Ever since moving to the Midwest, especially upon moving to Wisconsin, I've had one goal: enjoy the seasons as much as possible. Now that I have a traveling partner by my side, I've been able to take advantage of exploring as much as possible. 

One place that I checked out this winter was Monticello, WI. A small town but it definitely has its charms, especially when it's covered in snow. Snow makes everything look picturesque.

Upon arrival you will see their welcome sign (shown below) and I've always admired the design of the bricks with the typography of their town's sign. Both styles somehow don't belong as if from a different era yet still blend perfectly together.

Many have wondered why I take photos of broken and shattered barns/farms. I've always been fascinated of abandoned barns and usually yell at my husband to pull over quickly so that I can take photos of them. Coming from Miami, FL I was never exposed to the "country life" and never saw many barns until I moved up to the Midwest. Seeing a bright shiny red barn is always exciting and picturesque. However, being able to find the worn-to-the-ground barns makes you appreciate the character of the architecture and the history of the building. Many of these buildings have been passed down for generations and so much work was involved just to get these farms up and running. These buildings have been the livelihood of families for decades, maybe even longer. Such strong history is not very common in Miami. Seeing buildings still holding strong after decades, or even centuries, is admirable. We take history for granted sometimes and even if we move on with our lives to build new fancy homes, we still leave behind old architectures that hold on to the last breath of history left inside of them. 

I've seen so many shattered farms, barns, and homes left destitute for years in Wisconsin and I can't help but wonder who used to live there? What history do these buildings hold? How long have these buildings been around for? What could have caused the families to abandon these homes and let it go to waste? Maybe we'll never know but I can't help but wonder. 🤔

Never forget that even though we all move on to bigger and better things in our life, you always leave behind a memory everywhere you go. Make sure to cherish those memories and preserve them as much as you can. Someone has to. 

Thanks for checking out my blog! I hope you enjoyed all of my winter adventures this season. 

Next up: Spring!