Daily observations of my simple life.

Teenage Embarasment and Icy Windshields:

It was one of those kind of mornings. It started not the way I planned. My grandson missed his bus so he was going to need help from Grandma. The night before I had not done my hair so I already knew I wasn't having a good hair day. My plan was to leisurely shampoo and spend a little personal time.

So bad hair day, no shower , I dressed quickly and went out to feed. Then I needed to pick up a bale of hay from my daughters house. These are not the cleanest jobs. I brushed off a little and thought, forget the hair and the way I look, might as well go for it and get the registration for my pickup done since I had to go to town anyway. Grabbing the paperwork, I headed into town thinking,"Well, nobody will care if I look less than presentable." My grandson needed to be at school.

At the the Mohave version of dmv I went in feeling less than spiffy, got in the long line and stood waiting for my number to finish the paperwork. The door opened and I looked up to see a smiling Dave. Remember Dave from the mountains? The ex mass murderer? He is looking very cute and spiffy with his grey curley hair and blue eyes , dressed in a black leather jacket. He seemed very happy to see me while I was having a surge of teenage embarassment. You know the kind of blushing, "Oh, I look so awful" when the cute boy comes by. We exchanged some words, he smiling, and I got my number and went and sat down, making sure I was situated so he could sit next to me if he wanted to, which he did. So, there's Dave sitting next to me in his spiffy leather jacket and I'm thinking , "Oh I wish I hadn't run out without a shower, or cleaning my nails." Dave didn't seem to notice and kept on smilingly leaning up against me. Hmmm.  Could it be romance at 67?

Finally my number was called and true to most state business there was some glitch that would take a few more steps to get completed. Dave and I said our goodbyes and I headed over to the antique shop to pick up my old sinks that I had purchased the week before.

 Loaded with two old sinks I head out of town towards home. Just out of Kingman heading up over the hill it begins to hail, hard. Many of us pulled off the road worrying that our windshields would be broken. The hills turned white like snow, the roads were covered with the icy stuff and my windows were being filled in with piled up ice. Amazing. As the kernals got less heavy I moved out slowly again in traffic and inched on up to the top of the hill where there was a break in the storm.  

Down in the valley, I approach the video store and decide to stop and pick up some movies . I went in with ice all over the windows but by the time I came out it had all melted. I got six movies I hadn't seen and headed on home to curl up and enjoy the afternoon with popcorn and a movie.

All afternoon and evening I kept having a strange feeling about the meeting with Dave. What would be the odds of us both being in the DMV at the same time?  Could it be fate?

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:20 | link | comments (2)

I woke to another early morning sun beginning to rise behind the mountains and clouds.  I put the coffee on and looked out the window. Something was amiss. Cheriki was on the left side of the property and Chocolate and Dolly were outside their pen. I put on my thriftstore bathrobe, my hooded jacket and slipped into my shoes and went out to see what the situation was. In the early morning light the fence was invisible so I couldn't tell if Cheriki was clear out of the property of inside the goat pen.

Out I slogged through the mud to walk the perimeter of the fence. Cheriki ran toward me and was stopped by the goat pen fence. What a relief, she was in the pen and she ran towards me not away. After inspection I could see that a panel had loosened, the nails Frank used weren't long enough to hold up to a leaning horse. I went and got feed and put it in Cheriki's pen and then went and opened up the panel wider. After a little galloping about to show her freedom Cheriki went into her pen and headed for the feed. I closed up the panel and  tied it with haybale twine. Cheriki has gone from a wild mustang to a gentle homebody.

Next I went around to the goat pen and opened the gate, I put grain inside and walked away like I wasn't interested. Dolly and Chocolate went in and I closed the gate. Not bad for an old lady.

Later in the afternoon between rain storms I went out and walked the fence. I wired each fence panel to the fence posts while Cheriki nuzzled my hair as I bent over in my work.  Sage called to me from the other side of the pasture wishing for attention too. I adopted them in September and never dreamed they would become such pets. Sage sticks her nose up for a kiss everytime I go into the chicken pen. It's a real love affair.

