Then and Now- Part 5

 The Great Outdoors
When we first came to look at the acreage, it was still winter.  There were pockets of snow on the ground and the landscape was brown and dead.

 But there were streams with running water where the children poked sticks into the water.  There were rolling hills, woods and meadows.
We fell in love with the rolling hills and the wetland at the bottom where the creeks come together.
Spring arrived and with it, the green grass.

I found a garden space in the barnyard for my garden. It is high, flat and was already fenced.  This:

 has become this:

 We still have a long way to go with weed control, not only in the garden but all over the property.
Although what many people consider weeds

 I consider wildflowers.  The meadow, ungrazed now for three years (the property was vacant for a year before we moved in), has sprung into life and become a haven for butterflies and bees.

 Much of the 5 acres that we have isn't useable as agricultural land.  More than an acre is a wetland and we have opted to leave the farthest, wooded corner totally wild.  It was there that I discovered elderberries last year.
Last spring we planted an orchard with 5 apples and a pear.  We have blueberries, red currants and last year we planted manchurian apricots, bush cherries and hardy kiwi vines.  This year, we will add cranberries.  I hope to construct an herb spiral and an herb/flower bed for the bees and butterflies (as well as our use).
When the house construction work was getting to be too much and we were getting discouraged. We would purposefully take a break and take a walk around the property to remind us why we are doing this.  The land called to us and we listened.

It is still talking to us and we're trying to work with the land to make this place a welcoming, productive oasis.