Winter Solstice

Brandon took this beautiful photograph around 10 pm on Winter Solstice

It's been one of those weeks. Or maybe even a couple of "those" weeks straight. Don't get me wrong. We are loving life just as much as ever and nothing major has happened to dampen our spirits but the past days have been a tiny bit of a struggle in their own way. I can't even say why exactly. It seems every spare moment has been spent running around like chickens with our heads cut off just trying to stay on top of the ever growing to do list. Ah welcome to homesteading, right?! :)

We still find ourselves laughing our heads off and of course taking a few minutes here and there to just "breath" but I still yearn for an afternoon to just "be".  This week definitely is starting out a little more bright. It seemed last week every single thing I tried to do would backfire. Again, nothing major - but have you ever had one of those days when you couldn't seem to walk to your car without slipping on ice and cracking your back? I think the dogs are taking full advantage of the situation. Basin is going through his 4th round of "Terrible Twos" testing us on EVERYTHING we do! Thank God for that vibration collar that keeps him in line. Especially thankful for the little button that says "Nick" which I haven't tried personally but I have a feeling it gives him a little more then a vibrate (sorry to the PETA people out there who take offense to this but you probably would understand if you knew the danger he puts himself in while frolicking across the wilderness paying no mind to the head of the pack putting himself in imminent danger because he refuses to listen).  And Kaycee, amidst her senility has found it ever so satisfying to get into the trash (in the camper AND in the shed) every chance she gets). I think I can literally hear her say, "What are you going to do? I'm 15 years old! You can't teach an old dog new tricks" ((insert Kaycee voice which is very lofty & soft with lots of huffs)). And she pretty much has a point...that is, if I can really hear her speaking which if that is the case I might need a day to just "be" more then I know. lol

I was so eager for Brandon to arrive home from work last week. Someone to laugh with me as we struggle to defrost one of the many pieces of machinery that seemed to have frozen solid during the 40 degree drop in 2 hours which took us from rain, to sleet, to pure blown blizzard. I realized abruptly once again how ever so fortunate I am to have a man to support me through these moments. No laughs, no condescending nature at all in fact, just full support. And by now,  I feel enough fuel from the love of my best of friends to turn my frown upside down.

The camper is staying cozy and warm. We did have a couple of nights which reminded me of the good ole, not so good ole winters days in the midwest. Humidity to beat the beans filled the frost bitten air. I'll never forget how quickly it goes straight through your bones, and every other operating piece of equipment you might happen to need to survive. It sure does make me appreciate days like today. A beautiful afternoon, 30 degrees, full sun and no moisture in the air. I can stay outside all day on days like today. However, I've decided to cut it short as it's winter solstice! From here on out we can look forward to more and more sunshine which is especially exciting given the fact we are perched on a south face!

Our hike today was wonderful. Sun all the way along the snowy road we decided to tour which if you stay on for long enough, you will end up in town. We made it about as far as what I like to refer to as "Moose Alley". I think you've heard me mention before the abundance of moose in this neck of the woods. With just me and the dogs we try to stay away from them while on foot. It could mean life or death if we cross paths with an angry Bullwinkle who is unpleasantly surprised by our presence.

Things are seeming to turn around. I said to Brandon last week, "It's almost as if the universe is trying to prepare us for something!" We just chuckled and my thinker of a man decides to not dwell on feelings as much as I do and points out the abundant beauty that surrounds us. I stop to take it in for a minute and admit that this is one of the most incredible places I have ever experienced in my life. And with that, life is good. So good.

It was 2am this morning when we warmed up the jeep to drive Brandon to meet his partner as they begin their 3 hour commute to work. Our hearts are always heavy as we part and every week it seems we miss each other more and long for the day work can be closer to home. Before I say goodbye I realize how eager I am to see him again and he hasn't even left the jeep. But I know that in the days to come much will be accomplished on both ends and much needs to be accomplished to make progress on this adventure of a life.

I drive back toward the end of the valley in the brightest full moon light I have ever seen in my life. It was so bright the valley looked as if there had been a giant street lamp brightening the winding road as I traveled down it. I pull up to the camper, still in my blue suit pajamas with nothing but a winter coat and snow boots pulled over and suddenly darkness surrounds me. I can't help but notice how suddenly our giant street lamp has been turned off. We had photographed the area the night before amazed at it's brightness. (See photo on the top of this post).

Instead of heading straight inside I take a stroll and look around a little bit amazed by the abrupt change. I see the moon it's its partial eclipse and delight in the gift of actually being awake to see it! I can't remember the last time I experienced this! Fortunately Brandon has a phone that works now so I call him immediately and we share a moment from miles apart watching this awe inspiring performance of the universe. I smile and stumble inside as I realize how close I was to missing one of my newest favorite moments.

I remember how fortunate we are and once again my gratitude is renewed. A little ice, a little humidity, a little struggle never hurts. I am thankful for this opportunity to grow larger, stronger, and gain more pronounced character.

We are really tossed up on home building plans as of late. Whoever said we are good at making major decisions was wrong (actually I don't think anyone has ever said that lol I think everyone knows better). When it comes to where we should go on our next road trip we are golden but what home to build?! That's a toughie! I won't speak too soon as these things seem to change daily but I think we have more solidly decided on what would be best and what we should do. Update on that once we are tied in, I am afraid to speak too soon. :D

Everything with the actual living out here is going really well. As mentioned previously, we haven't had as much play time as two mountain gypsies would like but we find our bond and our love for each other and this life growing like corn in the early summer. We couldn't ask for more. We are blessed.

Funny Brandon mentioned last night before heading out that the wildlife sure doesn't come too near to us. I agreed (with the exception of the coyotes)  then on the hike today I found such an abundance of moose, elk, and deer tracks surrounding camp so much that I couldn't believe my eyes! I guess the full moon prompted them to be out and about which has prompted me to sit up the next time the valley is so clearly and vibrantly lit up.

