Thursday, December 30, 2010

My Dream House Brought to Life


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In light of my commitment
to stay alert and grateful  ,
I found my secret dream home today.

This closed,shuttered, abandoned church,
on the side of the road,
(which is my favorite geographical location)
brought that dream to life.
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With the greatest respect and wonder,
for this beautifully worn house of God,
I thought,
I want a house like this.

I want this to be a house…
Another house.
An extra house.
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This so perfectly fits my secret dream
of having a small house on a piece of farm or ranch land
in South Texas.

This house could take the heat and harsh
conditions
that are uniquely beautiful
where I live.

This is our winter.
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This house in my dreams,
discovered today in Santa Maria, Texas
(on my way to a basketball game),
came to life today because
I was alert.
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In my dream house,
this house,
the floors would be polished and dark,
the walls in stucco painted a soft white,
the candles beeswax,
the wood furniture humble and dark,
the upholstered pieces colorful and comfortable,
the flowers wild,
the glasses clear,
the couch pillows soft,
the windows polished and bare,
the books old.

In this extra house,
the surfaces would also be bare,
(after all in this SOUL house no extras are needed)
the rugs colorful,
the bedding all white,
the fruit cut up and cold in the refrigerator,
the coffee delicious,
the iced tea adorned with wedges of Mexican limes from a tree outside
the kitchen window.
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This pile of Mexican pavers
would become a simple
maze of patios and walkways,
leading to the mailbox,
and to the back patio
trellised in wrought iron,
covered with trailing
hot pink
bougainvillea.
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If you came to visit,
we could have coffee outside
with hot, fresh bolillos,
slathered in sweet cream butter and marmalade,
and end our breakfast with fresh squeezed orange juice.
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And then while I watered you could take a little
morning nap,
or read a book,
or we could look at cookbooks to plan dinner.
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42 comments:

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Your photos are just lovely, and so is your dream! Happy New Year! May all your dreams come true!!!

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Excellent post Laura...
Buy it...I promise to come for tea and a good read...promise.
Happiest Alert New Year my friend.
Kathy @
Sweet Up-North Mornings...

Sixpence and A Blue Moon said...

I almost laughed when I came to your blog...as I was just looking up my dream casa in Mexico.:)
What a beautiful home this would make. I love the brick, and the windows are magnificent.
I hope to get an invite when you are settled in.:)
And...your photos are gorgeous!

Texas Junque Slinger said...

Oh I just love your thoughts.... I know of a couple of OLD Schools, that would absolutely be the best place to revive and live.... it is a dream and one that is fun to imagine. Glad to know someone else has the same thoughts when I come across an old building that had such a fun former life.

Happy New Year!!
Effie

Relyn Lawson said...

How wonderful! I have often dreamed of living in an old church. Mine is tiny and white and out in the country. And, it must have a steeple. Oh, wouldn't it be lovely? I was stopping by because I wanted to wish you a happy new year and thank you for being a follower of my blog. It means a lot to me. Thank you. May your new year be filled with laughter, more joy than sorrow, peace, and wisdom. Blessings to you. Happy new year!

Pondside said...

What a lovely dream of a house!
The New Year is, at this point, all about possibilities and dreams to be fulfilled.....

Anonymous said...

How delightful! All of it, right up to looking at the cookbooks to plan for dinner!

Hootin Anni said...

Hello neighbor...I hail from Texas also. Wouldn't it be a lovely, peaceful and quite home?!!!! Yes indeed.

GREAT photos.

My Show n Tell Link---where it's kinda fodder for the National Enquirer Tabloids. Do stop by if you can, I'd love your opinion.

Happy New Year

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Laura, what a beautiful, serene, and peaceful post. I could see your description in my mind. Oh, what a foretaste of Glory Divine! Linda

Deb said...

Oh Laura I can see your dream house in my head...what a nice place...Happy New Year Laura...I so enjoy your blog...looking forward to what your up to in 2011

time worn interiors said...

What a wonderful dream! Thanks for including me! I can see why you where smitten buy the wonderful old church! I've always had a thing for old churches! And I would LOVE to live in Texas!

Happy New Year!

Theresa
aka:tot

NanaDiana said...

Oh- I want to run away and live in your house! I have always dreamed of rehabbing a church as a residence. Seriously- You SHOULD do this! Dreams To Share- Hugs- Diana

Jojo said...

Wow! What a beautiful home it would be.

Nancy's Notes said...

Oh Laura, what a place, would be magnificent!!

Nancy

Unknown said...

May all your dreams come true Laura...more importantly, may you always continue to dream and share the same...it's a wonderful ride!
Happy New Year.

Nancy's Notes said...

Happy New Year sweet and dear friend!

Love,
Nancy

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Dreams do come to true, it could happen to you if your young at heart. I have that stuck in my head and I don't know where I heard that. Lovely post. Happy New Year!!

Jayne said...

