Wood!!

My wood guy, Norm, delivered 4 cords of wood tonight. I was able to stack 2 cords on my porch, close to the door for ease of handling on those bitter cold days. I'm estimating 10 cords for the entire winter, so this load will get me started.

On Thursday, Sean & I are installing the chimney with my hope to fire up the wood stove on Friday and sleep there this weekend!

Packing boxes is tiring work....I'm taking a catnap!

So I'm packing boxes tonight. Since I haven't moved in a while (three years), my cat Kokatat is new to the experience and having fun playing in the boxes. I may have to keep one just for her :)

House Closing :)

I close on my new house tomorrow at 1pm...wahoo!! :)

Weatherproofing, Wood Stove and Generator

Today I spent a few hours weatherproofing the porch with 4mil visquine. It already feels cozier in the cottage, even without the stove fired up :)

Speaking of stoves: My parents generously donated their old wood stove and generator. The woodstove is a Vermont Casting Dutchwest, Model 2460. It was bought new in 1995 when my folks moved to the U.P. and used the stove for 7 years before upgrading to a larger model. This stove then spent 3 years in my Dad's garage and still has many more years of good use! I'm looking forward to installing the chimney this week with my neighbor Sean. Can hardly wait to fire it up! The first 3 cords of wood is being delivered on Thursday by my "wood guy", Norm. I have a wood guy, how cool is that? :)

The generator is a Coleman 4000 watt and is about 20 years old or so. Dad used it up at deer camp for many years and served as their first stand by generator for their house. This work-horse has many more hours/years left in it and will allow me to use my table saw and other power tools for building projects.

My Dad also gave me his old deep-cycle 27DC marine battery from his boat. I plan to swap it out in combination with another marine battery. Using these batteries with an inverter I'll have more than enough juice for laptop, cell phone and one lamp use. Although generators are good for providing lots of power, the electricity is "dirty". Hence the need for an inverter for "clean" electricity. My summer project includes installing a solar/wind power generated power system; but to start out, I'll soon be putting up a 45 watt solar panel that will charge my batteries. This small power system should more than get me through the winter.

Things are falling into place! :)

New Mailbox

Today I dug/set a post for my new mail box (before the ground freezes), bought new door lock, but won't move anything into the cottage until I take possession after closing on the house next Mon, Nov 29….yeah!

Howdy Neighbor!

I've met three of my neighbors. One of them, Sean, is a carpenter. I'd like to hire him to help me install a air-tight wood stove. Sean also raises chickens and other birds including peacocks, finches, cockatiels, parrots, etc. He's an interesting fellow with a kind spirit...and Marilyn vouched for his character and skill as a carpenter.

Sean’s fencing is on part of my property as well as part of his and another neighbor…the field is open, sunny and very sandy. Sean and I tentatively talked about fortifying the soil with compost and his bird manure. And then converting that fenced area to a community garden of sorts. It’d be a perfect location with the sun exposure. It was fun talking with someone of similar vision and passion. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of my neighbors! Marilyn said that every summer until most recently, there was a community potluck. Sounds like a grand time! :)

Being Led

The current owner (Marilyn) came up today and we spent a few hours together walking the property and talking. Before we walked the property, she fired up the sauna stove. By the time we came back about 30 minutes later, it was 110 degrees and the water was steaming!! Saweeeeeeeeeeeet!

Marilyn shared with me her history of the cottage (she's had it for 14 years)...including the east part of the loft which she had built about 10 years ago. Since the east part of the loft is taller than the west part of the loft and contained the bedroom, it was named "The Tower of Love"! :)

I learned that the totem pole was a summer project in 2001. Many of Marilyn's nephews and summer visitors worked on it all summer long. As it laid horizontally between saw horses people would carve and paint it. The main beam is from a barn and it is set 3' in the ground with cement. She pointed to each totem icon and described significance and who did it.  The three red-dressed Kokopellis are from a “Red Dress Race” that they did three years in a row up here over 4th of July….fun stuff!! She still does the race, but now down state.

