From the beginning, humans have no doubt lifted their eyes to the heavens, viewed the stars and opined as to how they fit into the vast scheme of things.

The firmament is a fundamental part of the creation story in Genesis. From Stonehenge to the pyramids in Egypt, we have always had a fascination with what happens "up there" and "out there."

We dream of someday discovering civilizations other than ours in far away galaxies. It's been the stuff of real science and science fiction for a very long time.

I can envision one of the ancients taking a piece of charcoal or a sharp rock and drawing a stylized star. One of the first things I learned to draw as a small child was a five-point star in one continuous line without lifting my pencil from the paper. Then, I drew a six-point star using two triangles to approximate a Star of David.

From a hit song by the late Roger Miller, "Kansas City Star," to the popular TV show called "Dancing With the Stars," to what stars mean to Texans, to reading our daily horoscope in the newspaper, our lives are constantly touched by "star" connections.

We got gold stars for extra effort in kindergarten and book five-star hotels for our vacations. We love stars.

I now have a green star on the front of our Morrisonville garage. What's up with that?

It's a "barn star." They're showing up with greater frequency in our area. And not only on barns. They've been affixed to homes and businesses, large and small. They come in sizes ranging from tiny to gargantuan. I've seen them from six inches to more than 60. Their color and configuration reflects the personality of their owner.

Ours is green to match our house trim, but I've spotted them in every color of the rainbow. Some are even red, white and blue with a patriotic flare. Many stores now stock them.

I have mentioned the "barn stars" to dozens of my e-mail friends around the country and many have never seen or heard of them in their own localities. I have also spoken to quite a few folks within 50 miles of where I sit and am amazed at how many of them have never see one on a building.

Some of us are more observant than others. It's like buying a certain make of car or truck. Once you have one, you tend to see lots of others like it. Same thing with stars.

I wrote about stone walls a few years ago. Since then, I spot stone walls every time we go for a drive.

I love old buildings, and the first stars I remember seeing were of iron with a threaded hole in the center. They were screwed onto long rods that went through the structure and could be tightened to add strength.

At first, I thought the decorative tin stars were tacky, but my opinion has changed radically, and I have now embraced them in concept and design.

Where did it all begin? Good question. In America, we can trace it back several hundred years when peoples such as the Amish and Mennonites left regions of Germany because of religious persecution and settled in our part of the world.