1795...want to go back in time with me?

Saturday afternoon we headed to the lake house and I was determined to read my camera manual and learn what I could from the book. Every topic that was covered was tried out before I went to the next topic and I feel that I have a fairly good understanding of the auto functions ( I know I know, it doesn't mean I can produce great pictures, but at least I know what the buttons are FOR!) and I'm not ready to wade into the manual aspects. So how does that relate to 1795? Today, Sunday, I make some practice pictures and started by standing on the front porch at the lake and taking pictures of the barn right across the street from us that was built in 1795. In the picture that I'm posting I used my telescopic lens and just look at the foundation on this barn...rocks holding the timbers. In the next picture I had turned slightly to my left and took a picture of the house that was built at the same time and now they are adding on an AWFUL addition. Originally there was just a log cabin that was centered between the two fireplaces, but in 1810 the first addition was made and was all that was added until this newest add-on. The log cabin walls are still visible inside. The construction trash bin is at the back of the house. I was told that the man who owned this house never had slaves and as there are no slave quarters I assume that info is correct. This is in the area where the Cherokee Indians would have walked during the Trail of Tears just a few years later. We've gone from 1795 to around 1840 so lets jump forward to 1955-1963 which is the time frame in which the lake was built. I took the third picture from our back porch and the man who built the barn and log cabin used to farm the land where the lake now is. I made the picture at dusk and used the night setting. The land across the lake (which seems closer as the water dries up) is S. Carolina...I didn't use my telescopic lens. Now, up to 2008. The fourth picture is a close up shot of the floral centerpiece, as I was trying to focus on the red seed balls. Kristen, in the spare time between diapering and feeding, you can tell me what I need to do to improve my "technique". In fact anyone can tell me! I just know Kristen worked with a professional photographer and has more experience than me.