She explained each totem except the Phoenix...so I asked her about it. Perplexed, she asked, "What phoenix?" I pointed and said, "This one?" She furrowed her eyebrows together and said, "I don't recall anyone doing that one!" We both looked at each other and realized how truly mysteriously sublime. When I explained to her the significance of the phoenix as my primary totem, we both looked each other in quiet amazement. And then we both smiled. It seemed so obvious! I told her I found it interesting that only 3 of the four sides of the totem were carved/painted...it's like they left room for me to carve/paint my totem animals as a contribution to the totem. Cool stuff…

She shared so many stories with me in the few hours we had together: Her one brother built the sauna, harvesting white cedar from the U.P. Another brother welded the stove with a door from another stove with “Apostle Isle” on it. I didn’t even notice until she pointed it out! She said she’s always wanted to kayak there. When my firiend Mickey piped up that I’m a “big time kayaker”, Marilyn's eyes lit up! I told her if she’s up for it, we can plan a kayaking trip. It was cool! Like catching up with an old friend or family!

Back in the day, Marilyn said there were SO many beavers they had to fend them off from chewing down all the trees in the area. She pointed out the remains of the beaver lodge. She said they may still be around. I’ll keep an eye out for them. She said there are lots of coyotes, as well as she’s seen bobcat, lots of turtles come out of the lake and lay their eggs on one part of my property! She said that her nephews are convinced there is a UFO landing pad on one of the ridges because they always saw lights bouncing up and down the hills at night. She said that part of the ridge is good mountain biking, so it was probably someone riding at night, lol!

Later, as we all sat around the campfire ring talking, Marilyn leaned forward and said how thankful she is that I am buying "The Camp" instead of a hunter or someone who won't appreciate the place. I nodded and told her equally, I'm glad that she is the one selling the place, someone who has shared part of her soul with the land instead of just taking from it. I assured her I will continue to maintain the spirit of this place. We both settled back in our thoughts as our eyes wandered across the lake. Like the merging of the past and the future, we found ourselves in the present...

I extended an invitation to Marilyn that whenever she's in the area, she is more than welcome to visit or use the cottage if I’m out of town. I told her "mi casa es su casa", because my casa used to be HER casa, LOL!

I learned that all of my neighbors (with the exception of one) who are deep in the woods are off the grid. The original owner and developer had a vision for such a community of "off-gridders". Little did I know!! Truly I was led here....

As I write and reflect on it all, I’m overwhelmed with joy and filled with such peace. I can hardly wait to move in officially!

Comin' Home

As I've journeyed this past week toward my new Home, I describe the process to a dear friend as "It seems so surreal, like going back in time towards a place I’ve been before".

This morning, I was moved to tears as she so perfectly connected my experience with these wonderfully power lyrics by John Denver. Funny how I've sung this beautiful song a bazillion times around the campfire, but never quite "felt it"...until most recently.

My amended lyrics, with respectful tribute to John Denver:
"She was born in the winter of her 45th year,
Comin' home to a place she'd never been before.
She left yesterday behind her,
you might say she was born again.
You might say she found a key for every door."

Reflections of My Big Day

What an emotional day for me…I’m pinching myself with this Dream come true. It’s been the result of a lot of hard work and preparation. It seems so surreal, like going back in time towards a place I’ve been before. Does that make sense??

More good news: The owner is coming up this weekend to walk the property with me and give me a copy of the 1996 survey. It'll be fun to talk with her and hear more about the land and cottage.

