tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72529959600577713302012-01-10T18:01:38.679-08:00share the adventure as we build our dreamThe Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-18134579788800784642012-01-10T13:33:00.000-08:002012-01-10T13:33:34.252-08:00

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The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-60549647409918970962011-11-12T17:16:00.000-08:002011-11-12T17:16:04.139-08:00

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The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-70280304849081606822011-11-08T16:15:00.000-08:002011-11-08T16:15:40.522-08:00

   And four days later, one of the same views only with snow!

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-44857195709673982162011-11-08T16:12:00.000-08:002011-11-08T16:12:22.575-08:00

  Here are a couple shots showing the beautiful golden tamarack trees on the mountainsides. It is simply gorgeous here in autumn!

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-74276516146970815092011-11-08T16:08:00.000-08:002011-11-08T16:08:42.762-08:00

   Yes, we're still here! Sheesh, it's been one crazy summer I never want to repeat. Long and sad and lonely, yet at the same time peaceful and healing, too. What many of you do not know is that I spent from May until the end of October up here, in the travel trailer, with the dogs and cat and cattle, by myself 75% of the time. Tom was traveling back and forth every weekend to work on the coast.

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-19843595245381399752011-07-19T15:44:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:45:31.139-07:00

  Here it is, our borrowed TS -

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-35675317732842049362011-07-12T10:59:00.000-07:002011-07-12T11:05:43.395-07:00

  No washer/dryer in the travel trailer meant I had to figure out a system to do our laundry. And hauling it into the laundromat every week was not an option. Been there, done that. This is what I came up with: 18 gallon plastic buckets, a hand washer, and a 3-bucket wringer system; plus a clothes line with pulley and wood clothes pins.   I also use Bio-Kleen laundry soap since I know it is

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-11675423068269382552011-07-12T10:32:00.000-07:002011-07-12T10:35:17.303-07:00

  Tom and our nephew C. made the Big Cattle Drive back to Missouri and Arkansas to collect our started herd of six American Milking Devon cattle in May. What a ride!!! You'll have to read about that adventure on our Ranch blog, when I can actually get Tom to write it down.   Five days after their arrival, one of the two pregnant heifers went into labor. She delivered a stillborn calf.

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-44595001263402060422011-07-12T10:17:00.000-07:002011-07-12T11:00:55.894-07:00

  Well, what a spring it's been! Updates have been nil due to my not having a computer. But it doesn't mean I haven't been writing. I actually keep a notebook nearby to jot down all future posts.   ;)   I have access to my pc for a few days so am making sure to update all of our blogs (see below for a list). Thank you for your patience!   For the most part things have been going well in our

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-10535039497097464102011-04-13T08:10:00.001-07:002011-04-13T08:11:37.157-07:00

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-67904317587760169572011-04-12T08:36:00.000-07:002011-04-12T08:36:47.255-07:00

  We just got back from an all-too-quick-trip out to Republic last weekend. Tom had work in Spokane, being that close we figured might as well take the opportunity to go check out the trailer site situation in advance. Looks all in order.   ;)   This was the earliest in spring we'd been out there. Not too much in bloom or budding out yet, but pretty much all the snow is gone, except for spots of

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-73434855682998332442011-04-06T11:21:00.000-07:002011-04-06T11:22:21.780-07:00

     The following is a press release from a guy who is inspiring people everywhere to live more simple and sustainable lives they build with their own hands. A version of his tiny cabin is what we plan to build ourselves! For anyone interested, his book is chock-a-block full of incredible ideas easily implemented. We highly recommend it!   "LaMar Alexander is a long time homesteader and author

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-39539061292268142982011-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:002011-04-12T08:23:06.709-07:00

  Officially it is Spring now! And the clocks have been re-set ahead one hour (at least folks living in the states that practice maddening daylight savings time [I wish ours didn't] ). The trees and shrubs in western Washington are in bud and bloom, even the native species. Yes, we're having a bit of an early spring this year after a very mild winter. It won't be long before the lilacs are in

