March 28, 2014 exactly one year to the date we first sat with our lawyer and LaVon Troyer, land owner, we signed papers to purchase our 35 acres of paradise. I had begun to think we should call this our Never Never Land....
April 9 Dennis and I walked around the land and had our first picnic on it. I couldn't wipe an idiotic grin from my face. The land felt totally different when I tromped about as an official caretaker rather than a highly interested party. Below are photos from our afternoon.
(As I skimmed past entries, I realized how poorly the photography is reproduced. Yes, most of the photos are with my DROID, but STILL. When I make them 'original size' the resolution is best, but they are huge. Suggestions?)
We began by walking back the earlier discovered driveway until we reached the culvert. Dennis wanted to follow the stream down to the wetlands. I plodded along in my new muck boots which are going to be used as little as possible . . .OUCH!
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| Stream that passes under the driveway culvert. Is that watercress? Take a look below at a close up: |
I had never walked in the wetlands before and Dennis had only minimally. They aren't very accessible much of the year. But he wanted to show me a second stream:
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| Meandering stream that comes in from under the Pumpkin Vine side and was likely a drainage ditch at some point. (If you are familiar with the Pumpkin Vine, our property is west of the first two benches north of Lincoln. However, the piece is oddly shaped and does touch Route 4 just west of the Spanish speaking church.) |
These streams cry out for children to explore them!
Time out from the land tour while I tell you about my brother, David's, and my favorite play space when we were kids. Next to our house was a wooded lot with a steep hill down to a stream. We played down by the brook for hours and hours. Streams, especially bubbling brooks, have always spoken volumes to me ("But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Amos 5:24). I had hoped for a stream on our property and accommodated myself to not having one. But there are TWO. This one, farther into the wetlands, won't be accessible much of the year until we create a path. That layer of grass will soon be taller than I am.
But a question for you to comment on below. We do want to treat the land with care. How does that relate to cleaning out streams, or adding rocks so they make a bit more noise, or damming water to create a bit of a pond? And when we begin to think about gardens, what kinds of plants might we want? I don't know the philosophical difference between what is 'native' to Indiana wetlands and higher ground and what is native and good for this spot.
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| Deer tracks we followed. |
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| Spent cartridge near one of the many deer stands |
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Our house will stand close to the Double Oak for which it is named. The walkout basement is
Shelter from the Storm, but that's for a later blog. The stake with the orange flag is for the driveway. |
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| Double oak leaves and branches--can anyone identify the type of oak? |
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I've been making cairns under the Double Oak, inviting friends to join us. When you come to visit,
bring stones from your place to add to ones from our place and make your own cairn. |
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| Dennis striding back along the driveway |
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Our first meal on the property: baguette with cheeses, sun dried tomatoes and artichokes
(Thanks, Venturi, for the idea!), fruit, carrots and chocolate chip cookies on a duvet from The Depot. |
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See how the land drops off? Dennis commented, "What I like about this land
is that it has some elevation differences....in northern Indiana!" |
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Two types of pinecones on the same branch. I'm guessing some are more mature than others?
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Celebration!
When there is enough of a driveway that cars can get close to Double Oak so that those with mobility issues can join us (and just as importantly, so we can bring a port-a-pot back), we'll dedicate the land. I'm still dreaming what that might mean. Stay tuned; I hope this celebration happens in May, but the land has been full of time-delay surprises. If you'd like to help us explore the land before then, just get in touch!
peace,
Susan
We are looking for:
Someone to help us think about landscaping, naturally, around the house. The land slope lends itself to a walk-out basement, but we want to be careful.
a vehicle (golf cart? four wheeler ?) to make carrying people and things around the property easier
Ideas for the land dedication which may include:
time to explore and pray for the land
building cairns
identifying flora and fauna
talking and singing and eating . . . . .
