Painting my Dream Setting

I just met my grandmother's cousin, Stan and his wife, Dee, a few months ago at the funeral for my grandmother's sister, Aunt Rowena.  However, I have really enjoyed getting to know them and visiting their farm in northern Indiana.  I learned at the funeral that Dee is a professional artist, so I asked her if she would be willing to paint my "dream setting" for me.  I gave her a few photos of what I was envisioning and she set to work.  We got to pick the finished painting up on Saturday and I LOVE it!  We also spent some time walking around the farm enjoying nature and their months of hard work at growing field corn, soybeans, and a home vegetable garden.  I look forward to future visits with them!

  

Walking the path to Dee's studio.

 

The crickets and grasshoppers were jumping everywhere! This one landed on Hailey's shirt.

 

My mother-in-law spotted this Praying Mantis.

 

Hailey found this Wooly worm.

 

The corn is so high this year from all the rain and ideal growing conditions!  My father-in-law is 6'10, so my guess is that the corn is about 10 feet tall!

 

This picture gets me in the mood for Fall!

 

The big combine tractor they use for harvesting.

 

Corn silos!

 

Stan said this used to be his parents' dinner bell. It still works...I got to ring it!

 

White peaches...my first time having one!  They were great and really sweet!  The little orange thing is a Persimmon, which doesn't normally grow this far north (it's more likely found in the southern states of the U.S.).

 

The painting!  The house and barn are from a farm near Union City, Michigan, where my mom and grandmother grew up. The big tree and tire swing came from Brian's cousin, Rachel's farm. I asked Dee to also add a vegetable garden and clothes line with quilts. Now I just need to find the perfect frame and we'll hang it in the living room next to my other barn pictures!