A barn in transition

The old barn came down in the night, kneeling to the future.

Viewed from the south it now offers the wry appearance of the ship that brought its builders to Canada circa 1850.

One of the barn's inhabitants, probably a raccoon, exited in a hurry, leaving his belly-track in the snow.

Comments

[Abi]

How old wss this barn before it collapsed?

Mag I sent you a Thanksgiving Card in your email, I hope that you get a chance to read it.

[Mag]

Hi Abi,
Local lore says that this barn was put up in the 1850s, but local lore says the same thing about dang near every building in this area. The 1850s must've been a big decade for immigrating to Canada. Anyway, that would make the barn about 157 years old. Who wouldn't want to collapse at that age.

Mag
P.S. - Thanks for the heads up on the card - I'll look for it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you.

[Jim Barry]

We have an uncle and his wife who live across the lake on the family homestead, built in 1846. Its in better shape than many homes built today with all the charm of a home its age. Don't matter how old something is, give it a bit of TLC and fix it when it need a fixin'...it'll last a way long time.

I have the shaving horse that made the shingles for the house when it was built. Its just as it was back in the mid 19th century. Sturdy, strong and still in working order.

And the foot-powered lathe is still in the barn and it too still works.

Woodwork Safely,
Jim Barry

[Abi]

157 years old? Dang thats really old!

[Mag]

Jim, I'm intrigued by the foot-powered lathe. I first saw one of those when I was in Grade Six at the Ontario Science Center. I was so fascinated by it that I spent most of the field trip pumping away on that baby, and I've wanted one ever since! For some reason I still haven't taken the leap to buying a lathe, but I'm stoking the urge by taking a pen-turning course at Lee Valley later this month. Sure a Taig mini-lathe lacks the romance of an old-fashioned foot-driven unit, but you've got to start somewhere, right?

Mag