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Friday, February 20, 2015

The Smell of a Barn

First things first...
I know anyone with a barn full of critters right now
is either going to be rolling their eyes
or be jaw-dropped & dumb-founded.
I am fully aware of my abnormalities:)
(You can read more about the Barn Quilt Block right here.)
But...
growing up, any time I was stressed, anxious,
mad, worried, or upset, I would go muck out the barn.
That was just my therapy.
Nobody would bother me,
probably for fear that I would either stop
or put them to work too.
So I had physical & productive work
while I sorted through whatever the issue was.
The labor, the sound of the fork and my breath,
the smell, and in the end, the accomplishment
all worked together.

I remember when I first went off to college
and had a stressful day/week whatever,
I drove around looking for barns
wondering if I knocked on the stranger's door
and asked to clean their barn 
if they would have me arrested or put in a white room
with a 'special' white jacket to wear.
I never had the nerve to ask.

Life of course is not without its issues.
I have been helping care for an elderly couple
who mean a great deal to me.
Over the past 6 weeks,
3 of them have been spent in the ER.
I am not saying this for sympathy or kudos,
but I still don't have a barn to muck out.
I'm pretty sure when you see a big old picturesque barn,
the first thing running through your mind is not
"If only I had a pitch fork and wheelbarrow."

It's kinda peculiar how the habits
we form growing up stay with us throughout life.
I think we need those things.
Now I usually go out and play with a chainsaw,
weed wacker, pruners, shovel, etc.

Do you have a (therapy) habit like that?

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

6 comments:

  1. I think my quilting is my therapy. Nice block on that barn.

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  2. Mine used to hunting. Things make a sort of sacred sense in the woods. It doesn't matter if you get anything or not. Just being there is the important thing.

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  3. It's not strange, I love the smell of barns! Now I just go sit up at the garden in the salvaged old metal chairs we have up there along with the matching umbrella table. The one little cat follows me and we have our own time up there.

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  4. And I thought I was the only one! Lol! My daughter has a horse, and nine times out of ten I'm the one to clean the barn. After a frustrating day at work, I actually don't mind it. Yes, it's good therapy.

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  5. I love the smell of barns! I love going out and having the ability to have "human solitude." Just me and the animals. I miss it. Can't wait to get back there!!

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  6. Girl, I used to intesely clean and reorganize my room as a kid, as my therapy. So I understand that.I guess that I M too happy as an adult! That doesn't happen so much now!!! I loved going to my sisters house as a child. This sister is18 years older than I am and when she's newly married, I would love going to the barn. I could visit the horse and the cow her in-laws owned, it was their barn.
    I love the peacocks, they were so colorful and animated, I could watch for hours! I remember hearing them call as a little girl, afraid someone was calling for "help". As I got older and her boys grew up, her oldest and I were 6 years apart, he would walk with me to the barn and showed me how to jump from the upper level to the hay below! We had so much fun!! I love those nephews of mine! Thanks for reminding me of those memories!!!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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