Witch on the Farm

Last weekend I took a trip out to the country to see the property where The Witch on the Hill is building a home.  The long driveway into her property was edged by a river of lavender.  Only about two weeks ago, she showed up at my door with a huge tub of lavender from last summer's harvest, and the plants will be flowering again soon.

She took me for a walk down the long rows of her cherry orchard.  Here and there, little green pips were showing - cherries in the making!  Every so often there was a random tree - a plum, a pear and I think she said there was an apple or two as well.  A strange little orchard, the trees were not planted well (too close together) but they have been producing a fair crop.  This autumn, after the trees are long past their harvest, she will weed out some of the smaller ones that cannot reach the light.

The tiny trickle of a creek through their property became a torrent this spring, and now that the heat has come, the run off will be coming faster.  They had to add soil and sandbags, and they are hoping that they have done enough to contain the water.  This week will be the test.

The flowers here are amazing.  The previous owners let the land grow wild - they were older and could no longer care for it the way they once had.  But you can tell that there was love here, and an eye for color.  The lilacs are gorgeous.  The second shot is hard to see, but that bush is actually a blue-purple, periwinkle color.  I've never seen that particular shade in a lilac.

Her dear pooch kept us company as we wandered.

It is a bit hard to see, but these white tulips are edged in purple and have a blue center. Amazing!

The orange and yellow tulips are striated, and the purple is mad violet!  I'd love to get my greedy fingers on some of these bulbs.  She has a big job ahead of her, cleaning up these beds and encouraging these beauties to multiply.

Her home is almost finished - she will be in by the summer.  She has many loads of plants to bring from the hill.  Her garden space here will be enormous.

And her favourite part?  She has an in-ground pool!  They just took the cover off and there's a good cleaning job waiting - but the promise of cool water on a hot Valley day is all she needs to put a smile on her face.

I am truly happy to see her in such a peaceful and vibrant place.  There was a sadness in her departure from the hill, but seeing her here, grinning and showing all the wonders of her new land, was a confirmation that this is where she is meant to be.

Transitions are funny like that.  Sometimes you have to get where you are going in order to look back and realize that it was better for you to leave some things behind.