My dog is a border collie. They are bred to be herding dogs. She has been with me for several years after I rescued her from the pound. She was for a long time both clingy and stand offish and very obedient. Now that she is secure and well spoiled she is now adjusting to all the other animals. Herding dog?  As I went out to bring the other animals back to their pens she kept throwing herself on my feet, rolling on her back and smiling with this look,"pet me, pet me."  I was really wondering if I would  have to lock her in the house until I got the roundup over.

All the animals back in order, fences mended, I went back in the house to avoid the intermitant downpour. All the pens are like puddles, so much water. I'm glad they all have shelter but it is still very wet and soggy for a desert homestead.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 11:08 | link | comments (3)

 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 01:36 | link | comments

Fertile Soil:

When I moved here the young couple who had set up this property had cleared the land. After rains there would be low growing desert grasses and a few wild flowers that came up. As I have developed the farm with animals, I clean the pens and over the past year put all the goat and sheep pen rakings in one area, spreading it out in a neat little square. Nothing grew but I thought eventually the process would develop the soil.

The rain arrived and now in that square is lush fileree, a native high nutrition plant that makes excellent feed. It has little seeds that I used to make play scissors out of when I was a child. Every day I go out with scissors and snip a basketful of the green and take it to the chickens and the other critters. They love it and along with the carrots I feed I'm sure it gives them extra vitamins. With all this rain, I can imagine this beautiful lush square will be providing greens into summer. Other places on the property that have tall and thick lush growth are where my daughters horse was when she first moved here. On the other side of the goat pen where the wind blows the debris and droppings there is a thick lush lawn like grass growing. I don't need to plant a lawn. 

We have been piling up the manure from the horse and burro corrals. Yesterday when I was in town I picked up a container of worms and when I got home I lifted the manure and dropped them in. These busy, productive creatures will break the manure down much more quickly to improve the soil .

Maybe I will be able to have an organic farm here in the desert, growing vegi's and fruits for myself and others to enjoy.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:44 | link | comments (3)

Trailer Park Bliss:

One of the blogs I especially loved, "Trailer Park Bliss" is gone. I will miss the sarcastic humor and the whole picture it formed in my mind not to mention the soul who wrote. 

For some odd reason I'm intriqued by old trailers and those who live in them. Recently I watched a movie called "Nevada" that had some funky old trailers in a small town in Nevada. I also like other movies that have funky old trailers in them. I love reading blogs, web pages and groups that have desert rats, trailers, vans, etc. as their main subject. To me the rugged individuals who make their way through life with the simplest means are so very interesting. P.S. You can send me any url's of such pages if you discover any.

I'm not talking about trash hounds. Here we have people set up on their own lots trailers, 5th wheels and other tempory type homes but they are interesting. It's the people who haul in trash and leave it laying around like a dump or junk yard that are not interesting to me. In the mountains I was intriqued by a couple who set up a tarp tent room with outdoor barbeque. When they left , they left heaps of garbage, that offends me. Why? Why? would they want to leave such a mess in a prestine beautiful place? No appreciation I would think. Now it is an eyesore instead of an adventure.  Now I see them as low class people, they could have organized and buried their trash instead they left it strewn all over the property. They are no longer interesting but discusting. Poverty does not make people low class in my eyes but lack of respect for their world makes people low class. I think greedy, egotists are low class as well. Just my perspective on life.

So, we have had rain, rain, rain. It comes down in outpourings as if buckets were turned over. Everything feels wet. Where does all that water go? Will it increase the underground water supply? Or will it just run off and go to the ocean after a long journey? Some snuggles into lakes and dams to stay a season or so but where does the rest go? We do have lakes here we didn't have before.

Lightning lit up the sky last night with thunder rumbling. I'm beginning to long for the sunshine.

Today, I will stay in and clean house, maybe bake some pumpkin bread.

I went by the feed store excited to pick up the rooster. Shhhzzzz. I wouldn't take that rooster if they paid me. It had to be the ugliest rooster in the world. It looked like someone had rung it's neck and all it's feathers were upside down. So, this morning I ordered chicks. They will arrive the 15th of March.  12 silkies assorted, 6 brown egg layers, pullets, 6 green egg layers , pullets, and 5 jungle chickens. I will share with my neighbor and exchange for some of hers. It will be fun to have the chicks and watch them grow. Something to look forward to and prepare for with excitment.

