a new view
In the fervor of last week’s reorganizing, reshaping, re-planning and re-hoping, we moved my desk from the main floor of 1871 to our private living space upstairs. I knew it would be a bit inconvenient running up and down those stairs daily, but it had to be done. Although I never could have imagined it was possible, we are rapidly running out of room for our downstairs ambitions. Which, on a complete side note, leads me to a funny little story.
When Mr. Amazing and I bought this lovely property while sitting 2500 miles away, the marketing said it was 6,018 square feet with 4 ½ bathrooms. I remember the number because it was absolutely terrifying. I mean, can you imagine trying to keep up with and maintain (much less clean) 6,018 square feet of 150-year-old house? When we pulled away from our 1,500 square foot 1 bathroom house, made the long journey, and finally stepped inside 1871 -weeks after committing-, I was pretty emotionally split between excitement and fear. Truth told, I had a few horrible dreams about endlessly scrubbing toilets and wood paneling. When daylight hit, we walked through every room. As we gawked and awed at it’s beauty, we also realized it didn’t feel like 6,000 square feet. It was larger than we were used to, definitely, but it’s not like we got lost walking through thousands of square feet of space. Although, I have taken to calling Mr. Amazing more than once, because aimlessly walking around to find him seemed like a chore. Still, something was off. When the appraiser measured it, this old house was actually just over 3,300 square feet. Something I have always been a little relieved about. Even more interesting, we’ve never found that fourth bathroom. Nonetheless, nightmares and toilet scrubbing evaded, the last little corner my desk had been pushed into was now, too, needed for our ever-growing dreams.
So, Mr. Amazing dragged the desk and all its pieces and parts up the old stairwell (carefully, of course). And I plunked it at the top of the stairs, smacked dab in the middle of our hallway, next to a light filled set of french doors. They walk out to the balcony over the entrance to this lovely old house. A balcony I over-stuffed with my love of plants and flowers, hoping to create a little area to take an occasional breath or quite moment. But never did. For a couple of years now, I have spent all day every day focused on dough. On stainless steel and wood tables, bins of flour, whirring mixers, and kneading hands…all there as a canvas and tool for my dough obsession. Today, however, I walked upstairs to write the week’s menu and felt the sun streaming through those glass doors and onto my leg. I glanced up, appreciating the sunny moment, and saw something I hadn’t taken the time to notice since before our 2500-mile journey. A hummingbird, hovering and fluttering between colorful, nectar filled blooms on the balcony. I couldn’t help but smile, remembering that all kinds of beauty in life is still going on around me. I only have to stop and notice. Just like that, with only a little bit of effort, an inconvenient change brought me a whole new view.
It is Sparta Green Market week and, as I finish this menu, I’m heading back down those stairs to the mixers and tables, to begin carrying out all those breads and pastries. We will begin sourcing, planning and prepping to be ready for the all-out craziness of that morning’s massive fresh bake. In doing so, with hopes of retaining some sanity, we will have special hours this week. We wish you a week of good changes, quiet moments, new views, and (always) good bread and pastry.
https://thebakeryat1871.com/our-menu-1
See you soon!
