THE BABY-BARN IS LEVEL AND THERE'S AN ART AUCTION HAPPENING

Baby Barn After Being Levelled

          Dang!  Just as I finished feeding the dog and cat, letting out the chickens and then sitting in the barn milking the goat, I looked out the door and what did I see; snow beginning to fall.  Thought I'd seen the last of the white stuff until next winter but no, it's slowly floating down like big feathers after a pillow fight.  

         I started working on my new studio yesterday, managed to rip out the loft in the baby-barn, where even a midget would have had to duck, the ceiling was so low.  I was still in the progress of pulling nails with a crowbar and hammer, when a couple of friends of mine, Lyndon Canam and Clayton Farrel showed up on their 4-wheelers with some tools to level out the building.  They had 2 heavy duty jacks, an extra long crowbar and a mighty sharp chain saw for the job; plus my trusty 20 lb. sledge hammer, rusty shovel, Stanley level and stack of cement blocks also came in handy.  Talk about a neighbourly community; here I thought I'd be borrowing a couple of jacks and then doing the job myself, which believe you me, it would most likely have taken a novice like me a month of Sundays to get that little baby-barn in place.  However, the way Lyndon and Clayton tackled the job, it was easy to see that levelling out the baby-barn was not the first building they had ever levelled - no sirree - they had the skids that were used to drag the building down from Bill Leeman's place disconnected and drug out from underneath it in a short time.  Lyndon's a big strong man, stands 6'2" and it wouldn't have surprised me in the least if he had just grabbed a corner of the building and lifted it up, while Clayton and I shoved the cement blocks and shims underneath.  If someone had of stopped by to watch the process, the way my two friends were going at the job and me just a standing there most of the time, they would have thought I was their supervisor and nothing could have been further from the truth.  When it was over and the boys (not exactly boys - I think Clayton is about the same age as me and Lyndon, even though he's cordially younger, aint no spring chicken either) I sat inside the baby-barn having a wee break.  Lyndon, especially since he had worked up a bit of a sweat lifting cement blocks and pounding away with the 20 lb. sledge hammer, and I, savoured a couple of my cold home-made brews.  I didn't offer them any money for their help because I was certain they just wanted to do me a favour and help out.  However, I asked Sarah if she could bake them something, which she did - a batch of fresh hot-cross buns and cookies - plus she gave them some fresh eggs as well - seemed the least we could do after all their help.  Yep, moving to Fosterville, getting close to 2 or is it 3 years now, was one of the best things Sarah and I could have done - the people here are real friendly and helpful (as I cup my hand alongside my mouth and quietly say) even if they do know everyone's business - and sometimes that's a good thing - person gets into trouble, needs a helping hand - someone is sure to show up and help out.
          Yesterday was nice and warm but even though I was sweating off and on, as soon as I stopped working, I could feel the cold creeping in.  Yep, winter hasn't left our doorstep yet and even though I'm the neighbourly type, I'd kind of like to give it a good kick in the behind and move it along - I feels winter has overstayed its welcome.

Midnight Rider

           There is an auction for this painting being held on my Facebook page but there has been a little confusion so I'll be excepting bids here on the blog too - then copy paste from either there or here or here to there.  So far, a bid for $25.00 has been bid for Midnight Rider by Darla Davis.  The bidding ends April 7, 2012 at midnight New Brunswick time.  So, clearing my throat, I exclaim in a loud voice, "$25.00 has been bid by the long leggy blonde in the front row, now, who'll give me 30, 30, 35, 40 dollar bill for this one of a kind, truly original Len Sherman piece of art? It's 12"x16" in size on a quarter inch thick board and painted with acrylics.  Keep in mind there is a $20.00 shipping charge for anyone who lives a long way from Fosterville, and believe me ladies and gentlemen - just about anywhere is a long way from Fosterville, New Brunswick - cheers, eh!"