Apothecaria Winter Week 13 pt 6

I brush the garden dirt off my skirt and pull a small, leather-bound notebook from my apron pocket. It is time to face the music and write down a definitive list of the property’s flaws. I walk slowly from structure to structure, making a grim tally of everything that needs attention.

The cottage itself needs immediate work: there are two broken windows in the front and one in the back, several missing roof shingles, and judging by the water stains on the bedroom ceiling, a leaky roof that will cause trouble during the next heavy storm. I trudge back over to the greenhouse and count at least a dozen shattered glass panels. The perimeter fence has rotted posts, the barn doors are practically falling off their hinges, and the chicken coop still needs a secure new latch and wire mesh. To top it all off, every single wooden surface is desperate for a fresh coat of paint.

I stare down at the long list, and a heavy, suffocating wave of sadness washes over me. My shoulders slump. I flip to the back of my notebook where I keep track of my coin, and the reality of it hits hard: I simply do not have the silver necessary to fix any of this. I am completely broke, and a village witch cannot buy glass or lumber with good intentions.

For a few minutes, I just sit on the front steps, staring helplessly at the overgrown yard, feeling entirely overwhelmed by the sheer scale of this fixer-upper.

But sitting here weeping won't mend a fence. I tuck the notebook away, stand up, and tie my hair back securely. If I cannot afford to build or repair yet, I can at least clean.

I spend the rest of the afternoon waging war against the property's neglect. I rip out the thick weeds invading the walking paths, pile up the dead branches scattered across the grass, and carefully gather up the sharp shards of shattered greenhouse glass from the dirt. By the time the sun begins to dip below the trees, my hands are scratched and my back aches terribly, but the yard finally looks cared for. The debris is cleared, the soil is visible, and the cottage looks like someone actually lives here now. It is a small start, but it is all I can do for now.

(All images were created with AI)