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-14213019961352593952011-03-09T11:42:00.000-08:002011-03-09T13:17:22.044-08:00

  Many times we are asked what we feed our dogs and cat. Simply stated, we feed a Species Appropriate Raw Food diet (SARF). We first heard about it just prior to getting our first English Shepherd puppy, Eoin. When he started having digestive issues, and changing commercial feed wasn't helping these, we decide to make the leap into raw. We have been thrilled with the glowing health of our pets

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-1939568632286401372011-01-26T18:36:00.000-08:002011-03-09T12:05:43.103-08:00

  I have been invited to share about our plans to go off-grid as well as natural animal care on the Animal Talk... Naturally live radio show! The date is Wednesday February 2nd at 12:30 MT. Here is the link for the show- http://www.blogtalkradio.com/animaltalknaturally/2011/02/02/going-off-the-grid--show-349   To listen in just be there! To participate in the chat and ask questions for me to

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-4310970158388499232011-01-22T07:03:00.000-08:002011-01-22T07:03:05.420-08:00

  During this rather slow time of waiting for something interesting to happen to blog about, the thought occured to me "Why not ask our Readers what they would like to read from us?"   So, Readers, what interests you? You may either vote in the poll on the right, and/or add a comment.   We look forward to hearing from you!

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-11866770312714048422011-01-22T06:47:00.000-08:002011-01-22T06:47:27.291-08:00

    The house has been on the market for one month now. It's been shown a few times and one caravan open house was held. No bites yet. Except me biting my own nails. We lowered the price a bit. Our realtor said it was a good time to do this while it is still a fairly new listing. And she also feels positive about it selling within our hoped-for time frame of moving in March or April. From her

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-77587978588223172042010-12-23T08:37:00.000-08:002010-12-23T08:41:51.741-08:00

  Months spent purging, de-cluttering, organizing, packing away persoanl items, fretting, planning, projects. And then three grueling days deep cleaning, more projects, more de-cluttering, more organizing.   Finally, our city house is on the market... For Sale!!!!!   We couldn't have done it without the help of our daughter and a friend! Is the work finished? By no means. There are still small

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-23653082558138152372010-09-12T08:01:00.000-07:002010-09-12T12:12:32.370-07:00

  But you already guessed that! A little bit of this and and a little bit of that, but nothing much. Not much in the way of our relocation, sad to say.    Tom did got a large chunk of the front yard overhaul done over Labor Day weekend. And then our pick up broke down. Poor Tatanka. Something with the transmissions second gear band fork breaking. What significance is this? Well, we are trying

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-52368346602502972022010-05-20T11:19:00.000-07:002010-05-30T19:14:19.606-07:00

  Spring is here... that means it's time for Tom to stake out the driveway up to the South Meadow building site. Aw shucks, another Road Trip is called for.  :)  I was going to stay home with Greer to look after the other pets while Tom took Eoin, but the desire to be in Republic and on the land again was too overwhelming... I could fight it off no more! Plus, we finally found just the right 4-

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-3530586937706529122010-05-20T09:31:00.000-07:002010-05-20T09:31:25.571-07:00

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-52154586690183908912010-04-05T11:36:00.000-07:002010-04-05T11:36:47.683-07:00

  Besides the buttercups, daffodils, and crocus, that is! Spring is upon us, the lilacs will open soon, too. With spring comes the typical seasonal clearing out. For us this year it also involves going through cupboards, drawers, closets, boxes (yup, still have boxes unpacked from the last move) all in an effort to organize, de-clutter, and get ready for listing the house for sale. And the yard

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-46271573231376868402010-01-12T15:57:00.000-08:002010-01-12T15:57:07.854-08:00