Mental Note Worth mentioning for the week? I suppose it's as simple as this. Sometimes when the light disappears and darkness evades don't assume the worst. You just might have the best front row seat for one of the most spectacular shows of your life.

Thanks for reading and until next time, Happy Camping!

My Boys - can't figure out how to get this right side up before my battery dies lol

Brandon and his plow partner!

Winter Wonderland!

Perhaps I've been overusing the term "winter wonderland" but I can't really think of any other way to put it. Even the photos do it no justice. This is by far the most beautiful winter I have ever experienced & has opened my eyes and heart to an appreciation that I thought dissipated when I was about 12 years old.

Yes, 12 years old was when I last felt it except now with this renewed interest and bigger muscles the  snow balls are rolled much larger. In fact, I used to think I knew how to play in the snow but now realize I had no idea how to roll a snowball until we waited for a semi warm winters day with gigantic white pieces of fluff gently falling all around us to the ground which already had a couple feet of white accumulation. What I am trying to say is, it's fun. A lot of fun.

You know, when we first talked about moving out here and into a camper we really felt that the world thought we were crazy. We did have a few supporters but overall it would have been extremely discouraging if we would have listened.  We never privately discussed these reactions from people. It's not of our nature to really dig into negativities like that. When we decide to do something, we do it. We enjoy the rush you get from the unknowns. The challenges of living off the land. But were we REALLY going to be freezing our bums off like they said. Was this REALLY going to be a horrible experience that we would never forgive ourselves for? We didn't know but we were doing this and we've loved the adventure so far.

Last week finally all of those discouragements were brought up during a lovely afternoon stroll down a path along the side of the creek. It sure is working out beautifully. And for the first time we openly admitted that we didn't know if it would. It's so cool when you can set your mind to something, do it, and actually succeed. I shouldn't speak too soon. There is a lot of winter ahead of us but seriously, is this the coolest place I've EVER lived? Um let me think, yes.

This has been a very snowy winter. The plow works wonderfully on the road and has become a favorite pastime worth fighting over who gets to do it. The dogs are in love with their new home. I am so glad my old girl Kaycee was able to experience this in her last days. She loves the peace and solace. No neighbor dogs to tear into, no traffic to bark at to warn mom. The nearest neighbors whom are still quite a distance away are all gone now so here we are, in this magnificent valley, all to ourselves.

And as far as staying warm goes, on our coldest nights which were near -40 the camper stayed plenty warm. Not throw a leg out from the covers warm but plenty cozy in some long johns and warm slippers. Right now I am gasping for air as this tiny space heater is aiming towards the bedroom where I am writing from blasting heat unlike anything I've felt since August. And for those of you who know me personally know I love it!

I turned 30 years old last week. I couldn't think of any other place I would want to be. For my 30th birthday we snowshoed to the top of the mountain and rode sleds down. In between my little emotional breakdowns from my first official life crisis the air was filled with nothing but laughter and gasps of excitement as we flew off the sides of boulders that we didn't know were underneath us. I couldn't ask for more then to have spent this day with the sweetest man in the world. Rewind a little, I also woke up to breakfast, coffee from Hawaii & all morning chores done while I slept in! I have to say, this was the best I've ever been treated on a birthday and I felt like a princess by the time evening came.

We also learned this week that one should never leave the black tank open on a cold night. I am SO glad Brandon has worked with medical waste in the past or he would never be able to do this job. And mind you, he put a new use to the words "Slush Puppies". I have never smelled such a foul odor as what comes out of this thing but he keeps on keeping on! Thank God cuz I would be gagging from here to Missoula if I had to do that job! Anyway, no major problems from that. Had to get a little messy & take a little time after dark on a cold night but everything was up and going again within the hour. Brandon comes in with his hands held out asking me to turn the pump on and spray some soap on his fingers. I had the bright idea of pouring vinegar over the soap  to help with some of the horrible odor that seeped into his palms. Awhile after dinner during a leisurely video game he turns to me and says, (excuse my language) "My hands smell like piss and vinegar I must really be full of it!" haa! Ahh I love this guy.

Have been able to take some fun photographs. Someday when I get a little antenna to stick on top of this beast I will hopefully have better internet service (which I'm surprised I have any!) and be able to attach more pictures to these posts. It's so beautiful.

Heard a woman screaming outside my window a couple weeks ago at the top of her lungs. I paused for a moment before panicking and hiding in the commode when it dawned on me that obviously there wasn't a woman screaming outside my window! I thrilled at the idea that a pack of coyotes had come so close that I almost felt like I was in the middle of them, they yelped all the way past and were on their way. The moose have also become abundant & there is a particular mom and baby that seems to always be around. For over 7 months now we have watched the baby grow into a young bull. She is getting used to our vehicle (we wouldn't dare approach her on foot) so we stop when she is near the trail and she just watches us. We don't push our luck in hopes of not chasing her off, she has become quite the popular model in front of the camera as well!

Haven't been on the mountain snowboarding yet but we are eager to do so. Eager to get out onto the lake and kite a bit. Eager to do many things. Perhaps this lifestyle has us a bit more tied down but I cannot say I feel like I am living any less the life. In fact, most days it feels like more.

Pumping water from the creek, filtering it twice, then pumping into the camper deemed unsuccessful. Our first use was great. Second one everything froze up almost instantly. I may have mentioned this in another post. I apologize for any redundancy you might notice. I digress, we've converted to hauling all of our water in 6 gallon containers. They are easy enough to poor into the camper & extremely convenient to fill. No longer do we go to town or friends house or even the laundry mat to fill them, silly us forgot there an awesome mountain spring with the BEST water where locals often go to, to fill up! It's PERFECT! So a bath a day it is & lots of delicious crisp, cool artesian well water from the Mountains of Montana.

