After more than 2 years of considering the best way to down size, Roger and I are ready to announce our decision....We have looked at renovating a church in Traveler's Rest, fell in love with Tom Flower's incredible home and studio in Dacusville, seriously thought about joining the movement to gentrify West Greenville and build a skinny house on a skinny lot. and everything you can imagine in between! Finally we looked at each other and realized Greenville has grown too fast and large for us!! We also agreed that we wanted to be closer to the grandkids who live in Lake Wylie, SC. With these thoughts in mind we set out to look for a smaller, quiet community...
For 22 years, we have been driving through Clover, SC, 9.5 miles from Lake Wylie, but never thought of settling there but it seemed an interesting place to at least look into. Roger made an appointment to look at some lots and a few homes so off we went. One house was inspired by the Frank Lloyd Wright movement so we though we would at least take a look for fun knowing another huge renovation was out of the question... We were amazed anything like this even existed in little Clover, SC so we were curious. We ended up uninterested in everything else we saw but the Wright inspired house was in the middle of a gorgeous older neighborhood in Clover. The lots were spacious, the hills rolling and huge trees were everywhere. We met the realtor at the Wright inspired house and were blown away at the property and the layout of the house but knew we this was too big a project to take on.....As we walked out of the house and looked across the street we saw a 2 acre piece of property that was a small orchard with grass and all kinds of fruit and pecan trees. Well, it was love at first sight! But there was no for sale sign......
When we got home, Roger played detective and managed to locate the owner who lives in California and asked him if he would consider selling the property. He said he had had many offers from contractors who wanted to make 5 lots and build 5 houses there. His wife, however, asked him to hold off selling it until someone wanted to keep the orchard in tact and build a home there. Well, we were that someone!!! We now own an orchard in Clover!!!
Roger is completing plans for a small home and studio and has found a builder so In a year to a year and a half, we hope to be in our new home in the middle of this little orchard. We can't believe it and the entire family is thrilled, especially the grandkids Lily and Charlie!
Anyway, this is a very short version of all we have been through but it is a story with a happy ending! By the way Greenville friends, it is only an hour and a half away so you can come visit and I will be returning to Greenville often to visit.
Hope you will enjoy the following pictures of the orchard in Clover!