This morning when I went out to feed I opened the feed tin and found two of my little barred rocks inside. What a start that was but it must be warm inside the feed bin and lots to eat. Grin. They jumped out energetically when they were discovered like naughty children caught stealing from the cookie jar.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:00 | link | comments (6)

Rain, rainbows and chickens:

What an amazing year. Here in the desert there are lakes, large ponds and water, water, everywhere. I'm looking out my window at a lake like area in my yard and raindrops have begun again. 

Yesterday I needed to get a battery for my truck so I went out and shortly after the trip to town it began to pour. I was to meet a friend at a local restaurant at 3. After getting the battery and some chicken feed, I headed over to my favorite store, a used dealer in many things. I had a patio door with glass panels that needed picking up. I hope to put it in my cottage in the mountains. I found 4 old windows with glass in them $12, an old harness/ yoke, leather for $12. Don't know quit what to call it but they put them over horses to have them pull wagons. Also two old sinks, the big porcaline kind , $5 each. These are good planters and feeders for the animals. 

I met my friend for lunch and she told me I could come and get some of the chicks that are now big, grandchildren of my little silkies. The ones killed by dogs. I now have a very secure chicken house and yard, don't think dogs will get in. The feed store told me they have a silky rooster so along with my barred rocks I will have four more. I'm excited.

When I went into the restaurant I parked on the street. Well, I had to walk through a river to get to the sidewalk. So much water.

Back home and animals fed I settle in to read the computer. Light outside looked intriquing and what do I find. A huge lovely rainbow. Perfect end to a good day.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:08 | link | comments

Rain and Tears:

I sloshed out in the sheets of water to feed. It seemed like water from foot to sky. I looked out across the vast watery expanse and couldn't see the cart I use to feed. Ah, there it was clear across the pasture and still full of manure. I silently felt exasperated at Frank for leaving it there. Now I would have to slosh clear across the property to get it, unload and slosh back to the hay stack and then to feed. Pouring rain. Hmmm.

Frank and Shirley had gone  to Phoenix to see Shirley's sister. So after struggling with the feeding routine I went in the house a little annoyed. I was finding despite all the good things Frank has done a little intruded on. Too many knocks on the door when I'm doing my whatever. I'm basically a loner although I do enjoy people , I just like my space.

Frank and Shirley came in just at dark when they had said and the next morning Shirley came to the door early. Her eyes looked as though she had been crying. She said, "We have an emergency."  I stood trying to digest what she was saying. " I found a lump in my breast when I was at my sisters and we need to go home to New Mexico."  It was hard to get that to settle in so I could say the appropriate thing. I stood looking at her as she said they would be leaving Tuesday morning. I felt a combination of guilt because I had even thought I wished to be alone and angst that she may have to go through some very difficult things in the months ahead. I comforted her the best I could and finally went in the house to deal with my confused feelings. 

It was early Tuesday morning they left, after all the appropriate goodbyes and thank you's, God Bless you's and tears.  It seemed strange to have the empty space beside the house where their 5th wheel had been parked but I felt suddenly free. No matter what it seems that there is always control issues with men. He had wanted to do everything and now I felt good just being able to go out and feed undisturbed, to clean the corrals, to put things where I wanted them knowing they will be there when I look again.

They are a wonderful couple and I would have them again but for a time I'm feeling much more my own person.  Prayers for Shirley that all will be well without suffering.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 15:15 | link | comments (1)

Home From The Mountains Before The Rain:

Wednesday afternoon I left for the mountain but with a man in tow. I had passed the little what not shop and noticed a wooden outhouse on display. I stopped thinking how cute it would look on the mountain property. A little 32" square building made of old wood, with a front porch and tin roof. I got out and waited to find the person to ask , "How Much?"  The price was VERY reasonable and while I was standing looking at it a man said from behind me ,"And I'll even deliver it for you."  "How far will you go?"  I countered. I told him how far out my mountain property was and he said, "No problem" I said, "I'm leaving in about 40 minutes to go up there."  He said, "I can do it today." So, I was sold and went in to write out the check, excited to see this old west style outhouse on my mountain property. It would be my shower house and while we drove up to the mountains I pondered where I would have him put it. I had packed in some cactus I had growing in pots on my porch and my work tools.

