Red Barn

It's always interesting to visit the big red barn built by my grandfather in Edmonton...

Walking through this large 3-story structure, one can feel the solidness of the big beams of wood out of which it was built.

It's a testament to his skill as a carpenter. All the more amazing because he was basically illiterate. In his day, the strong were put to work. Only the weak - who were incapable of physical labor - were sent to school. In his family, one son, who had lost his arm in an industrial accident got an education. My grandfather did get an apprenticeship with an excellent carpenter. That's the only "education" he had. (He was also an excellent tuba player. Not sure where he learned that.) He did, in his old age, lament that he couldn't read or write letters.

Glad I was able to revisit this barn on our way back to Edmonton from Hay Lakes and Kingman.