Beauty is in the Eye and Heart of the Beholder.

This old barn building

has stories to tell, you can see from the expression still visible

at the front of the barn. Almost an eerie, 

"Oh no, don't go yet!"

I sat staring attentively at the face.

The wind was echoing through the wholes apparent in the walls and the collapsed

back portion of the barn. I could hear the horses that gave birth in the barn,

the fouls struggling to stand on their feet, nestled at the sides of their mother.

I could hear the cows as they stood patiently waiting to be milked,

the warm milk being forced with each hand into the pail that soon

would be put through the creamer, there would be the making of butter.

there would be the odd kicked pail and the swirl of the tail to remind 

you that patience was sure to run out.

There was the jumping back to get out of the way of the leg that was trying to kick you.

There were chickens in and out, cats hidden in the bales, sneaking nearer to get

a taste of the warm milk.

Feed was fed to the cattle and horses,

corrals were cleaned, fresh water ran,

Many games of hide and seek were played in the barn,

many words spoken, many plans made

many lives have walked through the doors,

the bones of the farm.

As I sat there I could smell the smells from long ago,

I picked up a piece of wood and felt is smooth in my hands.

the elements of many many years causing creaking, and groaning.

I could smell wild flowers, and what had just been a fresh rain.

The sun shining and gleaming and protecting,

and showing warmth to an old friend.

I smile and know that every time

I pass this old barn,

I will be reminded of the one we had on the farm.

The one that my father built with his father and grandfather.

It is not just an old crumbling building, it is history,

it is family, it made me whom I am,

so I will stay awhile and rest while I listen to the wind.

If we listen really closely, and look really hard,

we can find gold in all we touch.

I will always remember where and 

from whom I have come from.

with love.

...........

I hope you have a great day.

Maybe a Hollywood Star, and an old barn. random thoughts.

I Love Mondays,

I wanted to share my favorite picture of my younger sister

I had given her a beautiful broach to wear so she would not have to hold her stole.

Sears did her main pictures. They did a really good job.

I don't know if I am biased but she just looks so radiant to me.

I am so very very happy for her.

love you penquin..

I walked through the field, dirt filling in my shoes,

The grass and some burs sticking to my clothes.

Memories filling my mind, The smells wafted up to my nose.

Familiar scents that I have known all my life.

Through the field I continued my adventure.

I got to the barn, I stood outside in silence for a moment.

I opened the door of the barn, it's age was showing,

sunlit was shining through every hole.

I touched the first wooden beam.

It was smooth from the cattle rubbing and scratching themselves on the wood.

I could see their bring brown eyes, and picture them swaying their tiles back and forth

swishing flies off their bodies. I would make way over to the ladder that

took me to my secret world. Up in the loft amongst the bales were great hiding spots,

not to mention the heavenly smell of the bales, the birds flying on the rafters above.

I laying on the bale watching the clouds pass by the loft door that was open.

I would sometimes get lucky and search for cats that would play around the hayloft.

Usually I would sit and squint my eyes at the rays of sunshining pouring in

through the old wood. The barn that my Great Grandfather built with my Grandfather.

Many boards were reetached over the years, after a windstorm and the like.

It is a peaceful memory from long ago. I find it strange today that I can smell it as if 

I were still laying in the barn right now.

The barn is long gone. The above picture is not of our barn,

It is one I took along the road.

One that reminded me of the simply beauty in my life.

...................

Do you have certain things that trigger some of your memories.?

..........

Today we had a visit from one of our neighbors.

he brought his Dad with him. He is 83 and had a stroke a while back.

He does not talk alot but as I was talking today he was laughing away

and smiling. Both my husband and my neighbor said I was really good with his Dad.

I have not seen this neighbor all winter, he is a very nice man from what I know of him.

He brings his Dad out of the home as much as he can.

I am so grateful for children that do take care of their families as they age,

They show respect and you can tell they were raised right.

............

today I hope no one is without a friend,

or estranged from your family.

May the sun shine for you

and bring you many happy moments.

............

Sometimes It Is Just Right.

Imagine my surprise when I managed to get both the front and back door

as the truck was going 100 miles per hour.

No I was not driving hubby was,

and there I am snapping pictures for all my might.

We laugh he asks how many pictures of old buildings, fields, hay bales

does one girl need,

as many as one wants I tell him,

he just shakes his head, deep down I know he is happy

just for the minutes of silence when I am the worst back seat driver known to mankind.

Sometimes I am surprised he just does not stop the truck and throw me out,

but I would get a picture of that!

Ahhh now I know the reason why.

