Our Fabled Nest

A few short weeks ago, I mentioned the atrocious house hunt… a literal needle in a haystack. Now, when I say “house hunt” I am not meaning we are looking for perfection… we knew the market was/is insane. We were okay with a fixer upper. Didn’t care for how many bedrooms and a single bathroom would be perfectly acceptable. Our focus was on the land. Most of the homes available were under an acre or in a HOA. Neither of those options would work. Our specific needle in the haystack was Agriculture zoning. As in no one can tell us what we can or cannot do with our little homestead we were envisioning. I am a hopeless dreamer- I have huge hopes of a successful little homestead where we can sustain ourselves and give back to the community.

I mentioned that we started with two agents since the only request was under an hour and fifteen to work for the hubs and the zoning. We were searching in central Virginia and north towards the mountains. Central Virginia was lovely, but it just didn’t feel right. Once, we headed towards Shenandoah to view a few fixer uppers, we realized this is where our hearts were being called. Maybe it’s me but the mountains always call you. It’s a soothing lull from the babbling brooks, or the soaring views, the towering trees and the slight rustle of leaves. The mountains are soulful… be still enough to feel the gentle hum echoing from the valleys to the peaks. It was a slight but persistent nudge from the universe, and we knew we wanted to be in the Appalachians – not nearby, not on the sidelines nor within a “short drive”. Nope, we wanted to be smack dab in the middle of nowhere where the mountains were calling. We canceled the central Virginia agent and focused… we knew where we needed to be.

This little cabin came by happenstance. I know we had some assistance from beyond the veil and nothing ever just happens. We were looking at a property and on our way to a second one when this little cabin popped up on Realtor. Our thinking was see what else is in the area since we are three hours from home base. Oddly enough, this little cabin didn’t show up in any of our searches until then. Being only thirty minutes away, our realtor agreed to add it as the third showing. The second house had an off feeling- more than happy to keep driving. On the way to this one, we didn’t really know what to expect. Service, being spotty, left us with a few pixelated photos then SOS mode. I sighed and hoped for the best. When we drove on the property, I actually shivered and had goosebumps from my head to my toes. It felt simply magical.

Driving up the little dirt road, a strange knowing I felt deep in my soul. We finally found home – the elusive thing I have been searching for. I could literally feel my soul give a happy sigh. Tucked in the back of three wooded acres was a tiny little bright blue cabin. We started wandering around the property and hubs said something about blue and it clicked. My daddy talked about “blue” a good bit before he passed. As my daddy was between worlds, he would mumble blue, nod and doze back off. A beautiful connection. Happy tears at this point and we hadn’t even made it that far. It’s hard not to fall in love with something when you know it was a divine gift. As we wandered the property, there was a bluebird following us… through the wooded trails, over moss beds, through blueberry bushes, and wild brambles. This little bluebird would watch us. As we stopped – he would perch above, and we started again; he’d simply follow us. Oohed and ahhed over gorgeous slate pieces, rocks, tiny little flowers and plants and just the tranquility of it all. Birds chirping along a small brook that flows once the dead of winter thaws. We were envisioning where our gardens would go – and fallen woods, we could stack and season for the colder months ahead. We envisioned where the goats could safely be, and our realtor was a blessing. She, too, has a small farm and gave us some pointers and ideas. We then realized we hadn’t seen the homes inside yet. Here we are in love with this land, and we had to hope the house was just as lovely. Somehow, I knew it would be – a weird knowing that everything would work out as it is supposed to. The first thing we noticed was for the cabin to be so small there was a rather large front porch connecting to screened area. Both were on my “hopefully” list, but we thought had a slim chance. Solid, sturdy and well kept. I was holding my breath at this point, hoping it is a sign for good things to come. Inside, as if we already didn’t know, we knew this was the one… at only 750sqft, it felt enormous! A small but functional kitchen with a pantry. Again, here are wish list things that we were not expecting. It kept getting better. Our little living room had a woodstove that not only had been cleaned but completely updated from the inside out! A beautiful cozy smell of wood smoke drifted and wafted around us. It was asking for us to pull up a chair and stay for a while. The previous owners kept the original hardwood floors… as we rounded to the bedroom, we realized we would have enough room for a “family bed. I felt like that commercial “but wait there’s more!”… everything we hoped for was tucked inside this little blue cabin. Everything we wanted and more importantly needed was all right here in the middle of the Appalachians. The home was in perfect condition; we would be able to start homesteading and focusing on the outside. Clearing a bit of land for sunlight to filter in for the gardens, safely securing areas for the goats and chickens. Big plans and huge goals but we are dreamers and see the bigger picture.

We are calling our little homestead “The Bluebird Hearth”. Bluebirds for my daddy… I was already stuck on the word blue but those bluebirds that day were magical. I know he is watching from above, guiding me and I want to do right by him. Ya know, make him proud. I told him during his final days that we got this. You don’t have to worry no more. We are gonna take care of one another and keep your spirit alive. I’m grateful and blessed beyond measure that he was my daddy… not many folks have that luxury. He was a good man, a beautiful soul and this is a little way of honoring his life. Bluebirds are sometimes associated with the return of spring after a long winter. I love this analogy… the darkest before the dawn so to speak. Sometimes life has to be bleak and weary, but joy always comes in the morning. Blue also feels very spiritual to me. It has a calming energy, a go with the flow kind of vibe. Very much like my daddy used to be – a “well shit” and go on with it. Hearth is my second favorite word. Hearths are magical… in olden days it was essential for survival. Our ancestors needed a hearth for warmth, cooking, light, and it was the center of the home. For me, I feel the same. Hearths are similar to kitchens for me. The kitchen is where I express my love. I love baking and cooking up a storm for my people. Hearths are welcoming after a long day or waking up the frosty cold mornings. The woodsy smell invokes nostalgic memories, creates a comforting retreat and is begging you to sit for a spell. Hearth is celebrating our ancestors and remaining connected to our roots.

Our little blog will be changing slowly as we transition into our new chapter. We still will be adventuring with our babes… one on one dates, hikes, and everything in between. But I cannot wait to share our beautiful new beginnings here at the Bluebird Hearth Homestead with the world!

Cheers to our next adventure!