Just look at these barn rafters!

Aren’t they just the prettiest little things that you have ever seen?

I just love ’em.

All straight in a little row.

Well, not that straight. If you look at the bottoms of the rafters, where they rest on the plate, you can see a bit of a curve to them. I think most builders would have straightened that out.

But, I find that one of things that gives character to older buildings is the lack of perfection found in them. They are like us… they come with a few imperfections, but are quite loveable that way.

So, I leave manufactured perfection to other builders and spend my days admiring the work of people who build with their hands and use simple tools.

Originally posted 2015-03-17 14:11:00.

This photo is worth spending a few moments of your time in order to “take it all in”. You likely won’t see anything like it, ever again.

Maybe, it’s just me. Maybe, I get too carried away on my appreciation for these old barns. My wife will tell you that there isn’t any “maybe” about it. lol

But you all put up with me… and I thank you for that…

Let me tell you what I see.

I see ancient, nearly-extinct wood (chestnut) in a remarkably wonderful state of preservation. This barn has never been exposed to any weathering, there are no worn, grey, splintery surfaces, it’s all just a fresh, naturally patinaed, work of art.

There is no impressive notching to see here. No excessive joinery of any kind to distract the eye. Simple, straightforward workmanship, at it’s finest. Square notches make up the corners, and a basic overlap joint connects the two hewn pieces that make up the top plate.

And that, is clearly all that was needed. This barn stood proud for many decades and will continue to do so for many more. It turns out that dovetail joints are not required.

Who would have thought that beauty could be found in nature, and in hand workmanship, not in machined perfection?

The logs and the pole rafters that make up this barn were likely gathered on site. Two men, who likely farmed for for a living (just one of many skills they possessed), went into the woods with two tools, an axe and a shaving knife and built this barn.

No county inspector, no architect, no engineer, no general contractor, no building supply outlet, nothing imported from China. Amazing.

Originally posted 2015-03-17 13:40:54.

Originally posted 2015-03-17 12:51:04.

A barn in the mist.

The logs are now all in place. Next up is the roof and then the extensions. She is starting to come together.

But, I wanted to pause here for today and let everyone take in this photo. It was a moment in time that quickly passed. Thanks to photography I can once again revisit it.

It had rained hard the night before and everything was soaking wet. The sun was in the process of rising and burning off the morning fog. The masons always arrived first, it’s just who they are.

The site was always quieter without the noisy woodworkers around, with all their power tools. They would be arriving soon, and the stillness would vanish.

During the course of any given year here in Virginia there are maybe thirty “perfect weather” days. You know what I mean… 75 degrees, sunny, a few puffy clouds and a slight breeze. The trees are green, the flowers are in bloom, and somewhere is the smell of a freshly mowed lawn.

On those days it never fails that I will run into one or more people that spend their lives working inside who will tell me how much they envy me for “being out there”.

However on the remaining three-hundred-and-thirty-five days of the year someone will make the comment to me “I don’t know how you can stand working out in that… cold… or heat.. or snow… or rain… or sun… or mud… or whatever.

For certain there are many days where I walk out the door because I have to, because I did so yesterday and today’s weather isn’t much different. But, for the most part, once I am out there in it, and doing what I love, it’s the best thing there is.

I feel more alive when I’m out there.

Life, is out there.

I think we were designed to be “out there”, even when it’s not comfortable. I know it’s hard… our homes today are SO comfortable. I think that is the reason so many people have me build them small rustic places… it makes being outside easier.

On this particular day, the one seen in this photo, it was a miserable morning… everything was wet. Within just a few steps my shoes were wet and muddy. Gloves quickly became soaked. And then my hands without the gloves quickly became covered in dirt.

But the morning mist made it all worthwhile.

Those carpenters would miss it this morning. But the poor bank tellers, who only envied me on the perfect days, would never witness a moment like this.

Originally posted 2015-03-16 18:18:36.

Originally posted 2015-03-16 16:11:11.

And now one of the “pens” of this double pen log barn has reached one story tall in height.

There are a few things here that I’d like to point out…

First, that’s my oldest son in the foreground taking a photo of dad with his imaginary camera. (he, with the aid of his lovely wife, recently gave me my latest grandson). The days are long, the years are short.

Second, notice the square notching in the corners. It’s an easy notching technique to use and so it is most commonly found in barns built by farmers. Each course was pegged through these notches to secure the logs. (if you look close at the photo you can see pegs sticking up in each corner.

Finally, notice how disappointing a one story log structure it to the eye. All the horizontal lines found in a cabin only accentuate this problem. To me it looks like a cigar box.

A log cabin needs to be at least a story-and-a-half tall to be attractive.

Originally posted 2015-03-16 15:57:30.

Originally posted 2015-03-16 15:23:00.

You know that you have picked the best site possible to build a barn when the road leading to that site looks like this. I do love a road with a grass center line… and a split rail fence on one side.

Originally posted 2015-03-16 14:53:42.

The double-pen barn had reached her new site and it was time to rebuild.

Has anyone else ever played a game called “pick up sticks’?

How about tinker toys?… or Lincoln logs? … you know… the toys where you dumped out all those pieces and then it was time to put something together?

Well, that’s how I felt when I gazed at this pile.

It’s a good feeling to know that you can still play even after you have reached adulthood.

Originally posted 2015-03-15 18:32:08.

It was a double-pen log barn…

Which meant that she was composed of two separate log structures… one little log cabin built close to another, and then, both were covered with a single roof. The space in between the two pens became a breezeway where farm vehicles could easily enter and exit.

It’s a genius method of construction that enabled as few as two men to build a large barn. Country folks “back then” were a lot smarter than most people give them credit for having.

Originally posted 2015-03-15 17:48:31.