Well now, we all know there are no accidents, right?
Can I move there with you?
Looking forward to making your acquaintance Laura.
Thanks for "finding" my Journey Through Grace today and blessings to you for the coming New Year.

TexWisGirl said...

Hi Laura! Thanks for finding my blog so I could follow you home! You are a soulful dreamer and a wonderful visionary. I will look forward to following your continuing journey! God bless you (in whatever house you reside!)

Glenda/MidSouth said...

And the closing on your new home is when ? :-D
Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I can see it too! I've also thought that about many beautiful old barns with those gorgeously ornate cupolas on top!
Happy New Year....found you at Common Ground,
Diane

Leslie said...

Oh. my. goodness. I love this! What a beauty! This is my first time to visit your blog and I love the name of it!
My mom recently moved to Mission and we have not been down to visit yet but I will be thinking about this when we do. For Christmas she brought me bag FULL of grapefruit. Not sure how we will eat them all!
Happy New Year!
Leslie

Pam @ Frippery said...

Laura, A dream come true in your hands! How lovely, and once again what an excellent post. I love your words for the year, may I link to your post next week?

Cindy said...

Your dream house is gorgeous! In your dreams perhaps you could host dream parties, where each of us appear just as we are to enjoy coffee and bolillos with you, whenever you are up to it. Aren't dreams just the best? As you can probably tell, I am a dreamer, too.
Hugs, Cindy

D.B. said...

Perfection! Thanks for sharing this gem.

Can do mom said...

What a lovely dream! Maybe someday it came come true.

Happy New Year to you!

Tee said...

Oh Laura, I can see it and feel it in my mind too. You didn't leave out a thing. I hope you get your dream house someday soon.

Happy New Year!

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Love your pretty dream Laura!

Sharlotte said...

Laura,
What a lovely place!I can "see" all that you've planned and would feel very much at home too! You know, if you write your dreams down, they have a better chance of coming true! Well, you've written them, now you just have to make it come true! Keep us posted!
Sharlotte

2 Dogs said...

Love it! Happy New Year!

lvroftiques said...

Oh please buy it!!! It needs someone just like you to bring back its beauty. And I want to visit! *winks* Even though I've never met ya. Vanna

JB said...

Oh my gosh, my dear Laura, you need to have that blog post nominated for blog of the year! I love it.
Love you,
JB

Linda Q said...

I have always thought it would be so cool to make a church into a home. I hope your dream comes true and you can give this old place the love it deserves!
Linda

Unknown said...

So love your write, Laura, she did come to life today. Have you seen the church in PA that I wrote of before a couple months ago that these folks really did restore into an exquisite home. You can find it on the internet also .. take a peek, it is awesome ... your dreams will be held in their walls.

Thank you for a wonderful year of friendship, so look forward to many more delightful moments with you.

TTFN~
Hugs, Marydon

trash talk said...

L.B.,
You are setting the bar higher and higher to the point the only way to get there would be by rocket.
I found myself following your words as if they were those pavers laid out for just for me, revealing more than just a dream, but the beautiful soul that is L.B.
I want to live in your neighborhood.
Debbie

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Your details are amazing! I so enjoy stopping by your beautiful blog. Love the pictures and your imagination in describing them. What fun!

Happy, Happy New Year!

CHERI said...

You have such a unique and lovely style of writing...which I love. I have a dream house too. I'd love to have this little cottage that I could dress up real prissy and comfy and spend time there when I wanted to be alone. And the only person I might let come visit me there would be my granddaughter....and you if you ever came this way:)

Debra@CommonGround said...

I've missed you, Laura. You transported me with your words and photos. I'm sending you a big hug for New Years. I'm so glad you joined in, you've made my day!
xo,
Debra

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Hi, Laura! Thank you for finding me so I could find you! You are such a talented writer! So poetic! And your flowers! Just gorgeous! I am so looking forward to getting to know you!
This old church does look like a dream come true! I can see it now! Maybe we'll all get to REALLY see it in the future!

RachelD said...

I dropped back in on this RAINY second-day-of-March, to read again "I Am a Writer," which you directed me to a couple of years ago.

And when the link said, "My favorite POST," I couldn't resist. This may well be one of MY favorite posts in all my blog-reading, ever. Irresistible hospitality, simple wants, lovely dreams.

MY dream church-house is up Highway 31 north of here, very close to the highway, stained-glass and all. I even called the REALTOR several years ago, but it was really so far out of town, it would have been too long a commute for DH.

However, we were up that way last month, and even though the windows are boarded up, it's still just sitting there---and we ARE ready to retire . . .

rachel

PS--can you direct me to the IAAW post?

Made In The South said...

Oh Laura...when you get that dream home send me a text. I will be right there to help you get it all fixed up. Then we can drink that coffee. LOL

Eilis said...

Laura,
Thank you so much for linking up this post. I have read and reread it several times. You have created such a cozy and refreshing place of retreat in my imagination. I wonder how much the pictures in my mind would match the pictures in yours if they could be placed side by side?
Eilis@MyHeartLivesHere

 

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