As my readers well know, we do not celebrate our Messiah as most of the world does.  We celebrate His birth in conjunction with Sukkot, the most likely time of His visitation.  So, the last couple years, December 25 has been a day of varied fun and occupation with like-minded friends.  Last year we taught/hosted a cheesemaking class.

This year, because we just moved into a new home, we hosted a bit of a barn-raising.  Here are a few pics of the day.

First, the morning began with my eldest smoking up the kitchen and den because the sugar on the sweet bread he was making got too ‘well-done.’  That led to a few neat pics of the sun streaming in the den window and landing on the table, eventually resting on a shofar that we turned to highlight the translucence.

The fresh flowers were pretty with the beam behind them.

But the highlight was the shofar that I turned so the light would shine into the open mouth and show forth the colors.

Our work day began around 10 a.m. as a couple families arrived.  We began with a solid Jacobs Carport shell to convert into a barn.  I’m not smart enough to come up with this idea…  Thank Pintrest for it.  LOL!

With a 40 year guarantee on the roof and structure, it is hard to beat as a shell.  We started with a 24 x 36 structure on 8′ legs that can easily be added to in the future if need be.

A load of lumber from Lowe’s as well as beautiful weather made for a perfect family/community project.

Even some of the little guys got involved.  It was cool watching Chris teach his young sons some of the finer points of handling a drill so as not to the strip the self tapping screws.

And, taking pics of the adults supervising the child labor…  LOL!

We ran out of material before completing the project, but with end and side walls completed, as well as stalls and milk/feed areas roughed out, we can get our girls from the farm that has hosted them for the last 3 1/2 months.

Here is the west side before it was skinned in sheathing.  Thompson’s woodsealer ought to keep it looking nice for years.

10 x 10 feed room front left.  10 x 10 milkroom front right with continuous loft above both for storage and hay.  Front will be fully enclosed.  Two 7 x 10 kidding/sick/isolation stalls on right side and large rear roaming/sleep area for our ten girls as well as the donkey that came with the property.

And, a pic in the fading light with both sides wrapped.  A few temporary gates and a paddock in the back and we are in business!!  The plan is to finish it with sliding barn doors, a little more sheet metal on the sides to reduce the size of the opening.

A huge ‘thank you’ to Abba for the Whelans, Finchams and Boozers who helped, cooked and fellowshiped!  It was a memory-filled day of laughs and joys.