Daily observations of my simple life.

Travel'n On My Mind:

We had a wonderful rain night before last. Next morning just a bit of frost but a beautiful day.  In and out of the house but my big project was changing curtain rods in the slide-on camper. Don't laugh. First I had to go into my old motorhome that is no longer usable and take out the curtain rods. I'm not much of a screw driver person. Took awhile and since I had to climb up in the overhead bed to undo them that was not a usual posture. Finally got them out then had to go into the slide on and put them up. Again up in the overhead bed I felt like I was standing on my head getting those curtain rods up.  I will use the old curtains from the camper in the slide on until I can make new ones. Think they were made from Martha Stewart tableclothes, grin. Green check/plaid. I washed the curtains and an old comforter from the camper. Today I will clean again, in the  slide on. I'm going to do an over nighter, probably to Quartsite. I like to go there late in February as the crowds are down and the hikes in the desert are fun. I have a campground out there where I built a rock patio. If someone else is not there I will park there. Found that others like my patio, though. 

After I came in for a while to rest I picked up my mail. There in my Aarp magazine was a story of a family I saw a short clip about on a surfer show. He is a doctor, graduating from Stanford who decided he really wanted to live life. Together with his Mexican/Indian wife they raised 9 children traveling in a truck camper. He loved to surf so it was mostly camped on beaches. He doctored migrant workers and native Americans.  I love to read about lifestyles like that. Don't know if he had some kind of trust fund or not but they lived simple. There is going to be a movie about him. He has a book. Nice pictures of his family on the web page.

web site.  www.alohadoc.com

Sure does make me want to take off in my camper. I'm going to have to do a real search for a trustworthy person to stay with my tribe of critters. 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:03 | link | comments (6)

Spring Plans:

I read some interesting and inspiring articles this morning after I joined some new groups yesterday. One was about how in Africa they are taking back the desert by planting trees. Airiel photo's show much greater density of tree growth. Women dig holes and fill them full of manure and plant trees. Once the trees are established there is less wind to blow away the top soil so their gardens grow better and their livestock has more food. The soil becomes enriched and there is a higher level of rainfall.

The other article I read was about a book written way back in the 1800's titled, "10 Acres Is Enough"  It is the story of a poor man who lived in the city and saved up enough money to buy 10 acres for $1000.  That was probably a big sum of money in those days. He then planted his 10 acres and lived off of it. He planted fruit trees and berries, plus a large vegitable garden. In time he was making more than he ever made in the city because he sold his fruits to the city. 

After reading those inspiring articles I went out and spent the morning working on my prep for Spring planting. I gave the hens some fresh straw for their nests, gave Cheriki and Sage some carrots, raked up some old weeds to burn. Goatheads, don't want to compost them as the seeds don't break down too easily. I watered a big portion of my trees and began planning where to plant.  My palm trees are still alive and some of my fruit trees are starting to bud out. Some life after winter. It was 1:30 when I finally came in and had some brocolli salad and green tea. Hardly got in the house and the sky started clouding up. Good way to get rain is to water. I may have to pen up the chickens and peacocks till the garden gets a good start. Course there are always rabbits too.  I love dreaming of gardens. Hope I eat well this year.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 21:33 | link | comments (1)

Spring Is Coming:

I planted my first little garden on Friday. Shooed the chickens out of the bathtub and planted lettuces and swiss chard then carefully covered the tub with chicken wire. The hens kept trying to jump in while I was planting, it's their dust bathtub. I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming/thinking about replanting and how the weather is taking it's toll on the trees and plantings I have worked so  hard on. I got up and got my permaculture book and read Bill Mollesons ideas and how to plant to protect from the drying winds and frosts. New plans for this Spring. I'm anxious to begin planting again. Life renews itself and we long to begin anew.

On the garage, a bird with many calls sang beautifully. The almond tree is putting out buds.  This morning I woke to gentle rain. Yes, Spring is on it's way.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:23 | link | comments (3)

Living At The Ranch:

I was about to take a shower, the bathroom door was slightly ajar and that is how I met one of my neighbors. She was down to take a shower at the ranch. While she dried her hair we talked. She and her husband had a home in Maine close to the ocean. They had lived there for many years. She was a nurse but was now doing travel tours in the summer and they were living on their property at the ranch in an old 5th wheel. They had solar and rain catchment. They didn't want to sell their home in Maine but loved living on the ranch. They loved the open spaces and uncomplicated life. She said she showered every few days at the campground restrooms and felt that was plenty.

