To make a vision real is a journey, as well as a lesson in patience, perseverance and flexibility. Time travel with us through spring and summer now, and experience what has happened in this period, while we continue to develop our project.
Spring
Here are some pictures from early spring. Perhaps you can see how dry the land is. It had not really rained since December last year. This led to various consequences.
Consequences
For one, the regional water provider decided they needed better access to a water treatment facility that sits just outside our land. The road that leads there is the same one that we use. So, when we visited the grounds in April, we found we could drive up to the house with our normal car! The road had been leveled and covered with fresh split. At the treatment facility we met the road workers who told us the water company had assigned them to this job.
Thank you guys and company! Here is one of the ‘Torèt‘, the ‘little bulls’, which are public fountains you find throughout the city of Turin, home of the water company. Most welcome on a hot summer day.
We anyway still think of getting a four wheel drive at some point to be able to go all the way up.
But the drought also impacted us in another way.
FIRE!
After returning to our city dwelling, we were shocked by the news broadcast on April 10th. There was a big bushfire on the mountain where the land is situated! It took three days to put it out. And all that time we were not sure if the flames had spread to the fields and trees we love so much. Finally we could talk to our neighbors, who confirmed that the fire had passed about 500 meters from our – and their – land. They were quite matter-of-fact about it.
Later we found out that fires do belong to the topography there. One this big, however, was not in people’s memory.
The View after
As soon as I could I came to see the state of the land. Meanwhile there had been some rain. The grass was green, the trees had unfolded their leaves, and wild narcissus was in flower. Vibrant life!
Looking up the slope, you can see the blackened earth higher up. Some trees have survived. Life and death, destruction and regeneration are nextdoor neighbors.
There is a good side that this happened now, while we are still in the planning phase. We will definitely include water retention and fire protection measures in the design.
The Design takes Form
Official plans have been drawn by an engineer, and we are collecting quotes now. Here is an artistic impression by our artist-in-residence, who happens to be Cristina.
Summer
And now it is summer. Mercifully, some rain found its way to the mountainside. The grass is still green, water runs in the stream, and it looks like the nut tree will bear fruit this autumn.
Evening falls
Good night!