A gritty and dark affair

It was time to clean up the barn. I had to get it cleared so that I could store things from the house there while I'm renovating.

I started with this area in front of the barn entrance. I found stacks of the same advertisement and spare bits of wood. The yellow door was intriguingly built the same as a baroque-era door, with panels that lie on top on one side. But more likely it's from a later time. 

In this sad-looking pile I found an arts and crafts copper antique chandelier with glass pendants. Also iron claw feet for two bath tubs. And a plastic bag with very old coins or buttons, clearly found in the field at some time. Finally, I got to get rid of the scarecrow that startled me every time I opened the door.

The attic ladder can do double duty as a ladder into the hay loft. Behind it, I squirrelled away some old farming tools.

I found some cool skis! I want to try out the wooden ones some time. I kept all these because they're cool and don't take much space, especially if you hang them on the wall.

This was the beginning of the metal junk pile, I didn't remember to photograph the finished thing, but this was about one quarter of all the metal junk I found. Not counting the car.

Out of the frying pan...

And into the fire. 

Cleaning up this part really tested my limits. It feels unfair to have to clean up someone else's mess. It took me several weekends. It was dark, there's no electricity or windows so I just had a Makita flashlight. 

I had to take extra care because the floor was caving in.

This was the dirtiest place so far on the whole property...

...but the first place I've found photos. Makes me sad.

It's starting to look up...

I went through all of this by hand. The newspaper on the bottom was from the 1960s.

Found an old pair of Fiskars scissors.

Getting closer to finishing the table, but more rubbish looms ahead.

A beautiful sunrise!

Starting point in the animal shelter. Powered through it while laughing at the Ask Iliza Anything -podcast.

Finally getting to this back corner...

Had to take my five antique bikes outside, along with four rickety stepladders and a department store stroller.

And here's the after!

Possible asbestos products in the corner, and my collection of sleds. Saved some rolls of cardboard to use in the garden.  

Found some pretty significant rot on the timbers, this part of the barn might have to be demolished.

Lots of old shingles.

Storing garden furniture here.

What a difference!

Table all cleared, and here you can also see the hole in the floor.

Dumpster half full!

See you later,

-L