Time To Renovate!

And yes, this is the "before shot" for all you jokers out there. Actually, come to think of it, I have seen a few completed renovations that have some similarities to this picture.
Well not quite that bad, but you get the idea.

This lovely old farm house is on the way to my current renovation at a wonderful place call Seaforth. I had to stop and take this picture. I don't know what it is but it gives me a feeling of warmth and serenity every time I drive past it.

This glorious little house provided comfort and shelter to some family for many years and it's kind of sad to see it just sitting there. If only the walls could talk. Not many people today could really understand just how much hard work was needed to build even this small cottage back in the old days. Most people probably wouldn't care I suppose, but for me, it really brings to light how difficult and time consuming it must have been.

There were no power tools to speak of, maybe an old petrol powered bench saw to rip down the timber planks from large spotted gum trees. Everything had to done by hand with tools that today would be considered very primitive. Many would say that it is just an eye sore but for me it represents how hard it must have been for carpenters and other tradesmen of the time. It was a time of necessity and not luxury for most people.

These old places are a reflection of times gone by, hard times at that, and it makes me appreciate what my father and mother went through raising 8 of us.
Today it seems there are more wants than needs, and I believe that knowing things like this from our past would help us to appreciate what we have now.

They were not just houses, they were homes.