Merry Mount was established on July 25, 2013. There have been countless moments of joy and jubilation during the last four years and the following snapshots capture a few of them. Many thanks to Vivi for chronicling many of them on her blog: myfriendboughtafarm.blogspot.com. Vivi's words are in blue font. Also thanks to the Porch Crew for sharing revelry and laughter; to Laurie for her hard work and gardening expertise; to Lee and Robert for their love, brotherhood, and verse; and to Dave and Lynda for being the best neighbors anyone can have; and finally to our children who have supported us in this adventure.
The Merry Beginning
Pull up a bale of hay, pour yourself a glass of
lemonade (or something) and join me in exploring all that is Merry Mount, a
quaint little farm in south-central Ohio — from the transformation of its
gardens-to-be and its big-sky country views to the exploits of Jack the Farm
Dog.
This tiny corner of the blog world is dedicated
to following the country-life adventures of my friend Rett and her husband Pat.
They just bought a farm! After 17 years in the big-city suburbs of central
Ohio, they packed it all up and realized their long-time dream of owning a
farm. A farm! And a barn! And land!
Why, you might ask, is this little farm on a lazy
country road dubbed Merry Mount? That's a story that started on their suburban
porch — a stone's throw from my house and a cozy place to chat with a glass of
wine (me) or bourbon (them) in the evenings. One warm July evening they were
excitedly talking about the farm they had found…and said they thought they
might christen it "Serenity Farm." Well, thanks to a glass or two of
Cupcake chardonnay, I bluntly panned the name. Too much like an old folks home!
Sounds like an incontinence product!
Those outbursts, however, led to a good
discussion about the area, what they wanted to convey in the name, etc, etc.
That night, the name Merry Mount just popped into Pat's head, and he looked it
up. Turns out it's a short story by Nathanial Hawthorne, and the first
paragraph deftly defines their dream for Merry Mount:
BRIGHT WERE the days at Merry Mount, when the Maypole
was the banner staff of that gay colony! They who reared it, should their
banner be triumphant, were to pour sunshine over New England's rugged hills,
and scatter flower seeds throughout the soil. Jollity and gloom were contending
for an empire. Midsummer eve had come, bringing deep verdure to the forest, and
roses in her lap, of a more vivid hue than the tender buds of Spring. But May,
or her mirthful spirit, dwelt all the year round at Merry Mount, sporting with
the Summer months, and revelling with Autumn, and basking in the glow of
Winter's fireside. Through a world of toil and care she flitted with a
dreamlike smile, and came hither to find a home among the lightsome hearts of
Merry Mount.
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| Each day begins and ends with great possibilities |
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| progress on the barn |
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| Rett helps build the chicken coop |
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| Rett & Laurie stop their weeding to pet Griffin's lamb |
Gatherings
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| Girlfriends |
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| The Woliver Clan show their baseball allegiance |
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| The Krcmarics |
Fun, Food, Music, Games, & Rest
So Many Blessings!
In
Memorium: Jackpot, Sweetie, Rio, Bess,
Lily, Ugla, Bertha, Gertie, Gilda, Eloise, Wilma, and Wanda.
Winter Solstice
Stop and Observe.
Discover the moments
between Winter and Summer.
Embrace the perpetual change.
The distance between
two points in time
is always
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| Friends forever (Jackpot & Sweetie) |
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| Lee and Bess |
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| Vivi's Rio |
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| The Master Gardiner |
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| Lovers |
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| Fabulous sunsets |
Morning Music
In the dewy hour
before the farmhouse wakes
and the white clapboard sides
harden into view,
the trilling finches and the bickering jays
taunt and tease the slow-footed Sun,
'til roused.
he reaches West to paint again
the eave and roof and rail
a fresh vermillion.
Merry Mount 2014
Robert Bode
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| Our "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is a "Place Called Merry Mount" |
CPW
Great blog, great memories, great pics, great place, great people/owners!! Thanks for sharing your special place with us!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Mount-(def)... a fulcrum for unbridled faith, unfettered laughter and joy, and love. A heaven, here, on earth.
ReplyDelete