    Well, folks, we've come to a rather large change of plans in our journey. Recently, we met with a realtor. As you know, the real estate market isn't exactly the greatest. It's not the best time to sell a house. But, we gotta do what we gotta do!     Part of the problem is that the market is flooded with bank-owned houses or owners doing a short sale (selling for sometimes even less than

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-49511052405111039142009-12-30T11:16:00.000-08:002009-12-30T11:16:38.770-08:00

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-28744812962002723032009-10-30T11:17:00.000-07:002009-10-30T11:17:29.727-07:00

Dream: The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but who is without a dream. - Harry Kemp Gratitude: There are two ways to live life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-76056805747255040272009-10-25T15:54:00.000-07:002011-03-09T12:06:22.531-08:00

I first heard this song performed by Michael Martin Murphy many years ago. It rang true for me even then as a young single woman. Now, side by side with my beloved Tommy, it has become another of "our songs". In the chorus, just replace "log house" with 'straw house' and it suits us to a T.   ;) Vanishing Breed by Michael Martin Murphy/David Hoffner We're both the kind who can find peace of

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-66131193785910245832009-10-13T15:22:00.000-07:002009-10-13T15:22:50.359-07:00

More photos Tom took while he and Eoin were on their last hike together. ~ Aspens on NE property line, looking Sotuh ~ ~ North Meadow at sunset ~ ~ North Meadow, looking north ~ ~ South Meadow peeking through the trees ~ ~ Woods in spring draw ~ ~ Woods, looking ne ~ ~ Woods, looking nw ~

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-21155449481086831132009-10-01T15:14:00.000-07:002009-10-01T15:14:50.706-07:00

You may have to strain a little to see the stakes, um scavenged sticks, in the photos. Do look in the background for a peek at some of the views we'll have. These are the corners of our house- ~ southwest to northwest corner, kitchen and living room along this side ~ ~ northwest to southwest, opposite of above ~ ~ southeast to southwest, bedroom and living room ~ ~ southeast to northeast

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-91582568530491553002009-10-01T14:55:00.000-07:002009-10-01T14:56:02.162-07:00

~ yes, that is a rock Greer's tossing and playing with ~  ~ our Lass & Lad ~ ~ one tired puppy! ~

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-262720513002573582009-10-01T14:46:00.000-07:002009-10-02T09:02:17.590-07:00

Monday, September 21: There's nothing quite like a new day full of promise! Refreshed and feeling positive, unlike the day before, all we had to do was load the dogs and crates, ice chest with cold/frozen food, and ourselves. Grande Mocha in the cup holders, muffins in hand, and it's East for us! The weeks forecast predicts perfect camping weather- 80's for high, dry, clear, 40's for low. Ten

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-78032745001039273032009-09-29T14:47:00.000-07:002011-03-09T12:09:15.881-08:00

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-30812975976037928692009-09-29T12:30:00.000-07:002009-10-01T21:15:20.406-07:00

In reality, though, it will be one to live on in our memories vividly. Just to set up the scenario- our car has had some sort of hard-to-diagnose mechanical issue, it'll just up and quit on us. Tom thought he had finally figured out the trouble. It ran great for two days, so naturally we thought it would be fine for our road trip. Sunday, September 20: Good grief, primitive camping sure requires

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-52957443038260046312009-09-15T12:31:00.000-07:002009-09-15T12:33:16.941-07:00

On Tom's trip last month, he befriended a neighbor (Stewart) who just so happens to love riding horseback all over the valley, and taking lots of pics. I thought I snap a lot of shots! Stewart then compiled some of the images of our land into a web page just for us. Thanks a million! Click here. You'll also notice at the bottom of the page, links to his other webpages containing tons of

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-92219638967228476372009-09-14T12:04:00.000-07:002009-09-20T06:47:47.051-07:00

Saturday August 22nd, Tom drove off into the rising sun to check out the lay of the land for a driveway. I stayed behind, again, with the critters. That's okay, my time is coming... and soon! He's pretty sure he found a route to put in an all-season driveway to the building site (or what we think will be the building site, but won't be 100% certain until meeting with Kelly next week.) Tom is a

