Much Better by Susan L.

  Prayers must be working. My back is feeling more stiff than sore! What a relief! I just have to be careful not to push it when there's so much work to be done in the garden. I'll let it wait a couple more days though and take it easy. Hopefully by Monday it'll be back where it should be. No pun intended.
  The painting burst has sort of fizzled out. I need to get out and about to find some inspiration. There's so many hidden gems off the beaten path. Travelling the sideroads, its not surprising to come across a bubbling stream or hidden ruin of a house.
  I'd like to do some studies of old barns. There's plenty out there, dotting the landscape. They are the forgotten sentinels of times gone by. A lot of them are falling down or dissolving under the extremes of Ontario weather. Wooden barns are very expensive to maintain and the number of people farming is diminishing at a huge rate as the larger Walmart style corporations with their intensive agricultural operations take over. Small farms are not financially viable any more.
  An old farmer told me once that the old bank barns needed animals in them over the winter to keep them standing. The moisture from their breath and the heat from their bodies helped the stone foundations remain strong and protected from the damaging ability of freezing temperatures. Having the upstairs filled with hay also supported their structure by preventing the winds from howling through.
  A drive around the neighbourhood is what I need to keep me amused today. There's plenty of old barns within a few minutes of my place. It's a lovely day, and the heated seat will be good for the aches.
  "He answered them, 'He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'" Jn 5:11