One of the greatest pleasures of home
ownership is freedom. After years of
living in hi-rise condos, I'd forgotten
the joy of doing whatever one wants.
Rambling around seven thousand plus
square feet is equally empowering.
However with all of that bliss comes
responsibility and an endless "to-do"
list. Sharing one's abode daily with an
endless stream of contractors can be
equally challenging. Trust me - we're
busy, very busy. And yet we are just
as equally happy... very happy!
All of that aside, as a homeowner I've
rediscovered my long lost love for the
great outdoors. Specifically evenings
spent sitting beneath our gigantic horse
chestnut tree. There's seems to be little
as lovely as lingering under it's gently
waving boughs. As the leaves rustle,
one is suddenly magically transported
to a place that is ours alone. Something
one can't achieve when perched on one's
balcony on the thirty sixth floor, I much
prefer planting my feet firmly on my
own terra firma. I'm home at last!
One of the few things we adored in
Dallas was The Mansion at Turtle
Creek. Our home away from home,
we often dined al fresco throughout
each spring and fall. There we sat
beneath the Live Oaks as a bevy of
pierced Moroccan lanterns twinkled
above. Now our plan is to recreate
this respite by hanging lanterns from
the boughs of our Horse Chestnut
and build a brick terrace beneath. By
next year we'll have our own oasis
in the middle of the wild, wild, west.
While Montana winters are brutal,
theres no better place to spend a
late summer or early fall. Harvest
has transformed the surrounding
landscape into endless ripples of
gold. Cool evenings balance hot
days. The virtual lack of humidity
creates a climate that is enjoyable
no matter the time of day. But what
I appreciate most is the breeze that
almost constantly flows across our
terrain. It seems that the road less
traveled led us to complete bliss!
Once winter arrives, we plan to
spend much of our time sitting
in our Sun Room. This thermal
paned refuge is daily flooded
with sunlight each morning till
early afternoon. During those
shortest and coldest days, our
skies are pure blue and the sun
bounces off the snow in blazing
glory. While it may be well below
zero outside we two will bask in
the sun's glow while toasty and
warm. Staycation anyone?
As a new homeowner, I'll admit that
I may be somewhat naive. However
for now the benefits of ownership far
outweigh any added responsibility.
Many think we're nuts for investing
our life savings in a home nestled in
a tiny town on the edge of nowhere.
Insanity aside, this is the best decision
we've ever made. Not only is our home
lovely, it's our safe haven. Finally after
a lifetime of been there done that, we're
able to settle down. So... be it ever so
humble, there's no place like home!