I noticed he had a small air conditioner on the back window of his pickup truck. I had to ask how it worked. He said he had an inverter that he plugged into his cigarette lighter and then plugged the airconditioner in. He said the air conditioner in his pickup broke down and it would have cost close to $1000. to fix so he improvised. He had bought a 20 acre parcel that had a patio and place to park his trailer. He had come to the ranch from Arizona where he had been trying to find some property to live on. He was retired on a small income and did some maintanance for the ranch to add to his income. He enjoyed the beautiful country and simple life.

She worked in the office at the ranch. A couple in their late 30's - 40's , they had decided to try early retirement and hit the road. They have dreams of travel. Michigan is cold in the winter so they headed South. Somehow they heard about the ranch and bought a small piece of land. They work at the ranch part time and travel part time and live in an older class A motorhome.

They are a couple in their late 40's - 50's. He hiked Big Bend National Park when he was younger. Early retirees they found a lovely stone house on 160 acres. The house sits below a mountain version of half dome at Yosemite. A lovely setting with outstanding  views of the sunset. They live there on their retirement close to long hikes while raising grandchildren. They are educated and fun loving and often at the local dances and musicals.

He is an eccentric. He bought 20 acres with a well and a cabin at retirement. He lives below the poverty level so as not to pay taxes and not to support the war. He raises goats for milk and spends his days inventing various dome homes and plasters. His land is dotted with domes in various stages of completion. He was a professional and college graduate.

He was a computer nerd and quite intelligent. He lives in a old bread truck and just recently bought a lovely 20 acres. He helps a friend build rock structures and lives very simply. He is very tight with his savings so as to make them last but always helpful and pleasant. He shops for groceries 2 times a year. He plans on building  his own house.

They are a couple who followed the hippy culture. He creates silver jewelry and she does crafts. They bought land and are building a home. They live in their van and tent.

They are  a retired couple with a grown son who lives with them. They bought a little cottage with a good well. They spend their days remodeling and building onto their home. They have greenhouses and gardens and are creating a real showplace.  They are friendly lovely people.

She is an artist who lived in Santa Fe New Mexico. She is developing a small piece of land and dresses like a gypsy. She attends yoga classes in town and attends alternative building classes. She enjoys swimming at the ranch pool and socializing on the PORCH in the Ghost town where locals meet.

She is an artist who is building an adobe gallery on the most spectacular site. The view is breathtaking. She holds adobe workshops to get help with her building project. Her paintings are wonderful.

This is a small vignet of some of the people I have met on my visit to the ranch. 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 19:19 | link | comments (3)

Front Porch:

I sat on the front porch for the first time in 2007. Tuesday evening was just perfect. I sat out until almost dark eating my dinner of crackers and cheese and green tea and reading the book I received that day called, "Hungry Planet"  "How The World Eats" . Periodically I looked up and just sat looking out across the barnyard. The chickens happily scratched and socialized preparing for bed. The peacocks got their last bit of grain and Sage and Cheriki ate their dinner. They eat too.

In the book it showed pictures of families from around the world standing in front of tables or sitting on the ground with a weeks worth of food.  The cheapest was Darfur at $1.23 a week. basic  grains. I don't even feed my chickens for that. The most expensive was $389. in the US.  It explained how they prepared the food and a bit about their lives. Very interesting book. The most interesting to me was a population in Japan that is very long lived, many over 100 and still doing very well. They eat mostly sweet potatoes, greens, seaweed, and tofu along with a little fish.  Most of them have never seen the inside of a store and can't imagine people who don't grow or gather their own food.

I got my tax assessment today. Next year it will be double , that is what developers do. It just makes me think that Texas is going to be not just a back up but a reality. My property taxes now are about $750 a year for the house and 16 acres. That's a little over $60 a month. Double that and it's $120 a month. That just doesn't make sense to me. I don't use the schools, the library rarely, public offices only to pay taxes and take care of necessary business, like tax and licenses. I pay my own utilities, my internet, my phone, so why must I pay the government here $120 a month to use the roads when I travel little.  Since the area is growing there are more people to pay so why up the prices? Just a rant.

