It's been a week since I "moved in" to Baba Yaga's house. The transition into life here is gradual. Furniture is slowly accumulating and on Saturday my belongings from California arrive...it will be a time of integration, the old life into the new.
Thus far the weather has been pleasant. There have been a couple warm days and one evening thunderstorm followed by a day or two of cloudy, cool drizzle. The heat is coming, though, no question of that. It'll be different to live through a summer that feels like summer (for better or for worse!).
I've had the vast swatches of ivy and other redundant greenery removed from the property...just one more patch to get at. It hasn't been cheap, but in my opinion money well spent (there's no way I could've gotten a handle on all that by myself). Compost and mulch is coming as well and once that's all down I can begin to put plants into the ground. So far, I've just started a little potted garden on my patio. There's a tomato plant, a pepper plant, a couple pots of herbs and a fig tree happening. They'll do where they are for now, but I look forward to in ground planting.
The back yard is very shady from all the trees, so I pay attention to what areas get the most sun during the day. It's not clear to me just yet where the best place for permanent beds will be. In fact, it may be a matter of tucking plants here and there and using shade tolerant plants (like berries) more liberally. Ultimately, I have to reign in my ambitions and realize that there's no rush and practically speaking, the gardens will be a long term work in progress.
The kitchen is pretty much fully stocked. There are a few items that I'll fill in gradually. Packed in all my boxes is my Baba Yaga's blend tea and I'm hankering for that (making due with some Lipton teabags I bought on the cheap at Target, flavored up with cardamom pods from the Indian grocery). The kitchen is roomy enough, simple and quite functional. I'm thinking I may get a butcher block unit for the center of the room, though. Yes, a trip to IKEA is on the list...somewhere (it's a bit of a haul since it's almost up to DC area).
I've been cooking pretty well for myself. In some ways that's a really hard thing for me...so many years of cooking and sharing with family, this feels so different. Not that I can't cook for others now (I plan on it and having regular get togethers!), but it's different when it's a couple or close family members, people who will go in the fridge and grab the leftovers that they like. The day in and out of that sort of thing were close to my heart. That being said, putting together the kitchen and learning that taking good care of myself with good food is just as worthy as doing so for others is a valuable lesson for me. I've learned to source food here...visiting the Indian grocery and the Polish deli; shopping at Trader Joe's and the local (very well bulk stocked) natural food store; getting acquainted with the regional CSA providers, all this has been fun!
I've also found another way to take care of myself, through this sometimes difficult transition (there's no way around the truth of that). Nearly every morning I've been walking down to the James River. That was truly one of the major draws about this place...or at least I'm truly grateful for that serendipity. Early in the morning, when few people are out, with mostly just the birds for company, I'll put on my shoes and head out. It's only about ten minutes at a moderate clip to get to the water's edge. It's been delightful, especially on the mornings that I make it in time to watch the sunrise over the river. It's become my meditation, since I've yet to re-establish that very important practice. There's a lot of slowing down to do...mentally and emotionally...to be able to allow an understanding of my purpose to reemerge.
