home 
coquelicot 
o-pine 


January 14, 2007 11:31 AM- prize the first

Oh my. The first of the two prize requests has rolled in.

There?s physical nakedness and then there?s emotional nakedness. It?s the latter that has me burrowed into my fuzzy slippers this morning.

Garden Wife wrote, "Okay, I know what I'd like. Tell me what Soliden means to you, in a nutshell. How does it transform you? A picture would be lovely, too.?

A simple request, non? And yet, how much would I prefer to offer up a calendar of photographs, or a hand-knit scarf or a batch of cupcakes? Anything but a genuine request that I feel, given the subject matter, obligated to answer sincerely. Alas, we all know just how unfunny sincerity is. Perhaps my only choice is to try and respond with some sad truth that, at the very least, might serve to modulate the droning flatline of sincerity with a bit of juice.

Or not. Here goes.

When I met T, he lived in a one-room apartment on the second floor of a house that had been broken into four units. This was no artist?s loft. The one room had space enough for a full-sized bed and an easy chair. The kitchen was a sink two-burner stove combo?surely you?ve seen these before, they?re always making the cover of Met Home and Architectural Digest. The most appealing areas of the apartment were the bathroom and small porch*.

(*It?s amazing the fondness time can wreak on memory as I should have no sweet memories of either space since one night in late July we sat on the porch and shared a bottle of mezcal right down to the worm whereupon I retired to the bathroom and involuntarily covered the bathmat with the contents of my stomach.

Good times.)

My residence at the time was a four-bedroom apartment in Watertown, MA. The best thing about that place was that all three of my roommates took off each and every weekend. But I digress.

No shit. Where the hell am I?

Okay. Let?s start again.

Both T and I were living modestly when we met, but we had big dreams. Those dreams seemed to get buried early on as the house we lived in as newlyweds was a rather dreary wreck. (To his credit, T had booted the drug dealers who had lived upstairs before bringing his young bride home).

However, it was a 1901 Victorian and had good bones. We spent 12 years in that house and eventually, after we had done extensive renovations and created beautiful perennial gardens to surround it, I couldn?t help but grow to love it.

We would still be there today if the house wasn?t facing a highway, directly behind the liquor store and kitty-corner to the Harley-Davidson dealer. Sure, in this part of the world how bad could that be? But still I relished answering people?s question about where I lived with ?in the hood, man.?

Once I knew there was no enticing T back to the city, I settled into this region and focused on the one town I would want to live in if we ever had the means to move.

That?s where we are today.

Okay, wait, what was the question again?

People say you can?t believe in magic because there?s no proof. You can?t believe in angels or spirit or a life force beyond our puny human selves because there?s no proof.

For me, Soliden is proof.

It was a dream?an utterly far-fetched dream scribbled on white-lined paper. We wanted:

~ A long drive (ours is 1.5 miles)
~ Perhaps a pond or stream (we overlook one of the prettiest lakes in the world)
~ To live off-grid (or home is 100% solar-powered)
~ We wanted to both work from home (since August 2006, we do)
~ We both wanted a place to write, paint, create, take long walks (ahem)
~ We both wanted to be away from people?wanted a retreat from the relentless insanity of stupid, thoughtless people
~ We both wanted to create a place where others would want to come for inspiration and rejuvenation of spirit or failing that, party with heathen abandon
~ We wanted a place where we could build a bonfire and sit around it with good friends and watch as the stars came out

For most people, this is not the dream. For most people, this is not the vision of perfect happiness. For me, it is. In fact, it far exceeds what I believed possible. And the fact that it has come into being tells me that anything is possible, if for me?then for you.

Right now we?re still slowly fleshing out the interior with d?cor. We haven?t even begun the vast task of building gardens, pathways, a labyrinth, ponds, sauna, etc., but it?s all part of the vision.

Eventually, my hope is to have a few cabins a la MacDowell Colony so that we could host artists, musicians, writers, mothers who need a break, poets with a broken spirit et al and provide them a place for restoration, a place to reconnect with beauty.

Because as Keats wrote, ?beauty is truth, truth beauty?that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.?

Don?t know if that answers your question, Kim, but it?s my best shot today.

Photo taken December 26, 2006

got 2 cents?



•  •  •  •

fw sunshine says:
that's beautiful. i've always thought that, of all the things I could possess, home, land and peace are the highest possible and pleasurable destiny.
posted on: January 14

•  •  •  •

nina says:
believe me, this poetic spirit is just aching to come be refreshed and restored. tell me when there will be space? my creative spirit is dry as toast. your words are lovely, as always, sweet elizabeth, when describing what you love about your home, and your love (mr. t) x
posted on: January 14

•  •  •  •

lizardek says:
I truly believe you and T have the magic power to make your dreams become reality.
posted on: January 14

•  •  •  •

Kimberley says:
Thank you, Elizabeth, for giving me just what I was wanting: A glimpse into your heart and home. :)
posted on: January 14

•  •  •  •

Erica says:
What a wonderful dream to have, and how inspiring to see it become reality! I am so happy for you and T and the puppers to have such a nurturing, essential place.
posted on: January 14

•  •  •  •

bella says:
Your visions becomming a reality are truly an inspiration. My heart is so happy for you and T - that your home has brought you content-ness. Now, when those cabins are finished, I'm the first tired mama waiting in line. I imagine a weekend at Soliden would be magical.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

cally says:
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for leaving a comment on my blog, I just came to peek at yours but... I can hear Marley barking madly next door so I'll have to log off and nip round there or L will never get to her work on time. Looks like no sleep after my nightshift today. The joy of pets. ps. not had time to read but loving the colour on your blog, I'm a big fan of blues.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

melanie says:
That does sound like a dream come true and I'm so happy for you that you were able to achieve it.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

bad penguin says:
May I sign up for one of your cabins now? I don't mind a long wait, but oh, how my sould aches for a place like Soliden sometimes.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

Sheryl says:
Um...maybe you should start taking reservations for those cabins, before you break ground. Can I be first on the waiting list?
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

Sheryl says:
Oops, sorry bad penguin, you have first dibs. I'll take my place as second in line.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

Sam says:
Yes, please take my reservation for a cabin in the future - at that point I'll either need to get away from my child (or children) or will bring the brood with me, and they can gambol with the puppies and go on long walks in the woods, marvelling at the beautiful New Englandness of it all - It's been a gift, to watch your dream unfold, and know how much it means to you. Home is a very sacred place, and Soliden a magical, soulful land.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

Heather says:
Yes, I'll take a cabin too!
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

river selkie says:
can we stay in the cabin AND rent a pup? ;)
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

dodo says:
Thankyou. Both for your lovely note to me, and for this - a reminder of the importance of plans and dreams.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

Irene says:
those beautiful dreams you foster are the inspiration that I truly needed today to open the door a little more. thank you.
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •

tinker says:
I'd like to sign up on the waiting list, please!
posted on: January 15

•  •  •  •


Sorry, comments are now closed.




2010

2009

2008

2007
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
29
27
25
22
20
15
•14
13
10
07
05
04
02


2006

2005

2004







BP RSS

  all material on this site © 2001 bluepoppy.com design by omworks
roundabout 
email