A Barn of a Different Color

Blue is the color of so many beautiful things. The great expanse of sky, the ocean, delicious Chesapeke Bay crabs. It’s also the color of my house and barn, for unknown reasons. It’s as though someone went to the hardware store, asked for the most sickly color of blue they carried, and then vomited it all over the buildings. 

Then they painted all the trim burgundy. It does not look good.

For maximum gross effect, the horses, both mine and the ones that lived here before me, have had access to the barn from the field. Before I put up the fence, they could walk right up to it, scratch on it, run their teeth across it, and do all the things horses love to do to a building. It was looking pretty bad.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7GfzqUnBHb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In the past, I’ve hated to show pictures of my barn because it’s such an eyesore. Even posting the above photo was tough. I posted it because I decided the setting around it balances out the ugly, but most of the time, it doesn’t have snow to make it look pretty.

I realized I do not have to tolerate this assault on my eyes. I can actually do something about it. I even already have paint from the painting some areas of the house. I grabbed my brush and the paint, and got started.

“Getting started” first involved giving the barn a good scrubbing. The horses had left quite a bit of dirt all over it, and I didn’t want to just paint over the dirt. Once the siding was dry though, it was time for the painting to begin. 

I painted most of the barn, including an area that hasn’t ever been painted before – the backside of the barn. Or, that area where you hide your spare parts and farm equipment. Doesn’t every barn have an area like that? 

Naturally I forgot to take a before photo until after I started painting.

It isn’t totally done, as I need to finish the second coat of paint on the back. I ran out, so I need to get more. But it’s looking so good! I love the color! 

I am a little fearful that the horses are going to muck it up and make it look gross, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I do need to do some trim painting as my hands are frequently hitting a spot on the sliding door, and it’s already dirty. Some dark paint will hide that nicely! 

I’m really happy with how it’s looking. It’s amazing what just a coat of paint will do. There’s still so much left to finish the barn exterior – I need to replace rotting wood and then paint that, fix the gutters, and do some heavy weedwacking along the back of the barn – but I’m so excited about how good it’s looking! 

As I was painting, I realized the back of the barn would be a great spot to take some photos of the horses. I’m going to continue to clean that up (guess the farm equipment will have to find a new home), and I’m excited for that to come to fruition. 

All it takes is a little bit of progress, and I get really motivated and pumped up. I can’t wait to get out there again!