It all started a few years ago, on a Sunday afternoon reading Country Style on a wintery day in front of the fire, the inspiration there right before my eyes. A cooking school in the country, a farmhouse, a family, a vegetable patch, trees bearing beautiful fruit and a bevy of animals. A feeling of intense peace came over me, openness, clarity, and butterflies in my belly…I had to go there.

As we all know only too well, life and time keep moving, but I did not stop feeding my inspiration. I cherished those moments I could sit and read about people who moved to the country and took those brave steps, those who always lived there and created incredible lives for their families. The kids who grew up with nature always by their side, on the farm, in the waterholes, covered in mud, collecting eggs and riding horses.

Somehow the timing was not to be my decision, in March the following year my husband was admitted to hospital in what became a very dark time for our family…

“Until you spread your wings, you will have no idea how far you can fly.” After many long weeks, filled with goodbyes, tears of joy and uncertainty of the future, we drove off and bid farewell to the city.