December sanctuary

"December Santuary," 5 by 7 watercolor card

Barns grab  my attention and interest, wherever I go, wherever I live, though I'm not sure why.
The old weathered ones, whether huge wooden structures typical in the Midwest, or small ones, barely more than sheds in the West, beckon my imagination with untold stories.
They're symbols, icons of rural life, with a distinctive odors of livestock, hay, dust, and old equipment. 
But they're also sanctuaries for rural life, especially in cold winter weather in December and later. They hold hope for the future, as in the words of the poet, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
And long ago, a sanctuary for a newborn baby.

(Day 11 of 31 December watercolors)