Welcome Welcome again to the Fireside as I reflect a little of things of the past. We are still very chilly here today with a steady light rain and gusts of wind. It is a great day to remain tucked away inside. So gather in close, take the chill off with a hug or two. Help yourself to what ever your fancy is today. I am drinking Chaga tea, if you would like a cup just raise your hand. Keeping the Old If you are anything like me it is great to see things of the past age with respect and dignity as this old barn has for many years. It was a landmark up until a few years ago when it was taken down due to safety concerns. I did stop and talk to the farmer years ago and asked of its history. He smiled and shared with me it had been his grandfathers. His grandfather had immigrated from from Holland at a very early age. He had applied for homestead land and was granted the land the barn stood on. It had not been easy according to this young man, the family name was Bosma. He pointed in the direction of a small rise in the land. "They say the children who perished are buried there. There had been 9 children in the family, 3 had passed away and they were hard years. Dairy cattle had been in the family all during his grandfathers youth. Naturally the grandfather kept within the realm of what he knew. From what I was told all forms of livestock were housed the barn. Cattle, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese. The family income was supplemented with sales of milk, eggs and cheese. Apparently the roof had started to collapse in the late 70's when it was finally put to rest as a barn and became a landmark. Leaving a Legacy Over the years I can recall many stopped to take photos, sketch and paint the aging structure. I did have the privilege of visiting the interior. Of course there were all the smells related to a structure like this. Old grain dust, hay and yes manure. It would speak occasionally with a creak or groan as it settled. Near the door stood a skinned log support beam. Witten beside each mark would be the name of the child and the date. Old horse harnesses for working horses hung on their doweled pegs. The farmers craftsmanship still alive with the perfection of whittling each peg by hand. The grandfather left his legacy with this old masterpiece of a barn. Generations after him had followed in his footsteps. If only the walls could speak of the trials and hardships, what would they say? Today a new structure stands as the barn, all made of steel. There may be a day when it too will be outdated but it will never have the class this old barn has. In this part of the world landowners leave their old buildings stand as sentinels of the past. Often I will find an old one and seek permission if possible to enter. I truly do love roaming through them. Keep it Alive We have several old buildings in these parts. They like old rusted out vehicles of years gone past dot the countryside. It is special to find them, they may not be original owners. People are more than interested in sharing what they know. Hearing their story seems to bring alive moments of the past while you stand in admiration of their beauty. Hugs as always © Rolly A. Chabot
14 Comments
6/11/2017 10:17:47 am
First, although I follow your blog, there are times I miss the notifications. For that I apologize. Luckily I saw this one on Facebook and so here I am.
Reply
6/11/2017 11:39:58 am
Hi Bill...
Reply
6/11/2017 11:43:15 am
Hi Vicki...
Reply
6/11/2017 11:46:51 am
Hi Angelia...
Reply
Here in the southern part of the US, where the history is more agrarian than in other parts of the country (or, at least older agrarian), old barns are as common as seeing a beautiful meadow or stream. What's less common are the old ones that have really withstood the test of time and still stand tall, but the wood has faded to a dark gray. When I did more photography, I loved finding an old barn to photograph. But, unlike you, I already did it from afar because I hesitate to talk to people unless they're already outside...I am nervous about knocking on doors. Hehe.
Reply
6/12/2017 01:26:44 pm
Hi Cynthia:
Reply
I'm smiling at even more things we share, dear Rolly...
Reply
6/17/2017 05:47:26 pm
Hi Maria...
Reply
crazyhorseladycx
6/26/2017 12:35:16 pm
howdy, mr. rolly!
Reply
6/26/2017 01:01:52 pm
Hi Deb...
Reply
Shauna
7/20/2017 09:30:56 am
There is so much history in the old landmarks that dot the countryside. I love that you take the time to learn their stories. I'm sure the owners and descendants love keeping the legacies alive to be passed down, just as you did with this one.
Reply
7/20/2017 06:37:21 pm
Hi Shauna
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
For a free subscription, just fill out the form below.
Or, click below to follow via RSS. Virtual BuskerFireside with Rolly is a totally free site, but, if you like it and would like to leave a tip, I'll surely put it to good use!
Thanks for your support of the indie biz community. Tipping made easy! 1.Click here ➣ PayPal 2. Select friends or family option 3. Issue to [email protected] Archives
October 2018
|