Once there he made haste to unload and fix the door and latches. I noticed he was grunting every time he moved. I asked where he lived and he told me the area of the valley he lived. He said, "Yea, I used to work for MCI/World Com. but since all their troubles, I'm now working for myself, I clean properties and gather old lumber, then build these outhouses and old shelves."  Well MCI/World Com. struck a bell. Sometime back I remember seeing a 60 minutes or 20/20 exposure of the man who was the head of this company. He had absconded with all the stock holders money and employees retirement funds. He now owns one of the biggest ranches in Canada and a multi million dollar home in Florida. When I heard that news reportI was incensed, what greed, what a lack of concern for the hardwork and lives of others. So, here before me stood one of these persons. I sighed, he said, "I lost $42,000. of my retirement."  Here he was hustling to make a living. He then volunteered that he had cut his hand open the day before on a saw and had 9 stitches in his hand. "Is that why you are grunting? Because of the pain?"  "Yea, " he answered, " It aint fun."  We then discussed building a little 12'x12' cabin or 10' x 15' cabin with a front porch. He said he would work up some estimates and would even come to the property to build it. I would rather do something that supports local people, especially someone who is getting on with life while a greedy bastard assumes he has the right to live the high life at others expense. I gave him  a good tip and he headed home after I got his phone number for business reference.  I kept pondering how trumatic it must be to have the rug pulled out from under you by a selfish. selfish person.  He was toughing it out.

I got busy and planted the cactus , put out a few rocks, cut some ocotilla branches to plant and hope they'll grow. In the midst of this Dave came by and pulled in. We discussed the information he needed to get registered for the tax lien sale. I'll be bidding for him on my computer.  After that was all taken care of he said maybe I could come up to his place later to see his rock collection. I suggested that maybe sometime tomorrow afternoon would be better. That agreed on he went on to take care of some business for Glen down the road. It was a beautiful evening so I took a walk with my dog and once back started a fire to curb the chill.  I cooked dinner and then discovered my dog was missing.  Dinner over, my bed all made I waited for my dog to come back. It was too dark to go out after her. She is usually very tight with me and keeps me in her sight at all times. After our walk she had acted like there was something out there, next morning all her dog food was gone so I guess there was. I finally got in my motorhome and drove slowly around the block, shining my lights into the desert. Pulling back into our homesite she came out of the bush and I sighed with relief. She had been running hard and was breathing heavy. I crawled into bed and looked out the window at the beautiful stars.

Next morning, I cleaned my camper and enjoyed the wide open spaces. I took another walk with my dog and then Dave stopped by again, he was headed into town and would be back around 1 .  I cleaned up the property and did a little more planting, then fixed lunch. I was eating a bowl of soup when Dave came back so I told him I would walk down as soon as I finished lunch.

I was impressed with Dave's place. He had transplanted many different cactus's in a garden area, he had a nice freshly built and painted back porch on his 5th wheel. He has a battery storage box set up for his solar system and had set up several different watering systems for his plants. In his big truck trailers he had a shop in one , a rock shop in another, and storage in the third. Besides his 5th wheel he had a truck slideon camper set up to go to the mountains to rock hound. He's working hard to get set up and live a great life in the mountains but he's lonely he says wants someone to go with him traveling and rock hounding. I could do worse but we'll see where this goes.  I didn't tell him that I first thought he might be a mass murderer. We looked through his rock collection and then he had to go down with his back hoe to do a job for Glen. I walked on home and stopped at Dorothy's and Allens. I admired their rock paths and Dorothy showed me her wild garden . We went to look at one of her Joshua trees that was blooming. What beautiful exotic flowers. The buds come out something like asperagus tips with purple endings. As they open up the huge blossums are made up with small velvety cream colored flowers. They look a bit like those white Hawain flowers. Ginger? There were Oh so many trees just starting to bloom. They make you stop with awe. Joshua's are lovely graceful trees that always seem to be holding their arms out to you. We talked about other critters they had seen and then after standing for about 2 hours I needed to get home to sit for a spell. I went in the camper and relaxed, reading. Finally just about dusk, thinking of the soon to come rain I decided to go home instead of staying another night.

