Not California

Walked so very far on strange roads through a late summer day, with the camera, always, always with the camera. Came to the target farm.

Met a nice if cantankerous old man, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and their many sons.

Walked through their place taking photos of the ice coating their silos, hanging from barn walls, dripping out windows, ice everywhere. They didn't seem too concerned about it.

They had nice cattle, some lovely ponies and horses, and good tractors. Though the barns were old and made of wood and a bit dusty around the edges they were well-maintained and clean and obviously well cared for. They were hard workers too bustling everywhere.

Helped get some lemon cookies out of the fridge for the family dinner. They were plumb tasty.

The old gent offered to walk me home as it was a long way, but I didn't want to tire him.

So I left alone.

No more than stepped outside their yard, after bidding goodbye to the youngest grandson, a nice farm lad with great prospects I think, when I noticed a fire in a neighbor's silo.

Tried to dial 911, but my phone wouldn't work, so I hurried back to the farm house to warn them.

They seemed unconcerned.

Not much I could do, so I started photographing the massive fire in the huge wooden silo.

Suddenly it exploded, in bright technicolor, rolling red and orange flames, black silo staves flying up into the sky, cars and trucks swished aside as if they were tinker toys. Rolling towards me across a big field.

It was awful. I kept trying to call the firemen, but dialing the camera just didn't work...all I could get to was 'C' or "sports".

So I began walking again, only to find that the firemen were actually there, putting out fires on surrounding buildings and a blue and white cattle sale tent nearby.

I came to a crossroad and realized that I recognized NONE of the battered green and white road signs. And everything was flooded, with fast-flowing dingy brown water. No matter where I went I could not get to a road that would take me home. And I really wished the nice lady I saw petting the big draft horse over the fence realized that the horse actually wanted to stomp her. Why wouldn't she just leave it alone?

As I walked along I looked at the photos on the camera.

Wow! What amazing footage. Even some incredible videos of the silo explosion and the racing water.

I couldn't wait to get home to get them off the camera and start editing.

Then I woke up.

Dagnabbit.

It appears that I even carry a camera in my dreams, but the photos don't make it through the process of awakening.