My parents are so happy and proud for me! My dad is all giddy, told me to bring a trailer with me when I come up next week…he is donating some tools and stuff he no longer uses including a kick ass wood air-tight stove and his old generator. He also has 2 rolls of insulation left over from his garage project a few years ago. I’m humbled with their generosity. It’s perfect timing with it all, because had I been a week later on anything, I’d missed the opportunity for Dad to load me up with goodies. It’s not like they live down the road, so I find the timing immensely NOT a coincidence! Life is good :)

Photos of My Cottage

Here's link to photos of my new place: http://aquaphoenix.zenfolio.com/cottage

I will upload pics as I do projects, so check back frequently for updates :)

Good News!!!

I just received an email from Dee (Realtor)...my offer has been countered with price increase of only $1K and I pay for the survey. That is within my budget, so I emailed my acceptance to Dee. As I read the email, I broke down in tears of joy, relief, awe and excitement. Wow. I'm going to be a home owner! Wahoooooo!! I got the house!!!!!!!!

Hard to believe it was only a week ago that I looked at this property. A friend of mine recently told me that when we create/make space for things to happen in our lives, things fall easily into place. It's so true. I'm feeling it today...

Waiting...

It’s SNOWING here!!!! WOO HOO!

No word from the owner, yet. Keep ya posted. I hardly slept last night…felt like Christmas Eve x 100 :)

Offer Submitted!

I just put down an earnest deposit and submitted an offer on the cottage contingent on Friday's inspection. The owner has 24 hours to respond. I'm feeling giddy! Keep your fingers crossed :)

Phoenix Totem

Check out the phoenix I just found on the totem pole! I was walking the property looking for old survey markers (found only one).

For those who know me: The Phoenix is my personal totem. I was speechlessly stunned to discover this Phoenix on this totem pole...
When I told a friend of mine, she responded, "Thats crazy!"

In addition to finding only one survey marker, I found lots of old signs of BEAVERS! Big 6-8" trees cut down with beaver teeth marks. This tells me the lake used to be very active. Right now the water level is VERY low and has been for awhile. There’s a dock on the waterfront that is now 3’ above the “water” (i.e. land). Since water levels can ebb and flow, maybe in 20 years it will be a lake again!

Fun stuff all around :)

Sauna Info

Dee forwarded this to me from the owner:
"The sauna is made from white cedar from the UP and the stove was eryspecially made for camp so that can serve as a furnace to heat the cabin and a hot water heater as well as a sauna stove. The sauna has a drain in the floor for bathing use as well as sauna."

Saweeeet! A wood stove hot water heater! Gosh, I'll be styling :) hot water was the major logistic issue I've been researching how to do off grid. Just cuz I'd be living like Grizzly Adams, doesn't mean I have to smell like him ;)

Keep the good vibes a'comin'!

Water Test Results

I just received the water test results:
Coliform/eColi: Negative
Nitrate: less than 1.0 ppm

Very happy news about the water being clean & safe!! Wahoo! Green light for earnest deposit, offer and inspection!!

Dream #2

I was harvesting veggies out of the garden, canning them on a LP stove top set up near the fire pit. In the dream I looked out over the lake while hearing the sizzle of the cans sealing and feeling the warm of the canning as the sun was setting and the stars were coming.

There wasn’t much else to the dream other than the sensation of being “home”…of feeling grounded, rooted and solid in a way I never felt as a kid growing up and moving so frequently. It was such a nice feeling…

Cottage Walk Thru

Mickey, Tom and I drove out to the property to meet the Realtor, Dee. It was a typical November day, cold and gray, but I was warm and bubbly with excitement! :)

After the walk-thru, here's my latest findings about the cottage:
• The inside of the cottage is so lovely! It’s quite roomy, functional and has a lot places to build shelves, storage, etc. Overall, I’m very impressed with the overall feel and sturdiness of the interior.

• The roof is insulated with foam-board and the walls with traditional fiberglass insulation. One of my projects down the road in a year or two would be to re-insulate it.

• The upstairs loft is the length of the cottage, approx 20’…half of the loft is directly under the pitch of the roof, but the pitch is high enough I can stand up and walk down the middle. The east side of the loft is higher ceiling and lends itself to main sleeping area.

