Age old skills & craftsmanship crumbling away

This beautiful barn is slowly crumbling away. The last time I visited was with Mum, & friend Bavers, we sat and attempted to draw/paint this old barn en plein air. A memorable time. Since then part of the galvanised roof has come off, now laying in the field. A stone base with a daub? upper layer, the beautiful hand crafted roof timbers still in tact but for how long I wonder.
I started the day watching Skooter, a sweet little mouse, resident in the back garden. It shoots around the garden eating the sunflower hearts that I put out in the morning, dashing for cover every time a bird comes in or flies over. I just hope its not interested in my freshly potted legume seeds. I think, fingers crossed, I have made the trays critter proof. First stop after I left the house a quick visit to the allotment to store my bags f compost in the shed up on the plot. A fresh start to the day but I was early leaving home, so planned a longer walk with Indie, going around lanes that I used to ride along on my pony. First we had to negotiate a section of fairly busy road, even for a Sunday. Cyclists more than vehicles this morning, once on the lanes it was much quieter although we did meet a few cyclists. I kept Indie on her flexi-lead. She would much rather be off nose to the ground following scents, but it was'nt to be.  Our next encounter was with a couple, the chap sat in the car, engine running, the width of the lane, the girl picking something from the hedgerow, I thought it was probably Pennywort for a salad but when I got up to her & asked, she told me she was foraging young greens for her tortoises. Ahhhh! The sun was shining the sky a fabulous clear blue, perfect walking weather. We had to walk a section of shared path beside the A38 dual carriageway which was'nt pleasant. Nearly run over by a lady cyclist, the squeaking brakes alerting me of her present. I asked if she had a bell, she did, but with the traffic passing at speed I had'nt heard it. Ops! Reached the top of the dual carriageway, still quite early so thought I'd give Indie a run on part of the heath. Walking along the roadside I spotted a sheet of compressed polystyrene or similar in the hedge. I dragged it out, left it inside the gateway to the heath. I picked it up later with the car. I could'nt believe the amount of litter along the roadside I passed, mainly drink cans. Very sad to see. I might have to do the walk again carrying a bag or three. I heard a bird calling which I did'nt recognise, eventually spotted it up among the branches and got a couple of pics. Yellowhammer, Cirl bunting???? I might just pay a visit tomorrow morning without the dog.
Back at Mum's I got another duvet out of the loft, packed up the towels in a black bin bag ready to drop off at the Salvation Army skip/bin. Did a spot test with the creosote on the new timber. Time to head home. Lunch then a bit of time in the garden. Neaten the lawn edges, taking the excess to build another area of grass. Cleaned the bird bath out and refilled, checked on the wormery, plus a bit of dead heading. The sheet of compressed polystyrene? I cut in to two pieces. 1 piece large enough for Mum to do her jigsaw puzzle on, the off cut made a perfect garden kneeler.
Making dinner tonight, a knock at the front door. Our mechanic friend's daughter has a small holding and recently slaughtered a bullock and had meat for sale. My freezer is pretty chocka but felt obliged to buy some beef from him. Now all I have to do is find room for it in the freezer.

Oh yes! Keep forgetting to tell you. I've bought a secondhand Panasonic Lumix same model as the one I'm using now on ebay on Friday. £50. I've not bought anything secondhand on ebay before so hope I have'nt wasted my money. My present Lumix, I must have had it at least 6 years, taken, well, thousands of photos, but now have two speck of dust I think on the lens. I will use the Canon that jorgiesmum kindly gave me a little while ago, but it is so much heavier, & bulkier. The Lumix will go in my pocket, which is great for me as I carry it everywhere. I guess I'm a snapper, rather than a photographer.

Thanks to Marlieske for continuing to host Derelict Sunday