I had the opportunity to spend some time at a friend’s house in rural South Dakota last weekend, and I was delighted to find this old artifact in their back yard. It wasn’t just the implement, a McCormick-Deering #6 Horse-Drawn Sickle Mower if you’re wondering, that impressed me; the view was amazing.

One drawback to photography in the “energy corridor” of the great state of North Dakota is the ubiquitous power line in almost any landscape. Seriously, they’re tough to escape. No problems in this photo…just wander out in the backyard and snap away. I did manage to find the hidden rusty barbed wire in the grass, too…but thankfully my tetanus shot is up to date.