Stillwater Diary, October 23rd, 2016

This is so sad.

This old barn, located at a dip in the road on the way to our house, was a landmark I loved even before we moved here. In fact, we once got our car stuck because I insisted taking pictures of it on a snowy day.
It’s in a small grove of cottonwood trees, and it always seemed a little like entering another era as you drove into the valley and entered this shady spot.

The roof is swaybacked, the sides are pocked with holes that are patched with rusty metal, and it’s been home to mice and marmots rather than horses and cows for many years now. I’m sure it’s an insurance issue for the owner, and sadly, practicality often trumps tradition.

But I’m still sad to see them tearing it down. Barns are remnants of another time, and so many are making way for development, or simply collapsing into the fog of history. I’ll miss seeing this old friend on my way home from town.

(When I have time, I’ll hunt through my photos for some earlier shots. Somewhere, I have a picture of three little marmots sitting on the roof. I wouldn’t believe it either, if I hadn’t seen it and taken a picture!)