Stone Rising at Tahilla Farm

TREES...STONE...HOME...BARN...GARDEN

It was a sunny day in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire when I first viewed Tahilla Farm, an antique farmhouse built in 1790. I remember it like it was yesterday, except it was October 2012 (story here). With just two visits worth of photos on my camera card, I headed back to Vietnam for the big "talk" with Mr. H to determine if we would purchase it or not.  As we looked through the photos he asked..."Is that a mountain through the trees?" My answer "A mountain? where?" For me it was clearly a case of not seeing the forest for the trees...or rather not seeing the mountain through the trees. How I missed it is a wonder...it clearly shows that first impressions are everything and my mind was elsewhere. With a mountain peeking through the trees, Mr. H then asked "what if?" 

That's when I knew I had him….

We purchased Tahilla Farm in December 2012 (story here) and life at Tahilla Farm began in the consecutive order of trees..stone..home...barn..garden.

TREES FALLING

The summer of 2013 was all about trees. We previously had 34 acres of trees and now have 28 acres of trees with a view to a mountain. We focused on the dense areas of pine trees where very little was able to flourish underneath. Our visionary landscape architect, Gordon Hayward, and poet/forester Swift Corwin set the big and noisy wheels in motion for a pretty miraculous change.  ( Gordon story here and Swift story here)

I admit there were a few times when I needed to be reassured.

If you have experience a forest clearing you will understand why.

I will say no more except…

The end result was better than we imagined. 

The land opened up, the mountain stretched before us 

and the old stone walls, many hidden in the forest, 

called out to a farm that existed long ago.

As the last logging truck rolled away, 

we walked the property, taking in the changes around us.

Many of the stone walls were helter skelter from years of cover.

It was clear that the stone walls needed a tender hand and

Gordon knew exactly who that person needed to be and arranged

 a meeting with master stone craftsman, Dan Snow.

STONE RISING

We met with Dan before we left in August 2013 and arranged

for work to be done in April 2014. During the winter I delved into Dan's book

Listening to Stone. Within the first chapter, entitled Stone Calling, 

I started underlining again and again. I completely got it…we had a

stone whisperer amongst us.

A few of my underlines...

The voice of stone is an echo from the depths of time.

A dry stone wall's source of life is found in the spaces between the stones.

The stones provoke the thoughts and the thoughts give birth to the form.

As Lao-tzu wore, "Being great, it passes on; passing on; it becomes remote;

having become remote, it returns."

 Since then I have been patiently waiting for winter to pass.

One week into April and our stone walls are returning under Dan's hand.

The anticipation of seeing the finished work in a few weeks

is very exciting. I have a feeling the flight 

from Ho Chi Minh City to Boston 

is going to whizz by on sheer anticipation.

I have a few photos to share, with thanks 

to Elin Waagen and Gordon Hayward, 

for sending them to me, I am overjoyed.

It is the next best thing to being there and allows

me to share in the journey and write another chapter 

for Tahilla Farm.

"Work is the key to creative growth of the mind."

~Eliel Saarinen~

"If my wrestling some stone toward a fresh aspect 

gets this old Earth to crack a smile 

then we both have had our moment."

~Dan Snow~

In the midst of his work, Dan wrote to say..

Dear Jeanne 

Tahilla Farm is a lovely place to be working.

Ravens and hawks are migrating overhead

and deer are stirring from the forest.

~Dan Snow~

"A dry stone wall's source of life is found in the spaces between the stones."

~Dan Stone~ 

"When someone expends the least amount of motion 

on a given action, that's grace"

~Anton Chekhoc, The Seagull~

 Within a wall are the moments that created it. 

                                                  They remain there like hidden messages

slipped between the stones as they were placed.  

  The finished wall's character is defined by the spaces 

                                  between the stones as much as it is by the stones themselves. 

                                                                       ~Dan Snow~

More from Dan on mending our stone walls

"Mending Pasture Fences" 

here      

                                                     

I can't help but wonder about the hidden messages 

in the stone walls around Tahilla Farm.

I am hoping to discover a few this summer.

If you would like to learn more about Dan Snow and his work, 

I encourage you to view this short

introduction to his DVD "Stone Rising". 

I have watched the full version twice and love it!

Stone Rising video 

DAN SNOW
Art-Builder
Sculptor
Stone-Worker
Writer
Teacher
Lecturer
You can find Dan here
where you will also find information
on his work, books, workshops and blog.
Dan Snow Stoneworks

The trees are down, the mountain has risen,
the stones have taken shape.  Next on my list...

HOME and BARN RAISING
with Sheldon and Renee 
coming soon!

Sheldon and Renee at Tahilla Farm

Sending one and all best wishes for a wonderful weekend!
For those of you who asked for postcards, many are on their
way. There has been a writing frenzy this week between
photos and stories of our stone rising...it has been lovely.
;)

Jeanne xx

If you would like to get in on the postcard action from Vietnam, simply
write to me with your address jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com