Re-Siding the Barn

Half the barn ready for siding

This is a mostly unrelated quilting post. We moved to this property 30 years ago last Labor Day weekend. There was a red barn with four stalls on the two acre plot. The previous owners had six horses, a plethora of chickens in a variety of chicken coops and a bunch of dogs that resided in the various kennels attached to the house. There were so many animals on the property, that there was little grass!

During the first few years that we lived here, we raised a couple beef cattle that we later slaughtered for meat for our freezer. We stored the hay and grain in the barn. There were about six chickens that escaped the move.They roosted in one of the stalls of the barn. The kids played in the barn when they were in elementary school. The grandkids have played in the barn too.

Rod setting up the skill saw 

Now, it is the place where the rototiller and lawn mower reside. Bob, my husband, has stored the extra siding, shingles and flooring used on the house in the barn. There is reclaimed fencing material from the previous owners and some leftover pieces of wood from previous projects that are stored in the barn. 

Bob has painted it "suburban red" about four times over the years. The first time it was due for a coat of paint, we talked about changing the color. We decided, however, the red barn seemed the best fit on the property so it has remained suburban red. Bob has patched the roof several times. There was the time that the tree blew over in a windstorm and a limb caused some damage. There never were gutters on the roof.

Over the years, nature's elements have deteriorated the siding to the point that the majority of the boards were rotten. It was time to replace the siding. He developed his plan. He first removed the rotten boards. Then he knew how much new wood he needed to order. 

Teamwork in placing the boards

He learned that the stalls were tacked to the outside walls so when the boards were removed, the panels would collapse. He shoveled away some of the dirt that had accumulated from many years of "organic compost" deposits from the horses.

He worked on half of the barn at a time. After he had ordered the wood from a local company who also delivered it, he and a friend spent a day installing the new wood. The third day, he stripped the other side of the barn and his friend arrived on the fourth day to finish the installment process.

He is waiting for the new wood to dry for a couple weeks so he can prime and paint it. The smoke from the Riverside fire stalled forward progress on the project because the air quality was rated hazardous for a week. It was unsafe to be outside. We will get it painted. 

Bob has purchased the primer and all the "suburban" red pain he needs to finish the project.  I plan to help with the painting; but, knowing my husband as I do, I wouldn't be surprised if the next nice day he starts the job whether I can be there or not! He can't be idle nor can he have an unfinished project staring at him!

Finished side waiting to dry before painting

It started raining late Thursday night and the air is clearing. I was surprised that after several hours of rain falling, the smoke was still visible. At any rate, he will get to wait for the wood to dry again before he can paint it. 

He'll be raking needles while he waits for the wood to dry. You can't tell from the photo, but that line of needles is about the height of his knees! Yesterday, he raked 192 wheelbarrow loads of needles. Bob said that this was the most that he has raked at one time. Those three days of high winds caused the needles to fall in great quantities. He has at least that many needles left to rake! Our air quality dropped from 292 to 30 from Friday to Saturday! 

Thursday, we brought the Tahoe home with our "important stuff." The quilts are stacked on the bed and the other "stuff" is back where it was. I'm planning to inventory the quilts. I've never counted them nor do I really know how many I have or have made over the years. With the quilts in one place, it is a good time to compile a list! My husband thinks there are 832 quilts (No way!); my youngest daughter's boyfriend estimates 172; (Still too many); my oldest daughter estimates 123; my youngest daughter estimated 100; my son-in-law estimates 65 and I said 50ish!

Quilts to inventory

Quilter, pattern maker, author and hand embroidery aficionado Bonnie Sullivan lost her home in Mill City to the Beachie Creek fire. She escaped with a backpack and the kindness of a stranger who gave her a lift to safety. The Salem Reporter compiled a special report about the area fires in their circulation area. Truly, firefighters saved many. We will never hear about all the lives they actually saved because there are just too many. Thank you God for having so many heroes available to help those that needed assistance! Neighbors are helping neighbors get back on their feet. There are still about 3000 people in shelters which could mean hotels from Medford to Portland because their homes are a pile of ash. There are still a few actual shelters that are open. Those that can return home have. 

The Estacada Community Watch has organized a welcome pantry to returning evacuees. Drive up and pick up a bag of groceries to help you as you learn which food supplies in your home are no longer edible. Often, you would hear about a particular organization taking this role. Rural Oregonians are an independent group who look after one another and who figure out ways to help themselves. Unfortunately, our governor has said little about these efforts to the media. 

Regarding COVID:

Bob raking needles dropped during the wind storm

Worldwide: 30.5M confirmed; 20.8M recovered; 953K deaths

United States: 6.82M confirmed; 3.69M recovered; 202K deaths

Oregon: 30,342 confirmed; 521 deaths

The media reported a case study indicated that there will be 400K COVID deaths in the United States before the end of 2020 if the infection trend continues at the current rate. While the President continues to claim there will be a vaccine available before the end of the year, the CDC continues to advocate wearing a mask and social distancing. CDC director Robert Redfield stated mask wearing would be more effective against COVID-19 than the vaccine.

Regarding the protests, last week the media has reported the protests continue although, the violence factor has not been organized. Last night, the protests resumed. The media cited air quality as the reason for the break. The first of September, the New York Times ran a story about the 100 days of protest in Portland. The people interviewed live outside of Portland. I appreciated the perspective.