It's a neat place and one where I have found my heart & soul. Today as I drove toward a neighboring town near I-90 I came upon about 800 head of cattle on the highway. I weaved in and out of them as I passed mile by mile of red and black angus. It confirmed to me that I've finally found home. I even used to jeep to push a few back to the main 3 mile long herd. Wanted to make my farmer friends back home proud. The ranchers in the truck in front smiled these incredible smiles and waved their arms off as I passed by. I smiled & was glad that I didn't live in a place with bumper to bumper traffic. I'd much rather deal with bumper to bumper cattle :)

That's about all for now folks. Thanks for reading! I try to get on here once a week. Last week I missed due to my turning 30 crisis but I'm over it now and back in action!


Mental Note worth mentioning - of the week:

Do not panic when the gas tester goes off continuously if you're dogs bum is right next to it.

Until next time from the happy campers,

Take care!

Momma Moose and Baby Bullwinkle

The moose are cool animals. They are highly respected by all in the animal kingdom and seem to carry a fearlessness with them wherever they go.

They are enormous critters with a fierce reputation. If one decides to attack you, there really isn't that good of a chance you'll get out without being seriously injured.

There are a lot of moose around here. In particular these two which have acted interestingly over the past 7 months. The photo to the right was taken on a cheap camera phone around the end of May. What an exciting thing to watch them jet across the road up ahead! Seeing in person is really incredible.

Over the next few weeks there were more encounters with these two. Momma was so skittish. We would spot her from a very comfortable distance and instantly she would make a run for it taking this little leggy nob back behind her with.

After awhile she would watch us a little longer each visit and finally a couple of weeks ago we were able to drive up to a safe but close distance and grab some great photos!

These beautiful animals are almost mystic. I can watch them for hours!

Brrr!

I woke this morning and was a bit chilly! The coldest has yet to arrive. Either my eyes played a bad trick on me or the forecast stated that there would be temperatures in the negatives within the next few days! Brr! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it was near 70 just a few weeks ago! But I must not complain. After all, it is nearly the end of November already! Where does time go? 


It has not stopped snowing for over a week now. It seems the old timers were right when they said we would see a very white winter (and cold for that matter). We've only accumulated around 5 inches at the homestead, town has less. I believe there is around a 1,000 foot or more difference in elevation from here to there. It's not supposed to stop though, so yesterday was spent assembling the new plow on the floor of the camper. The instructions initially looked a bit intense. We probably spent about an hour prepping to tackle the project but after beginning it things went surprisingly smooth! Or perhaps we just make a great team :) At any rate, we got it done! It was pretty fun to plow for the first time. Aside from the terribly torn up road thanks to easement rights and a construction company that didn't seem to care that WE would still have to get in and out of here all year...ahhh digression. Anyway, it works really well & is a very large piece of mind to know it can snow, Snow SNOW as much as it wants because this plow girl is up for the challenge! 


Anyway, our batteries are struggling to hold a charge. This morning was especially chilly after they went dead somewhere around 3am. I was in a bit of a daze stumbling out to flip the generator on but it definitely heated it up again in here fast enough to take an early morning nap until it was light outside! Next week we will have to figure something out with this though. We do have 2 extra now that have yet to be added on to the current pack. That should definitely be added to the To Do list! :D


Other then that we have just been continuously prepping for winter! Going good so far! 


We are also especially excited about a new prospect that has come up! Our FAVORITE rustic log cabin company  that we never thought we could afford has a shell for a full sized log cabin which they are offering for sale for right in our price range!! It's SO beautiful!  It has draw knifed logs, extra large instead of the milled look & is plenty large enough to make it a permanent residence! We would be under budget which would leave so much room for other things within the construction of this home! Yeah!! We are hoping to have the purchase for this log shell secured asap so construction can begin first thing in the spring. This is especially exciting since what seems the biggest decision (which home) might be answered now so the focus can go back into all of the seemingly minor (yet incredibly major) details! I'll get some pictures up soon! 


I guess that's all for now! The local ski mountain is getting dumped on so we are pretty excited to get our boards out! Some play time will be much appreciated after the chaotic preparations which have seemed to rule our lives for the past couple of months!


Until next time - keep your toes warm & always have water! ;)

Simplicity

With the time change I have found the days to be drastically shorter. I don't know what it is exactly that makes this new place so cozy. Perhaps its the stillness of the night. Maybe it's just being back in my right element. We both agree, that this is definitely one cozy spot.

After the whirlwind of craziness over the past 2 months things are FINALLY settling down. Not a whole lot but something is better then nothing, right? Last week we had the most beautiful of days. Fair weather - I think it reached 70 around the middle of the week. Just when I tossed my hoodie back in the closet we had a lovely gust of a high around 30 the next day blow in. I do love that about winters out west. It seems they give you a break. It's never consistently freezing for months on end. At least not since I've been here. You get little breaks. Though I must admit I do pay close attention to the rumors as they continue to fly...this is supposed to be one bad winter. Lots of snow and lots of cold.

I'm not too worried though, there is always a way. We did experience some serious freezing of the hoses already which was a little inconvenient. Especially since living like this involves a whole lot of pumping fluids into this beast. We've found some great back up plans for these times even if they involve multiple trips to the laundry mat to move enough water for a shower & teeth brushing. Luckily for Brandon, he is with a Wisconsin girl and we know how to defrost things like no other! So I've already stepped into action on the defrosting department & would make you Wisconsin girls proud.

Over the past couple of weeks there has been a lot of monitoring & creating new and innovative ways of doing things. Every night it feels a little more like home as well as every night I am more and more glad to be out of town!

