Our next formal garden will be the Meditation Garden. The garden will be comprised of 5,000 square feet of Tulsi plants (Ocimum sanctum). Tulsi, or Holy Basil, native to India is said to possess great spiritual energy which effects the consciousness of people who come in contact with the sacred plant. It is revered by Hindus, Buddhists, and Eastern Orthodox Christians alike. It is said that there are few places which promote the depth of a person's meditations like a field of Tulsi plants.

​Our tulsi garden will be 100 feet by 50 feet and surrounded with an 8 foot hedge of Tsuga Trees.  This hedge will provide privacy to meditators and prevent distractions from the surroundings.  Around the garden will be a brick path and paths will merge through the garden in a cruciform pattern.  Hedges of yaupon holly will enclose the garden beds containing the Tulsi. Yaupon holly is a very suitable plant for a meditation garden because its stimulant properties promote awareness. The tulsi fields will be studded with English boxwoods.  Several benches will provide rest to visitors and a place to meditate. Eventually we plan to construct a gazebo in the center of the garden to provide additional seating and a shady place to enjoy the spiritual serenity of the garden.              

While we are renovating the main house, we are all living and cooking out of the old kitchen building. We noticed some damage to the sill under the door, so we examined it more closely. Removing a little wood revealed a large amount of termite damage. The frame is severely damaged, and the building is structurally unsound.  Yet this is where we must live and cook at the moment.   We are slowly repairing the damage, but need donations and volunteers to help with the work. It is a massive task which will take much time and money to complete.  We have finished one small piece of the house, as shown in the photos. There is much work still to be done.  Please donate today. 

On the new property, there are many fascinating historic structures. One of the most stunning and impressive is the old well built in the early 1800's just which is located East of the old kitchen building. The well has a bit of overgrowth around it, but is in wonderful condition. The well house needs to be repainted and re-roofed, but is structurally sound. It is difficult to take photos which really do it justice. The well goes down an impressive 50 or 75 feet and its walls are lined with brick. Digging must have been a formidable task to accomplish without modern tools and machines. We hope to eventually restore the old well to preserve it for the future as an impressive example of historic engineering.    

We are working hard to clear much garbage and overgrowth from the property. English Ivy is strangling many trees, which creates danger of fallen trees. Invasive Chinese privet is taking over the property. And poison ivy is growing everywhere. To beautify the property, and for the safety of the structures and the people living at the property, we are working to remove overgrowth and debris. It is a really massive project to remove overgrowth from about a dozen structures and nearly 14 acres of land. Volunteers are needed to assist with this huge task.