The kids and I recently made a road trip to one of our other family properties during shearing. We happened to be there on a Saturday so no actual shearing was happening, just yard and paddock work and plenty of opportunities for me to take photos in the quiet woolshed.
The shearer’s smoko table, slightly sticky with remnants of coffee and tea from the working week.
A pair of shearing moccasins sitting idly on the board waiting for the Monday morning rush.
An old enamel wash basin still in use. Can you imagine the blood, sweat, tears and grease this little basin must have washed away over the years?
Perfectly formed wool bales starting to snake their way out of the shed, waiting to be loaded onto the truck.
Lastly, this piece of curly barbed wire had managed to make its way into the yards, picking up little pieces of loose wool along the way. As this potentially hazardous piece of wire was tossed away it caught my eye with its woolly twists. I had to bring it home to hang up as an impromptu sculpture, much to the wonderment of the men folk. Surely everyone must be getting used to me picking up strange objects by now.
Shearing time always brings about a certain amount of nostalgia. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times the woolshed bursts into life or how many bales of wool roll out the door.
Do you enjoy a quiet photo opportunity or perhaps finding pieces of random, salvaged stuff and declaring it artwork?
Wishing you a woolly weekend.
Zara
Good on you rescuing that gorgeous barbed wire art. I would have snaffled it up too.
The enamel sink is beautiful too. x
Jane S
You would love the sink Zara! x
CountryMouse
I do enjoy quiet photo opportunities. Around here is is always a bonus when it is quiet where ever you go. I do like finding random things too although they don't usually end up as artwork, well it depends on what it is and where it is from because I have done it before. Lovely collection from the shearing shed. I would love to hang out around a working one, one day.
Jane S
Thank you!
Kate @ Kate Writes
Aren't woolsheds the best place for photography? So much inspiration and beautiful light!
joanne
Agree with you about the light, Kate. I love going into the two sheds that are on my brother's place although only one is a working shed these days. There is also a huge complex of shed, yards, cook house and shearers' quarters on a farm going into his place. Always lifts my heart to see it still there and operating, although now the shearers live in town and come out.
Jane S
Thanks Kate…the frustrating thing was that on this particular day the sun just refused to come out so unfortunately very few shadows or pretty light! I did my best with the flat, grey light 🙂
Jane S
Thanks Joanne!
Chantille Fleur
Growing up on the coast in the northern end of the country, and now being up on the Tablelands I'm afraid I've never set foot inside a wool shed. But I can image the smell of the sheep, that slight hint of lanolin and the piles of fluffy fleeces. And I can image it would be fun to photograph!
I like your piece of barbed wire, it's curled in the same way one of those hanging sculptures you can buy often are 🙂
Have a lovely weekend,
I think we're in for a warmer one here…the cold seems to have vanished in a few days and it's become pleasantly mild. Feels more like the end of August than July…strange!
Sarah x
Jane S
Thanks Sarah…given your love of country life, animals and photography I know you would love woolsheds and shearing x
Deb Hunt
It's always a pleasure to read your updates and look through your pics Jane, have a great weekend, best wishes to you and yours, Deb
Jane S
Thank you Deb x
Anne
Love your sculpture Jane – just what we need for The Barley Barn! Will have to copy your idea.
I feel the same about harvest as you do about shearing.
Jane S
Please copy Anne…isn't that what the internet is for! Thanks for calling in as always.
passionfruitgarden.com
Great photos, as always, Jane
Jane S
Thanks Glenda!
e / dig in hobart
the wool shed appears ghostly without any activity. waiting for the next shearing.
that wool-on-the-wire is amazing. you couldn't make it yourself to be as eerily beautiful.
Jane S
Thank you e, I know you understand!
cityhippyfarmgirl
I'd love to stalk a working shearing shed one day and take pictures. Just seeing those pics Jane, I can smell it, the lanolin, the bustle of the people, the sheep all waiting. I wonder whether it would be just like how I imagine or whether I've romanticised it a little, falling on very old memories.
Gorgeous photos lovely.
Jane S
Your imagination is fairly correct Brydie…perhaps just add in the fact that some workers have been known to take a few interesting 'substances' to take the monotony out of the very physical, repetitive work and some loud, thumping hard core music to the help the hours pass 🙂
cityhippyfarmgirl
hmm, yeah substances weren't part of my romanticised imagery. Makes sense though. Thumping music and not whimsical upbeat violin melodies eh? Seems my imagery is a bit too much Banjo Patterson 🙂