One of my favorite Ohio vineyards is for sale.
I’ve been trying to dismiss the dream as unreasonable since I heard about it this weekend. Rationalization about the loan, my ability to garden, my love of the city, work, kids, dogs, anything to talk myself out of it. Tonight, I find myself alone with the vineyard listing with a full hour of quiet stretching in front of me.
Normally, that’s heaven. Except, that vineyard is calling me…”Oh, Monica’s gut…come, let’s rule the vineyard together…” like a siren beckoning.
No, I should be productive and DO something. I tune into my overdue History lesson. I’m a few weeks behind, but intuition, sick children and work responsibilities have kept me from catching up. Until tonight. I need a distraction from all this thinking about owning a vineyard on the Ohio River.
It’s the 1900s and my History teacher is comparing modernity with the Enlightenment…or should I say he’s contrasting them. There’s not much in common. Where Enlightenment taught that men could think and create and be independent, modernity of the 1900s—especially the growing trend towards materialism—showed that men were irrational, slaves to societal thinking and dependent.
Men, that is, except for Gandhi. Gandhi believed in self sufficiency. “He believed in learning to do as much for yourself as possible,” my teacher says leading me right back to a vineyard and winery…
I could certainly suffice for myself on 128 acres of fertile field. In addition to growing and making wine to share, I would have fruit trees, a vegetable garden, wild turkeys, deer, space for my dogs to run free, fresh clean air, a house with a kitchen in which to bake bread and cook meals, a sunroom in which to write, a yard to stretch out all my laundry on the line.
And a barn in which to sing and dance and host song and dance.
Would I need anything? Well, for certain I’d need loved ones and friends to celebrate with me, to sing with me, to dance with me. I’d need neighbors with whom to chat over a fence and remark upon the weather. There is the matter of a million dollar loan. But also I’d need a fire in my fireplace. And a bottle of wine at the ready.
Perhaps I’d also need to learn to sew a bit better than just a rudimentary skirt. And maybe some handyman skills…or a handyman. My accountant would have to stay with me too, because she is as much a trusted advisor on living well as an outstanding and wise mathematician and friend.
Yes, that’s right about when I began questioning my reason again and demand from myself a focus on history.
We can learn so much from history. I already have! Especially with this course.
Max Weber, the age of psychology, Sigmund Freud. What’s with all this concern about sexuality, I wonder as my teacher again begins to contrast Enlightenment with this. We went from beauty in human art and a focus on nature to base desires, animalistic drives and urges, women as moralistically vulnerable…
I must be hallucinating as I listen.
“So the rise of civilization was not the triumph of reason,” he states matter of factly, almost sadly, “but the ability to contain ourselves, to repress ourselves.”
I should definitely buy that vineyard.
Life on the vineyard sounds like a life worth living. Do it!!
Lovely picture.
Totally agree u.
If I were hip and cool, I would put #yolo, but I’m not. You only live once, but you can dream forever. Great post. http://www.charliemccoin.wordpress.com
Reblogged this on Noah Idea, Noah Group and commented:
If I had an Orchard I’d work till the end of time. I’d go with your gut, and if it’s possible, take the dive! I’ve been hearing the country call me for the better half of a year now, and it doesn’t seem possible until later in life! Dreams are premonitions of thought! Thought is life, and life is now!
I wish that I lived in the age of enlightenment and I owned a vineyard. I like your style! A barn to sing and dance in, and neighbors to discuss the weather across the fence, perfect!
Good luck with the vineyard! Me, I’d probably start a small beer manufacturing company, but it’d be a side-job to my real passion of writing.
Love your end reasoning! You sound like a modern woman stuck in a modern city crying out to be a simple woman in a much more simple time. It might be all the history your studying that makes you wish for a slower pace, or you could be like me and just like your wine! 🙂 keep it up! Fantastic read :-))
I worked a harvest at a local winery this fall. It is wonderful! If you’re up to swarms of upset wasps (that just love the super sweet grape juice), working in the hot sun into the cold night, getting stickier than you ever thought possible, then you should do it! It is a lot of work and wineries are usually the best way to pay back a million dollar loan – but it is honest to goodness satisfying work.
I have some pictures from my time at the winery on my blog if you want to check them out.
