A Trip Through The Woods

Want to take a ride with us around our place? It was a warm, sunny day and we went to check the blue bird houses and I happened to have a camera with me! Imagine that!

There are places that are prettier . . more manicured, more scenic, but we LOVE our place. We both know that there may come a time either due to age or finances or job transfer or whatever, when we may have to give it up for a new adventure but we truly love it here. It’s days like this and rides like this that help me deal with scorpions, rattle snakes and black widow spiders.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to have 40 acres. We now have 45 acres so I feel like I’m truly living my dream life.

When we leave the house, this is our driveway .. which, after this soggy winter, needs more rocks and I think they’re scheduled to be delivered and spread next week.

If you turn as soon as you go out the first set of gates, you get to the neighbor’s house through the woods. There’s a whole lot of card and domino playing with these neighbors and along with that comes a bit of wine and champagne and even though we’re pretty responsible drinkers, it’s nice to be able to get home without getting on the highway, whether we’re in the RTV or the old Honda. That’s our chicken coop on the right but it’s their electric pole you see ahead.

We have paths all through the woods. It is so peaceful back here and the air smells so clean. There will probably never be anything behind us for miles and miles so it’s pretty quiet back here . . unless the National Guard is doing maneuvers, and then, though it isn’t quiet, it’s fun to listen to their noises.

There are 16 bluebird houses and this time of year, we check them weekly until we find one of them being used and then . . well, I don’t remember what we do because we haven’t found any of them being used yet. There are lots of bluebirds around here so I’m hoping some of them will use our boxes for nesting.

The bird houses all look exactly the same. Vince has them numbered (on top) and I can’t see the top without a ladder and since I get lost in the woods, it’s best that I go with him to check the birdhouses and not check them on my own.

It takes us a while to go check all 16 houses. Some of them have water containers near them and we have to carry water with us to fill those containers and every now and then, we collect the water buckets, bring them back and scrub them, fill them up and take them back to their positions. The birds need water since there’s not much of that around here.

There are lots of cedar trees and they need to go. January through March, when they’re releasing pollen, my allergies kill me. I’m back on prescription nasal spray and an OTC allergy med, thanks to the cedar pollen. They suck up a lot of water too. Birds like them but with the allergy issues, we really need to clean them out.

For the most part, we have scrawny, scrubby little trees but .. that’s what makes this area what it is . . cactus, mesquite and scrawny little trees. We do have some gorgeous oaks but for the most part, it’s these little trees and I think they give the woods character.

Here we come .. back from the trip, heading home through the back gate. You can see the solar panels on the shop roof and if you strain, you can see the internet antenna on the roof.

Living out like this is so different from living in town, with city water, trash pickup, phones that work . . all those things most of us never think we’ll live without. At this point in my life, I’m so thankful to be here . . living on our little piece of paradise. Who knows what will happen a year from now or two years from now or ten years from now, but for now, I’m enjoying every minute of being here.