Moving Home

A few gifted souls create Pixie Dust, and this note from a client yesterday was a jolt.

"Tara,

  Are you up to a serious challenge? We have moved back to Valdosta, where our law practice is because of changes in the firm and how much travel we had been doing every day. We need a simpler, less complicated life and more time to enjoy it.

  We have purchased a Craftsman bungalow from the twenties that had serious issues. We have now taken care of most of the serious infrastructure issues and taken it back to the beginning from an unfortunate 60s remodel.

  I refer to it as Boo Radley’s house, from To Kill a Mockingbird. An elderly gentleman, Tom Dean, went to GA Tech in the 30s, had a breakdown and never left the house again. He was much loved by his family who looked after him until he passed away several years ago. When we bought the house his mama’s fur coat was still across the chair, his daddy was a General in WW1 & 2 and his uniform was still upstairs.

His family was very reluctant to sell it but since I am a distant cousin they finally relented rather than have it fall in which would have probably happened within a year or two.

  Outside also has serious issues. Tom swept the yard every day so there is not a grain of top soil, the last known particle was sighted in the 50’s. He was also obsessed with water encroaching on the house and dug major ditches everywhere. We have an acre, but our backyard is a 25 acre pecan orchard. Our neighbor is a funeral home. We have a fence between us and I have planted Confederate Jasmine to separate us from the grieving families.

  There was a garage behind which we have taken the sides off of for a back porch. We have a wonderful front porch and now having become charter members of the Dull Dogs Society, one of our favorite activities is watching the neighbor’s 20 something cats cross the street for meal times.

  We are having to pay a bucket of money to sell the Milledgeville house, but I would rather do that than lose Charles because of the stress we have been under. This means we have a very limited budget to work with but I believe a good plan is the most important thing and we can do it in stages with us doing most of the work. I know we are going to have to plow in tons of compost for anything to grow.

My 1^st priority would be the front. I see a cottage garden with picket fence to  give it enclosure and garden rooms. Our daughter, Anna, may be getting married in the next year and I would love to have a garden reception in front yard, Anna may have other ideas. Our house is in town and in walking distance to church and square. Next would be a Koi pond near the back outdoor living space and possibly a potager. I am afraid we are probably looking at serious grading issues.  "

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In 'Valdosta', I know we will have a good cry at the start, knowing the depth of what they left.  Because these are people that create Pixie Dust I also know we will quickly be in their new chapter of life.  New ideas, laughter, a filling of the spiritual well.  Their previous home is scheduled to be in Southern Living this summer, it was shot last year.  All names & places were changed.

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Are you living in the realm of Pixie Dust?

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Garden & Be Well,      XO Tara

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Pic via Paris Through My Lens