We spent the past weekend surrounded by family. Yesterday afternoon, The Husband took my brother and our son-in-law out for a walk while my daughter and I made a trip to Target to buy a bathing suit for the baby. Somewhere along the line, The Husband and The Brother decided to go for a real hike. So, The Son-In-Law (he was pushing The New Baby Granddaughter in a stroller) returned home with the three dogs, and the two older guys took off. They ventured far beyond the housing developments, off into a more rustic and rural landscape. When they returned a couple of hours later, we heard about their discovery—an ancient olive grove with an incredible abandoned stone farmhouse. I’ve mentioned before, the husband is a photographer, but he doesn’t take his camera with him when he walks the dogs, so he didn’t have one. Drat, and double drat.
Okay, who doesn’t love ancient olive groves and abandoned stone farmhouses? I can’t imagine anyone not finding the description they furnished utterly enchanting: after climbing a long grassy hill, upon reaching the crest and beginning their descent, they spied the olive trees. That photo at the top of the page came from the Internet. My attempt at setting the mood…
Anyway, the stone farmhouse sounds fantastic to me. A dream come true. After I stop hyperventilating, I ask, “Is it for sale?” I’m already buying a ticket at the gas station and winning the lottery in my mind. Fixing the place up, restoring what’s been cast aside back to its former glory. I read “Under the Tuscan Sun”, which by the way had nothing whatsoever to do with the stupid movie of the same name. My imagination has been captured. My imagination is in jail.
There’s no way to drive to the location. So, it’s safe to say a hike is in my future.
What captures your imagination?
All Rights Reserved. © 2009 by Elizabeth Bradley.
9 comments:
L. and I were brainstorming about this Saturday night. A house on the Italian coast? An Italian lake across from George Clooney? How 'bout one apartment in Seattle, another in NYC...It felt nice. We've been feeling like chance outside events have been designing our lives for long enough. How do WE want the rest of our lives to go?
Sounds like a truly inspiring place! Maybe you can blaze a trail and head out every so often when you're needing a quiet place to write! I would love a place like that to write, quiet and peaceful. But alas, I settle for a few moments of quiet after the kids are in bed or before they arise in the mornings! Maybe someday...
Wow-I love it! Hurry up and take a hike with your camera and post the pictures soon! I can only imagine the romance of such a place-oh if only the walls could talk! I wonder if it's haunted...hmmm...this does get the imagination rolling:).
I must say that old houses are what kick start my imagination. I love to think about all of the people that have lived there and what their day to day lives were like. There is so much mystery, intrigue, and romance in those old homes-especially an old stone farmhouse surrounded by an olive grove...
Blessings,
Kim
I would definitely have to take that hike.
Like your possible stories folder, I have a list of sentences I keep hoping will turn into a post one day.
Thanks for visiting my blog today.
Just about anything and everything! Great post! I especially liked the sound of the abandoned stone house and olive grove. I am reading that very book right now!
Come on over, when you have time, and pick up your award, cher!
Wow, how mysterious. Do you ever wonder who built that house? What were they like? Why does no one live there now? What happened that they had to abandon the olive grove that was someone's dream?
Sounds like a story to me...
It does sound exactly like Under the Tuscan Sun. Only this is real life for you. How amazing. I loved that book.
I spend some time every year…except probably this one: Economy…in Montana, fishing. Driving through the countryside there, you’ll see lots and lots of old, slowly collapsing, unpainted barns. They are way cool and I always wonder about the people and families that built them so many years ago.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
hi there.. nice to meet you.. i'm from indonesia.. hope u visit me back... :))
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