The Spring in Spring

Made the monthly trip to the spring at Cold Spring Church for water today. What a gorgeous site was waiting for me:

On the way home I stopped to look at this beautiful house that I pass each time I go to the spring. When I first saw it, it was inhabited and in good shape, but the last year or so it seems to have been empty and unkempt. I asked a nice lady who lived across the road about it -- yes, it has changed hands, she said, about a year ago. The new owner is trying to restore it but is moving very slowly. Up close, there is lots of evidence of rehab work being done and a "No Trespassing" sign.

I especially love the "annex" built on the left of the property. It's odd that a house this old has no fireplace, but the annex does. The neighbor lady said the annex had been added on, which is obvious -- but it is a beautiful addition, especially the front windows -- and the chimney. What a great office/library/studio that would make!

Note the acorn finials -- and is that square "box" the end of a central beam?

The trees are massive:

And the grounds are punctuated with statuary and urns -- a little taste of Athens in the North Carolina countryside. Somebody had something definite in mind when they collected and added these. I wonder if the new owner will honor that theme?