!

I want to begin about an hour before this image was made. I was at church and had just walked out after a major downpour. I saw the sun shining in the west and a dark eastern sky. I thought surely there would be a rainbow. As I turned and looked, there in the eastern sky was a rainbow- it was actually a double rainbow. It was so vibrant! I did not have my "real" camera with me, so I took a couple pictures with my phone. As I was on my way home, I was thinking, man, if this rainbow lasts, I can grab my camera and drive to a covered bridge and get a rainbow AND a covered bridge together! So, maybe, just maybe, I sped up a little to get home. I rush inside and grab my camera and tripod and I'm out the door.

I can see the rainbow is quickly dissipating, and I am getting a little discouraged. By the time I get just 5 minutes from my house, the rainbow is pretty much gone. Disappointed, I go back home. I walk in the door and think to myself, why am I not out there shooting a sunset?! I have time, and the sky is pretty. So, I leave again with the destination of Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge. I am a little disheartened by the fact that I missed the rainbow, so I blare some Alison Krauss nothing like some Alison Krauss to cheer you up...haha) through my speakers with the windows rolled down, my hair blowing through the wind, and am praying for a "cloudy" sunset, because "clouds are your friends." (thanks, Todd and Brad Reed). I kinda chuckle to myself because I am driving away from the light and as a photographer, I should be chasing the light. But I knew where I was going, and I was already thinking of a composition for my image.

I get to Thorpe Ford, and I am still a little discouraged by the sky. It's not what I was hoping for. I hang around, make a few images, enjoy the coolness of the night, and continue to pray for a cloudy sunset. As I approach the bridge and set up my camera and tripod, there are a few clouds behind and above me that begin to turn purple, and then even further behind, close to the horizon, oranges and yellows are beginning to appear! My heart does a happy dance and praises God for painting such a spectacular and incredible sunset. Over and over again, I keep thanking God. He created this sunset, He enjoys making them, and I am so honored that I can capture just a glimpse of what He has created. I have to share this image with you. Praise Him who has created it, not me. Give him the honor He deserves, not me. I am just His vessel, He is using me, and I want to be the best I can be for His glory. I leave you with this- the next time you see a sunset, or sunrise, that you think is beautiful, thank God for it. He's the creator.

"In the Sweet" Thorpe Ford Covered BridgeSunsets that involve clouds are always the best. God paints these sunsets, and we get to enjoy them.

Crooks Covered Bridge holds, not just the cars that pass through the bridge every day, but the stories of the past. Oh, the stories that bridge could tell if it could speak! Crooks holds those memories captive- that only those who have experienced them could tell!

I hold dear to my heart the experiences I've had at Crooks, and I want to tell you of one that just recently occurred. As I was seeking out a new location to photograph a bit away from Crooks Covered Bridge, I drove by another vehicle- a rare sight. I decided I did not like the new location, and so I drove back to the bridge and parked- right next to the vehicle I had just passed. As I was retrieving my camera and tripod from the back seat of my car, I could hear the sweet sounds of laughter and splashing below the bridge in the creek. This made my heart so happy- a family making new memories! I set up my camera and tripod and just took my time; the sun was setting slowly this night, it seemed. I listened in on the memories, and when it was time for the family to go, the children begrudgingly went and tears were shed. As they were driving away, they stopped to make sure I was okay, and we chatted a couple minutes. They left, and as the sun set for the day, so did the memories settle in their hearts.

Memories and experiences are so precious, and as a photographer, I am privileged to capture those moments and memories of the covered bridges that people treasure in their hearts. My hope is that I can capture those experiences and turn them into memories that are tangible and visible.

"Crooks Summer Harvest" Crooks Covered BridgeCrooks Covered Bridge never disappoints! This was a different night from "Crooks Magic Light." The wheat had just been harvested, and the clouds were aligned with the lines in the field, making all kinds of cool angles!

The first one was, as I was parked in my car in the middle of a one lane covered bridge, how rarely a vehicle passes by as I photograph the covered bridges. I see more wildlife than vehicles at the bridges- deer, bald eagles (yes!), blue herons, and snakes (eeew!)-most times. I hope Rush Creek Covered Bridge is not forgotten. I hope that old memories are reignited and the old timers' stories are passed down to the generations. I hope new memories are created at Rush Creek. Memories of driving through the covered bridge for the first time or creek stomping under the bridge, or memories of getting lost trying to find Rush Creek Covered Bridge without a map or GPS. I hope the bridge is remembered.

