Beginning...

So...I've wanted to live a more rural, secluded lifestyle for a good number of years now. I have notebooks filled with home design possibilities, permaculture landscape ideas, gardening and composting information, livestock keeping and care, food storage alternatives, etc...dating as far back as 20-25 years ago. Many of those notebooks lay dormant until a few years ago when I began updating my research, and refining/defining my ultimate goals for a self-sustaining lifestyle within a rural setting. I'm getting older, you see, and felt it was time to make this move, or I might never get to do so.

I had left AZ (around 2007 or thereabouts), where I'd been living for about 30 years, and moved back to my hometown in IL in order to be closer to my aging parental units. Duty and desire met, I started seeking a rural property to either purchase or rent/lease in central IL. Man oh man! Can you say, "Outrageously expensive!" Yeah...wasn't happenin' anytime soon in IL. Primo farm land...rural...forested...any combination...didn't matter...ouch! So, I started looking in other places...researching growing seasons, potential for solar/wind power use, affordability, etc. I ran into all kinds of sticking points that prevented a move from my city house to a country house.

Still, I gardened, composted, began learning to can, dehydrated my garden produce, and even acquired a small backyard flock of laying hens...all within my enclosed city house backyard. And drooled over properties that were far out of my financial reach, but continued to gather information...further refining/defining my goals.

A couple of my raised beds from the last year's gardening venture. I had 5 total last year...all of which have since been dismantled due to my move...transition to homesteading Lot 31.

  Last year I tried my hand at canning dill pickles, and Dilly Beans. Everyone seems to like them...so will certainly try that again. Previously, I'd done lots of canned tomato products, as well as applesauce and apple butter.

 Two of my 7 hens...these two were named Breakfast, and Dinner. Lunch was a rooster, which I couldn't have in the city...so Dr. Z took him. The girls were excellent layers for me...a Buff Orpington, and white Australorp. My cousin assures me they still are!

Then...I mentioned to my friends (owners of about a 26 acre alpaca ranch in the NM mountains) that I was having no luck finding what I wanted for property. Now...I'd been to their home in the past...fell in love with the beauty and history of the area, and envied them their life. Don't know why I'd not thought of looking for property in their area...they took care of that lapse quite fast!

Thus began yet another investigation (aka online research) into the possibility of living the way I want to in that area, and looking at potential properties...all online at that point...hmmm...pretty close to a year ago now. Well...I took a road trip with my girl, Gracie (a 19 month old German Shepherd puppy...large puppy, but a puppy none-the-less)...and drove to NM to Fifie and FeeFee's alpaca ranch just before Christmas 2013. For a couple of weeks, while enjoying Fifie and Fee's generous hospitality, I wandered several properties, but kept coming back to Lot 31...and spent an inordinate amount of time wandering it with Gracie.

Gracie...she is definitely a Mama's Girl! How can you not just love that beautiful face?

Gracie was in her element up on the mountain...on Lot 31. She ran loose the entire time, which, I must say, scared me half out of my wits initially. She's a city girl...raised in a largish, fenced yard, with lots of daily walks thrown in for exercise, as well as lots of ball throwing, and chasing Wilson. I was worried about her running off...never to be seen again! Fifie assured me she wouldn't go far...her connection to me is quite strong, which he noticed right away. Anyway...she ran...and ran...and ran...and played...and ran some more. Holy Moly that girl is FAST! And never went out of hearing range for my calls, which she responded to very quickly...much to my relief!

Lot 31, Fence Lake, New Mexico. Soon...soon...soon to be home!

Lot 31 is a gently sloping 12.203 acres with several potential cabin sites, and a natural...almost...drive down to those areas. It is heavily treed with native Juniper (very nice for firewood use), and Pinyon Pine trees, a few Agave, and Yuccas, and many shrubs and other plants I can't identify just yet. Wells are popping anywhere from 400 to 600' in that area, so digging for that liquid gold wouldn't be too cost prohibitive. The aquifer underlying that area appears to be a good one, which is enhanced by the fact that the area isn't well populated...and isn't likely to increase much in my lifetime. There are also no other draws on the water that would take it from that area, nor are there any plans to do so in the future. Because I'd lived so long in the AZ mountains, and gardened fairly extensively, and Lot 31 is only a little over an hour away from the AZ border...I know the land there. More specifically, I know the dirt, and how to work it to help it produce delectable, edible delights. *chucklin'* I know how to work the soil for a garden. Sun is abundant for solar power, and wind...well...wind is a very viable back up option.

One of the potential cabin sites.

There is only one covenant for the subdivision: can't split the property...if sold, it sells as original acreage as bought. So, no one to tell me what I can and can't do on 'my' property. The lot is fenced on two sides...state land on both fence lines. One neighbor...who only visits his property during summer months...is fencing between our properties, and the other neighbor owns his 13+ acre lot simply as an investment...no fence there...and...yes...I've put a bug in his ear that he needs to sell me that 13+ acres to add to my 12.203 acres.

One of my absolute favorite features on my new property...Lot 31. This dead Juniper sits just toward the entrance of the property...and I've already begun decorating it with...well...stuff.

Yup! I bought it...I close the deal on Lot 31 on January 31, 2014. I am beyond excited! Ecstatic! Thrilled beyond belief! And a little bit frightened of what I'm taking on at this stage in my life. That little bit of fear doesn't take away from the joy...not one iota...is just there from time to time. Like...when I gave birth to my daughter almost 33 years ago...I had this moment that passed very quickly when the midwife placed her in my arms, and I thought to myself, "What the hell have I done?" *chuckles* Then, I was totally taken with this beautiful, incredible, tiny human being that looked into my eyes...such an old soul reflected there. And...the moment passed never to return. So...yeah...I'm entitled to a tad bit of fear...though a greatly desired change, it's still a huge change, and will require a tremendous amount of work to get it where I want it. It's been quite the process, and I'm still in transition (more on that later) to an actual move to my property...like...spring 2015, but it's moving along as it's supposed to do so at this time.

I'm game...bring it on!