Portrait of Love: Buzz, grandson Isaac, and Karin
My life in this fine old farmhouse began several years ago, my arrival another chapter in its long history. I am not the first, nor will I be last to be sheltered by its walls or comforted by its presence.
The first time I entered The Peach Palace, I was greeted by a door plaque that spoke volumes about the couple who placed it there: ENTREE DES ARTISTES. Even before I knew Buzz and Karin, their presence in the house was felt, their love palpable, their family life rich.
A lot can be wrong with a 100-year-old farmhouse, but a lot can be right, too. Their simple Victorian glowed with a patina of joy. Every room felt like a treasure box of memories, every window shared light as drawn from the outdoors and as illuminated from within. I was smitten, first with the house and then with the family who brought it to life.
On November 16, Buzz Brusletten passed away peacefully at his home, following a period of declining health. We will missed him terribly, his gentle soul, his passion for music, his quiet humor, and his kind nature.
I’m grateful to have the gift of living in a place where his memory lingers. The trellises he built will still welcome summer vines. The bathhouse will still echo the hours of music lessons learned there. The painting he gave me will always brighten my walls and honor my orchard. His afternoons of reading by the fireplace will be re-called when I sit down to read and warm my feet, and the trees he planted will still call for my rake when the time is right.
And perhaps most telling of all, is now when I walk through the door that announces ENTREE DES ARTISTES, I will recall one artist who never really left.
Buzz painted a future day for my young peach trees, a harvest as bountiful as his spirit.
This is a truly lovely post. I found your website through Sophies Foodie Files…what a beautiful home and lovely orchards, gardens you have. I am a newbie gardener, learning as I go, so really appreciate your blog, thanks, Ina
What a heartfelt and soulful post. Thank you for sharing.
What a lovely tribute to your dear friend!
Thanks for sharing, my friend!
Tom,
thank you for the lovely story on Buzz
I have had the chance to meet him and now to know a little more that is very sweet.
he did love music, and art, one of the tribe here on the island.
lovely
My sweet memory after one of Luke’s clarinet lessons in the bath house – “so what were you and Buzz playing today Luke?”…..”Mother we don’t just play music, Buzz talks to me – he talks about the composer, their history, what the piece means….”….mother’s ask silly questions for sure. Buzz a beloved music teacher knew what to talk about in a very quiet meaningful way.
It’s nice to know your home has been a place filled with joy for so many years. 🙂
Tom, I’m sorry for the loss of your dear friend Buzz. A very beautiful tribute, and how wonderful to have such a personal and lasting connection to him in the history of your home.
hi tom !
the peaches will have a good taste of remembrance when you eat them (not sure about my english here…!)
And thanks for your nice comment on my foodblog ! when I was in the US I loved Seattle !!
See you soon !!
Cheers de Snowy Paris
Pierre
oh – is weeping silently at work with a mixture of sadness and joy an appropriate response? what the heck – here I am dabbing at tears…. Thank you –
An artist’s soul is forever present…
Lovely
What an eloquent tribute to your friend, not just this post but the way you carry on the tradition of joy in a home he too loved. I’m sorry for your loss, Tom.
What a wonderful legacy Buzz left in your care. Beautifully written Tom.
Looking at him, one could tell he was a kind and serene person, loving too. That painting he did of the peach trees has a lot of poetry in it and I am glad you have his work to remember him by.