Gifts of Stone - Part Three

During a late supper the other night, the phone rang.  Our neighbor, who I have written about here  and here,   called to tell us the light was just right for a stroll around his yard.  My husband was working late, and though my daughter visited often as a child, she had yet to see the transformation that has occurred down the street from us over the last few years.  We cleared our plates, dosed ourselves with bug spray and headed out.

This man and his wife have owned their property for over 20 years.  We visited their chickens and goats and picked raspberries from their bushes when our daughter was little.  But in this latest manifestation, their land has taken on a soothing, mystical quality.  Since I’ve written about it before, I won’t go into great detail.  I’ll only share that along with planting lush country gardens, and sculpting delightful frog ponds, they've taken the stones that seem to multiply in our soil and built cairns all around their acreage.  At night, they are lit from below by spotlights and glow as if ignited by a warm and sensual earth.  Each stone tower is unique, special and labeled with its own name.  They are situated in the sloping yard surrounding a 150 (my guess)-year-old farmhouse, amid daylilies, hosta, a two-level castle of a tree house, and a hand-built stone labyrinth.   

Walking around the property during that full moon dusk felt like traveling through a dream.  The light was low.  Our daughter had no idea what to expect when I explained what she was about to see, but once we arrived she grabbed the camera from me and wouldn’t give it back.  I’ve enhanced her photos as best I can in the hope you will recognize the enchantment.  Our neighbor said, “People visit all over the world— Asia, Australia or Scotland to experience cairns.”  

How lucky are we?  For us, the magic is just around the corner.

Happy Weekend to all. Hope your plans are magical.