Putting a Hex on Our Shed
Pagan folk magic or just a bit of barn decor? There's some debate about the origin of the hex sign, a bit of folk art that often marks the barns of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Our hex sign was purchased as a souvenir on a trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania when I was a kid. Pete was always into the old barn sign, so he found a replacement in a web-store called Uncle Jack's Delights.
The "hex" may refer to the hexagonal or octagonal shape of the sign, rather than the idea of casting a spell on its farm. That said, our hex sign is said to symbolize fertility and came with the following description:
Many hex signs seem to symbolize good luck, and some stand for honor or piety. We could've replaced the old sign with a new symbol, but the fertility one makes sense as we spend our summers in the lush green Catskills with our ever-expanding family. My grandparents who originally owned the land had 4 daughters, and then 8 grandchildren. There are 3 great-grandchildren so far, and with our new magical hex sign in place, I have a feeling we'll continue to multiply (which is why it seemed perfectly reasonable to furnish our house with 7 sets of bunk beds in addition to a few queen beds).
Anyway, here are the before, during and after photos of our hex sign replacement. It's amazing how the new sign brings our old shed back to life.
