Michigan: flatlands, barns and guys wearing kilts

Traveling home is always interesting.  Things you took for granted as a kid all of a sudden make you go hummmm.  For me that is a lack of hills.  Growing up in a county where 85% of the land is involved in farming you just don't take notice.  At least I didn't.  But going home it really stands out.  Here's a typical landscape from central Michigan...

But one thing we do have an abundance of is barns.  Red ones, white ones and a few iconic Mail Pouch barns.  The later are getting fewer and fewer since they stopped painting them in 1992.  If you see one make a snap, soon they'll be gone.

For me the opportunity to go home over Memorial Day holds special meaning.  The Alma Highland Festival and Games was the first "big event" I covered as a young cub photographer for the Daily Record Leader more than 30 years ago.  Since that time I've covered the festival for two wire services (AP and UPI) as well as four other newspapers.  This year I did it for me.  Here are some favorites...

For a larger view of the images please go to my commercial photography blog