The MOST AMAZING thing happened when I was in Eureka Springs, AR.!

How I met Cathy & J.D. Harris AND scored a private tour of the Harris House Eureka Springs AR.

I honestly wonder how many people leave Eureka Springs thinking, “I have just had the most AMAZING experience!” My two day whirlwind house hunting trip was a roller coaster of emotions and overwhelming considerations. Ya’all know I have commitment issues, it only took me three years to decide to date MIGHTY. lol. Oh the anguish of coming to a long term decision!! Well, this started as a quick social media post and quickly turned into a blog. Here we go, a little story about how I met Cathy, J.D. AND scored a private tour of the Harris House In Eureka Springs.

My realtor Stephanie Dubois at All Seasons took me on one whirlwind of a ride.  At first John and I had our hearts set on a magical 32 acre property, then we added a close runner up with a golf course retirement community home with a stunning view and floor layout. So off to Eureka Springs I went to meet Stephanie in person and check out some homes. Somewhere in the middle of opening doors and entering houses, she and I landed here, at the infamous Harris House in Eureka Springs, AR. Did I say house, I meant their Creative Compound!

Skip a few months ahead to house hunting with Stephanie.

Now, I found this magical duo and their otherworldly compound about 4 months ago.  It was on the market for sale, for about 11 heart beats.  John and I had just decided to move to Eureka Springs. I instantly fell madly in love with it. It was way out of our price range but my brain was conjuring up all kinds of scenario’s to just be a part of it and just like that, it was off the market. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  All I could think was, I hope the property did not go to a developer.  I really hoped the owner’s had decided to hold onto it.

We had some time to kill between showings and I had asked her to put the Harris house on the list for a drive by.  I just wanted to see it in real time, to know that it actually existed.  To know that there were two people in this world that threw the norm to the wind and would embrace creativity so fully, so completely that it would be the biggest Eff Eww to mainstream public.

It was big, like compound “Whoville” big. Like giant sweeping waves on the ocean big.

There it was! We pulled into the drive, it was roped off so nobody could enter. We sat there and just marveled. It was big, like compound “Whoville” big. Like giant sweeping waves on the ocean big. Those rooftops!!  When I first found these people, I scoured the internet for anything on them and their amazing structures.  Photos of the insides of these structures were far and few in-between. I learned the husband and wife are a team of creatives and I could only imagine what the insides of these amazing buildings were like. What treasures must lay inside these wonky walls.

Faster than Barry Allen

That is about the time my realtor noticed the number on the fence. We looked at each other. I was shaking my head noooo, I really am shy people. Before I knew it, Stephanie was dialing. Cathy Harris picked up the phone ya’ll. My eyes probably looked like saucers as I gasped.  Some small chit chat and we were invited to raise the rope and proceed to the house portion of the buildings.  Faster than Barry Allen can turn into the Flash, I catapulted out of the car, lifted the rope, waved Stephanie in and blasted back to my shotgun seat!

We were up the hill and at the house in no time. Cathy warmly and with the most kindness invited us in to her home and gave us an in depth tour. I am pretty sure I was having creative seizures every 10 min. I am also sure I teared up at one point and had a mini melt down. Organic art makes me emotional, I can not lie.

I was having creative seizures every 10 min.

What she and her husband J.D. have done is really nothing short of… well, there really is no word for it. I refuse to use amazing. because the word just falls incredibly short for what they have accomplished. If I sat and wrote about every single thing that boggled my mind or sent goosebumps across my body, I would be here all day. I mean, every square foot has something noteworthy in it!  J.D. built a mechanical throne to lift his bride to the second floor, where her studio is located.  I mean amazing things like that, EVERYWHERE!! A recoiling staircase of beautiful metal work to the top floor. Magic!!

Just like a vortex, time stopped, imagination and what if’s became the single most significant reality. I don’t know if we were there 30 min, 1 hr, or 2 hours! Everything just became unimportant to me. Everything became about the present, sharing that space with Cathy Harris and the sparks of magic that stimulated my creative being. To me, that right there is heaven.

Alas, normal life reality rang!

Like church bells piercing a hangover on a Sunday morning, our next house appointment was nagging us back to the car.  With lead feet I headed to the door. The roaring fire in my creative heart, quickly fluttering to a low, almost snuffed out candle status. Bummer man. I turn to hug our gracious hostess and she is writing her number on a business card, come back and see us any time. Those sparkly, smiling blues eyes of her’s and a hug that conveyed, she meant what she said.  It was one of those hugs that I had just written about in my book.

Four months to manifestation!

Just like that, seeds of a new friendship are now peeking through the soil. Four months, who knew! I certainly didn’t! Just one more reminder to me to never doubt the universe and to follow my intuition. I am thrilled I had the wherewithal to accept Stephanie as my catalyst / realtor. I would never have seen the number, let alone called. Stephanie’s and my partnership pairing is a very strange story as well. A story best shared over a glass of wine or another blog. For right now, I have to get back to packing.  I gotta get my house sold so I can go nurture new friendships and let my creative loose on Eureka Springs.

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