Returning home

The blue Endless Summer hydrangea by the front porch is full with new blooms—finally. Not a single floweret was seen throughout the entire summer. This hydrangea was definitely not doing any honor to its name. Until now.  And maybe I will still have blue hydrangeas by Halloween? 

Halloween. The word always brings magical thoughts to my mind... of chilly evenings and crimsoned leaves swirling in autumnal breezes. Warm sweaters, pumpkin pies, hearty black bean soups and out of the oven warm baguettes. To catch a leaf in midair, make a wish, kiss it and toss it into the wind. And a time to return home.

And thus... we've been deep cleaning outside and inside our little white cottage so that we can finally put it up in the market for sale.  Yes, it is official my friends!  We're returning to the house in the roses before the year is over.

 

It is with hearts filled with bittersweet emotions and nostalgic feelings that we're preparing ourselves to say 'goodbye' to our beautiful, cozy, magical little white cottage in the woods.  Our dear sweet nest that for so many days gifted us with shelter, joy, and wonder. 

So many emotions, so many thoughts running through our minds and hearts. Life is such an unpredictable adventure! For who would have thought back then when we were living our dear house in the roses on that Halloween day, four years ago, that we' were to return to it?  And in such short time! 

A blessed time it had been, and some wonderful years spent here at our little white cottage. Years of spiritual growth, a time for fulfilling dreams, making new friends, collecting eternal memories. Years of togetherness and amazing blessings, miracles, and dreams come true.

I am thankful beyond words for every moment spent here, for every memory made. Thankful for everything I was able to accomplish, for this precious garden created out of my hands by the breath of God.  For that magical, perfect wooded area behind my gardens.  For my birds, squirrels and rabbits. For that enigmatic white rabbit wearing a waistcoat that I see roaming my gardens from time to time. For the witch who lives somewhere deep in my woods.  For the pond and the fishes.  For the white cat that on one cold winter morning came to me and stayed around until the roses bloomed and the robin-blue eggs hatched. 

Thanksgivings and Christmas at the little white cottage—what a delightful time you were! Surrounded by dear ones who for the very first time since I left my maternal home and went far away were able to come to us, and celebrate at our home.  What a blessing it has been to finally be able to be the host and serve, and love and be one in harmony, love and acceptance!  Fairy lights on the country porch and twinkling stars on the holly hedge.  

The round, orange moon at the feet of giant trees up the hill.  The dark, silent country roads and fireflies in June.  The mist after the rain and the quiet hilly roads on my morning jogs.  Elephant ear and crepe myrtles.  The distant coo call of pigeons and the songs of wood frogs.  The loud courtship songs of cicadas, the yellow bus at 2:00.

My little heart is overflowing with gratitude. For the precious gifts bestowed upon us these past four years. For the proximity of dear ones and all the many occasions we were able to see them and be together.  A precious gift.  A dream come true.  

Thankful beyond words for our precious little white cottage of my dreams, surrounded by trees and that enchanting wood at the edge of the garden where the voices of Nature can always meet my heart. Sunny, magical, and filled with birds.

My little heart is crying inside.  For what we're living behind.  Because the human heart is just like that. We wish for that what it is not and cry for that which it was.  And I'm almost forgetting that I cried for many days when we first moved south, remembering what I'd left behind.  And I can't forget that I'm now crying for all I've learned to love and soon leaving behind.

Mixed emotions.  A heart that is torn between two homes, two gardens, two lives.  Wish me well.  Wish me luck.  And please don't forget me.  Come and say hi and follow me back to the house in the roses, and that new life that's awaiting for us.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a follower a reader and a friend!  

I love you all. From the little white cottage... to you.

PS: I will continue posting and documenting our progress, until the day we say goodbye to our little white cottage forever.