50 acres of wild and a whole lotta hobbit hole happiness...

Three years ago we moved into a magical little ivy-covered bungalow. It was everything we hoped for, dreamed of, and wanted. I wrote a note to the Universe detailing the specifics of my what I wanted in a home and it was delivered with shocking accuracy. Not to mention, we found it through what I can only describe as divine intervention (a story too long to tell right now, but perhaps you'll just believe me). This place has served us well. Our front door faces a 500+ acre park and our back yard overlooks the Minneapolis skyline. We're 5 minutes from down town and hardly a hop and a skip into the park. The past 3 years, in many ways, have been kind to us. This place has allowed Vinny and I to grow and change and grow some more.

But then one day we realized that this magical little home had served its purpose and that we were beginning to outgrow it. The loveliness wore off and we began to feel a bit suffocated. The ivy was torn off by hired painters, we adopted two more dogs and, well, for no particular reason at all, the place just sort of lost its sparkle for us. We became hungry, once again, for stars and wildness and privacy. We became hungry for sky and space and the kind of nature that a city park just doesn't satisfy.

And so, about a month ago, we started dreaming about the possibilities. I started journaling and list-making about what we wanted. Vinny and I spoke our far-fetched dreams out loud with each other. Then I wrote another letter to the Universe, put it in my "Wish Box" and two days later...

Oh, sweet wildness!!

We got everything we were dreaming for and WAY MORE!!!! I can't help myself...I am giddy with excitement! Today we signed a lease for 50 acres of wilderness. Would it be obvious if I told you that it was love at first sight? Oh my, such an understatement! I don't even know where to begin! (I hate being so dramatic about things, but it really is worthy of giddiness and exclamation points!!)

OK, so how 'bout I start with a description...

50 acres of wildness, 5 acres of vineyard, a pond, endless trails, sprawling hardwood forests, an old railroad bridge and views that take your breath away, a loooooong and winding driveway, compete privacy. We'll live in an earth home (our sweet lil' hobbit hole) complete with an open loft (my office), wood stove, passive solar heat (read: super energy efficient and LOTS of light), gravity fed water from the crystal clear center of the earth delivered via a working windmill....

AND last, but not least(!)...

a separate earth-home-constructed workshop/STUDIO complete with big windows, big walls, big space and running water!!! Oh, holy wonderful!!! Did I mention the big garden that's tucked behind it? Did I mention the graceful white crane, the deer, the beaver lodge and nesting geese? Did I mention the giant weeping willow, the quiet, and the happy beating of my heart?

Seriously people. The place stole our hearts and our breath.

It is in the middle of no where and, despite the remoteness of it all, there was a steady stream of lookers to see the place. 20, 30...?? What the hell? I had never seen such a turn out! We wanted it bad. And we also knew the fact that we have (not one, not two, not three, but) FIVE pets might be an issue.

Vinny and I explored the trails and vineyard and--Oh, holy beautiful!!! It was so amazing that the shine that was beaming out of me nearly dissolved my skin!

I returned to the hobbit hole (where he was already talking to the next group of people) to leave our information. By that point, I'm fairly certain that my glow was bright enough to blind just about anyone. I gave him my phone number and quietly gushed that we loved it. He got it. He picked up on it. Know what I mean? And in that moment I felt something click into place. You know that click? The one that happens when something is about to change? That good feeling click...you know the one I'm talking about? Yes, that's the one.

It clicked.
And now, despite the crowd, despite our huge animal family, despite all the things that could have gone wrong...
the lease is signed.

I've already brought home my first load of boxes.
The packing begins!

~