Of Mountain Views and Stone Tunnels

As a kid, I dreamed of living in a castle.  I loved fairy tales and Guinivere and fairies, a romantic and air-brushed version of medieval life in the country.

Imagine how I felt when I first saw a modern stone castle just minutes from where I live - then multiply that by a thousand when I found out it has a two hundred foot long underground stone tunnel!

It's for sale and I've visited it several times now, taking pictures, checking in with the owner (a stone artisan who sells stones for a living), just wandering the grounds.  It's got a great feeling - wide open skies, long views, a gorgeous quarry pond and a house that, despite its grand-ness, feels homey.

Maybe it's the stone. There's something really comforting about stone - it creates an instant sense of stability, a "Don't worry, we'll be okay through anything."

If a castle is a fortress, this is a castle fit for royalty. And I strongly suspect there are fairies watching from the woods.