I am grateful for the slow down of winter. The last year has been a whirlwind as we kept plugging away at the restoration of this beautiful home, and moved towards using this space in ways that are meaningful.
We have been enveloped with love, grace and support from all over the village. It has been wonderful to embrace friends old and new as we explore how we will use this space in a way that honors the past, present, future and the essence of village life. So many good people have shared their creativity, knowledge and enthusiasm which has provided the endless encouragement we needed to tackle this project.
I can not express how thankful I am for the village wrapping its arms around my family and I, and embracing me back home after so many years away.
This project, like nature, is taking time, and coming together in its own time and not necessarily by the schedule we would like to give it. It has been a great teacher of patience. Hour by hour, and day by week, by month, we have poured our love into it, and the family history it holds.
We have very good news to share. The interior will be fully completed by March of this year. We will have B&B rooms ready for Spring. The inside is looking gorgeous. We chose to embrace a simple classic look with soft white walls that create a peaceful environment and show off the moulding as well as the combined family art and artifact collections.
The large plank wood floors were left with minimal sanding and a simple bourbon color stain. In the living room you can see a worn path from the entrance to the back window that looks out over the bay.
The next big step is restoring the exterior and developing the grounds immediately around the house. Greg will arrive in late spring to take over the continued renovation as I bounce back and forth from DC and continue to work there. Our first year B&B rates will be modified to reflect the continuing exterior renovations. We have had trial runs with friends and family and all have given it the thumbs up.
On the horizon is the development of the grounds. We hope that will be this year, but it just depends on how much time, love and care the exterior renovations will require of us.
Through the mentorship of Uncle Marn Bussey, and insights from Laura Kalchik, we are developing a plan to use the grounds as a walking garden. Based on the work of Doug Talamy, it will showcase native plantings, and we hope spring joy and a rich understanding and remembrance of the loving balance between us and the sacred ground we walk on.
Everything is coming together in its own way, slowly, surely and intentionally in a way that extends the blessings we have been given to make this small part of the world as beautiful as we can make it.