We've arranged for some loggers to come in next month to remove some beetle kill. We still need to get a larger propane tank but for now these smaller ones work very well.

The dogs are getting settled in. We always double check outside after dark before we let them out. It shouldn't be too long before a moose or bear is standing out there poking around the "yard".  Would hate to have an incident. The trauma from it alone would force me to pull this sucker by hand back to civilization.

We've renewed our love for playing the game Mario Brothers and have spent endless hours into the dark night up here in the hills trying to beat Bowser after Bowser. We have fun like kids, feeling young & full of life. We've found that this move has renewed a sense of youth in us. We don't really know why we feel that way but we definitely are enjoying it.

The snow is falling & this week we hope to get a plow out here or it's just a short matter of time before we're snowed in this snow cave (which wouldn't be so bad mind you).

I write this with flakes slowly fumbling their ways to the ground outside my windows. The dogs and I just returned from a walk that was cut short because of an apparent starving old Akita who insisted on running full force back to the camper for her bone without waiting for us.

We hiked along a trail with about an inch of fresh snow. All so fresh, no tracks aside from our own. Birds screech out their sirens as we pass by, informing the entire forest of our presence. To my left I noticed a beautiful wide area in the creek with a crystal clear sheet of ice covering it. Basin was so excited - his first experience with ice! He was a typical malamute - extremely cautious, innately tapping the ice with just the tip of his toe nail before even thinking about putting a foot on it!  It was beautiful. I had to slack for a moment and actually admit how freaking beautiful winter can be and maybe even admit that I can learn to love it.

A family of beavers swam by beneath the crystal layer. I watched in unbelief trying to make sense of these enormous blobs who were on a mission below the waters surface.  They didn't mind that I was there. They knew I meant them no harm. I smiled as Basin and I returned to Kaycee & her gigantic bone. The beauty in the simplest of things is so often the best.

Until  next time - from the camper in the mountains of Montana, take care!

Back to the Basics.

Meanwhile...back on the homestead things have been very well. You know, when you grow up with things such as power, plumbing, an abundant source of water, plenty of heat in the winter, etc. you really can't know what to expect when suddenly you are living off grid.


Well, speaking for myself - I can honestly say - I had only a little idea of what to expect. I knew only these things. Showers would be short. Using the restroom would be chilly. Sometimes being indoors might be chilly (though we haven't even touched down into our coldest months out here in Montana so stay posted on that.) And I HOPED the change of pace would be an eye opener. I hoped it would be a refreshing change of pace. A way to abruptly learn to really appreciate things that had so soon are taken for granted. I also hoped these changes would be a source of inspiration. A way to get Back to the Basics. 


So far, that's exactly what it has been. Though the past few weeks have been SO busy I think both of our heads are still wildly spinning out of control and I am SO anxious to have a day just to hang out and enjoy this new world. That day will come I am sure but not quite yet.


This week was an important one. The transition has been made. No more town. No more 30 minute hot showers every morning. The use of energy is now widely conserved. The priceless lessons of how to live outside of society are now underway. But all is good. Actually, quite wonderful. The stressors of "not knowing" are slowly diminishing and enjoyment of being in this new place is quickly taking hold. 


Both of us have always known we would love to learn to live completely off grid. Being independent, headstrong, and at times quite the "loners", we had always talked about Not Needing Anyone to exist in this world. You know you will miss certain things (though at the moment I can't say I miss ANYTHING about depending on people to live!) but you also know you are undertaking something that not many people can. That's a pretty cool &  what an opportunity in this day & age!


An endless supply of water is underway, I am now permitted to #1 indoors which is WONDERFUL! We have purchased 2 more batteries to add to the pack. The current batteries are doing the trick and keeping everything charged enough until morning, however their charge is dwindling so fast that it is alarming (and dramatically reduces the life expectancy of the batteries) so two more might just do the trick. 


Next week will be another busy one. A "front" porch area will be constructed & a larger propane tank which can be filled in bulk will hopefully be purchased. So far we are going through about 7 pounds of propane in 4 days - mind you I probably have it a LITTLE warmer in here then it actually needs to be but still not bad! But apparently propane is much more pricey when purchased in small quantities. Also, along with the front porch we will be using a heavy duty tarp of some sort to protect the slide out from acquiring large amounts of snow...any ideas welcome before that is underway. :) 


I awoke this morning to a beautiful frost filled valley. The sun comes up a little later in this nestled area. Everything is is so pure. So untouched. I am especially grateful to #1 inside on mornings like this. The views are so much more enjoyable through a window pane first thing upon rising. But the beauty I cannot quite express. It is also very good to know when & where the sun is hitting throughout the seasons in regards to future home sites!


As I type this I watch the sun slowly making it's way to where I sit. I have very limited cell & internet service here which I am inquiring on how to boost the signal a little bit. But for now it works! 


Haven't spotted any moose, bears, mountain lions, etc. passing by the windows yet but have noticed an enormous abundance of tracks, scat, and beds within 100 feet of MY bed in the mornings. Which prompted the purchase of a good spot light. I can hardly wait to see my neighbors now!  


We also discovered a fairly large beaver dam not far from the camper. I am excited to try to catch some good photos of them! Apparently they are nocturnal so I am hoping that if I wake up before the sun rises and prop myself on a rock with a good view I might be able to catch some action!


Time to get the day started - lots to do! Until next time -  from the mountains of Montana,


Take care!

Something white is on the ground???

