B is for Barn

All of us loved to climb the hay bales in the barn and would get in trouble if caught doing it.  Papaw (Daddy’s father) would tell us there were skunks in the barn to keep us out, and after that, my sister Scherri thought she saw one once, but this didn’t deter us.

Barn similar to what we had on farm

 That old weathered barn with the big double doors drew us in.  Once inside, the rich smell of hay filled our noses and we would run and climb upon the golden bales and run across them.  They were all neatly stacked in rows of varying heights, some of the rows rising up to the peak of the roof.  There was loose hay scattered about the floor that had fallen out at sometime in the past.  The hay would make us itch and sneeze, but it was a favorite place to play.  We loved to chase each other across the bales.

On a large nail by the door, just inside the barn, hung the rope that the men used to tie around the bales along with the big hook for lifting the bales and a pitchfork or two.  Whenever we needed rope for something this is the first place we would go.  We would make jump ropes, or tie the rope around two tin cans to make a telephone.  This large ball of rope was handy for whatever childhood project came to mind.  Of course, the twine was off limits, as was the barn, so we got in trouble if the adults found us in there.  Nevertheless, we took our chances and went to the barn a lot.