July is a special month for us. So many important dates and lots of friends and family members born in this 7th month of the year. It was July 2009 when we closed on a little slice of country heaven as a family getaway — and we’re still here, more than ever. To commemorate the 15th year, I’ve been thinking about all the memories, friends and experiences that have touched our lives here in sweet home Alabama. And while that’s a very long list, here are just 15 blessings we’ve received over the years…
1. Our daily view. Looking out our windows every day to the sight of horses. It still takes my breath away. We moved here because of one horse, Merlin, who deserved a peaceful place to retire, and that started our journey. Many horses have come along since, but none will ever replace him.
2. New Friends, Now Old Friends. We started out not knowing one soul in this neck of the woods. The first friend was our hay man, Buster, and the little network grew from there. Neighbors, farmers, teachers, policemen/women, government folks, retired military, horse people, cow people, chicken people, the list goes on and on. Life here is filled with wonderful people.
3. ‘Country.’ Our kids were raised in a big city. But out here they get to be a little bit country. Slower pace, deep breaths, deeper conversations, lots of ways to play, so many animals and so much more. “This is a healing place,” our friend Shelly once said. And we couldn’t agree more.
4. The Power of a Small Town. Living here, you get to see how great a small town can truly be. We still have parades twice a year. American flags fly high and strong. It’s not unusual to find fresh eggs or tomatoes in your mailbox. And if you need help, friends show up at your door…often with chainsaws. 😉 When the tornadoes hit hard in 2019, this town rallied to help everyone affected and rebuild, and today the town stands stronger than ever.
5. Shinrin-Yoku. (translation: forest bathing). Mike may sometimes curse all the trees around us (after all, he’s usually the one cleaning up fallen limbs, cutting up downed trees and fixing fences obliterated after winds and storms), but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Oak, pine, pecan, magnolia, hickory, black maple, red cedar, chestnut, beech, birch and many others we can’t even name. Living among thousands of trees is most certainly a blessing, not a curse.
6. The Tallaseehatchee. My brothers and sisters and I grew up on Noses Creek in Marietta, Ga., and we spent our days playing in and all around it. Snakes, fish, salamanders, water spiders, crawdads…these were some of nature’s “toys.” When we first walked the Alabama property, I had grave doubts. Everything was sad, abandoned, neglected, overgrown. The house was a serious mess. My eyes welled up with tears. But Mike had a vision. And by the time we walked down to see the glorious Tallaseehatchee Creek bordering the land’s back side, it was over. We were home.
7. Dogs Run Wild. In Atlanta, our house sat on .22 (that’s point-two-two) acres with a little fenced-in back yard. Our dogs never really learned to run. They were walkers. And walking on leashes on sidewalks just isn’t the same as blasting out wide open across a pasture chasing turkeys and deer. Here our dogs live outside most days. They come in tired and sometimes wet. They eat well. And sleep hard…much like their humans. 🙂
photo by bart norman
8. Lessons from equine babies. Raising and training two young horses have taught us a lot. And humbled us. “Fast is slow and slow is fast,” a maxim a cowboy in Montana once shared with me. And whether it’s moving cows or working with horses, the meaning is the same. Education, patience, gentleness, firmness…these are the skills needed to train a young horse.
9. The foothills. Being nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians makes one wake up every day in wonder. Our own local storyteller Rick Bragg describes it this way: “My mother and father were born in the most beautiful place on earth, in the foothills of the Appalachians along the Alabama-Georgia line. It was a place where gray mists hid the tops of low, deep-green mountains….” – All Over but the Shoutin’
10. The hills are alive. Music has come to play such a meaningful role in our lives. Campfires with singing, the wonderful old Dugger Mountain Music Hall, Riley Green and more. Our friend Lisa from Chicago, now of Wisconsin, likes to say…”there’s something in the water down there.” She’s talking about music and the rich tradition of musicians hailing from this state. Hank Williams, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Tammy Wynette, Lionel Richie, Chuck Leavell, Jimmy Buffett, Jason Isbell, Jamey Johnson, Brittany Howard, Waxahatchee, Riley Green, and of course the original country super group, Alabama. If you ever find yourself near Fort Payne, be sure to visit the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
11. Honkey Hawg. You’d have to see it to believe it. Hundreds of people gathering in the woods for 3 days of camping, music, food, fun & fellowship. Started 40 years ago as a celebration of life for someone dealing with cancer, it moved from its original site near Boaz, Ala., to a larger tract of woods near our farm. It’s one of the funnest weekends of the year. (“Honkey Hawg get down!”) Check out our bestest friend/neighbor Megan in her Honkey Hawg bluegrass debut with Foggy Hollow.
12. Chief Ladiga Trail. One of the largest rails-to-trails projects in the U.S., the Ladiga Trail is practically at our back door and provides a nature-rich expanse for bikers, runners, walkers and more. Adam Dasinger, a Talladega National Forest guide, said in a recent article, “…the splendor of the Appalachian Mountains in Alabama continues to draw people in no small part to the Chief Ladiga Rail Trail.”
13. Making hay. We’ve written about this many times but having a hay farm is a beautiful thing. Once a year, the lush green pastures are turned over to make hay that will sustain horse and cattle (and sometimes goats!) for another winter. And we love being part of this process, assisting the smart and dedicated farmers and friends who help us harvest. The task is sweat glorified and we love every minute of it.
14. Humility & gratitude. We moved in as strangers but so many people came to trust and enrich us with their friendship. And we continue to be amazed and grateful for all they’ve offered over the years. Smart, loyal, caring people, including our neighbor Patsy who’s lived and played on this land since she was a girl in the 1930s (that’s her front and center in the b&w photo at the creek). Whether they know it or not, they’ve all taught us many things and helped us adapt to life out here.
15. Partnership. And finally, none of this would have been possible without the one man who took a once little girl’s dream and made it come true. This blog is dedicated to Mike D’Avanzo, my husband and best friend. Thank you for finding this magical place.
photo by bart norman
