As I drove through northeastern North Carolina to develop my gallery on Cotton Country for my Web site http://www.lgbrownphotography.com/Other/Cotton-Country-NE-North) I also took shots of old houses and barns that are so attractive and interesting to me. They tell the stories of families that lived, prospered, and struggled in them. Many of the houses are abandoned and survive today despite having been left to their own devices. They tell the story of a changing economy, changing technology, and a changing environment. We are who we are because of the tenacity and inventiveness of these families. At a time when we have so many homeless people in our country, it saddens me that we can't find a way to repair and maintain these houses so they could provide shelter for homeless families.