I call them spiritual trips because that’s what visits the barn feel like, almost as if I’m visiting some Old Cathedral somewhere.

The barn was quiet today, peaceful. All of the stray pieces of lumber are gone, the floors are swept, the stables clean. I suspect Moise will be looking ahead soon, he has no time for nostalgia.

The barn has a special feeling, almost like a place of meditation

. When I climbed up to the upper level, I was enchanted by the beautiful size of a table full of gorgeous onions carefully laid out in lines and offered to the sun for light and drying.

And I was completely alone in this space, so recently a hive of people with hammers.

It was a beautiful sight framed against the open window. Then I went downstairs to see the one-horse eating hay and grain in his stable – the others were all out.

We stared at one another for a while, we checked each other out. We each decided the other was okay, and we went about our business.

As I stood there taking his picture, I heard a throaty growl, almost wolf-like. I turned and saw Tina, guarding the northern entrance to the barn.

I was in shadow, she didn’t know who I was, but she knew I was an intruder.

“Tina,” I said, “it’s me,” and she came running over, tail wagging for a hug and a scratch and a leap up into my arms.”

“Loyal Tina, “I said, here you are guarding the new barn, you’ve already taken on something new to guard. Just like your people, you are always working.”

After some hugging and scratching, she went back over to the gate to watch over her farm and her new barn. Her territory had just expanded, and I think she loved this spot.

There was shade and a healthy breeze.

Then I walked over to see the lone horse in the barn.  Everybody else was out pulling carriages.

I know someone will ask, the trough was fully hay and a separate trough was full of grain.

He had beautiful eyes and was watching me closely, I suspect he was a racehorse once. He is quite beautiful. His ears and tail were up, he was chewing eagerly and contentedly.

I remembered seeing a beautiful old table up on the top floor of the barn, it must have been used in the church services that were held in the new barn on Sunday.

It had been forgotten or left behind. service

I imagine it was an especially beautiful table for a church service. It looked oddly appropriate in that vast space.

The barn and the wagon outside looked iconic to me, something from another time yet very timely, very relevant.

I’ll go back tomorrow, perhaps I’ll bring Tina a bone, I’m sure she comes across them from time to time in the woods.