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-46195865134689290392009-09-12T16:59:00.000-07:002009-09-12T17:10:56.352-07:00

We are getting ready to go for our camping trip to the land. It'll be the first time I have personally stepped foot on it, but together also the first. Gathering supplies, washing the old camp kitchen, refreshing batteries in lights, planning the menu, thinking about activities for the week. Yeah, yeah, you know me, the Organizer; what can I say. ::shrug:: Wow, a whole week in Republic. On our

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-2993201424476647222009-08-22T10:53:00.000-07:002009-08-22T11:02:49.066-07:00

It's high time I show you us, Tom and Krystal, a.k.a. Tommy & KLee. I find it helpful to have faces to put with names. Granted, this photo was taken almost 5 years ago. We are much more gray-headed now, my hair is longer (a return to how I've worn it all my life), but we also look pretty much the same. Ask anyone! ;)

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-21548597038352122922009-08-20T10:49:00.000-07:002011-03-09T12:08:50.265-08:00

... Off the Grid... terms heard and read frequently these days. What is a grid? What does living off-grid mean? And why do it in the first place? Living off-grid is by no means new, even though it is fairly new in the consciousness of most since being popularized by television and celebrities. Think about the settlers of this land, Native tribes, and numerous other peoples around the globe; none

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-73929983903170271412009-08-14T15:43:00.000-07:002009-08-14T17:23:36.254-07:00

Ferry County requires anyone building a home with alternative methods, like our choice of strawbale, to have the plans submitted for a building permit to be drawn and wet-stamped (signed) by an architect. Further, this architect has to be licensed in the state of Washington. Last but not least, it is much preferred he/she have experience with strawbale. They certainly don't make it easy for a

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-57398370864095369732009-08-14T15:41:00.000-07:002009-08-14T16:10:30.995-07:00

Straw bale construction lends itself well to an owner builder project. Some of the applications well suited for straw bale include: a cottage, office, garage, studio, and an art barn. You don’t have to limit yourself to these smaller projects. Thousands of people have successfully built their own straw bale house. As a world leader in straw bale education we want to help you every step of the way

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-37387463200378152852009-07-24T11:42:00.000-07:002009-07-25T07:04:40.282-07:00

I've been wanting to make freezer jam for a few years now. Between forgetting about it and feeling a lack of confidence (although unwarranted according to expert freezer jam-makers), I've just never learned. Until yesterday, that is!Thanks to my sister, one of the aforementioned experts, I was encouraged and assisted to take the plunge! We went together to purchase half flats of fresh

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-85547320402307249512009-07-24T11:28:00.001-07:002009-07-25T06:56:52.016-07:00

Here is what the Sunset Western Garden book has to say about the climate zone in which our land is located:" Zone 1A: Coldest mountain an intermountain areas Marked by a short growing season and relatively mild summer temperatures, zone 1A includes the coldest regions west of the Rockies, and a few patches of cold country east of the Great Divide. The mild days and chilly

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-21425798930958905432009-07-24T11:09:00.000-07:002009-07-26T17:23:04.481-07:00

July 23rd, 2009 is an auspicious day in our family's history... We are now the proud stewards of 40 prime acres in Ferry County, Washington!!! Everything was signed, notarized, paid and recorded as of yesterday. In a jumble of tears and laughter with butterflies fluttering in my stomach, I relayed the telephone conversation to Tom. Can't believe he could understand a single word uttered! Then it

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-65640181392328238572009-07-19T07:58:00.000-07:002009-07-24T12:13:07.005-07:00

I came across this article today and thought it was outstanding! Here is an excerpt, to your health:In Depth: The Healthiest Foods On Earth"What is the best diet for human beings? Vegetarian? Vegan? High-protein? Low-fat? Dairy-Free? Hold on to your shopping carts: There is no perfect diet for human beings. At least not one that's based on how much protein, fat or carbohydrates you eat.People

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-12513334968122670242009-07-01T11:03:00.001-07:002009-07-01T13:44:26.701-07:00

It's only fair since Eoin and Greer have been formally introduced on our Blog, that I also introduce my darling kitty, Chanel. She is the sweetest, most playful, softest (everybody says so), prettiest kitty in the whole wide world! But I'm partial. Isn't her 'painted' face gorgeous? And those big green eyes. Well, I could look at her all day!

