Wishes do come true!

So, it is inevitable that Tom dismantles something everywhere we move. Over the years, he has saved remarkable pieces from disintegrating churches, granges, houses and barns. If pieces could verbalize their rich histories…..the stories would be priceless. Once again, Tom and I will be preserving the past and giving it new life in our humble bungalow.

The idea took hold one Sunday after church. We were enjoying our favorite pastime of getting lost on quiet country roads. There is something so peaceful taking a slow meandering drive on a back road. For us, the building excitement of what we will discover and where we will end up is tangible. During these trips, I feel peace in my spirit while winding down roads and discovering old abandoned buildings.

Story lines run rampant in our imaginations. We envision the hustle and bustle of family life with barefoot children running in the front yard and dogs nipping their heels. I picture a mother hanging fresh laundry on the line to dry in the warmth of the sun. Often, the yard has a monstrous tree giving shade to the house with a loved tire swing hanging from a large limb. In their hay day, green vegetation would be seen for miles with lush fields of corn, cotton, potatoes or peanuts. A rusty farm tractor and other equipment would be parked next to the barn prepped and ready for early the next morning. You know, the days of simpler times, when children played outside and used their imagination to entertain themselves. Times when a days end would always require a hot bath and a scrubbing of dirt from behind ears, fingernails and feet.

It was an autumn afternoon drive like many we have taken, that prompted us to make our wish for a dismantle. Into the universe, we sent our request for an old barn or house with preserved wood. Oh, and we added that it would be great to have it close by too. Then we prayed on it.

The Barn & Wood…..

One day, while Tom was discussing the foundation design with our mason, he happened to mention wanting an old barn for wood. Well, this was the man to start our wish in motion. His daughter and her husband (Lisa & Kevin), had a barn they wanted taken down and it was less than a mile up the street. After introductions and chatting, our prayers were answered. God provided! That’s not all, he also provided an assistant for the job. Tom called an old friend from Maine, Hal Ward. Hal was on his winter reprieve in Florida and was up for the challenge. For a week, Tom and Hal worked long hard hours and were sore and exhausted at the days end. It was a wonderful and fruitful endeavor. We have some gorgeous old wood for the interior of our house plus we had great laughs and times with an old friend. Win. Win.

The Yard & Granite…..

One thing we don’t have here are rocks. I mentioned in a previous post, that I can dig large holes or prep a garden without ever seeing one rock. Not a single one. For contrast, back in Maine, prepping one 4×8 garden bed would produce enough rocks for a good start on a rock wall. We want rock.

Tom loves to use granite to make an architectural statement in his landscaping. One day, he was inspired to design a front courtyard for our house. Ready for a trip back to Maine, out came the phone and the searching began. The most amazing thing….he found large pieces of Northern granite a few miles from us. They had been stored for years when a large bridge had been dismantled to make way for a new one.

So, Tom loaded up the truck and trailer and went “his kind” of shopping. He chose his pieces thoughtfully, already having the beginnings of a vision in his mind. He bought a load; unloaded, worked some magic and returned for more pieces.

Since we need to build the house, we can’t finish the yard so it’s a work in process. So far, we have rough granite blocks forming a slightly raised front yard with granite steps leading to a lower grassy expanse and the turtle pond. We will fill the upper garden with flowering trees, fruit trees and herbs along both sides of a curving path from the house to the steps. Our ideas are evolving everyday!

The Four-Legged Crew…..

For those of you wondering how the four legged crew is doing, I have included some pictures of Midget, Tiny, Mookie, and Georgia. They are all healthy, certainly keeping me busy and giving Tom and I lots of love!

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One more thing…

Note to self ~ ALWAYS check shoes and boots before putting them on!

It’s only a Gecko…..but what if it wasn’t?

Enjoy your weekend!