It has been such a busy few weeks & though we are both pretty tuckered out, we are both incredibly relieved by the amount of tasks completed after this rush! Nonetheless, it is not quite time for rest. Next week will begin with a trip to Missoula to this great store we found to purchase just about anything for this (and many other) lifestyles! Until then, I will be getting settled in the new place with the dogs. Which brings us to....drum roll....so far this is pretty awesome! Last night a moose stood watching us from about 200 feet away. A beautiful female posed so elegantly as the snow gently fell around her. Of course, we both were quite disappointed in me for not having the camera handy! But I swear they hide when I bring the it! Well, they won't hide for long. Thanks to a number of people, circumstances, situations, and opportunities - we now get to live on their turf! It's pretty exciting for a couple of folks like us. Truth is, in the summer - we spend probably around 90% of our time together in the woods/mountains/jeep/tent. It's probably safe to call it an addiction. An addiction to the peace, solace and beauty you can find & experience only when you are apart from the drama & dysfunction that seems to be so prevalent in the world around us. But most of all, just to be hand in hand with nature is life changing in itself. Ahh. Yes, we love camping. In fact, last year when November arrived, we had such a great summer we decided to travel west to the coast. Now that was camping! But that's a whole other story for another time. What I am trying to say now is this. Week 1 in the camper has been quite fantastic. I was especially excited to get rid of satellite TV. Brandon on the other hand - was dreading it. After a few nights though I think we both can see how much of a distraction it was! The TV was ALWAYS on when we were in the house! I'll admit - I might miss American Pickers and maybe even (just between me and you) a little Dr. Phil but wow - my soul delights in the stillness and calmness that surrounds us now. On the other hand, with the generator running you can actually watch movies in here! The enormous TV in the entertainment portion of the camper with a movie playing on it makes this place feel like a real home! 

For a couple mornings we have been teased with light dustings of something white all over the place. This morning, all toasty in bed I wake to the most beautiful of pines arched so proudly out our windows. I cannot help but be incredibly thankful (maybe even a little excited) about how breath taking nature can be. I also take extra delight in how toasty I am! Perhaps it's these footed pajama's which are now known as the  "Blue Suit".  I'm not much for having stuff on my feet but in this situation I make the sacrifice of comfort for...well comfort! I do wish they had a butt flap - very difficult to go #1 outside in during a cold night. But they are WoNderFul! I digress, this place has SO far stayed so cozy and toasty!! The thermostat is usually set on 65 at night which is plenty warm with temps down in the teens! I think it could be turned down even lower and still be comfortable. 

Cooked the first meal last night here.   The stove top worked wonderfully. On the other hand - there is a very odd odor wreaking of sulfur or "rotten eggs"  that is coming from the water. It was filled upon pick up and in the owners manual I read that sometimes this is common when water sets in there for too long. Not sure where to go from there with that, feedback is definitely welcome!

Anyway, so yes. Snow, as they call it, has arrived. And we were ready just in time. The good news is, Brandon's brother Garrett and his wife Trina are going to let us borrow their ATV for the winter. I don't know if they have any idea how much this means to us! After looking into how pricey plows for pick ups are we abruptly realized that we wouldn't be able to afford one. Huge dilemma on that so this is such a HUGE help! SO the plow will be in later this week & then I become plow girl. I have my warm clothes ready & am stoked about my duty. Much better then shoveling off a  concrete driveway in town. This is more my flavor. If you knew where I grew up - you would understand why.

So, so far life as a boondocker is spectacular. I now understand what all the people who shared their experiences via blogs online were talking about. Winter camping might be one of the coolest things we've ever done. I am sure we will run into road blocks and have some challenges but so far so good. 

Next week we will upgrade to being able to #1 in the actual camper toilet which I am pretty stoked about, and we are considering still where we will get water. For now, showers in the rental until the end of the month. 

That is about all we've been up to. Late night guitar sessions, an occasional movie, moving everything over, cleaning the old rental and just getting settled in! Life is so good. I will try to get more pictures up over the next few days!

Toodles for now my friends & take care!

Amidst The Transformation

Wow this has been a busy & intense week! We've realized now that we could've never prepared for this move in time without help! The past 5 or 6 days have been a whirlwind. The storage shed from lowes is now fully constructed with a ply wood floor. It seems to be very stable and will be perfect for what we'll use it for.(a nightmare to assemble though). A mass quantity delivery of mothballs arrived (thanks mom!)- I have yet to spread them under the trailer but am in high hopes these will help with any rodent problems we encounter. 

The boys got off work & began immediately on moving the camper & skirting it. These guys are real troopers. After working an 11 hour nightshift they drove 3 and a half hours across the state to work on this thing until dark. Then everyday after for the rest of the week they were plugging away on it. They've built a great skirt with plywood and staples holding the insulation along the inside walls. We've also put down plastic underneath the whole thing to hopefully help with keeping moisture from seeping from the earth into the camper. It also serves as hopefully a spot for mass mothballs to last awhile.

We could not have done this without Rich. He's been our fuel & brains behind the operation and without him, simply put, we could not have done this! He was over here everyday off to help construct this thing. We are so grateful for him & all he has done! SOOO grateful! THANKS RICH!!!

After the skirting was up we tried the first of two methods to keep the skirting tight to the camper to prevent rain and snow from getting in there. The first was duct tape. Didn't work. Peeled off. Didn't stick. So now we are using the caulking method. which includes leaving a line of caulk along any of the spots that have a small gap.  Working well so far.

Also put plastic over the windows inside. Will report on how well that works. I am considering having some small wool blankets on hand for added insulation if necessary.

Also, thanks to Rich we were able to take most of our large items over to the new pad. So now all that is left is, finishing packing the house, cleaning it, and finding a water holding tank that won't freeze, propane tank, and a john.