My whole property is like a vast lake. So much water with this rain. No going outside today. Sage and Cheriki are enjoying their shelters.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 21:49 | link | comments (4)

 Another trip to the mountains:

I went up again to my mountain property to stay a few more days. I wanted to make a circle drive so I didn't have to back in and park ,so I took shovel, rake and saw.  That was last Friday afternoon. Shortly after arriving and setting up camp the mass murderer drove by, you know the fellow I was sure was cutting up women in his trailers down the block. I walked out and greeted him and he got out to visit. I began to see a pretty nice guy and dispite his bit of a paunch he had nice blue eyes, curley hair and a great smile. We got on fine and after about a 45 min visit talking about all the other neighbors and what they were up to and our own lives he went on to town as he was out of groceries.

I went to work clearing brittlebush and creating a driveway and later on I built a nice fire to sit in front of and drink a glass of wine. It is amazingly beautiful up there so close to the mountains and the desert landscape is picture postcard. Sunset was gorgeous and I finally went to bed, content to be out in the wilderness.

Next morning I noticed Mr. mass murderer had gotten his back hoe out and was off to do a job for a neighbor, setting up a septic tank. I thought, nice to know I've got a neighbor with big equiptment.   I went back to work and finally finished my circle drive. I got in my motorhome and drove away so I could come back in. I decided to go see an old shed down the road with a bread truck on it. Dorothy and Allen had told me the old guy died and no one lived there anymore. So I parked and walked all over the property, peeking into the shed which had a small homemade platform bed and some shelves on one side. A bird had built a nest up on one of the rafters. There was an old soiled sleeping bag laying on the platform bed, I felt a kind of sadness, thinking about the old guy who lived here in his last years. In the bread truck there were two platform single beds . There was a turned over old fashioned outhouse at the side of the shed and a pile of old cans at the back of the property.  He had lived a kind of self- suffient life till he died on his own property. I wondered if he felt content or unhappy and I wondered if he had appreciated the beauty of his surroundings.

I drove home and tried out my circle drive. It worked fine except for a sharp turn I had to make shortly after entering from  the road. Then I got to wondering if maybe that clump of creosote right at the drive could be removed and then I could come in without all the rigid turns. I pondered my neighbors big equiptment and then went off for another exploratory drive. I had all my maps with me and paper work because with the tax lien sales coming up I want to get liens on some of the parcels I like. With maps in hand I went scouting. This is a development with 1 1/4 acre parcels as yet not too discovered. There are roads that are fairly decent so I drove back in among the joshuas and cactus and looked for lots. Back in every so often there are kind of cul de sacs. I passed a large delivery type truck parked in one of those cul de sacs with a pickup and a clearly defined campground. Later I passed an old guy with a white beard and  his shirt off walking in the wash. It was a bit startling to meet up with him as the area is so uninhabited except for the delivery truck. I then put it together that he was probably boondocking in the cul de sac. Just parking hidden from site, spending the winter . Who would know if he owned the land and who would care?

In my paperwork I learned that many of the owners of these parcels are foreigners. They own big sections of parcels. Later when I got back Dave, (the ex mass murderer) drove by again and we made a deal about clearing the front bunch of creosote. He would be by in the morning with his back hoe. He told me that on Sundays, a big tour bus comes up full of orientals as a Chinese man owns a bunch of parcels and he is trying to sell them to other foreigners for around $10,000. a parcel. Wow, we'll have a new china town.  I settled down for the night thinking about  china town.