As I was looking out at what was before me, I saw the trees bending low to the earth, especially the one on the right of this image. Not only did it make for an aesthetic image, it also reminded me of the God I serve. He made what I was looking at, and as this tree bows to the elements, I should humbly bow before the One who created me and created what I was staring at. He created me to praise and glorify Him. How could I not?! How could I look at what was in front of me and not praise Him who created the earth! So, I did. In those few moments, I praised the Creator for His creation- what I saw- the trees, the snow, and the snow-covered earth, and what I heard and felt- the silence, the quiet, and the peace.

And then, as I sat in my car, I said, "Thank you." Thanks to God for His creation, and thanks to those who built the bridge (in a most "awe"some place). I put my car in reverse so as not to disturb the snow-covered road. I got out of my car with my camera and tripod, and I made the same composition as I had imagined while I was in my car. I took my time. I looked once more in the viewfinder and then completed this memory.

My hope through my photography, is that, as this memory was made, the Covered Bridges of Parke County continue to stand as a reminder of the beauty that once was, and, to this day, still is. 

"Portal of the Past" Rush Creek Covered BridgeWhen the architects constructed the covered bridges, I wonder if they thought these would become pieces of history? I wonder if people crossed the bridges and thought, "Wow, these bridges are works of art?" Probably not, but I do. They probably just used them as an everyday convenience to cross a creek. Now, we hold a 10 day festival to commemorate the bridges. When I cross the covered bridges, I wonder about the past.

Zacke Cox Covered Bridge is one of those bridges that is tucked away in a little piece of Parke County. If you're not careful to follow a map or GPS directions, you may very well miss the gravel road where it is located. So, just in case you've never been there or you just can't plain find it, I'm taking you there.

Let's fast-forward to fall- I'm not trying to rush through spring or summer, or even leave winter out, but fall is a most desirable time to visit. I've just driven through the Harry Evans Covered Bridge and am admiring the countryside- the changing of the leaves from their summer green to their autumn color is most remarkable. Outside, the air is no longer horribly humid (good ole Indiana humidity), but cool and crisp. I have my beloved hoodie on and car windows cracked a bit. A few clouds dot the blue sky ahead, and behind, my car is kicking up dust from the gravel road. I haven't been to Zacke Cox Covered Bridge for a few months, and I've never seen it dressed in fall, so I'm a little excited to see it (I know, I'm a nerd)! I turn down Tickridge Road and drive down a little gravel hill to see the bridge surrounded by brilliant yellows- now, I'm not a tree expert, so I can't tell you the trees that own those brilliant yellows. Each side of the gravel road is lined with fallen leaves. The road travels down the hill, through the bridge, and back up the hill out of the little valley. I stop way short of the bridge and pull over. I HAVE to capture THIS, just the way I see it.

I get out of my car, it's so quiet, not even a breeze is rustling the leaves. In the middle of THAT gravel road, on THAT hill, is where I set up my camera and tripod. I capture THAT moment. When I'm finished, I walk down that hill in the middle of that gravel road, camera in hand, tripod in the other, and capture a closeup. There won't be another moment exactly like THAT- ever again. I'm happy. I walk back to the car and drive through the bridge and onward to another bridge. But there's no covered bridge exactly like Zacke Cox- and there won't be- ever again.

"Zacke Cox Fall" Zacke Cox Covered BridgeDriving down the hill and through the covered bridge is a bit nostalgic on a fall day. The yellows, oranges, and browns make for a brilliant fall image.

I arrived with a flood of images in my mind- images I had already made of the bridge. I knew there were more waiting for me, I just had to be patient, walk around a bit, look and wait for the right moment. So that is exactly what I did, and I found exactly the right spot for my new image. I waited a few minutes for the sun to set, and I clicked the shutter button. I felt revived, refreshed, reenergized. I just stood there, breathing in the pure country air, watching the sun make its descent for the day. It was pure... and simple. It was what I needed for the day.

There is something mysterious, something magical, something nostalgic about the covered bridges. Horse and buggy still cross this bridge, and I am reminded of the simple life that the Amish lead. I texted my husband last night while I was there and told him we should move out there. He said "Let's do it. And while we're at it, get a horse and buggy." I don't know if we will ever move there, but man, just a visit last night was what my soul was yearning for. 

