The Barn: A Place for Shelter, Work, Storage, Reflection, and Play

This Old Barn

Imagine if this old barn could speak and tell us all it knows
of heat, and snow and great winds that did blow
The creatures that were boarded here, they lived, they ate, they slept
The mares that birthed their foals, the lambs that played and lept
The folks that bedded in the straw as they were passing by this way
thankful for the gift of rest, wool blankets on the straw they lay
The lovers that crept inside the shadows to share a stolen kiss, 
a small indiscretion, what could be the harm
History in the making, generations come and gone
While farmers work from dawn to dark, the days are very long
This old barn has seen it all through decades of seasons fare
It's secrets are safe inside, no one asks and no one cares
The roof sags, the doors hang, the windows are all gone
If someone doesn't love it soon this old barn will be gone.

By Victoria Feathers

Ms. Feathers’ poem captures the sentiment that we felt when we first considered purchasing Merry Mount. We observed the old barn and wondered whether it would be an asset or a liability.  Its state of disrepair led us to consider it a “money pit”, however, on close inspection; it seemed to be primarily structurally sound.  It’s voice cried out, “I’m old, but my experiences are many, and the secrets that I hold are a treasure trove of stories that deserve to be kept”.  I had been fascinated with old barns since my childhood, when I played inside and outside the barn on my Papaw and Granny’s place.  Such wonderful memories remain, so I was thrilled with the old barn at Merry Mount and although in some disrepair, I was determined to refurbish it with the hope that it would become a new sanctuary for work and play. So within the first month, we were clearing out decades of discarded materials so that we could determine how we would reshape the existing spaces therein.

Within one room, to our great benefit, we discovered that the lumber from a previously dissembled barn had been stored.  We used this bounty not only to shore up damaged posts crucial to the support of the structure, but also to enclose a corner room that became the chicken suite (coop).

Access to the loft was originally gained by climbing up a ladder attached to one wall.  We decided that a staircase was needed and in 2015 a new access was built from some of the recycled timbers.

Much of the early renovation work was completed by our “step” son, Quentin.  Loretta became Quintin’s carpenter apprentice.  He fell in love with Merry Mount through sweat and hard work, and in 2016 Quentin and his bride Courtney were married here.  As a tribute to them, we gave the barn a new coat of “barn red” paint.

The great cathedral loft has stirred my imagination, and I intend to build a playroom within it for our twin granddaughters.  

I can imagine them swinging on the large hay bale hook just like fairy children swing on a crescent moon.

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

We are still making changes to this citadel so that the creatures that pass through on four legs or two have a comfortable place to rest. It is home and shelter for the menagerie of animals that presently live there: five goats, six chickens, three cats, and numerous bats.  Twice a day we enter this great structure to greet and feed the named creatures that lodge there: Aussie, Beatrice, Beulah, Edith, Gladys, Trudy, Mooch, Maude, Magnus, Ella, Clara, Walt, Wilmer and Watson.

 It is, and no doubt will continue to be a work in progress, but we are proud to say that it will not decay under our watch.

The Barn

The barn is a place,

To gather today,

To observe, reflect, and talk.

We work, we play,

We sit on the hay,

We are thankful for

Farm, folk, and flock.

CPW