This week’s Sunday Stills Challenge is Barns.
We have a little barn. It’s not a typical barn in the fact that it’s only enclosed on 3 sides for the animals and hay storage. It’s more like a shelter in that regard.
But we do have a nice sized tack room, although now that our electric isn’t working due to some evil, destructive gophers, the tack room is difficult to navigate around in because it’s so dark. I have to feel around in there like Helen Keller to find anything. It’s too bad the people who built this barn didn’t put in a skylight, then there would be natural light in there all day.
We added onto our barn’s roofline after we moved in, because the barn builders didn’t take into account that the roofline didn’t adequately provide enough protection for any animals when it rained or snowed. The first winter we were here, we only had our two llamas and anytime it snowed, even though they were in the barn, they would be covered with snow. So, we added on another 8 feet to the roofline, and it has made a huge difference.
Also, if I had planned this property in the very beginning, I would have placed our house up at the top of the hill, and the barn somewhere in the middle and closer to the house, because as it is now the barn is at the top of the hill and the house is way down at the bottom.
This placement makes it very difficult when the ground is covered in ice, snow or mud. It was especially frustrating during the first winter after we moved in, and our pipe running to the barn froze and burst. We had to haul water up twice a day, up that long hill.
Not to mention the views at the top of the hill, from the barn, are beautiful! I can see way out, past the mountains, towards the Eastern Plains from up there. But I doubt that the llamas, goats, sheep and my horse appreciate that view as much I do.
Gee, this is turning into a gripe about my barn, isn’t it?
Really, I’m grateful to have my own barn, but you know how it is. There are always things we’d change given half the chance.
(This is a photo of our barn, taken from the upstairs of our house. Taken last month. Sorry about going into my archives)
(And this is a photo taken recently during a foggy morning. This is an old, dilapidated barn about 5 minutes from our house)
32 comments :
Love the photo of the foggy, dilapidated barn - and thanks for more photos of your digs!
It makes me so sad to see a barn like that last one. It's given it's all. I always think about when it was built, and how proud the family must have been, and how hard they worked on it, and all the hay and animals that must have passed through it over the years, and now it's just collapsing into the ground.
We had a big old barn right up the road form us that gave up a few winters ago, the back wall collapsed and the rest shifted, and it looked like it had just sat down for a rest. Unfortunately because the road was busy and there was no place to pull over, I never did get a good picture of it before they tore it down.
Whoa, that old barn looks like you messed with it on photoshop! Psychedelic, dooooood....
In my next life, I'll have a barn. 20-20 hindsight being what it is, I'd certainly have built one and opted for less house than we have. Who knows if they would even use it, though. They're such nature boys, I'd probably have to force them in it.
I love the last photo...very cool
Lisa, love, love, love old barns! Our old barn is about 140 years old, not in the best of shape but I love it. It's put together with wooden pegs, so neat.
Love the last picture, so sad too that it's falling down. beautiful shot.
hugs...
Jane
Love the foggy barn shot and the other is wonderful too.
Our barn certainly needs a total makeover but we can only do a little patchwork at a time.
I remember the picture of the last barn! a symbol of times gone by - a lost generation.
As for yours, it doesn't make sense they way they placed your house and barn. You guys sure work hard for your animals! I had to laugh about your Helen Keller comment :)
Why don't you put in a sky light? I know, money is always a problem, isn't it? I hope you get electricity soon before another winter.
God bless you and yours
Patrina <")>><
There's always ways to improve buildings once they're done. There are things I would change about our barn, like the way the water drains into it and that snow slides off and we have to shovel to get in the door. Definitely bad planning when it was built by the previous owners. I also love old barns and wish they could be fixed up.
The second photo is cool!
Lisa, I am going to email you the response to your questions about traveling with the pony :) Check your email soon :) HUGS, JP
Flartus....you crack me up....doood! lol!
I don't own photoshop, but I did use Picnik to add some contrast because the fog had really washed out and made the barn look really blurry. I also added my signature and a frame/matt around the edges. Otherwise, what you see is just what I saw that day. Spooky, eh?
~Lisa
Love the foggy barn shot, almost ghostly..:-))
That last barn is so sad. I, too, think about when if was first built. What kind of animals did it keep? Who was the farmer? What was his life life?
great job!
you always have such interesting subjects for your photos, your barn is super cute lisa :)
I like the old "ghosty" barn as well, but I always like seeing shots of the Homestead and animals. :)
We have so many old falling down barns around here. They have so much character and you wonder the things they've seen in their long lives.
If its any consolation, we restored our farm. Moved the house in - it was 30 miles away. Moved the barn in - it was 2 miles away. And other misc buildings. My husband and I have never agreed on where each one should go. If I had MY way, it would look different. But since he was doing most of the work, I chose my battles wisely... :)
Carrying water in the winter would be AWFUL!
The stories that old barn could tell us! Wonderful!
Your electric is out too??
I love the snow in the first photo and I always enjoying seeing the old falling down barn.
I like how the tree leans with the barn. It does look like you skewed it all somehow :-).
Love the foggy one too! The sort of thing well worth framing and looking at every day. Nice job!
I think fog gives an interesting effect to pictures. I took a photo of one of the barns in the rain and really like the effect. Yes, skylights help alot. My hubby's old shed has a center skylight.
Brenda
http://wollreflections.wordpress.com
I love barns and photos of barns, your photos are truly lovely.
Well at least you have a barn to bitch about! You know I am just teasing..some people when they design stuff they are not thinking straight..I would want the view from the house to be great also..although we built this place and all we see is trees..all directions:)
'Evil, destructive gophers...' Lol:) I love the second picture! So... Mysterious. :P
~Lydia
Well I've tried all day to see your barn but it just won't come. I like the shot of your barn from the house though ....well except for the snow. I went riding on Sat. and we got hailed on....enough wintery crap already.That shot is pretty though.
Love that misty foggy photo. Very eerie....
Great photos! Consider yourself lucky that you have a barn and don't have to board. I've got 3 that I pay board on. An expensive habit, these horses ;)
Those are great Lisa!!!!!! I love the barn in the fog!!!
Post a Comment