June 26, 2009

Two years ago, today

On June 26, 2007, we bought the house and five acres we now call home.  Two years.  I still don't feel like I quite fit in here....a desert habitat is certainly not where this water girl ever expected to live.  Two years of joining clubs, organizations, local Chamber of Commerce... trying to make connections....for my business, yes, but also for my psyche.  I'm not used to not being surrounded by friends.  Two years...

A previous post: 

Years ago, I came across a design book by architect Sarah Susanka called The Not So Big House.


Susanka put into words what I had been thinking for years. She believes in designing homes “that favor the quality of its space over the quantity” not "the notion that houses should be designed to impress rather than nurture.” www.notsobighouse.com

I’ve always loved small spaces. The home we lived in for almost 18 years was a cottage built in 1925.


840 square feet on the main floor.
I loved the intimacy it provided.

When we decided to move to the desert, we knew we wanted another house with a small footprint. We looked at house after house for almost 10 months. Half-way through the process, we realized moving to the most expensive part of Oregon, wanting acreage, a house, and no mortgage was going to be a problem. We had to compromise somewhere.

With much grinding of teeth, we began looking at mobile homes on acreage. My husband asked me, “Can interior decorators really live in mobile homes?”

Living in a trailer, with fake paneling, plastic cupboards, shag carpeting, vinyl flooring, aluminum siding and metal slider windows held absolutely no appeal to me.

But after watching our formerly quiet country road in Silverton, sprout 200+ McMansions over the last 10 years, we knew we wanted the peace and quiet acreage would provide.

We bought 5 acres with views of the Three Sisters (3 - 10,000'+ mountains) in Central Oregon’s High Desert.


We have 300+ days of sunshine a year, along with so much privacy I’ve yet to meet any neighbors....and we have a double-wide trailer.


Life's funny, isn’t it?

12 comments:

Unknown said...

wow...thanks for the infor, and now I know it's really a trailer..

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Wow! With a view like that who needs a big house or neighbors? Your home and company are the wide outdoors. Just beautiful!

perpetualpillows.com said...

I'm a big fan of Susanka's concepts. She just makes so much sense and we all seek to be cozy in some way. For now, it's for sure that an interior designer really can live in a trailer! It certainly does not take away from your sense of what is important.

Rachel Biel said...

I keep thinking I want the wide open outdoors as my neighbor, but my husband is a city boy and he would completely freak out. But, I think that if you stay busy, you don't feel as lonely. I just started my first vegetable garden this summer and it has gobbled up a lot of my time. I'm in a small city, but hardly go out. It is nice to have that option, though... Well, you can always move again (once land values go up again...) if you find you really don't like it. But, it seems like you like part of it, but not the lack of community. It's hard to break in in some places.

Love the profile photo you are using now! And, Trux looks so gorgeous and so happy! He would hate to lose all that land, I bet....

Anonymous said...

Life has a way of giving you exactly what you think you don't want.

The house we wound up buying was one I didn't think I even wanted to look at (because it's on a busy street.)

Lori P said...

Life is very funny indeed. Important that you are LIVING it!

I relate. I have one year under my belt in another state and still miss the comfort of my old home and friends severely. I think it takes two years, right?

Oh, and a birdie told me you changed your picture. I'll have to go back and check it out.

A Wild Thing said...

You made the right move...if I could move farther out, I'd do it in a minute, without hesitation...that's why I keep planting trees...to hide civilization!

Golden West said...

You've created a lovely home! One thing we can be sure of - when we grow weary of the status quo, things change all on their own.

Helen said...

Here I am ... lurking once again! I think your home and land are spectacular! And thanks for posting my photos, they look better than I had imagined they did when I posted them.

Victoria said...

It's hard living somewhere, even a beautiful somewhere, when you don't feel a part of the community. I have lived in my current home for 13 years, and have all but given up on trying to connect. I don't fit in here. Period. I dream of finding my "soul" place... a home that I love and a community I feel connected too, and a part of. In the meantime I take solace in a pretty view... hope yours also provides you comfort, it is stunning.

T.Allen said...

It is funny, the places life takes us. I guess I don't really fit in here either, but I have certainly created a perfect spot for me within the confines of our modest home. *Draws blinds* Even better!

Happy desert-dwelling anniversary!

Hey Harriet said...

I can't imagine living somewhere with no neighbours...kinda sounds like bliss to me!!! Living somewhere remote and peaceful really appeals to me but the quietness may be too much of a shell-shock for my system!