............

Today I feel very content, peaceful, joyful,

grateful and understanding that

nothing is perfect, nor is it supposed to be

............

This morning I prayed for health and happiness

for everyone that is suffering from an illness, homelessness,

loss of loved ones, hunger. I asked for hope and understanding

during difficult times. I was thankful for everything I have,

Happy that I have eyes to see, ears to hear, nose to smell,

mind to think,  hands to write and hold, legs and feet to carry me,

heart to love, What a wonderful gift we are all given.

As I am typing this I am listening to Nature Music,

coffee is brewing, pets are sleeping, sun is rising,

My Day Awaits!

...........

May you have your very Best Weekend

Cinner

A Way Of Life.........

One thing about driving back to the farm

is the wonderful old buildings you see along the way.

I have lived in various cities for almost 28 years,

but still consider myself a farm girl at heart.

I think because it represents a simpler time,

although it represents a hard life as well.

but it represents family and good times.

I see the beauty in the old buildings

representing a history of unknown characters

but yet know that there are similar attributes of all of them.

It also reminds me of my Dads stories,

how everyone would get together and help one another

build the houses and barns, etc.

This barn is similar to the one I remember on the farm.

Of course the old granaries,

that are now usually made out of steel.

Many hours I shoveled grain in such buildings,

along side my older sister. funny but how I hated that job.

                                                              But I did love driving the tractor

I

love this photo and would love to get my hands

on some of these old barn boards.

The typical red barn.

leaning from years of wear,

I wonder how many new calves were born in this barn,

or did it provide shelter for horses.

Everyone of the buildings would have stories to tell.

For now all hidden behind closed doors.

This building may have been a playhouse for some children,

or maybe a woodshed. It sits alone amongst the trees,

that too have grown weary with age,

all the photos remind me of my father

and his chosen way of life and his fathers

and his fathers father.

Those ancestors all gone,

but remembered ever so fondly by the remaining members of their families.

I was very lucky to grow up on a farm, some day my plan is to be on an acreage.

Where ever I end up, I will always remember where I came from.

Do you love old buildings?

What reminds you of your past?

I would love to hear!

..............

Take care and may you have the Very Best of Days.

Echo,Bells and a Beautiful Church.

well if any of you have been following me along time,

you already know that I love old buildings,

old churches

When we visit in the mountains I always have to go and take another picture of this church.

I love it because of the original bell that you can hear clanging on Sunday morning.

It is amazing as soon as the bell tolls,

you can hear the echoing of the bell,

the noise bouncing back from the mountain walls.

It really is beautiful,

someday I should really see whats inside.

.............

For now my travels wait, 

my sister is here visiting,

we talked and laughed on the couch

so long tonight we were both telling the other to stop,

because we were really sore from laughing,

I will get around to see everyones blogs as soon as I can.

hope you are all well,

Have Your Very Best of Days,

Buildings, Machinery, And Horses.

 

I thought this was a beautiful old barn,

I can imagine it in all it's glory,

As we drove by some birds flew out one of the windows,

At least it is still being used.
 

Check out this old home,

I wonder who lived there,

why they left,

or where have they gone.

I bet you it was beautiful in it's time as well.
  

Here is another old house,

For twelve hundred miles,

600 there and back,

I think I drove my sister crazy

taking pictures.

She kept saying, "Don't you have enough old buidings?"

I would snap away thinking about the families, etc.

And hey I had to pass the long trip somehow.
 

Ok it is not an old building, but I like old machinery too,

my husband just passed by and said I better say old men too.

He is eleven years older than me,

but that is a whole other story.

Lol.
 

Well maybe I was going crazy,

but this one brings back memories for me,

this one was actually on the farm,

and that old brown truck was my Dads

I don't know how many years ago,

but I can see him driving it,

smiling as he would come down the road.

And now it sits still...
 

How cool does this old shack look.

It used to be our playhouse, treehouse,

There used to be a bush there.

I could not resist getting an old picture of this.

Many afternoons were spent out there with my syblings,

and then later on my nieces and nephews.

Aunt Cindy was always good for a story or two.

Their little faces would light up and we would wonder up and down the hills playing,

only leaving to go home at mealtime.

Oh to have to use your imagination to have fun,

I think there needs to be more of this.

But what does an ole geezer like me know, ask the kids!

Ha, they will learn one day.
 

I was so excited with this picture, I must have seen 100 horses

and only managed to get two pictures of them,

my batteries were getting low in my camera,

by the end of our trip I really was happy with just getting the sky.

