Magic

So why did I choose the title "Rural Hocus Pocus" for this blog? When my husband and I were house hunting out here, I wanted to find a place that had some magic to it. I couldn't even really explain what that looked like...I just knew that I would know it when I saw it. Thing is that I never really found it. The house that we bought wasn't exactly what I had in mind on many levels. Oh, it hit the mark on some things -- the mechanics were all updated, had a new roof, lots of potential for finishing the basement and really didn't need any major remodeling at all. But I was looking for the magic all wrapped up in a bow.

The interesting thing is that now that I've lived here for a while, I'm starting to find it. Every once in a while, I'll turn around and see something that makes me feel a little like what I was trying to feel in the beginning. I can only attribute this to the idea that the magic happens over time. We create the magic by making the place more ours. Changing the little things that make the place speak more to us.

For example: when we bought the house, the shelter belt to the north was overgrown and neglected. My husband has since cleared it all out. He removed all the fallen trees and cut them up for firewood. He picked up all the branches and sticks and barbed wire remnants so that we could get a mower through there. He planted some additional trees and seedlings so that we could build it back up again and replace some of the shade. Now we get to watch it grow over time. Clearing out that area has given us a clean slate to really see what we have.

And we already have big plans for that outdoor space. Space we didn't think we had when we moved in a year ago. We're going to build a treehouse for my nephews and other little visitors. We're going to bring in a small corn crib and turn it into a fun farm gazebo. More on these ideas later; they deserve their own posts!

The bottom line is that if he hadn't done all that work (thanks honey!), we never would have thought that shelter belt had any potential. He allowed us to wonder about what could be out there. Cleaning up the belt has really allowed us to dream a little more about what this place can really be. There's the magic.