Amish Inspired
13 Clay, Malone NY
Calvin Luther Martin, PhD
December 30, 2023
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.
This style served as the model for our home:
13 Clay, Malone
Nina & I invite you to rent this. It’s an Airbnb. Click here for the Airbnb listing. There are 3 of these in the building shown above (13 Clay). They were designed with the simplicity and grace of an Amish home by one of Malone’s premier designers & contractors, Michael Lashomb.
The home has an uncanny energy. Old homes sometimes have this; this one definitely does. Built well before the Civil War, it was likely a farmhouse. The beams are breathtaking. Hand-hewn from centuries-old trees of enormous girth and strength.
There is an atmosphere of quiet reflection, almost a sense of waiting. Reminiscent of Rilke’s lines, “The entire ancient earth thinks prodigiously / And the murmur of its great trees grows” (Rainer Maria Rilke, “The Last Judgment”).
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.
2 thoughts on “Amish Inspired”
Ahh Calvin, the Airbnb looks so charming, thoughtfully put together. The poem of song speaks to the soul.
Bravo to all you have created.
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!