Meanwhile back at the Farm.... #tahillafarm

Taking stock...Tahilla Farm

It has been one year since I went house hunting down a dirt road from the coast of Maine to finding and purchasing Tahilla Farm in New Hampshire and what a year it has been!

I mentioned earlier in the summer that Mr. H was visiting Tahilla Farm for the first time and during his visit frequently mentioned bulldozers. What I have not mentioned since then, is that bulldozers and a whole lot more pulled into Tahilla Farm at the start of August and as of this week, the first week of October, they are done. I couldn't mention it until now because it was too unsettling for this tree hugger to think about...until now.

me and my shadow...Tahilla Farm

Before we started the project, I was told by our 'super forester', Swift Corwin, that I could expect the worst...and then it would get better. Swift likes to tell it like it is and I am glad he did. There were no surprises. I liken my anxiety to the neck pain I have had these past few weeks which has all of a sudden improved..I am thinking there might be a connection between the two.

We cleared parts of Tahilla Farm to bring back the land, to provide new grazing areas for animals and to give Tahilla Farm a new life..one that had been long forgotten.

These past few weeks, reports and photos have been coming in to our home in Vietnam, 

Chateau Mango from all over. Family, workers, friends, visitors, tradesmen, passers by...it has felt like a party...and I was missing it.

Once the trees were cleared, the inevitable happened, the land gave us what New Hampshire is best known for...granite. Rocks, rocks and more rocks in all shapes and size appeared in the most interesting places. They were more like boulders, creating a sea of stone at every turn.

The photos continued to come in and I thought surely...we were done for..our land would forever be a rocky mess. What had we done? My neck pain intensified.

Swift told me not to worry, he had a plan. He is like that...he is a poet, he has a way with words and ideas. Brief and to the point. My confidence in his abilities never wavered. So I sat patiently and waited in Vietnam.. and pestered him for more reports and photographs. I am a master 'pesterer'. He happily complied.

Swift hired one of the best to work alongside him and guess what? 

He was right. It started to work.

My sister is visiting Tahilla Farm this weekend and sent me a few photos this morning. 

My mother's petite dog, Muffin, is the white speck in the field. 

I have to remember to tell my sister about the bears... 

and Muffin about the hawks.

The autumn foilage is starting to show it's colour 

as is the newly formed stone wall that Swift created on one side of the field.

and on the the other side...

and the other.

This week, the seeds were sown in the fields and now we wait.

And there is more...

for amidst the fields..

and trees

brooks..

 and rivers of stone...

a walking trail will take shape. 

Swift has a plan and I know it will be just right!

After all he is a poet...
and he has his ever faithful
canine companion, Grace, by his side
to inspire him.

:)

With thanks to Joe and Gordon for recommending Swift.

It's all coming together. Our village is growing.

The photos above are from all over. A few from Swift, a few from my sister, Kathleen,

and a few from me. With thanks to Swift and Kathleen and everyone else for keeping me posted!

For those of you living in New England...this one is for you. 

Lyrics

When Fall Comes To New England

Words and Music By:

Cheryl Wheeler

When fall comes to New England

The sun slants in so fine

And the air's so clear

You can almost hear the grapes grow on the vine

The nights are sharp with starlight

And the days are cool and clean

And in the blue sky overhead

The northern geese fly south in stead

And leaves are Irish Setter Red

When fall comes to New England

When fall comes to New England

And the wind blows off the sea

Swallows fly in a perfect sky

And the world was meant to be

When the acorns line the walkways

Then winter can't be so far

From yellow leaves a blue jay calls

Grandmothers walk out in their shawl

And chipmunks run the old stone walls

When fall comes to New England

The frost is on the pumpkin

The squash is off the vine

And winter warnings race across the sky

The squirrels are on to something

And they're working overtime

The foxes blink and stare and so do I

'Cause when fall comes to New England

Oh I can't turn away

From fading light on flying wings

And late good-byes a robin sings

And then another thousand things

When fall comes to New England

When fall comes to New England

9/29/90

(P) May 27, 2003

Penrod and Higgins Music/ Amachrist Music

ACF Music group

International Copyright Reserved

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