Sunday morning Dave showed up right on time. I saw him coming down the road with his back hoe and had everything out of his way so he could do his work.  While Dave and I were out talking about the job, the guy from in back of me who everyone said was odd came over to meet me. He seemed fairly nice actually, he just said he likes being by himself most of the time and that some people in the neighborhood should be camping at Quartsite so they could have more of a social life. We walked to the back of my property so he could show me property lines while Dave worked. The neighbor behind is Ron. So Ron and I talked and I found out he is some like me in that he likes to go out tracking and enjoying nature. After getting an idea where the property lines were, he had his surveyed so it's a good point of reference, I went back to see what Dave was up to.  He had done a bit more than I intended, leaving the front bunch of creosote and clearing out a fairly large square section that looks like it needs a house on it. That will take some getting used to as I like the wilderness look and the ancient plants. Sigh.

So while we were talking another 4x4 pulled up and it was another neighbor. So I met Dwayne, he lived down the otherside  in a fifth wheel . He and his wife winter in Az but are from a ranch in Min. There's quit a community up in the mountains now. So we talked tax parcels. I had told Dave that the lot next to him is delinquent on taxes and Dwayne was discussing how he had seen the tour bus go by that morning. We talked about the parcels owned by foreigners both Chinese and Indian. I wondered how they had found out about this place, but then the Chinese love the Grand Canyon. Dwayne said, that the Japeneze love the western culture and maybe that was the pull. Dave said, he had heard that if foreigners own land they can get their citizenship easier. So you know how people discuss what's going on around them, there was no hate, just wonderment.

All the visiting over I began to close up camp when I saw Dorothy and Allen coming down the road. So they came in and sat a spell while we visited and exchanged all the latest information. It was getting cold so they headed on home and I finished packing up. I took a longer tour home going much further out on the road and trying to find the grapefruit orchard that I had learned about.

It had been an interesting trip to the mountains. I met many new neighbors and Monday morning at the tax office where I was signing up for my bid number Dwayne and his wife Linda came in. What a coincidence. So I gave them the paperwork for Dave to turn in so he can bid on the lot next to him.

At home it was good to see Cheriki and Sage. They were glad to see me and it's been beautiful weather but cool.

I'm planning on going up again this afternoon to the mountains and stay a night. Want to plant an ocatillo fence before the rain thatis supposed to hit this weekend and I need to pay Dave for his work.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:20 | link | comments (1)

 Poverty and Other Lifestyles:

I find poverty a lifestyle that is interesting. People who must scrape out a life with little. They are often looked down on by the more affluent. It's the ones who take their poverty serious and get out there and duke it out that I admire.

For a long time I have been a secret observer of alternate lifestyles and I don't mean gays or drugs. I'm talking about people who discover a way to live on little and enjoy life. I'm not talking about the sodden throw-aways who inhabit doorways, drain pipes or sprawl in an unkempt puddle beside a stollen grocery cart. These people have given up, to their adictions, their neediness, their mental illnesses, or whatever.

I'm talking about those who take their meager assets with grace and adventure. For a long time I have been a member of groups like car-dweller, van dweller, boondocking, and other vehicle living lifestyles.

When I was growing up the idea of poverty meant some little old lady who lived in a tiny room and went to church every Sunday while living on macaroni and cheese or tea and toast with the heat off. That's a life style I suppose but not one I choose. I guess I'm more of a gypsy admirer.

A few years ago I was working in my son's store and a man came in all red faced. I had seen him ride up on a bycycle. I asked where he came from and he said, "Florida". Since I was in California at the time that set me back some. He said he had just come over the hill and was tired and hot. The hill was a major mountain grade that comes from the next town. I offered him something to drink and he stayed a spell. For about an hour we discussed his lifestyle, living off a peddle bike, tenting and traveling. He had had a heart attack so he took up biking for his health. He decided to live a life of poverty to stay out of the stressful frey. He had a very light, small tent that he would put up at night wherever it seemed appropriate, by the roadside, behind businesses, under a tree, wherever. He ate to live and enjoyed exploring town after town in his travels. I was impressed and intriqued.  A couple years later I was in a gas station waiting for my son to finish some business when I observed a man come into the station on his bike. He went to a water spiget and there he bathed and laundered his clothes and replenished his water supply. He took off his shirt, washed his upper body, rinsed out his shirt, rung it out and folded it neatly. He put on a clean shirt, washed his face and head, drank, then drizzled water across his shorts and  down his legs. He took out an energy bar and ate and after a bit of a rest off he went. How simple is that? No he didn't pay for the water.

