Lights, Camera, Action!

There was lots of action today at the house....mainly involving lights...

Of course I was missing my camera, so I snapped a couple of quick pics with my cellphone....

Very exciting.... though I bought many of these lights myself and neglected to buy bulbs for them.... oops.... several hundred light bulbs later, we are set.

Here is a shot from the outside. You can also see how they are putting up the handrail on the rear porch. That will be so nice. No more worrying about somebody falling off!

I took my camera into the house to take pictures of the lanterns and other lights, but when I saw what happened to my old barn beams, I no longer was motivated to take pictures, I was so upset.

My beautiful beams, that were torn out of an old barn, with such a rich brownish red patina were ruined, completely ruined! They were supposed to touch up one little tiny area with stain where there was a raw edge. That memo didn't seem to get across and they stained every inch of the beams. They are so old that they just soaked up the walnut stain and they are virtually black. They look like charred beams that were in a fire. Absolutely awful. I think those were my first actual tears on this build. Apparently, even though I kept my emotions in check (I thought), Lloyd must have sensed how upset I was. He called last night to apologize profusely and to promise to get new ones. Well, that is very nice, and it made me feel much better to know that is an option. But... I didn't go to Home Goods to get them, it took me years to find these and it was very complicated to get them cut to the exact right sizes. So, now, what to do? Sanding it off will ruin the axe marks and the other character of the beams, I am wondering if we could wire brush off some of the stain, revealing the lighter chestnut color beneath? Or, should we sand them, beat them up again, propane torch them, whack them with an adze, hammer, chains, etc. and then try to stain them a mix of colors? It won't be the same, but at least they will look pretty again, without taking them down? UGH, not sure what to do, but as-is they aren't very pretty....

Here are some pics....
Here they are originally.... yes, beat up, but I really loved them:

Here is the charred / blackened look: