Wednesday, January 17, 2018

The Old Barn

The nesting season is upon us.
People and animals alike, hunkered down against the elements that Mother Nature throws our way throughout the next few months.
A warm barn, always a welcoming  privilege, to those creatures great and small.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tons upon tons the brown-green fragrant hay
O'erbrims the mows beyond the time-warped eaves,
Up to the rafters where the spider weaves,
Though few flies wander his secluded way.
Through a high chink one lonely golden ray,
Wherein the dust is dancing, slants unstirred.
In the dry hush some rustlings light are heard,
Of winter-hidden mice at furtive play.

Far down, the cattle in their shadowed stalls,
Nose-deep in clover fodder's meadowy scent,
Forget the snows that whelm their pasture streams,
The frost that bites the world beyond their walls.
Warm housed, they dream of summer, well content
In day-long contemplation of their dreams.
 
                 Sir Charles GD Roberts                        
                                               

6 comments:

L. D. said...

An when it gets to be closer to spring the momma cats start having their kittens. They always found a place back inside of an area between two bales. It was always nice and warm in there to put your hand in to find baby kittens.

Susie Swanson said...

Oh I love this and enjoyed it so much. Thanks for posting and stay warm.

DJan said...

Ah, simply lovely. Hope the mice play safely and don't get caught by predators. :-)

Janice Kay Schaub said...

not here with us in Michigan yet, but........the sun is out today. Enjoy the coming Spring I sure can't wait. Getting "cabin fever"
Janice

annie said...

The nesting season... how true. I get this urge to reorganize, clean and sort things out.
It is a good time for all things homey.
I enjoyed the poem a lot and, of course, your photos are always wonderful.

L. D. said...

Your barn reminds me of the barn we had on our farm as a kid. Its color was red and the shape of it was very similar.I read a description of them being a sheep barn as the hay could be tossed on either side to the animal. In our area it was more for cattle.