In addition to everything that is going on here in Montana, this week I received a phone call from my mother informing me that my father has cancer.  I never quite knew how I would deal with news like this if it ever came.  In my worst nightmares I imagined it. Never once did I suspect my father had cancer. I am still in shock & have been for 3 days now. I know I must keep my head in the game, stay focused, and have hope. Still though, I feel like a cloud is following me. I'm looking out but it's all a blur. I am beyond afraid inside & though my hope & faith are strong, I feel somewhat detached from my surroundings, my mind is always on him. I stay as calm as possible & continue to believe in the things that we cannot see. So if anyone is reading this & believes in the things that we cannot see, please say a prayer for my daddy.

The Final Countdown

Well, the clock is ticking & the landlord grumbling. Not much progress made on getting more stuff packed up over the past few days. The Lowes storage shed has been the prime focus. I think it will work out very well & save us the costs from having a storage unit (amongst other things). But let me tell you - these buggers are not exactly a joy to put up. The instructions are nearly impossible & then tedious hours of screwing in 5,632 screws all mixed in a plastic bag, I am so glad we have had some help figuring it out & assembling it (Thanks Jeff, I doubt you'll ever read this but if you do thanks!) Otherwise I would probably still be sitting out there on a rock with my left eyeball spinning in circles.

I am looking forward to my sweethearts return. I've heard the rumor is to pull the new wagon out to the homestead & then the following day do the skirting and insulating. So it looks like it might be an extremely busy few days. 10 minute guitar sessions help me maintain my sanity while these monstrous loads of information pump through my noodle. I think we both are eager to get all of this stuff figured out.

Midnight in Montana & time for bed. Goodnight All.

A New Blog & A New Post

Hello Everyone! 


So! Today after a lengthy struggle with the other blog site I decided to start a new one here. So I transfered over the previous posts and here it is. 


I'm so far really enjoying this blog (hopefully somebody else is too har har). I think that someday we might enjoy reading back to our earlier years, when we were setting up our lives, and living the dream. You get the gist of it. And, for any of you who know me - know I LOVE to write! Amongst other things, I feel it is very therapeutic to be able to pour out what's all going on, onto paper. It will also be nice, as I am in deepest hopes, for any feedback as we encounter different situations on these adventures. Especially the upcoming one of full time boondocking. 


As mentioned previously, the past few weeks have been hectic. I think it will be so relaxing to get this move over with and get everything figured out! 


We are so excited about the changes that are going to take place. We will no longer be paying rent. Love that feeling. We will be living on a property that we previously only had dreamt of living on! We will be getting back to the basics and will live almost completely self sufficiently (which is a dream!). We are a TEENIE bit nervous about the challenges, as with our first time, we have no idea what to expect but love the idea that we will be challenged, so it all weighs out. 


We are still trying to figure out what to do for a toilet. Still considering wag bags. And we are still kicking around how to store water without it freezing. Any ideas would be much appreciated!


Last night was cold, somewhere below 20 degrees. Fortunately, it's supposed to be fairly nice - in the 60's and partly sunny for the rest of the week, happy to hear no snow is in the forecast with all of the plans for moving the camper and skirting. Then...bring it on. Can't wait to snowboard!


Looks like the Moose are back down in the valley for the fall. Hence, the name "Lone Moose Reserve". Except there definitely is more then a lone moose! Seen a bull the other day, Brandon thinks its the one that attacked Basin earlier this year. I am ecstatic about the wildlife photo opportunities that will be out here! I can't wait to get out of town! And even more exciting, will have the winter to arrange for more solid building plans in the spring. 


Life is definitely rockin' & rollin'. Anyway, so here's to the new blog! Have a great afternoon!

New Beginnings. October 10, 2010

Well, we are into the second week of October. As much as I wish time would slow down for a minute I still am eager to make the transition into our new home. This week (thanks to Rich & Tracy) we were able to gather much of the needed supplies to make this all happen! I honestly believe it would have taken us at least a month to accomplish this much! Three trips to Missoula & a full day of packing later we have the camper in the driveway, skirting, insulation, plastic for the windows, 2 x 4;'s, a 10 x 14 storage shed, an AWESOME generator and much more, much needed items.


While picking up the camper, a shorty full of insight gave us the lowdown on how to operate it which was a great help. We both feel much more comfortable with the idea of keeping this boat afloat in the drifts of snow this winter. This is such a learning experience!


They say change isn't always easy but I am beginning to think that so much good can be brought from it too.  For instance, inspiration after a year long dry spell for song writing poured from me this morning and the words I've been trying to reach for months swiftly poured out to some new beautiful chords found on the 12 string. And after just TRYING to remember everything we need to remember things are really falling into place! Again, thanks to Rich & Tracy (we couldn't have done it without you guys!) being our thinkers as we waltzed through home improvement stores for hours on end trying to recall at least half of what we went there for.


Thanks to another friend who has a friend who is looking for work we might actually get the storage shed up this week. Which would be wonderful, the packing is sort of at a stand still, and a storage shed up now would make a world of difference (and progress for that matter!) With such limited time & the man away at work it sure does help when things like this can be accomplished while he is away.


So things are underway. I heard a rumor snow is in the forecast for next week. Don't know how much but we are keeping our fingers crossed it holds off for at least 2 more weeks.


Here is what we are trying to figure out. Any input is greatly appreciated. First off, we are not sure where we are going to get water from. The people we know in town shut their outside water off for the winter (to prevent freezing). I have noticed a few hydrants around town (at the RV park especially) and need to ask if they leave their water on for the winter. This is an option. Perhaps a gas station. Come to find out the camper only holds 45 gallons so we will need to refill a couple times a week. But we feel okay about the prospect of GETTING water. The main issue is where will we store it. Perhaps they make a holding tank that is freeze proof. Something we can leave on the back of the flat bed pick up (Thanks Dawn & Ross for letting us borrow it!!! Lifeeee savers!) and let it gravity feed into the camper.


