a fire

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Yesterday the barns burned

Yesterday the barns at the farm where my wife grew up burned.  Down.  An electrical junction box apparently started the fire and barn, equipment and hay are all gone.  But a lot more than that is gone.

The barns were special to me and I know they were to Patt and her family.  Her Dad built and worked in those farms, her brothers and their families continued to work in those barns, Patt and I worked in those barns with our children.  We did the hay rides out of those barns and her sister and brother-in law worked in those barns.  They were symbolic of so very much and hold so many many memories.

Picture above taken from drive looking toward the left side barn from the house.  Photo below looking at same silo from pasture outside of where other barn used to stand.  The shed was in the middle.  They were adjoining structures.

Picture below is of 1961 John Deere tractor.  A wonderful powerful tractor that had worked many many years and was forgiving enough to allow me to learn to drive a tractor and farm equipment on it.

(Fire photos received via email from family back home)

same left side barn and silo in photo below.  Hay was usually stored in this barn.

The barn to the right of the configuration and from which the hay rides originated.  

and of course the shed in the middle, housing calfs at the moment of this photo

Taken Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010, view from behind

also Christmas

Above mentioned tractor on a happier day last Thanksgiving in the middle shed.

other equipment was in the shed

and hay was in the barn

I so enjoyed riding that tractor and doing farm work, that on professional presentations I made when I was with the State, the photo below (taken by Patt one summer day) was used -with contact information- as my sign off screen.   (If you look closely you can see me driving that '61 John Deere cutting grass. )

As I have worked on this post to my blog, and I reckon worked is a good term to use here, tears have come to my eyes many times.  Finding these old photos was not as easy as one would wish, (one I even went to the internt for).  and working on the words is even more difficult.

I think the photo above is one of my favorites.  Crossing into the farm lot from the house and garage area, (note cattle gate in foreground, with fresh cut hay and tall hay yet to be cut incorporates such promise and wonder that was held here.

-- as do the cows-