Grace took this picture of me. It was taken in front of my Grandpa’s barn, the one that held the cows before they went into the milking parlor to be milked. The barn is not in use and my Grandparents are not there anymore–Grandma has passed on–Grandpa is in a nursing home. The farm is for sale and I saw the “for sale” signs up for the first time this weekend. My parents live down the road a little bit from the barns and of course these have been the scenes of many childhood memories–the sights, sounds, smells, memories. Colleen and I made lots of memories here and even milked the cows together for a while. . . . .seems like ages ago. . . .
We used to ride our bikes for hours around and around the “1st driveway”, “2nd driveway”, and when we were a little more daring, the “3rd driveway”!
The driveways have almost all completely grown in with grass!
Mom says her dad and his boys made all the boards to the barn and built the barn together.
Grace and I prowled around and explored the old milking parlor. It had been a very long time since I had been in there, the machinery is gone but the brilliant blue paint remains.
When I first went in the milking parlor I was disappointed, it smelled sort of musty and of mildew.
But as we went out, the wind blew through and I caught a satisfying whiff of it–hard to explain–a combination of cows, milk, rubber tubing, disinfectant, and stainless steel. I was glad to smell it again, who knows if that was the last time I would go in there? “The last time” comes to everything sooner or later!
Colleen, do you remember when we used to pass kittens back and forth through that little door (that the milkman’s hose went through to collect the milk from the tank)? I had completely forgotten until I saw that door again.
I don’t know how to end this post. I feel sad about change and the fact that these buildings are empty and the only sounds that I hear are the creaking of the old boards.
I am glad, though, that I got to visit and take my camera.
Good to be Home 
This is such a sweet post! I have had moments like this. Mine was at the farm where I grew up but then my family moved away! I have gone back there just a few times and have treasured each one feeling that it will be my last! I no longer know the people that live there so I think I have had my last…thank you for sharing! and what beautiful-refreshing pictures! Aren’t memories like a priceless treasure?!
I’ve got some of these same kinds of memories. I think I’ll save them for snail mail. Thanks for sharing. The pics are beautiful.
o this is such a sweet post, i love trips down memory lane! grace is quite the little photographer! š
Shanda, that is such a beautiful barn, especially knowing it was made long ago by family.My grandparents built a small house in the country, surrounded by olive and avacado groves with a dairy just down the road.Every summere my sisters and I played there…It now is just a cherished memory…I miss visiting them
such sweet memories. we are so blessed to have sweet memories of days gone by, even if that is all we have. You are doing a fabulous job with your new camera!
Ah, this almost brought me to tears. I have the same nostalgia about my grandpa’s barn. Other people live there now ~ I wonder if they would let me bring my camera . . . hmmmm . . .
Sometimes I wonder why such sweet memories can then turn to that longing sadness. But I would rather have them than not have them.I think farm memories are the best. The animals, the earth, the sounds, the smells…..there is a neat comfort in all those.I am not very good with change but you’d think I would get use to it, because it keeps happening!
What wonderful memories you have shared. The pictures were great!!
Thanks for sharing the memories. I remember passing the kittens and other things through that hole! I miss the farm as well. At times I wish that my kids could still do some of those things. In a way, growing up on a farm gives you a kind of maturity that I think is hard to learn any where else. There is a connection between the land, animals, machinery that I think so many kids are missing now.
The smells that get me are when we pass a field of drying hay, or the smell of silage being cut in the fall. There is just something about it. It brings back memories of riding on my dad’s tractor with him or my mom. I often read while riding – I remember reading “Little House” books while riding with my mom cutting hay at Mr. Tait’s. (that is another barn that I would love to photograph).
I do have a few photos of my brothers, cousins, and my dad building the barns. I’ll have to e-mail them to you. Thanks so much for the memories…we had so much fun and love when we were little. I’m glad that God gave us each other to grow up with.
Love You!
Thank you for sharing a bit of your past.
Shanda, what treasured memories of your childhood. I was just imagining you playing with your family there in that barn and on the property. I am sure it was so much fun for you. I have a little sadness for you, but I am happy that you were able to visit once again and take your children there to walk with you down memory lane. You were able to take some beautiful pictures that you can hold onto forever. Grace was with you in these and that is special.
Oh, what a beautiful post. I love the pictures and can understand the bitter sweet memories. My family and I were just talking the other day about the fading dairy farms in our area. There were several when I was growing up that are no longer. I still remember milk being delivered to our home and the milk box. Thanks for the memories!
You have such beautiful pictures on your site. Your icon is lovely! –I enjoyed reading your memories! I love post like these!
What a wonderful, nostalgic post! How neat that Grace was able to be there with you. I love the pictures! I had a friend who lived on a dairy farm, so I have lots of fond memories of being on the farm.
enjoyed your bittersweet trip down memory lane. Isn’t it neat how certain smells hold so many memories.
Oh how terribly bittersweet. I’m glad you got to go there with Grace, share your memories and bring your camera along.I’m glad you had a good time on your trip. I missed you yesterday.
The blue is amazing, so vibrant! I am sad for you that the family has to sell it..come on talk Rich in to moving back home!!!!
Such a nice post and another tear jerker for me. The farm, the house, the ponds, the lans, brings back all good memories for me and I will always call that my home. For many years I longed for that home to be my familys home and grandma and grandpa both wanted that for Jeremy and I too but that will be no longer. So much has changed to the property and when I go back my mind rewinds back to the times spent there and the love felt there. The last time is something I had always hoped would never come to the visits to home.
It seemed like something from a Herriot story. I loved the blue “parlor”, not knowing cows had such dwelling places. Oh thank you for letting us walk hand in hand with you, through the barn and in the field. I could just smell the hay. I wish we could all pool our money and buy it. Oh dear Lord, don’t let a housing developement go here. Blessings and love, M in SC
What a beautiful treasure, I was imagining your grandfather and his boys cutting those barn boys and your grandmother making ice tea or lemonaid for them as they labored in the hot sun. Your pictures are amazing, I felt like I was in the barn enjoying that barn smell with you and hearing the cows mooing as the summer breeze blew through the barn aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Thank you for sharing your visit to the farm with us. Did you know it is my dream to live on a farm?
What a definitely bittersweet time for you. I love old farms. I think I was born in the wrong century. lol. What a piece of history to be there where your grandfather and his sons built the barns.Hugs to youMelody
you should write a book (with photos)…you have a way of making me feel like I am right there with you where ever you go….I think we would be good friends in “real life” too…(not just “computer world”)….
I loved these precious pictures! Especially the look of wonderment and curiosity in your daughter’s face. Farms are the best.
First Iwant to say love all your pictures , Im sure seeing this place is full of good memories, And Im sure you are sad to see it up for sale but you will always have your memories ,and nobody can take that away from you .. Lori
I enjoyed this post and the memories of a dairy farm – as I grew up on a similar farm. The only difference is that ours is still very active with lots of new buildings. The old barn is the one that holds memories for me – and a few generations before me.
I loved the previous post with your children and the quilts.
What a wonderful, bittersweet but beautiful post. š I LOVE your pictures and felt “there” with your memories.
I hope someone will buy the property and love it as much as your family did….and make more memories there for another generation!
My mom’s dad also was a dairy farmer, and I have many fond memories of his milking barn and cows. I am blessed enough to get to LIVE here (at the farm) this fall!