As a kid I really wanted to be a cowboy 

And judging by the steely gaze I was able to muster for this 1960 pic my dad set up in the basement, I woulda' been a danged good one, too -- firm but fair, like any good cowboy should be.

Except for the fact of the matter that I was an Undertaker's boy from the south side of Chicago and the nearest horse, cow, barn or anything else even remotely related was a long way away from where I was. 

While the Chicago Police Department had horse stables on the South Side then, and still do now, that didn't count.       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTAjcGYgkdE

These were the prime days of the Westerns on TV and I was absolutely captured by it all.

Shows like Gunsmoke, The Lone Ranger, The Rifleman, Bonanza, Wagon Train, Have Gun Will Travel and many others set the stage for a young boy to be captivated by the Western lore, and I was.

What I've come to think is that my life now, capturing old barn stories and being out in the country around cows, horses, old barns and old (and young) farmers in the meantime, is an adult satisfaction and fulfillment and realization of that early life experience where I wanted nothing more than to be part of the old West.

And boy, it feels really good and I really love it.

Bringing the old barns and country stories to people across America is an absolute joy because of the way people respond and say how they want to keep seeing more of it.  

So I'll continue to push on it all and will do my best to continue walking that road and thank you for being one of those people.

In the meantime 

As things proceed the blog, website (http://www.americanbarnstories.net/) and overall outreach continue and really nice people across the country are responding and adding their energies to the effort, which is a very cool thing that would have been so impossible to have happen even ten years ago.

Over time I'll build up a list of links to the people responding to this old barns show energy and will pass it along -- you'll enjoy it when that happens -- a lot of good people are doing a lot of good things around America related to our old barns and you'll enjoy getting to know them a bit.

So thanks for clicking in and, again, for being someone who cares about all of this old barns stuff. 

In closing

Thanksgiving is here this week and what a perfect time to gather and join together with family and friends to acknowledge the good things we have to celebrate in life. In spite of the many diverse challenges that will always be there in our lives and in our World, we have this opportunity to step back, take stock of things and be thankful.    

                                                  God Bless Us Everyone

                                   Mac the Dog, saying "Happy Thanksgiving!"