I was attracted to this piece via freshly pressed and the picture you have used, it’s beautiful. Lovely piece of writing. As soon as I started reading it it reminded me of Blackberry Wine a novel by Joanne Harris (Chocolat) who writes about someone who buys a vineyard, or at least there is wine in it, infact the story is told from the perspective of a bottle of wine as the narrator. If you can suspend your disbelief which is not difficult as the novel is really easy to read, you might like this book.
RFC, Thank you for your kind words about my blog. The painting is a watercolor by Mark Tiemens titled Cliff Muses and I love it too. More importantly, thank you for your book recommendation! I picked up Blackberry Wine from my local library yesterday and am having a difficult time putting it back down! All my best! -Monica (the mmews)
[…] https://mmews.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/questioning-reason/ […]
you want to “DO something” — please buy the vineyard, then! nurturing this earth and growing nourishment for yourself and for others is deeply needed in this world and too rare.
Beautiful!
I completely agree – life’s very long; might as well spend it in paradise.
Sounds like divine inspiration to me. What is life but to dream and achieve. I say go for it!
Is so refreshing to hear a young person so interested in history , art and something worthwhile . I can sense the passion of your writing and I must say , I am very impressed
great post and gorgeous cover art! cheers
PS, the art is a watercolor by Mark Tiemens appropriately named Cliff Muses. One of my favorites!
Great post. I’ve had a similar type of conundrum myself and I think some of my friends are tired of my vacillating. reason v. desire. This is a decision that you can only make yourself. I think it’s about transmuting the desire into a reasonable life that works for you (no one else). If it’s pure desire, then it may not last. But with at least 3 legs it may stand up for a while. until you are fully settled in your new life with 4 legs. Have a plan, but don’t over plan. You know what happens to the best laid plans! Life is too absurd not to pursue an important desire..like a fertile vineyard. Il faut cultiver notre jardin. Best wishes!
Thank you all for your kind words! I doubt the banks will loan me a million dollars to buy the vineyard, but I am going to ask 🙂 In the meantime, I’ll keep writing, learning about history, hanging part of my wash on the laundry line in my urban backyard and toast you while I read your stories about life, love and the pursuit of meaning ❤
Buy the vineyard!
Reblogged this on Elliot Claire London and commented:
Nice read on following dreams.. who knows where it will take you?
Go for it! Maybe you can find a partner and co-sign the loan? Beyond all reason, I left my well-paying job four years ago and went back to school to get a masters in writing (not such a lucrative deal)! I have never been happier – I followed my gut, I’m broke and thrilled!
Plus, you can always take another path in another ten years or so. Nothing is permanent unless you choose to make it so. Good luck!
And congrats on being FP!
good luck!!!
Great post! Some dream, others achieve. If you can’t get the loan and must pass on this opportunity, what should you do to prepare for the next opportunity to buy a vineyard?
dont worry about all the other nonsense of independence or bla bla.
buy the vineyard! let your kids play in it…have a ball and keep learning, you never know what this may bring you.
also nice picture 😉
Yes please do!
Buy the vineyard, live the dream. But remember – be careful what you wish for.
🙂
Thanks, I enjoyed your words.
Jim
Where did you get that beautiful picture? PLEASE tell me its title and artist? Thank you, thank you
The art is a watercolor painting by Mark Tiemens titled “Cliff Muses.” I’m glad you like it! It’s one of my favorites too 🙂
Thanks
Have the confidence to ask the bank and at the same time, believe it is possible. You paint a great picture of being there with the dogs running around and the wild turkeys… Take the belief one step further and paint the picture of how you feel actually working the place, seeing the sun rise each morning over your land, how it benefits you. Do it all in the present saying ‘I feel…….watching the dogs play on my land’, ‘I love…….when the wild turkeys run towards me’
Make this your present not your future and I believe it will come true..
I put off my own dreams ( and the work I had done to make them be real) for common sense, real life, responsibility, and being a good team player. in the intervening 10 years, I have been dutiful, but felt that my life was On Hold. Now, directly due to being Responsible ( to others) I am no longer in a position, financially or physically, to pick up where I left off. So…follow your dreams now! When you look back on life, you won’t regret your adventures, you will regret your unexamined dreams.
[…] Questioning Reason. […]
If you can get the loan…I’ll come work for you 🙂 Live your dream!
[…] Questioning Reason. […]
Go For It! http://blueangelwolf.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/trust-love-to-kill-you/
Why not? Are you better off as you are now? More secure? Go for it!
wow that would be such a brave and incredible thing to do. We can be so quick to rationalize and suppress our real hopes, desires and dreams. I hope you get to live out your dreams
Do it!