We missed about 30 antelope on a hill too,

My sister was just zipping along and I say hey

we should have stopped, she said aww we will see more,

No we did not, nope, nadda, oh well.

there will always be another trip.
 

You guessed it, this is the second picture of different horses,

Some day I want to learn to ride one.

I have to get to my skinny days though,

If a horse saw me coming right now,

they would probably roll down and play dead,

and I mean that in the kindest way to myself.

Besides I would like to throw myself onto a horse like a cowgirl,

setting up a bench beside the horse just is not the look I am going for.

One day, anything is possible, at least that is what I believe.

Well I guess that is enough horsing around for the day....

okay I suppose you saw that one coming too.

Your so smart.

No more pictures today.

....................

I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and may you see the beauty

all around you and have your very Best Day Ever.

Loving the Prairies

 

I balance myself walking on the train track,

as I have done many times before.

This track is about a quarter of a mile from the farm yard.

The memory of the train rolling down the track echoing in through the windows

at the house while we are tucked into our beds.

The train whistle now a soothing memory etched into my soul.

Many times as the train would go by I would wave to the conductor,

and the whistle would be tugged and fill the air,

to me almost a miracle,

and as the train flew by I would open my arms, raise my head,

and scream my rage, louder and louder,

after I would feel relief from my secrets.

On this day I walked the track with peace in my heart,

and forgiveness in my soul,

and God at my side.
 

A little ways from the tracks I was reminded of many times

after working in the fields, we would find ourselves here,

and we would take turns trying to get the water to run,

Fresh cool water to quench our thirst and wash our faces,

to cool us from the heat, 

Sometimes we would bring our lunch there or meet our Dad for lunch,

Sandwiches, cold pink lemonade, and fresh water.

I am glad I stumbled on to this memory,

one that I had forgotten,

and now one that remains so clearly embedded in my mind.

For just a moment we were all there together.

Content, peaceful and loved.
 

These are cowslips

abundant in the creek,

many times as children we would pick them

for our mother, always with the encouragement from our Dad,

we would give them to Dad to hold,

and he would pick off some of the flowers and eat them.

we would all squeal and laugh and tell him he can not eat flowers,

and then he would tell us to eat them,

Surprisingly they were quite tasty and would be a delicacy on some salads today.

Luckily the orange flowers were on display for my pleasure,

and yes once again I bent down to taste them.
 

Reminded of a beautiful site usually of fresh golden rods,

today sat the remnants of last years growth,

soon to be followed my new ones

that would be green and brown velvety heads

that would blow like fluff on windy days.

Another glorious memory.
 

In these large trees we used to play as children,

the cattle have destroyed where once our playground stood.

There are no branches left or leaves to display,

Soon it will be just a pile of wood.

Though I find this scene pretty, and can smell the earth in the air,

It saddens me to think soon there will be no reminders

of what this used to be,

the scent of peppermint wafted by,

another childhood memory,

for a moment I closed my eyes and cherished that wonderful smell,

then I collected some wood for carvings I someday would make
 

And nothing to me is more beautiful than old worn buildings

that once were a bright red, so weather worn and beaten down,

but still standing, whose hands had built these,

that question is unknown,

but it is part of the horizon, and to me looks right at home.
 

Check out this barnyard we passed upon the road,

It was barely standing, another story unknown.

Yet it is still a part of history where settlers once called home.
 

On the Prairies the wind blows and blows,

some stories swept away.

People come and go, and come again,

and peaceful they will feel,

No matter where I go or what I do

I will always be a farmers child

and will always remain true

to slower days, loving ways, beauty all about,

the love of the land is something I could never live without.!

.......................

May we always find our way to a feel good day.

I hope you have Your Very Best Day Ever

A Short Story!

 

It was the late 1800's, This young couple,Nicolia and Nathanial had come both from well to do families.

The town they were from was been taken over from the outlaws that had come into town, they were going North and West seeking gold. If riches were found they would come back into the town. They really were not only a danger to the people around them, but also to themselves. It was a different time, a different place.

