unearthing treasure

We were living in an old, rambling home with many bedrooms - a Queenslander, of sorts - perched on the edge of a hill with a view to sea. The backyard sloped down away from the house and flattened out, so as to create a natural sitting area. The yard was overgrown and bushes flanked the back fence - actually, it was a wall, a faded terracotta wall. We were down there, looking at the potential of our home and grounds, as though seeing them for the first time. A man was digging away at the earth, assessing it; taking a look to see how much work we had in front of us to create a lush vegetable garden. As he dug, he unearthed some terracotta and blue tiles. We realised that, buried under the earth, were the remains of an old Italian courtyard - the ideal site to restore and turn into a beautiful hillside outdoor cafe. We also realised we could rent out the many rooms of the house to create an income. I was excited to think of the changes in front of us, thrilled to uncover the existing possibilities. It was like discovering treasure already owned; we just had to open our eyes.