Still working on whether we get an outhouse or the notorious "Wag Bag" . Maybe I can find a place that has affordable outhouses for rent or something.


So long story short. Things are rolling right along. Yesterday I spoke of how excited I am to live in the country again. But this is more country then I've ever lived in. We seen a bull moose and coyote yesterday less then a mile from where the camper will sit. This is pure wilderness. Granted it's less then 10 miles from town, the town still sits in the mountains. It's going to be an adventure of a lifetime. We just need to figure out the water situation. Oh! And the snow situation! We found that plows cost thousands, even used! So we are looking into whether someone can come plow & how often they would be able to come out.


A bit intense given the fact we've decided to do this RIGHT  before winter but that's how we roll baby!


Into the Wild!

Until next time,


Em OUT

Just Packing My Brains Out! October 3, 2010

We've decided to bring the camper to the house for a week before setting it up at its new location. It's another beautiful day into the beginning of October here in Montana. A beautiful Sunday afternoon. The house is utterly upside down! Sorting through anything and everything I can get my hands on - trying to decide what we will absolutely need to live throughout the next year and what can go into the storage shed. The dumpster is already full and the garden shed here has a massive pile of "Em went nuts and threw everything out" conglomerate. Brandon is already concerned but his mind was put to ease when I informed him I had not touched the "camping equipment" room. Yet. :P


Getting very excited still about this move & adventure at hand. Personally, I am stoked about living in the country again! This town was great while it lasted, but I can't wait to be back to where this heart is. I also can't wait until my honey bunny gets home so we can go get the new home!!!

Preparations!

It's a lovely Saturday morning and I know the incredibly hot and long shower I just took will be one of the last I take for awhile here in a few weeks. That may be one of the things I am not as excited about but I know there is always the laundry mat in case of emergency need for long, hot shower. A few quarters get ya 10 minutes - I think it may be a weekly treat when Brandon is gone to work :)


This has been a really good & productive week. VERY busy nonetheless. After waiting for summer...well...all summer it finally arrived at the end of September. Unlike last year, this time we have enjoyed a beautiful array of mountain fall colors. The Aspens are a gorgeous yellow & golden. The breeze is warm fluttering the leaves and creating a mystic & dreamy effect as we walk down the trails near our home. The creeks and rivers are low, crystal clear, and bouncing off amazing reflections. The elk are in rut - bugling their hearts out in search for their mate for the minute. I could go on and on about all of the changes that are happening as this environment prepares for the upcoming winter. You get the gist of it. It's pretty neat.


Anywho, as are we preparing for the changes. The old timers tell us it's going to be a harsh winter. Not necessarily cold but a lot of snow. We actually are excited to hear about that. The past couple of years haven't given us the powder we so enjoy playing on during involvement of winter sports. So yes! Good snowboarding right out our back door. Also, Basin will be learning to Skijor this winter. His harness has arrived and now it's just a matter of momma reading the book Ski Spot Run before his training can begin.


Thanks to Dawn & Ross we now have an old beater pick up truck with a flat bed to borrow while  doing  work out on the property. Good for taking trash in, moving trees & brush, plowing, etc. And thanks to Rich, Tracy and Karen for helping us clean up some dead trees this week! It was quite an enjoyable day (mainly enjoying the perfect weather and good company) and followed up with a very yummy dinner at our local favorite restaurant Silver Mill where John whips up the BEST piles of deliciousness. Good times.


I am still packing the house up and this week we will be traveling to Missoula to pick up the camper. We've decided to park it at the house for a week or so first - move the bulk of our "non breakable" items into it, see what fits and what doesn't, then take it out to where it will be skirted and propped for the next year. We are VERY excited about picking it up this week. Which will also include a trip to Lowes to buy whatever it is we think we need to winterize this thing. Any suggestions? We are thinking things along the lines of: some sort of roofing material to build a little roof over the front door & slide out, kennels for the dogs, a water holding tank to move water in, throw rugs, sealant for the roof, a generator, energy efficient bulbs, plastic for the windows, a small storage shed (to avoid paying storage fees), etc.


The question of the day really revolves around defecation. Lest I remind you we will not have power, a well, nor a septic. So we think we have the power and water secured - (any ideas welcome) but the septic. I know they make holding tanks but that seems like such a stinky job (har har - pun was intended) but online I found "wag bags" and other biodegradable bags. They are large and fit right in the toilet. For extra odor protection you throw in some Pooh Powder (real name - got a giggle or two out of me). Others suggested an outhouse. I priced porta-potties. So we are leaning toward these wag bags - completely legal to throw out in any garbage. As long as our guests don't mind! LOL "Welcome to paradise, here's your pooh bag please use it wisely" Haa!!


Regardless of all of that, and I think I have been long winded enough. What a wonderful week. We FINALLY were able to get out for a couple of hours yesterday for a dirt bike and fall picture tour ride. I think it was much needed as well as was a perfect way to possibly end a lovely Indian Summer.


Thanks for reading!

Reflections - From September 26, 2010

Sometimes we forget who we’ve got. Who we are . Where we are going. What makes our heart beat really hard. Ya gotta keep it real. Ya gotta stick with your heart, not let the distractions interfere with the path that you have chosen. Today is a good day. As I pack up this house, for the first time in my life really taking my time to keep things organized, wrapping each and every rock and carefully labeling the containers. A bit different then the old “throw everything in the back of the truck and send gravel flying as I burn out” method. Anyway, what I am trying to say is, as I wrap these rocks a rush of excitement is filling me. Typically, throughout my life I have loved moving. Until the past few times, then not so much. It was getting old &  being a “runner” was catching up with me. I knew when I came to where I am now I wouldn’t be able to run much longer, I love it here too much. I love this life too much. A wonderful man who treats me like a princess at my side, two hilariously weird dogs, and a geographic region that is hard to beat. Reflections overcome me. Music playing, a warm breeze blowing. This time I am paying attention to every detail. Every thing I package away. And am happy.  Summer is finally here. I am reminded of how good God is and chuckle at the sense of humor He must have to convince us summer would never arrive and then bless us with these most amazing days! I feel silly for griping about the weather on a day like today. Windows open, curtains flapping, and nothing but me, a box of rocks, and some coffee house music. I cannot express the warmth that has filled my heart this afternoon or the excitement that overwhelms my being.

