AN OLD RUSTY BARN

| gaiainaction

On my walk today I noticed an old rusty barn in the middle of a large field. It looked interesting and colourful in the landscape. The long valley in which Skibbereen town lies and where the river Ilen flows through on its way to the sea at Baltimore was this morning filled with sunshine, a beautiful early spring day. I was thinking that this barn would have had great use in the olden days, or maybe it is used still. It has its own beauty. I wonder at its story.

Signs of spring are also upon us, the buds of trees are to be seen all around. I think that it is a little early in the year to talk about real spring as it can still get very cold in February and March, but this winter has been mild and we have not seen the usual stormy and very wet weather. That the daffodils are open is normal for this time of year though.

The lichens and the moss have totally overtaken this tree trunk and they are so beautiful in themselves
Here you can see how a piece of the old railway connecting Skibbereen to Cork is being reused as a gate pole, you see that more often around here.
The barn looks a little uneasy here, and seems to be surrounded by rushes which we know grow in wet ground
I love the colours of ivy and there is so much of it around here, the bronze and a variety of green on the leaves, and the bright berries some of which have become red. I actually never noticed this before, only ever saw their colour purple or green.
And also along this roadside are the winter heliotrope plants, but not flowering yet, these plants are invasive and non-native to Ireland but a welcome addition to winter’s growth on the land.

A nice short walk and yet so much to be seen even at this time of year, a real pleasure showing that things do not have to be perfect for us to enjoy them and that older building can have a beauty all of their own.

I feel that the old barn does make this landscape beautiful even in all its imperfection. Its colours blend perfectly into its surroundings. Along a modern highway it connects us with the past and with the people that were working the land, and maybe still are. I am particularly interested in the older buildings around town and around the area, always wondering about their story and the story of the people that lived and worked and built those buildings.

While preparing this post I came across a quote by Diana Athill which spoke to me so strongly, I know that what she is saying has been true for me and so I never take anything special that I see for granted. I have a large collection of these hidden gems in my mind that I can access anytime I want and I do and I find it very beneficial.

Here the quote: “Looking at things is never time wasted. If your children want to stand and stare, let them. When I was marvelling at the beauty of a painting or enjoying a great view it did not occur to me that the experience, however intense, would be of value many years later. But there it has remained, tucked away in hidden bits of my mind and now it comes, shouldering aside even the most passionate love affairs”.  Diana Athill

21 thoughts on “AN OLD RUSTY BARN”

  8. Hi Agnes, Thank you for your very professional pictures and description go the countryside on your walk. I enjoy them all. I particularly like the moss and lichen on the tree trunk and the other with swelling buds. I know it is a lot of work but we appreciate them. Keep up the good work.

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  10. Zo mooie tekst met enorm veel waarheid. Soms passeren we bepaalde gebouwen zo rap zonder er bij stil te staan wat voor verhaal er zich achter schuilt ! Heel mooi xxx

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