June 1

The first of June.

I have a few things I’m starting – things I set as a June 1 start date. So, June 1 is seeming like a kind of clean slate date to me.

And just like September 1 feels like Fall … although official Fall usually starts September 21…. June 1 seems like Summer even if it is not official until June 21.

So.

When I bought my current house…on the road home…I had the thought that when I was 62-65ish, the property would be worth enough to either do a reverse mortgage or sell and move somewhere less “found”.

And then I did some things: Florida, return, married, divorced.

And Karl was ill and died.

Bear.

Bob.

Auggie.

And here we are.

Along the way, I’ve been collecting “small/tiny” house plans.

My house is certainly not large at 1200 square feet but the fact is, when I measure what I really use, I come in about 750 square feet and much of that is middle space air.

I’ve often said, as I left on a motorhome trip, I would be obliged to the Universe if trees fell on the house and then I would take the insurance money and build a little cabin near where the motorhome now sits and use the house foundation slab for a motorhome garage.

It would be my little dream home. Little. I had visions of a square house with a wrap around porch.

Meanwhile, I’m still collecting small house plans and looking at small spaces. And since I’ve lived in the motorhome (330 square feet when parked with slides out) for 7 months and 3 months and been happy in that space, I had some knowledge that I do not NEED a lot of space. And I do not NEED a lot of stuff. In fact, I am most happy with not very much stuff.

Off and on, I’d run numbers and think about selling. I had the house listed for a year from April 2011 until 2012…not a great time for real estate.

Then the construction next to me.

Not the whole reason at all, but it was a bit of a nudge to REALLY think.

And I did.

And last Friday, I had a bit of an epiphany. As a 1 human household, albeit a human used to making all kinds of solo decisions…sometimes things roll around and become convoluted and hard to sort out. For whatever reason, it occurred to me to ask myself: “If I won the lottery and could do all I wanted on this property…would I do it and stay ??? ” And the answer was “No”.

It is not that this is a bad place by any means…not at all – it is a beautiful place! But it is not my current “dream” and life is short.

As I watched the potential neighbors drilling their well and thought about this family building what I assume is THEIR dream house…it made me think about my dream house. And what am I waiting for.

So.

I’ve slept on the decision and told a few and am feeling good and excited. I am aware that just like in 2011, it might not happen. I will not give this place away, so all depends on if there is a person(s) who wants this spot for what I’m willing to give it up.

We’ll see what the Universe has in mind.

Meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy my little house in the woods on the road home…even with the yellow jackets and the construction. Life is too very short not to enjoy all of the good things that are right now even in the midst of pursuing dreams.

*** Here are a few of my favorite small places:

392 foot Escape Cabin The photos are high end materials which might not be in my future, but the floor plan with moderation in material – beautiful.

L shaped Cabin Now…not these materials either, but the floor plan and elevations…on the right property – PERFECT!

By a Summers, for a Summers and near my folks??? …Oh Boy.

Week wrap up

The yellow jackets…

I keep emptying…

And refreshing the traps.

Although, today, Friday…a warm (72F) and sunny day…the activity seemed not quite as hectic around the house. Good news ??? I don’t know. It may mean that remaining queens are nesting.

A worry for another day.

Tuesday morning, it looked like the above.

Bear, Auggie and I have been enjoying quiet mornings as I had info that this was to come to an end.

Someone(s) purchased one of the lots on the loop. The build area was surveyed and marked last Fall. I hoped against hope that I was wrong.

But not.

Water well drilling equipment moved onto the property mid-morning Tuesday.

RATS!

We will focus on this and think on what we shall do.

Lily of the Valley: Continuity

Happy Happy Birthday to my Mama this day!

And it is a bit fitting that this day, there is a strong breeze from the southwest.

A breeze that is bringing the scent of Lily of the Valley into the house.

Fitting because my Mama’s Mama had a Lily of the Valley patch on the path to her back door – the door we used. The scent of Lily of the Valley takes me back to that house, to that path and to my Grandma Ruthie…my Mama’s Mama.

Grandma Ruthie’s birthday is also in May: May 5. I thought of her that day when the Lily of the Valley were just sticking up their heads.

But, today…on my Mama’s birthday, they are in full bloom and full scent.

Continuity.

Lily of the Valley.

The good, the bad, the ugly, the cute and the “not today”!

We’ve been having our typical mid to late May pseudo Summer.

Bear and I walked on the road which is a continuation of the Road Home – across the highway.

70 something, breezy, beautiful…

To the northwest, Big Mountain ski runs.

To the West-Southwest, Blacktail mountain ski runs.

We have been walking away from home, because of the bad and ugly…

Not to worry, this particular bad and ugly is trapped between the window and the screen. But it is bad because it WAS in the house.

Just 1 of 5 trapping venues in the yard.

The traps are getting about 100 yellow jackets each day. It is a bit horrifying.

Before today, except for the 2 early emergents in April, I have not had any in the house. But today: 5!

I’ve been keeping Auggie in except for early morning and early evening and a midafternoon time when things seem quiet. He’s doing fairly well with the plan but is not 100% happy.

We might run away from home!

Bear, Auggie and I went out briefly about 3:00. There seemed to be a lull in activity. The photo above is Auggie mid dirt bath. That’s the cute!

This is the “not today”. I succumbed. I’m not sure it was a good idea, but it is here. I have no intention of running it around the yard, though – not with the buzzy-flying-stinging things out there also!

No, not today!

Sunday catch up

Sunday morning sunshine on the front porch…

Waning gibbous hanging over the yard…

Auggie being Auggie!!

At least he can get down by himself now.

What??

The live mint being LIVE. The thing is growing and looking for light and smelling wonderful and it is just a joy to see in the window. I crush a few leaves in my mid-morning tea and have a recipe for a mint pea spread that I will make soon. It seems to be sending new shoots so hopefully, I can harvest and grow and etc.

The Bear boy.

See that pink (shaved) belly ? All is well, but we had 2 vet appointments this week which is why the dearth of blog posts…and you, know the work to pay the bills thing also.

On Wednesday – which was also the 3 year anniversary of the day Bear came to me – we went for some vaccinations and I had some questions about some things I’d noticed recently. We ended up doing a Senior Package: full blood work, other fluid/solid testing, EKG even. The clinic has a new package which makes it reasonable to do EVERYTHING. Bottom line there were 2 blood thingies that were 10X normal and kind of sort of explained what I’d noticed.

We went back on Friday for an Ultrasound which turned up a fairly benign condition, treatable with medication and Bear was noticeably better within 24 hours. We are on the med for 3 weeks and then a blood recheck. Dr. Clark AND 2 vet techs including dear friend Janine – allowed me to be there for the ultrasound. It was good to be with Bear who had to be on his back in a cradle contraption, held by the techs and me…have his belly shaved, the cold gel and then 1/2 hour of the ultrasound gadget going to and fro. He did wonderfully. It was nice that I could be there as Dr. Clark was highlighting things, notating, telling us what he was seeing…to me an ultrasound just looks like the ocean…as in “IN” the ocean. Anyway, it was a relief that it seems minor and also that Bear is feeling better so soon.

And at least his stomach is cool. He is doing the major shedding routine that northern breed dogs do this time of year. That coat that is good to -25 is thinning out for the summer.