Rob
If you can achieve ic, go and live your dream. Otherwise you will always ask yourself “What if…”
A life worthy of you is beyond common sense, beyond rationalization. A life worthy of you is beyond reasoning and beyond deciding how you will live it. Once you discover why you want to live it, the hows will miraculously fall into place. With love, Amanda.
This has added to my dreams of reality, I am soon going to make a home in a hillside……
“Where Enlightenment taught that men could think and create and be independent, modernity of the 1900s—especially the growing trend towards materialism—showed that men were irrational, slaves to societal thinking and dependent.” – wow; so true. Kickstarter.com the vineyard – I would invest.
Reblogged this on peterson publishing.
Ive never wanted a vineyard but now i do. very nice piece
All things are beautiful from a distance.
If I was you & I was ABLE to but it, then I would. Live the dream that you have & don’t be disappointed by life. Let me know when you produce your first bottle of wine & I promise to buy some (only red though). Good luck. With love & peace.
[…] Questioning Reason. […]
Buy it! Please do it! Loved this. Thank you for posting.
Speaking of muses, I do believe you’re mine for the night. I’ve put off writing my own blog for a few days despite knowing at least three fleshed out topics to post on (my work also concerns goals for the future), but I do believe you may have just inspired me to start writing again.
Of course we’d all love you to buy the vineyard because then we could all see what unfolded…. while we sit back….
But just in case you take such a momentous leap there is a lovely book written by Greg Cahill called “Don’t Dream It, DO it” about getting started in a land based enterprise. I worked with Greg ages ago in the Ag Department in Victoria, Australia and he was one of those super positive people. It’s probably full of rather Australian examples but I’m sure the key principles apply.
I think Greg wrote the book because he spent most of his time advising people who bought a block of land on a country drive and then ended up being surprised it wasn’t magically earning them a living – but ultimately he wanted to encourage people to have a go at producing something from the land.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DONT-DREAM-DO-IT-GREG-CAHILL-S-C-BUSINESS-1993-VERY-GOOD-CONDITION-/350586396684#ht_2027wt_1017
Chas Spain, Thank you for the great book recommendation. I will certainly check it out whether I buy the vineyard or not. Because there will always be dreams of a vineyard, but I’d love the reality of it more…if not now, someday.
-M
Reblogged this on KNOWLEDGE MUST SHARE.
Eight years ago, I bought 8 acres of land and planted one acre of it in blueberries, thinking I could supplement my retirement income when I get to that place. I now have a successful blueberry business (in addition to my 40 hr/wk paying office job). Its been hard,exhausting work, but I’ve never been happier. And when I look out on this land and realize that I was the one that made this happen, I couldn’t be more proud. Follow your bliss, as Joseph Campbell used to say. Don’t let fear hold you back.
Yes, you should definitely buy the vineyard. Life is very, very short, do it now before it’s too late.
this is a lovely post! and what a wonderful life it would be on your vineyard! could clearly picture your barn with all the friends singing and dancing…if there is any chance that this is feasible – do it!
good luck
Great post right there! I am following you now, if you ever want to know about Ocean Paddling then follow us back, my name is Carlos! Cheers!
Reason has not triumphed but despite attacks from many sources, is holding its own. We “reasoners” are not rejecting beauty and nature but seeking to understand; our world, the universe, an infinite source of awe and wonder. Our quarrel is with unreasoning purveyors of myth and superstition. Follow your dream by listening to your heart along with evidence based agriculture to guide you.
good to hear that such young people showing to much interest in history
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.
Loved this post! I find myself in a predicament as I study Psychology and English simultaneously (watching my tone between papers is a challenge). I love logic but i love passionate culture and sometime these two seem incompatible…at these times I usually “bend” logic to fit my romanticized wants I.E. go for the vineyard! What an awfully big adventure 😉
http://choosesimplicitydotorg.wordpress.com/
This is a beautiful post!
These subjects are some of my favorites. The Enlightenment Age, man’s state of nature…
Wonderfully written 🙂
Loved your text! Go for your dreams!
The land now is in poor condition but it will not remain so. I would wait just a bit because the price is going to be just right soon. For healthier land too.
I can’t speak to buying the vineyard. But as to reason, I believe we share a skepticism that it should be relied on as a solution for all questions.