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-82183070255437730612009-07-01T10:32:00.000-07:002009-07-01T13:43:47.702-07:00

...... a puppy!!! You read that right... a puppy... 9 weeks old, just a baby. Another English Shepherd, she is what's called a Tri-color- black, white and tan markings. We collected her in Seattle on Sunday, so we are quite an active household these days. I feel a bit sleep-deprived as I'm crate/potty training her at night- listening for whining, taking her out 1 or 2 times per night, hoping she

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-85134829419810868932009-06-05T14:55:00.000-07:002009-07-01T10:56:31.913-07:00

This is our English Shepherd, Earth Angel's Eoin. Isn't he gorgeous?! I just love looking into his intelligent, amber-colored eyes as he cocks his adorable fuzzy head, freckled-face, floppy-ears to the side while I talk to him. Love, love, love!You can read all about the breed, and yes, see lots of pics of Eoin, at our website- Highland English Shepherds.

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-81875249150367838012009-06-04T11:26:00.001-07:002009-06-04T11:33:49.529-07:00

Above is a map of our little Republic, WA.Below is a map with details of Ferry County:This is a map of Ferry County's location within Washington state, so you'll know just how to find us:

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-2878343456626557892009-06-03T10:00:00.000-07:002009-06-06T16:05:25.703-07:00

Our first glimpse of Republic was filled with emotion- joy to finally be there after so many months of planning, pleasure to see it nestled in the mountains, excitement to see our future home town, peace & calm as we easily fell in step with the slower pace of life. Republic is brimming with small town charm! It is both county seat and the largest town in Ferry County, with an approximate

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-73216193102888262812009-06-02T19:39:00.000-07:002009-06-05T16:14:13.431-07:00

Come Tuesday morning, May 19, Dan the WSU Extension agent, called to tell us a lady just contacted him about land she would like to sell. What are the odds of that kind of coincidence? At that point we were pretty clear about making an offer on the Tucker parcel. For some reason though, we had a dull, nagging doubt about whether there it would fill our needs adequately. Two days after Dan's call,

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-27447123344249832472009-06-02T18:54:00.000-07:002009-07-24T12:06:41.957-07:00

I have been terribly remiss in sharing the details of our most recent road trip for all our dear family and friends. There are valid reasons, but no excuses! Without further ado...Friday, May 15:We set out on a lovely, clear morning with tools, back pack and list of 8 potential properties to visit in hand. The long awaited land scouting trip destination- Republic, WA in Ferry County. I didn't

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-67909643575859117842009-05-11T10:21:00.000-07:002009-05-11T11:26:46.846-07:00

Only four days until we head out on our trip to look at land! After so many months of searching listings, comparing Google Earth and on-line topographical maps, and accessing all information on each property we could possibly find, it's almost hard to believe we are now at this stage. We are, oh, so ready!!!We bought a sturdy day-pack from L.L. Bean and filled it with the following: digital

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-30242024878647962802009-04-21T11:07:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:50:40.374-07:00

Our new (to us) Waterford Stanley cookstove is the first tangible piece for our soon-to-be new home, and the very heart of that home- heat, food prep, hot water. Our dream is taking on a different shape and feeling... reality... we can feel it. I can't begin to describe the excitement!The story behind the stove- Michel Froment purchased the stove 30 years ago for his small starter house. Since

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-4546453361509205682009-04-21T10:17:00.000-07:002009-07-25T07:04:02.857-07:00