There is a 94 year old lady who is walking across America to promote more grass roots politics, instead of big money politics. She walks 10 miles a day, talking to whoever she meets about her ideals.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 15:13 | link | comments (2)

test: 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 14:41 | link | comments

A Land aholic:

When I retired I had a little money saved so I started looking for ways of investing. I had my home in California that I had been paying the mortgage on for years while I worked. It's now occupied by my son and his family who hope to buy it. That's when I started attending tax sales. In California you are bidding for the actualy property. I did this on three low priced properties and learned a lot.

First of all let me explain something. I don't bid on occupied land, even though it may be the more valuable money wise. If you saw , "The Land Of Fog and Sand." you can understand the heartache taking someones house at a discount can cause.  In California there was an incident in the county where I lived that was equally heart breaking. In a rural area where land is relatively cheap someone purchased a property at the tax auction that had a house on it.  It was occupied by a retarded man whose brother had died. The purchaser from the tax auction foreclosed because they couldn't get the man to leave. Finally a deputy went to the rural area to evict and was met at the door with a gun. The final outcome was that the retarded man was shot and killed.  Many times houses where taxes go behind are occupied by the elderly or someone who is disadvantaged in some way. That's why I will not go that route , I don't want to cause pain  to perhaps already painful lives.

Land that goes up at auction is generally not a favorable buy for some reason. As I said, I bought three different parcels in California and I was able to sell two and break even. I learned. One was at the top of a mountain where they had a windmill farm. 10 acres. I sold it to the windmill farmer. The other was a beautiful, desirable 5 acre lot with an incredable view. Problem is it was in an association where there were fees. It was difficult to let it just sit there and accumulate value as the fees began to add up. I sold it to a neighbor who built a house. The third is in a rural area, 2 1/2 acres in California. I have been thinking of selling it since I'm pretty well settled in Arizona and just don't get there that often.

Here in Arizona they have a different system.  You pay the taxes and are assigned a tax lien. The tax lien has interest that you get. You are bidding on the interest rate you'll get on the lien. This way the county gets taxes due in a timely way and investors get their money in an interest paying instrament backed by land. If you continue to pay the taxes for three years you can foreclose  and get quiet title to the property. I have gone to three tax sales here in Arizona and now hold two liens, the others have been paid off at 16%  One property is vacant land right down the street and the other is a 2 1/2 acre lot across the valley in a beautiful location next to BLM land. Next year I can foreclose. One has an absent owner and the other has a local incorporation ownership.

So, February 14th the new tax lien sale begins. The parcels have been published. This morning I curled up in bed and read the parcels in areas where I like best.  I'm looking at 40 acre parcels in a more remote area that I like and small parcels close to my mountain property. It takes a lot of time researching and driving by.  I will pick out 5 or 6 I like the best and hope to get 2 - 3 liens with the hope of eventually picking up some more land. I went into the county yesterday and spent the afternnon looking at maps. I listened to the lady at the desk explaining the process to people coming in asking about what they saw in the newspaper. She said, " That's actually how a lot of people here get their homesights is through the tax lien auction.  "You can't lose, you'll get 16% on your money or you'll get the land." Not quit true.. You bid on the interest rate. Last year some big investor was at the auction and most parce;s went for 8% or less because he bid  all properties down to 8 %. He had a big bundle of cash, so had power that most others did not have. I haven't read the forecloser codes pertaining to the tax lien as yet and am thinking that there could actually be some other liens against the properties as well. The tax lien has priority but the land will not just go to you if it is foreclosed. Or that's the way it seems to me. If I have time I will read the code and check for other liens.

Why do I do this? Because I'm a land aholic. I like owning land and I'm not just thinking of making money. So there you have it another one of my investing strategies.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:31 | link | comments (2)