There were the rich and the ones that wanted to be rich. Nathanial and Nicolia knew that they had to leave and find a place to start  over, and make a new home. Nathanial had been offered by the people of the town the position of local Sheriff. He had never killed a man and had no intention of starting. It was an honor for him to be asked, but he was his own man and  would live by his own rules. There were other men that were more qualified to be Sheriff than he. They said there goodbyes and left for Canada. It was a long, hard treacherous trip and they entered into wilderness that really was no place to take a lady. They kept their end goal in mind and prayed on it every day. They had one another and even though they were tired, they kept going.. They had no idea of the dangers that lurked before them. They were thrilled by the big burly guide, He seemed a little rough on the edges, but behaved like a true gentleman.. They managed to hunt to feed themselves. People had been very few and far between. They continued on into a strange country of beauty like no other. Luckily they had started there trek in early Spring as it was very possible they would not have survived the travel through the harsh mountains. After many days the guide, whom they had learned his name was Boomer seemed in very good Spirits. It would be soon now he said, This gave them new hope that all would be as they had hoped. The long travel was starting to show the wear on everyone, although they were determined not to show any weakness, as they all needed to stay strong for the others.
 

They managed to cross the mountains, and if what they had been told they would find there new home soon.
  

Boomer had scouted ahead, and came charging back on his beautiful horse, all excited saying he had found

some settlers ahead. The food would be plentiful, they were already building a church, and stores were going up. The people seemed mighty friendly. When you find land you want to claim you have to put a flag into the ground and then in to town where it will be put into your name. Nathanial and Nicolia hugged one another. They would keep scouting to see what they would find.
 

This was their first house they built together, it was nothing like what they were used to, but it had to be up before winter. The land they picked was very prosperous and anything the two touched turned to gold,

They were very well thought of in the area. In a few years they had six children and had built a better house.

 

Nathanial had done very well for himself, hunting, fishing, became a cattleman. He eventually moved his parents to live with them, His sister Kelsiandra dated Boomer for a while, but eventually Boomer went on his way over the Rockies up the Yukon way to dig for gold. He would show up every once in a while.

Kelsiandra eventually married an architect from way down South. His name was Luise.They eventually had four children. The whole family lived in the huge house and they were all together again. One big loving and happy family.!

...........................

The above story is fiction, I have often said that if I could have lived in any time, one hundred years ago would have been great. In nature, with the animals, under the stars, surrounded by mountains, living in a log cabin,planting my own garden, picking berries, being with the one I love ..It is really no different than what I live in now, I am close to the mountains, don't live in a log cabin. No matter what year you can live your dream you want. sometimes you already are living your dream without realizing it. Be happy!

...................

I am grateful for my life.

Have a great weekend.

........

p.s. 

I wish we still dressed like Nathanial and Nicolia

........

from the lover of all things old

Up On the Roof.

  

Such beauty in an old roof,

the wood once painted

bright brown red.

as little kids we looked up at the roof,

on the back attached was a little old shed.

Beside was a big old tree,

and if we could grab the branch,

and swing our  legs.

Up on the old garage roof we would be.

We would sit and tell stories hoping to never get caught,

Because we all knew, we were supposed to be up there, not.

So we would take turns as a lookout,

And if we saw the adults  coming back from their work,

we would jump down into the trees and that is where we would lurk.

I remember many a skinned hand or knee,

somehow it was always harder getting down than going up a tree.

The old roof still stands on the farm today,

Some would say knock it down,

But I would say, Please let it stay!

..................

I hope you see the beauty in everything around you.

Have a fabulous day.

Take care.

Beckoning Walls.

 

still left standing,

both doors now gone,

what stories must linger in these walls,

Untold.
 

An old barn,

though its color has faded,

it still stands strong,

Is it abandoned,

or does it stand regal in all its glory.
 

Why is it I would rather see an old building,

than to take a picture of a new one.

I find them hauntingly beautiful,

with a history, forgotten stories,

If only these walls could talk.

I wonder what we could learn?

Maybe I have not been listening.

I will have to pay another visit, when next time I return.

.......................

Take time to see the beauty all around you.

I hope you all have your very best day.

Color My World.

 

Could you live in a house made of glass bottles and mud!

I think I could, strictly for the beautiful color that 

would simply be stunning in the morning light,

I have crystal hanging in some of my windows at my home,

when the sun is bright,prisms of color bounce upon my walls,

my cat will be interested as well and with her paws

she tries to catch the colors, you can tell there is no understanding,

but she wants one, continues trying to catch one.

I also have some colored bottles that once again will shine bright,

and make me smile as they are highlighted at different times throughout the day!

On our news last night, they said we will probably not see the sun for another ten or so days,

So until it comes back I have in my heart all my memories and know that soon the sun will shine again,

when I get up in the morning I am going to light all my candles,

sit and have a mornimg coffee,

read  a  Gardening  Magazine,

then my Tai Chi,

And remind myself that some days the sun does not have to shine.

After all if not for the cloudy days we would not so appreciate the Sun.

I am embracing my day to make it the best it can be,

After all it is all a frame of mind.

I hope you have a bright and colorful day!