• The dining/kitchenette area includes a built in dining table that seats four adults. There is also small sink, dish rack, cabinets, drawers.

• On the east side, there is a separate room with a sink and drain/bucket for washing. In this room is a commode for cold/foul weather restroom use.

• The wood stove in the sauna is rust-free and seems sound.

• The 8’x10’ shed (attached to the north side), has lots of room for all sorts of tools, etc.

• The outhouse seems to be built very well. I’d like to talk with Jayne about how to convert it to a sawdust
composting pit.

• The property has 250’ of “waterfront”…when the lake returns! And the 3.33 acre property is split in half with the road, equal portion on either side as best as I can tell on the plat map. The realtor, Dee, is going to find out when was the last survey as well as water tested.

• Monday, I’ll call the local public health to find out who does and how much water testing. I’ll also call a couple surveyors to get an idea of how much it would be if there’s not been a survey done in a long while. Dee said I’m welcome to walk the property to see whether I can find the markers. I will walk it if there’s been a recent survey because I know those markers don’t last forever and I could wander for hours and not find them…it’d be like trying to find a cache with bad coordinates!

• Dee will also provide me with the name of the power company so I can find out how much it would be to run electric to the cottage. I did learn from Kathy, a friend of mine, to have it run to a “utility hitch” like to connect a RV. If I run it to the cabin, I’d have to wire throughout.

• Taxes for the year average $100/month as a vacation home. Since this would be my primary residence, Dee said taxes would be slightly lower under Homestead Tax rate.

• The only “hitch” is that, according to Dee, since the cottage doesn’t have plumbing, it doesn’t qualify for a mortgage or financing and as such, would have to be cash sale. I have a fair portion of the price in savings. Mickey is inclined to thinking that the owner would probably take $20k cash. There IS the option of land contract with the owner, but then I wouldn’t be able to negotiate a lower price.

So this where it stands for now. I know life being what it is, there’s no sense being anxious or overly eager. Things will work out how they will. I have no doubt this will be on the market for a while, given the fact it has to be a cash sale.

Dream #1

I just awoke from an intriguing dream about the cottage and property: In the dream I was raising a small flock of sheep and was leading them across a little foot bridge over the lake.

Interestingly, I almost never dream of places or buildings. Hmmm.

Oh, and there isn't a bridge over the lake, but I would like to get sheep and/or goats one day :)

Speaking to Me

This cottage is REALLY speaking to me! Not quite sure why…but I’m willing to follow along and discover what’s there. It may lead me to somewhere else, who knows…

Like I said earlier, I’ve looked at a LOT of houses in the past 3 years. This one seems the most well suited for me in SO many ways. I know it’s early in the process of researching and seeing what it’s all about, but I almost feel like I’m being led to a door and big piece of the puzzle to pursue my career as photojournalist. Knowing  I don’t need a ton of money to take care of my needs, knowing I would have space to grow a garden, raise chickens, being off the grid, etc leaves me quite giddy at this point.

I believe this cottage (or one similar to it – not hitched to an outcome here!) may be the result of many years of my moving toward being “off the grid” and self-sustaining. This past summer I finally went “zero trash”….a few years ago I started using a Diva Cup in lieu of tampons…these 2 things combined are a huge step in being self-sustaining. It’s no coincidence meeting Jayne and learning some more things from her regarding food prep and preservation, etc. I have a few friends who live off the grid and they all love it! Says the only regret is in not doing it sooner.

As for no electricity, that would be a something to get used to. Years ago I researched LP refrigerators, as well as solar and wind power. I’ve also talked with folks who use “people power”, connecting a bike to a turbine driven system which charges batteries. It provides exercise PLUS energy…a win/win!