April 18, 2009 dawns clear and bright with the promise of a warm spring day as Tom and I begin what is the first of several road trips surrounding our Journey Into The Country. Traveling north on SR 101 towards Port Angeles to catch the 8:20 a.m. ferry to Victoria, B.C., the early morning sky gently comes to light while the forest walls give way to the blue water of the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-79100930398724202272009-04-06T13:43:00.000-07:002009-04-06T18:18:07.013-07:00

Many of you know we were in Maui last week. It was fantastic!!! Our traveling party consisted of many in the Beers clan- Dad Frank, brother Gary with wife, Kristi, and their children- Daniel, Caleb and Tatiana. A truly memorable week for company, scenery and awesome fish dishes. Here is a link to some of the Maui Highlights by photograph. Enjoy!We like to get off the beaten path, tap into the

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-45449396971321877802009-03-12T09:44:00.000-07:002009-03-12T09:57:53.140-07:00

I just made butter! Yep, real butter from raw Jersey cream. I've been wanting to try it for ever so long, but one reason or another, or intimidation, prevented me. Well, Monday I got a delivery of fresh milk and this morning it was either shake the cream back into the milk, or skim it and give it a go. You can guess which I chose!I skimmed the luscious cream into a quart size jar, screwed the lid

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-3402133596709098762009-03-11T15:09:00.001-07:002009-07-24T12:15:16.976-07:00

This really is an interesting process, searching for land. Never having done this, or been close to anyone who did, we had no way of knowing exactly what all was involved. Just one more reason I started this Blog, to help others researching the idea themselves! ;)Each week our preferences become more precise and the search is thus refined. We began searching the listings in a four county range.

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-10509762355379862012009-03-05T13:34:00.000-08:002009-07-24T12:09:57.192-07:00

To laugh is- to risk appearing the fool.To weep is- to risk appearing sentimental.To reach out for another is- to risk involvement.To expose feelings is- to risk exposing your true self.To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is- to risk their loss.To love is- to risk not being loved in return.To live is- to risk dying.To hope is- to risk despair.To try is- to risk failure.But risks

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-38444649722368008812009-03-03T11:42:00.000-08:002009-07-24T12:28:22.016-07:00

Yesterday was certainly one for the Blog! I spent a few hours on the telephone with two Realtors trying to find detailed information on properties that passed the first cut. The first lady, although helpful with a good sense of humor ("Cheers to the Beers"), didn't have an agent close enough to the preferred property locations for our liking.I moved on to a Windermere office recommended by a new

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-82742341473307258812009-02-28T10:08:00.000-08:002009-03-05T13:34:51.045-08:00

Perhaps you are wondering what, why, how, the initial thought of moving to the country came into our consciousness in the first place. It didn't happen over night, I can tell you that! It's been a gradual, lifelong development, with small steps taken along the way toward the place we find ourselves now, yet without realizing what was happening.For myself, Krystal, it all began quite young. I

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-810695337902767102009-02-28T09:10:00.000-08:002009-07-24T12:26:39.039-07:00

We have a long wish list of features for our future property! I've been told it's probably a bit unrealistic to think one parcel will have everything we want. Okay, first reality check. In view of that possibility, the desired features are now prioritized, as follows:~ water- creek frontage, or spring (developed or not), or a well in place (drilled or dug).~ not too steep- we have livestock

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7252995960057771330.post-81062521623217162062009-02-28T08:38:00.000-08:002009-07-24T12:11:32.453-07:00

"Is it really possible for us to live in the country on a small retirement income?"The question was thus raised. How, I forgot, but we couldn't get it out of our minds nonetheless. Uncontrollably, we were therefore launched into exploration, research, soul-searching. Five months long. Is it? The answer... an unqualified, YES!So begins our incredible journey into buying rural, raw land in

The Beershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267103474243391393noreply@blogger.com1