The giant oaks, the pines, the birches, the maples, the shagbarks, the hickories, and all the other trees seemed to reach for us, welcoming us home. If the forest could hug you, that's what it feels like to live here. Everything is just so perfectly hygge.
Well folks, we finally did it, after talking about it so many times and for so long, we took action and made the move to New England! Woo-Hoo it was so, so worth it! I spent over two years preparing for this possibility and even went offline for over a year. Now I am back and ready to reintroduce myself and share stories of my life and my work.
“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” John Muir
We found a gorgeous house in the Farmington Valley of Connecticut, in a little town called Canton. It is adjacent to Avon Connecticut, where I grew up. My parents are just a short car ride away now and I still have plenty of friends and acquaintances in the area. They either never left, having gone to college more locally or, like me, returned to the area after living elsewhere for some time.
Our house is nestled into a dense forest. We have almost four acres and are surrounded by additional acreage of conservation land and wildlife sanctuary. All-in-all we have nearly over 50+ acres of New England-Acadian Forests right out our back door. Fun fact, Connecticut is the 14th most forested state in the United States!
Canton, Connecticut
Canton is a small town that was incorporated in 1806. It exudes quaint New England charm and there is a thriving art culture here. I find the vibe here feels like the Connecticut version of an old Vermont town. Plenty of wildlife around and most residents here are huge nature lovers. We do have a few people who like to complain about bear, deer, fox, coyotes and bobcats. They even complain about the turkeys and owls-but they're just a loud and sometimes obnoxious minority (sorry-not-sorry). The wildlife here provides me with tons of inspiration- and did I mention, there is a big art culture here!
I am surrounded by many artists, so I am in good company. The Collins Axe Company was once headquartered here, and its buildings house the studios of many local artists and cute local small businesses. The Collins Axe company was one of the first ax factories in the world and it is where Elijah Root invented the art of die casting- this became one of the most important industrial techniques.
Exploring this area has been and will continue to be exciting. I foresee many adventures and cannot wait to share all that I have been up to for the last year and a half! Thanks for being patient and continuing to follow along.