Roaming around the house

A house means a road. But the Borlea House means not just one but four roads and as many impulses to wander: into the woods, along the whispering springs, in the Cris River Meadow, on paths that bend on the ridge of the surrounding hills.

You will find roads that you will enjoy walking alone but you will also meet villagers taking their cows to pasture or having a rest after a day of mowing or haymaking.

You will come across houses built in the 40's as well as new constructions smelling of lime and fir-tree.

You will gradually get accustomed with the geography of the place and the names of sites like the Caraciului Peak, Vulcanul, the Gaina Peak, Baia-de-Cris or Brad will soon become familiar words to you.

The charm of the garden or "false dissertation on leisure in the countryside"

Tired after a day of roaming or just willing to try something new, you will look for a rest under a walnut, a tree present in any garden in the village. A mixture of dreaming and torpor pervades you, until the first raindrops pass through the leaves that seemed impenetrable, bringing to you the walnut bitter scent. You will find refuge on the welcoming wooden terrace where, once sat, the two cats and the dog will join you for company.

If you sit in the right place, you can be lucky enough to see an astounding rainbow bending over the Cris River, from Ribita to Mesteacan. It is the sign that the activity at the farm can go on and you can give a hand, as there are so many things to do.

Vegetables have to be pulled out and carried from the vegetable garden, fruit are waiting to be picked up and stored. Feeding the animals is a veritable show of movement and sounds: the bustle of the hens crowding around the handful of corn grains thrown in the front yard; the impatience full of squeaks coming from the pigsty; the calm waiting reigning in the cow stable where the sight of the hay placed in the manger brings about a gentle bellowing, while the calf still having milk drops on its muzzle comes into sight.

The last activity is chopping woods for the fire to be kindled in the upcoming evening, followed by making sticks for the bacon that will be carefully fried at the heat of embers. There will be laughter, maybe even singing, but also the deep silence of the silver night.