Tonight my good friends Mickey and Tom stopped by for a visit and to see pictures of the place. She’s as excited as I am! She said that if I could pay it off in less than five years, THAT is a wonderful retirement plan. I never thought of it like that! Between now and then, I’ll continue to work on my portfolio and work toward my photojournalism dream. Having this cottage/land would be perfect “base camp” to travel from. After it’s paid off, there would be nominal upkeep costs and taxes. Mickey is going with me on Saturday. She has bought enough homes, combined with her life experience, etc, I trust her judgment and insight so I don’t get carried away with enthusiasm.

Speaking of enthusiasm: A few weeks ago when I talked with my parents about the yurt, Jayne and the Eco Learning center, my Dad made a comment that stuck in my head, “Living close to nature is all fine and good, but there’s no sense in going overboard”. In essence I know what he meant; and yet…isn’t that what life is ALL about? Going overboard? Putting it ALL out there? Giving it our best? I don’t see a point in holding back. Years ago, I operated from that position…out of fear, out of not trusting myself. In the end, I discovered I actually short-changed myself as well as seemed to self-sabotage my relationships…not only in relationships others but with myself (combined with making poor choices).

I don’t believe I could have found a place like this a year or two ago. I wasn’t in a place to really trust myself enough to “Leap and the net will appear”. It’s a wonderful place to be!

Over the years, ever since I was a kid and running through the woods in my denim moccasins, learning how to live off the land, I’ve dreamed about living off the grid, being self-sustaining. I’m thrilled that even if this particular cottage & land doesn’t come to fruition, I know that a another/better opportunity is out there. I’m comforted knowing that as I keep living in the question, keeping an open mind, I’m able to see boundless directions to explore and be led where I need to be. Life is good!  I’m humbled and awed…

Here's to adventures wherever they may lead!

House Hunting and Dating

I'm learning that house-hunting and dating have similar dynamics: hopeful prospects, investment of time, money and emotion, checking for cobwebs in the attic and skeletons in the closets! :)

Well, the houses in Kalkaska and South Boardman were really in bad shape! I was rather disenchanted and almost gave up the hunt for the day. Was it worth my time to drive cross-county to Buckley only to find yet another bad house? Me being me, I'm one to enjoy the journey as much as the destination...so I headed to see the last house for the day.

I know it may seem dramatic, but as soon as I drove on the 3.33 acre property, I knew I was home. It was similar the feeling you get when you see your beloved across the crowded room and just KNOW you are going to marry. Love at first sight? Or a more substantial knowing? I'll find out.

This small cottage is completely off the grid! Rustic facilities include a hand pump water well and outhouse. It's quite lovely and so appealing. On the property there is also a whimsical Totem pole with fun camping and outdoorsy icons. The Totem pole speaks to me in various ways including my Native American Spirituality leanings as well as Native American roots in my family.

I spent about an hour on the property, walking around, looking at the cottage as best as I could from the outside, sitting at the campfire to get a feel for the land. As I overlooked the small lake, I had a sensation of being home. It really is inexplicable, but that's the feeling nonetheless.

In the past 3 years, I've looked at a lot of houses, but there is something about this one that is causing me to look more closely. With that, I called the Realtor to find out more information and to set up and appointment for a walk-thru.

Right after I got off the phone with the Realtor (appointment set for Saturday, November 13), I saw a Bald Eagle flying over the field. Hmmm. Whenever Bald Eagle appears in my life, he speaks freedom, liberty and independence to me. Interesting...

I'm willing to see where this path takes me...

House Hunting

Since tomorrow is Veteran's Day and a bank holiday, I'm off work. In addition to using the day to finish up weather proofing, I decided to look at a few houses for sale. With it being a buyer's market, I'd love to take advantage of a great deal if I found it. One is in Kalkaska, another in South Boardman and the last in Buckley.

Wish me luck! :)

New Blog!

Hi friends,

This blog will serve to follow my adventures as I move and live off the grid. I'm excited for my new adventure and look forward to sharing with you my discoveries, trials and victories. Feel free to leave a comment or email me.

Here's to adventures wherever they may lead!

Peace,
Deb