The New Abode

I have moved from the garden by the sea to a garden in the woods not far from the sea. It’s another hobbit-like house built into a hill with a half acre of cleared land for gardens and a forest of brambles. There are wild berries and herbs hiding in there somewhere and I’ll find them eventually. C.P. and I have made a small dent in setting up new gardens just in time to put them to bed. Freya loves it here. I’ve never seen her so relaxed. Little Nemo is still pouting. I think he misses his ocean view. I don’t. When I look out of any window, all I see are trees. It’s so peaceful and much warmer. The ocean is a 20 minute walk instead of a 20 second walk. This beach has more rocks which also means that there are fewer people. Not bad at all.

Forest garden - under construction

The old shed has electricity and running water so with a little patience and labor I’ll have a new studio by next summer.

future studio

still in progress

There are water pipes everywhere and a well.

needs work

The view from the front and Freya’s favorite new spot.

Do I know you?

Freya's new perch

My flying carpet. Mine!

Don't Fall!

46 thoughts on “The New Abode

    • We’ve been busy little bees. A garden is always and forever a work in progress. It is a bit scrappy though compared to the beach gardens.

      • sure, but everything takes time. we’ve been on the farm 3+ years now, and i still see mostly all the things we are about to do or have yet to do, when what we have already done is really enough to knock your socks off, if it can be seen outside the frame of what is wholly planned. :)

        • i thought i had one up on the SR blog, but a quick scan fails to reveal it, so if i did do a post like that, it was either at the one year mark, or i tagged it really badly. that’s a good idea. if i have time, i’ll build one. i’m glad you all are out there reading! next week i’ll get pictures up from thanksgiving, and from the yurt re-insulation process we just now completed (and which i had allotted 2 days for, of which it took less than one day, so i am really excited to get two completely unplanned days in one weekend! this simply does not happen.)

          but yeah, it’s been 3 years and 2 months. They’ve been very dense years. no one could accuse us of not *living* to the fullest extent of our combined ability.

          • Heh. All I have to say around here is “There are new pictures up of their work on the [wall/yurt/whatever] at Sunflower River” and the boy will actually drop his computer games to come look. He’s a farmboy stuck working in suburban retail hell, so we most definitely both reading. Vicarious living, until I can at least get a place with a *yard*.

      • But I remember when you were setting up the beach garden, lamenting that it was so scrappy compared to the old one. Heh.

        Isn’t there something about it taking 7 years for a garden to *fully* come into itself? Though, for those like you with the Wild Green Thumb, it might take less. ;)

        • That is true. It didn’t take long to shape up the beach garden. I just didn’t think one this was photo worthy yet. I am hoping not to feel compelled to move on again just when the gardens are shaping up. If the neighborhood stays close to what it is now with property taxes not too outrageous, I’ll stay put. I chose it for it’s lack of potential for expansion and development. My favorite thing so far is that there are no street lights!

    • Wow, turkeys!

      Can’t wait to see the evolution of your studio. What a lovely place to make art, surrounded by trees and a short walk from the sea.

      • I’m looking forward to it. I thought I would be sad to have to start all over again but I think it will be fun. This really is a good place. Feels like home.

  1. It’s good that you still have the sea and this way you’re protected for when the sea is not so friendly to dreamers :)

    New habitat looks wonderful, good to see you posting again, also!

    • Hi there. It took us awhile to settle in. The cottage was an interesting experience. I have discovered that one really can be too close to the sea!

  2. It’s beautiful, luv. It already looks very “you” and very home-like. How much of yourselves ya’ll have already put into it definitely shows.

    If I thought moving would make my neurotic cat relax, I’d do it by hook or crook. Hel, if I thought it would make her pout and hide from me, I’d probably do it. LOL

    They say that if old Ben had his way, the wild turkey would have been the national bird. It’s just a cheap whiskey, instead. Somehow… that’s somewhat fitting. Heh.

    • They didn’t even make it to state bird and they are everywhere here.

      Mmmmm. Wild Turkey. I had not so cheap whiskey for Turkey day but no turkey. Not on the table anyway. The woods are truly wild here and you have to be tricksy to walk through them. You would love it.

      • I’m having Turkey Day on Sunday because I am contrary. Or, rather, because that is when James is off work. Either reason works. ;)

        We’re having cheap turkey, but no whisky. It is not in the budget, which is a cryin’ shame.

        I could use some wild woods to walk through right about now. I have another 7 1/2 years of exile here in Tejas, and then we’ll be looking to relocate. James keeps trying to talk me into things that are up North (um… no; I don’t *do* north of the Mason-Dixon), and I keep trying to tell him the tropics are the way to go. I’m not sure how, but I think we’ve started triangulating a compromise somewhere around the Carolinas. You know, located on the correct body of water (the Atlantic), possessing of at least some seasonal change (damn yankee boy and his wanting it to get cold), but still giving a longer-than-not growing season. So I keep looking at properties there, just to daydream, and then showing him all these great wooded spots I want him to buy me. LOL

      • ===It is interesting that they almost went extinct by the 1930’s (if memory serves…mine is so much more a field of memory than a specific data-bit sort of thing…) Overhunting and all that..(hrm…I think deer were in a similar situation for a bit.)

        • They are protected in Plymouth county for most of the year but I think there is a hunting season with strict limits. These guys are safe (I think) because they stick close to our woods and there are no hunters in there.

  3. Wow ~ Freya really does look relaxed! Maybe Nemo just hasn’t found his own Magic Carpet yet… Both studio and gardens are gorgeous and filled with such potential! YAY for photos :~)

    • That shed is full of mice! Other than that, it’s perfect. I found a box of antique rubber stamps in there. It was a sign. ;)

  4. Freya! Is that the same kitty? :)

    That garden is huge! It already looks lovely. I can’t wait to see it all come together in the spring.

    • That is the same cat. Can you believe it? She actually lounges around now. Crazy. There is a front garden too. It was cold and I was feeling lazy. I posted these for you.

      • Thank you! I did wonder if this was a response to my pleas for pictures. I really can’t wait to see how the garden comes together. I will live vicariously through you since my garden is now officially closed. :)

    • According to the state, yes I do, as long as I pay my property taxes. I prefer to think of myself as a steward of the trees though. I’m sure they will be the boss of me in short order.

  5. Those turkeys look busy, like you’ve given them a task to do. This place is just lovely and still so green! Love that blue spruce? in 4th photo, left of birdhouse.

    And Freya. awwww, such a gorgeous kitty.

    • The turkeys are eating all the weed seeds and slugs. I don’t even have to pay them. I love the blue spruce too. There are more of those all through the woods and up the slope. I’ve always wanted one.

      Freya is a cutie. She is thrilled with her new window seat.

  6. Great to see an update from you Aria! And are those little turkeys strolling through your yard? It looks wonderful and magical and congrats on the studio cottage!

    • Hi Nanne! Thanks. Yes. Those are little turkeys. Many little turkeys on slug patrol. We love it here. Once I have a studio to work in I’ll be all set.

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