At any rate, packing always causes a bit of reflection. Going through the memories hanging on the wall, laying under the table, papers, pictures….

Regardless of the drama, the hatred, or the bitterness that can so often surround us, somewhere deep inside lies this peace. In this peace, I am so proud to report, we have found ourselves. And it is good.

Prepping for the full time camper life is pretty exciting. I guess they call them, “Boondockers”. And I guess I should get back to packing if I wanna be one. 

September 25, 2010 Blog Post

Welcome to the daily doings of Em and Brandon & thanks for stopping by! We are quite excited about all of the changes coming our way and thought, well – if there was a time to have a blog – this might be it! So here it is.

Life in Montana has been going really well. Winter time is quickly approaching and to be honest, I am still waiting for summer! We had a couple of months (or maybe a month) that felt a LITTLE “summerish” but overall it was filled with a lot of rain, cold temps, and snow until I think about July! 

I was thrilled to be able to make a trip home to Wisconsin in July to see my family, best friends, and meet some of my fathers childhood friends who were visiting him when I was. Needless to mention, I filled my gullet with all the cheese curds a girl could handle as well as dump truck loads of Culvers chocolate frozen custard! (I salivate on the keypad just thinking about it!). I witnessed my best friend beginning contractions before giving birth to her second daughter, enjoyed amazingly humid and warm temperatures, introduced our puppy, Basin to where “mom” grew up.

Thanks to my travel agent (thanks ma!) we found a great plane ticket for Brandon to meet me out there for a couple days before we drove back. It’s always nice to go home but I think this trip was my favorite visit. It seems the older I get, the more I appreciate my roots. What a great place to grow up! 

Ahh but my heart is in the mountains. And so is Brandons so here we are. In this amazing little valley nestled about an hour from I-90 toward the border of Idaho in between the Bitterroot/Sapphire/Pintler mountain ranges. What a slice of paradise. My favorite part of all of the mountainous states (now with the exception of Alaska of course)  and how blessed are we to get to live here! 

Last summer we had done a LOT of exploring around these parts (as well as Idaho) and I think that every campfire, every jeep trip, every excursion – we always said we had this dream to buy some land out in the mountains and build a house. I never thought it would happen so quick! But upon springs arrival and on one of our many “land hunting” excursions we noticed a piece of property. I am extremely picky about where I would want to spend that much money and as I looked out the window I said, “See, that is something like EXACTLY what I would want!” Brandon agreed and we drove off assuming that property would NEVER be for sale and if it was, it would be way beyond our price range. Surprise for us! A month later we were closing on it! 

Building is quite the learning experience. Take it from us. So far I think we have cut down a few trees and the rest has been basically trying to make decisions and find ways to make this all work. Talking to numerous people who work with infrastructure, pricing, planning, etc. etc. etc. Up until the past few weeks this was quite the enjoyable and exciting experience for us but then it hit! We are trying to build a cabin within 2 months and we have only a little bit of an idea of what it is that we actually want to do! On top of that, what we want to do is nearly impossible with the area we picked. SO, we began the camper hunt (again after deciding NOT to do the camper life) and found a camper to live in for the winter.

In this blog I would like to share our experiences. Not only with the property, home building, living in the camper, etc. but so many cool things happen when you spend this much time in the wilderness areas of the Rocky Mountains and I thought this would be a good place to publicly journal these events. 

Unlike summer – winter time usually keeps us settled down a little bit. The warmer months definitely allow us to spread our wings and explore this majestic country, most of the time being so far out that even we worry about ourselves (lol) but in the winter we are more limited in what there is to do (though not completely by any means!). Needless to say, living in the camper will definitely keep us rooted and quite the homebodies.

It is the afternoon of September 25, 2010. My “To-Do” list is through the roof as we prep for the move that is about to take place. Brandon has been bow hunting as much as possible trying to get us an elk to eat on throughout the year. I’ve gone a couple times (LOVE the peace and solace out there!). We are scheduled to pick up the camper the first week in October which most likely will go straight to the land so we can begin to prep it for winter. We are looking for an old beater truck with a snow plow and chains (they’ve been known to get 5+ feet up there). I am researching anything and everything I can about how to make this a more successful endeavor. 

We are thinking about how long our water will last in the camper, how to keep it from freezing, what we are going to do about the (or lack of) septic tank. I am on e-bay buying long underwear in bulk and am completely thrilled with the 10 year supply for the price of 1!

We are SO excited and relieved to be getting out of the rental – after its all said and done we will save over 1000 a month! And after 10 months we will own a camper instead of that money being in a landlords pocket. 

I, personally, am excited to be able to take more time to really think things through with the major building decisions we have to make (I think Brandon would agree). I am hoping with living out here, there will be some amazing photo opportunities for wildlife as well as beautiful scenes. In this area where the camper will be we should see plenty of elk, moose, bear, deer, etc. And even mountain lions which we have a big one I guess living on the land! Pepper spray, .45 and camera in hand – here we come! So that is exciting too for help to get a photography business going! 

Truth is though, the next 10 months or so will be a challenge – so stay posted and please feel free to comment with any feedback, advice, or opinions that you might have! 

I will also try to post pictures as much as possible to keep you all up to date on…The Doings of Brandon and Em!