A Beautiful Bell

One of the many treasures we inherited at Spring Bird is this old school bell from 1886. 

The Bartholomews installed it to use for retreats and gatherings. A leader will ring it to signal to all of the wandering retreat goers to come back, to regroup.

I will use it to call to Pat to come from the upper meadow nuttery, or to call the kids from the tree house. .
And occasionally wasps like to make their home inside of it.

The Bartholomews left a lot of other bells for us. Some ceramic hanging outside the house, and some small and meant for Swiss cows.

Martha Bartholomew would place a basket of bells outside the front door of the house, which does not have a doorbell. .
She would wait and see which visitor chose which bell to ring.

The night before we signed for the house, I dreamt that I gave Martha a bell – the kind a teacher would have on her desk. And this bell had no clacker. It was a silent bell. 

I felt like buying Spring Bird was in a way taking away Martha’s voice. I told her of my dream, and she, in all her wisdom, said you are my voice now.

I think we are part of this special club that gets to inhabit this patch of land, care for it, tend to it, love it, receive its love for us and share it with our communities. 

I am so grateful and honored to be part of its story. 

And you know, sometimes I ring the bells just to hear them.