People who live on the ranch in Texas pay $145 a year for road maintanance, taxes are under $50.  The $145 helps pay for the lodge area too. You can buy a key for $25 a year and have acess to the swimming pool and bathrooms. There are people there who have homes, some beautiful and others very basic. Others live in travel trailers, mobile and motor homes, 5th wheels, sheds, adobe, strawbale, cob, stone, owner built shelters. No building codes there except you must have septic if you live on less than 10 acres. Some have wells but most have water catchment and water haul and storage systems. They live very simple lives but they do have phones, a grant gives everyone who owns property phone to their property for $10. Then of course you pay a monthly fee for service. Basic is $18.50. They have DSl interenet for $50. a month and can have satillite tv. It's looking better all the time. Little traffic, lots of wildlife.  I saw a bobcat, a fox, a coyote, deer, antelope, hawks, owls, lizards, roadrunners, tame birds, javilina, and more while I was there.

Just thoughts while sitting on my front porch. I love my little place but I don't want to be civilized in the usual way. I want to live in the country.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 18:00 | link | comments (8)

Texas:

My contractor called just a while ago. He said they had cleared the site for the new raincatchment structure I'm putting up. When I was in Texas I walked my property. It's really a pretty piece of land. I love the washes and they are lined with Desert Willow which I think indicates there is water there. Desert Willow's take quit a bit of water. I found a site that had three trees lined up so they will be the backdrop and I'm going to tuck my water storage tank in between two of them so it won't be an eyesore. I wish I had gotten more pictures but it was very cold while I was there. It took me most of the morning to get going as I just wanted to stay warm.

The contractor also said the phone company had been out all ready so I will probably have a building and a phone when I go back to Texas in late April.

A lady I met there last April had told me she had land and was having a building built. The contractor took me out to see her raincatchment shelter. She has a small room but she has added a hammock , a wash tub, a garden on the edge and a very nice rock patio. It is very charming. The raincatchment 40x40 shelter is of metal but it is amazing how it can be cozied up with a few acessories. 

I had some fun hanging out with some of my neighbors at the little restaurant at the lodge on Saturday night. It's a pretty lively place with live music, dancing and lots of friendly conversation.  Good to be home.

While I was their the burro lady died. Go to my other blog at

http://www.simplelvn.blogspot.com

for more pictures and info on the burro lady.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 21:14 | link | comments (6)

Miserable Me:

I got home from Texas. It was a cold trip, very cold, but I was cozy in my slide on camper when I was in bed under my down comforter. Once home I started to get a sore throat the first night ,next day nose was running like a mad river. Tissues everywhere. Got up and the kitchen electricity had gone out. In my robe I went out and couldn't find the switch box  so took a hotplate into the bathroom and heated coffee .  The phone would ring one short ring and then cut off. No one could call in and yet I could call out. Ohhhhhhhh!just leave me alone! I'm miserable. Drip, drip, drip, sneeze.

So I sat down in front of my computer, blankets over me and sank into my miserable morning. Truck drives up .  Oh no, leave me alone!  I'm sick and in my robe, it's the neighbor lady. She feels so guilty because she has city water and I don't. She can't reach me by phone, she thinks I should call the phone company and the water company and find out why ?  "Yes," I think ," I ordered city water because you wanted it and it was cheaper for two to go in on it. I'll get it hooked up on my own schedule"  I explain, I'm sick so can't invite her in and smile agreeably, I'll call the phone company and water co. 

I go in and dutifully call the phone company but not the water company. The phone company said they will be out on Saturday morning. That's fine with me as the house is a mess and I'm a mess. I sit back down at the computer, lots of tissues piling up, lots of blankets. An hour later another pickup drives up. The phone man. I'm still dripping profusely and in my robe. He needs to come in the house which is a mess. He needs to check everything. I must go outside to help with directions and spot the painted over electric box by the back door. I had been looking for something silver. It had been painted when the house was painted. I ask the phone man if he could pry it open, he does since he had his tool belt on. He says the phone problem is outside down by the road. I explain that the water company just made new trenches for their pipes. He somehow by passes it for now and the phone and electric are now fixed. I go back in my messy house, in my bathrobe, with my dripping nose and piles of tissue and continue being my miserable self with phone and electricity. Sigh, what a miserable day, miserable me.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 18:39 | link | comments (4)