Sunday Stills — Bowerman Barn « Mud Ranch’s Real Dirt

Sunday Stills — Bowerman Barn

Lots of photos ahead — I hope you enjoy them enough to wait for them to load.

One place that has always attracted me, even before I saw it in person, is the Bowerman Barn. I saw a watercolor painting done by a very well known local artist who did a fall version of the Bowerman Barn and have loved the place ever since. I had actually had visions of getting married there — nevermind there isn’t any electicity or running water even remotely near the place save the creek that runs through it’s pasture.

The painting was done from this view and still, this has been my favorite view until this last visit.

The Bowerman Barn has always held some kind of spiritual draw for me — I think most of you know by now that I’m normally not someone who would say something like that as I tend to be very low key, but I’m just being more open than normal right now so bear with me.

Historical places do attract me like a moth to a light bulb and though this is 1800′s and people in Europe would laugh at such a “young” age — this is where the Old West started! I often ponder things such as whose hands dug the hole for this post? And who was the one to cut down this tree for the post? What was the weather like? What was on their mind?

With the lush pastures that surround the barn, I’m sure the cattle were content to stay while they built the fencing and corrals. Did they finish the barn just in time for the first snow fly? Was the hay in the loft?

Lots of sweat and hard work went into this building. It was such an essential piece of living which is now a dying breed. Who builds wooden barns anymore (besides Hubby and I?) How on earth did they get the tin to that tippity-top of the sharp peak of the roof?

I often have that wish in the back of my head, to live during the times of homesteading, to live every day doing the things that make you survive.

Each door in it’s odd place has a reason, a master plan was thought of for usefulness and practicality — That practicality has turned in to beauty. A timeless treasure.

My New Favorite View

The more I think and walk around, the more I’m transported back in time. Times of simplicity, honesty, hard work, practicality, respect, truth, sincerity, faithfulness; an age of true aptitude, competence and proficiency. I’m in awe of their daily lives.

…Then my mind starts wandering back to reality — of where I am living now.

And out walks…

…Two very good reasons, God put me where I am today.

Life is but a vapor.

Holly

I too, am drawn to the old places and when I am there I wonder how the people who originally lived there would feel if they could see the changes in the property they put so much of themselves into. Sometimes I think about how the owners would wake and go down to feed (in my SS it was an old dairy farm), when they would take a moment with a cup of coffee to look out over their barns and livestock, if they ever felt like they had taken on too much at once….

Though I would like to visit the past for a short time, I would not want to live there. I am far too enamored with my modern conveniences.

April 26, 2009 at 7:26 am

Marie

Wow, all are wonderful images, I love them all…great textures & colors throughout. Cute baby girl….Ü

April 26, 2009 at 8:18 am

Pete

Well shot!

April 26, 2009 at 8:39 am

Flo

I am drawn to the past and old places also. I love to look at old buildings and see old pictures and wonder how they lived. I try to imagine living there. I don’t think I’d actually want to try though. I like my internet and my comfy chair too much

April 26, 2009 at 9:48 am

Pony Girl

This post reminds me a lot of myself! I love wondering about the history, wanting to watch an old film, a glimpse, of what life was like there so many years ago. When getting hay from an old barn last month, I had to ask the owner how old the barn was, it’s that curious side of me!

April 26, 2009 at 10:04 am

Laughing Orca Ranch

Beautiful photos all! You captured the true life from this old barn. Well done. I was struck by the thought, in that one photo with the barn and very tall tree, that the tree was probably very small back when that barn was built. Not it towers over it.
Cool.

~Lisa
New Mexico

April 26, 2009 at 10:05 am

thecrazysheeplady

Neat barn. Neat post. I think old buildings have a spirit to them that only reveals itself to someone that will appreciate it.

I joined Sunday Stills today .

April 26, 2009 at 12:05 pm

Far Side of Fifty Photos

Wonderful photos and sentiment..I often wonder the same things..the hard work they must have gone through, the strength and work ethic..and neighbors helping neighbors.. we are missing out on many things in our more modern times:)

April 26, 2009 at 2:36 pm

VioletSky

Great shots, all of them.
Though I have wondered about the lives of people who built their homesteads, I have seen those reality shows where people try to live as pioneers and I am grateful to have missed that hardship.

April 26, 2009 at 5:52 pm

Shannon

Beautiful post! You did a fabulous job capturing the character of the barn.

April 26, 2009 at 9:13 pm

Paula

Wonderful pictures and a beautiful post. So fun to read and imagine right along with you. All of your pictures are wonderful ~ I especially love the old wooden fencepost.

April 26, 2009 at 9:42 pm