It’s been a fine four day break from the routine, but my life with the store is calling; a small nagging voice that I know brings such happiness when I indulge it. October is a fickle month. We’ve had deep, blanketing snow storms on Halloween, and last weekend was 80°s. I have had four days to reclaim my routine, my home and my mind.
A walk with Wilson to survey the logging project proved more interesting than I had anticipated. In fact, I started out in a pretty bitchy, snarky mood. “When will this ever be finished??” I was screaming in my mind as we hiked over the road to view the boundaries. What I hadn’t known was the road follows the Western edge of the tract, I have a stone wall which is not designated as a boundary wall though I had thought it was. There is glorious land on the eastern side!
My previously mentioned attitude problem was the reason I neglected to bring my camera, therefore, you will have to imagine with me. The land is ancient, the ledges formed from glaciers. At some point, a man other than the native inhabitants found his way to this plot. He cleared the forest and built walls of rock to define and contain. His cows grazed on the field carved from thin soil and sun. As I walked deeper in, I found a set of boulders piled by nature, yet connecting two sections of the man’s wall. The pile was at least ten feet at the top and formed a perfect Southwest-facing shelter with a cave below of at least four feet in depth.
The wrinkle of land climbed steeply behind this natural fire pit, and it was on the ridge above that I felt the glow; this was a place infused with spirit. I felt some instinctive knowledge that this was the perfect spot to build a writer’s cabin. My next home.
Reclaiming my current home from its “summer self” means acknowledging the seasons of life are moving forward. The rug went back down yesterday. It is a prized possession with its rich colors of autumn and thick softness of touch. In the summer, I send it out for cleaning and the hardwood floors echo footsteps. The joyous sounds of toenails searching for purchase, as Alice races to the front windows then circles back through to the back deck – on patrol and loud about it. Furious hours of cleaning preceded the annual laying of the magic carpet. The furniture has a new view and the pets are confused. Not overly concerned, mind you, but confused still…don’t they look stressed??
My daughters will attest to the fact that “Mummo” does a mean job of moving furniture and rearranging the traffic patterns when left unchecked. I like the new configuration. I face the fireplace and soon enough will be able to see all the way to the ledges at the back of my land.
I’m also reclaiming what I started out to do two years ago – write with purpose, pursue what I love (marketing and the little store) and find happiness in the small stuff. These three odd-shaped gourds are my nod to holiday decorating. They remind me of the geese and that are flocking and flying.
What are you looking at??
Therapeutic Misadventures 
Martha, I love this post! The thrill of discovery and musings of earlier times, a renewed installation of purpose and recognition of what is obviously a passion and a calling, the change of seasons and the preparations for the transition from summer to autumn (and ultimately to the holiday season beyond) and — redecorating, a passion of mine!
Gorgeous digs, by the way! And yes, the gourds DO resemble geese. How oddly wonderful. Great post. 🙂
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Thanks Julie! I used to drive everyone crazy with my redecorating. Now that I am alone, I only drive my pets crazy! It just feels fresh and renewed when I rearrange.
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Agree. Even though we seldom have company over its still nice for US to mix things up occasionally. In addition to holiday décor I have fall, winter, spring/summer items that I like to cycle in and out through the year. I’ve recently started adding more 4th of July and would like to expand what I have for Thanksgiving but not much to pick from sometimes. Punches of color to spice things up is nice as well.
And photos — always photos!
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When I was home full time writing, I decorated, and cleaned. Now the store is more festive and tidy than my house but that is where I spend most of my time so it makes sense. Learning the rough edges of my home and property is an interesting exercise in stepping back and appreciating.
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LOVE the geese! how lovely to discover a “gift” on your property! A writer’s cabin, awesome! I hope you make that happen, then you can work on your book on Nelson. (yup, I’m still gonna bug you) 🙂
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Holding onto this property is my biggest goal. I love that I can now easily get to so much of it. I will write the book and hopefully many more!
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I hope the dream of a cabin becomes a reality. It’s true that you can feel that a place is special and it’s great that you own it.
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I would love to have you come and walk it with me sometime. I would learn so much about what else is living here and would see yet another side of the land…
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Remind me sometime in Late May / early June when everything starts to grow and I will. I can’t identify every single plant that I see but I know a few of them.
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What a wonderful discovery! I agree, the perfect place for a writing cabin! I used to rearrange frequently, but over the years I’ve gotten away from it (it is hard to rearrange the bedroom when it involves draining and filling a king size water bed). The gourds scream fall beauty!
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Had to laugh. The last time I slept on a water bed it leaked! Here’s to Paula Bunyan building a cabin! Care to lend an hand??
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Any time!! I’d love to help you build the cabin in which you will write your best seller!
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Your cave sounds delightful. I hope you will take a picture one day. Your house looks so warm and welcoming too and those grounds really do have the look of geese.
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Thank you Marie. I love seeming your gardens (and blue garden shed) as well. Seeing where you live makes your blog come alive for me. I am so lucky to live here.
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