The other day as I was enjoying the ride from home to the Post Office, I noticed new surveyor’s stakes in a field around an old wooden barn. Another farm is being turned into a subdivision.

Then I started counting how many wooden barns are left for me to enjoy seeing on my way from home to the Post Office.

The Barn Score was invented.

It is really simple and fun to find your Barn Score. Simply count how many wooden barns you go by between where you live and the nearest traffic light.

If you go by five old wooden barns before you get to the nearest traffic light, your Barn Score would be "5".

Now the rules have not been ratified by the international committee yet, so they are left up to each individual. It is up to the integrity of each individual player to interpret these rules.

    •What qualifies as an old wooden barn?
     •When you say “go by” do they have to be on the road or just visible from the road?
     •What about an old wooden barn that is part metal?
     •If the old wooden barn is half fallen down does that count as a half point?

The nearest traffic light rule keeps you from driving out of the way to avoid the traffic light and pad your score.

For those who live in a barn-deficient area, the scoring is similar but in reverse. How many traffic lights are between your home and the nearest wooden barn?  This of course is a negative Barn Score. If you pass eight traffic lights before you get to the nearest wooden barn, your score is “minus 8”.

Why is it important? Because, they are putting up more traffic lights and they are taking down old wooden barns. It is important to know your Barn Score now. That way you will know the rate of “progress” by how fast your score drops.

Our church has an annual Lord’s Acre Craft Sale every October. The most popular craft items are things made from "old barn wood".  We found our about a small barn that was going to be torn down to make room for a school bus turn-around. 

We jumped at the chance to get another supply of "old barn wood".  The 25 foot tall oak timbers, although sawmill cut, were pegged together!  Our best guess at the age of the barn is between 1870 and 1920 vintage.  If only we had more time, manpower and equipment. But I guess that is why it is easier and cheaper to tear them down.

If this starts you noticing more old wooden barns and appreciating them, then you have won. No matter what your score.

The next time you are leaving home, see if you can discover your Barn Score

 Thanks,

Ken@MountainTips.com

http://www.MountainTips.com