"Simple Things" State Sanatorium Covered BridgeThe refreshment this covered bridge brings to me is incredible. Pure country.

I write all of that to tell you that, yes, I have been to the Covered Bridge Festival at Bridgeton, and yes, I enjoy the experiences I've had there- the people, the food, spending money! But I love being there alone, in silence, no hustle and bustle. It doesn't even matter what time of year I go, there is always something new to experience. After a big rain, the dam is overflowing, and sometimes in winter, the water that was once overflowing is now totally frozen! And then, when there is hardly any rain for a long period of time, the creek below the bridge is merely a trickle.

I have photographed all those times, but my favorite memories, by far, is when my husband and I take our four kids to Bridgeton. Oh, we love our "big adventures" to the covered bridge. As soon as we arrive, they are out of the minivan and into the creek! The kiddos appear dwarfed compared to the enormous size of the bridge. At first glance, the covered bridges do not appear to be that large, but when you see a person beneath the bridge, you realize the bridge's vast size. The kids walk through the creek, up and over the rocks and small islands. Sometimes, tromping through the creek can be treacherous! They jump and splash and play in the water for a long time. When they tire out (haha), we walk to the General Store for a snack or the Mill for some ice cream. Then they are ready for some more creek stomping. Others come and go, but we stay- sometimes until dark. Sometimes my husband even gets in and plays. He's a kid at heart! When all is said and done, we go home, muddy and wet, but our hearts full. They are full of these memories. I hope my kids never forget these precious times. I won't. I hold them in my heart and mind- they are etched there forever.

"Bridgeton and Mill" Bridgeton Covered Bridge and Bridgeton MillThe evening I made this image of Bridgeton Covered Bridge and Mill was quiet. The sun was reflecting off of the clouds and the sky was blue. The leaves were just appearing on the trees and the creek was a bit swollen with the springtime rains.

My favorite experience of Beeson Covered Bridge took place in the fall. Oh, and it was a sensational fall! The leaves on the trees were brilliantly colored- bright reds, oranges, and yellows, some still green- still hanging onto their branches, not yet ready to fall to the ground. The air was cool enough for a sweatshirt but not a jacket (and who can resist a hoodie, even in the summer?). Hardly a cloud was in the sky, and it was a beautiful blue. A few cars sped by behind me (Beeson is now by-passed, no cars can drive through it), but they were easily blocked out of my mind. And I just stood there near the bridge taking it all in. 

I had my camera and tripod with me. From where I was standing, I spotted a tree with beautiful red leaves framing the bridge for me. I knew this was the image that I was going to make. So, I set up my camera and tripod, made my composition, and pushed the shutter button. For a moment, I was all alone, in my own world. I realized in THAT moment, that this was what was going to be an amazing journey. A journey of not just photographing the covered bridges, but REALLY experiencing them, each and every one of them- who made them, what creek they cross, and their story. I made a couple more images, but none that compared to the one I had just made. And thus, the journey has begun.

"Framed In Fall" Beeson Covered BridgeBeeson Covered Bridge was one of the first covered bridges I photographed in my mission to photograph all of the 31 covered bridges in Parke County. We had a super fall, and the leaves perfectly framed the bridge for me.

I have visited all 31 bridges in Parke County in every season. I have photographed them all in every season. I had never been to the festival, in fact, I didn't even grow up in or around Parke County. And yet, something keeps drawing me there, to the covered bridges. I love them. Yes, I typed that- I love them. I am infatuated with them. Their stories (and every single one of them has a story) captivate me. I love photographing them. None of them are the same, and if you held up a picture of one of them without its name printed on the front, I could tell you which one it is. Each and every one of the 31 bridges is unique. They all stand out in their own way. And if you ask someone who grew up around the covered bridges, I bet they could tell you their favorite one. I bet they could tell you their memories of hanging from the rafters or waiting in the bridge at night to see if the stories that a bridge is haunted is true (Thanks, Alisa).  

I hope you come on this journey of the covered bridges with me. And I hope you can feel the nostalgia of going back in time or just experience the covered bridges of Parke County for the first time! 

"My Indiana Home" State Sanatorium Covered BridgeA covered bridge leading out to a long straight country road with fields on both sides for as far as the eye can see, at sunset- in a nutshell, that is my Indiana home.