Stony Run in the ninetiesBringing us all up to date: Risa and Beloved began searching for "country in the suburbs" in 1992, but their budget was prohibitive. All the real estate agents and prospective sellers had set the bar too high (imagine what it would be like to make this search today!) for a lower-middle-class family on one-and-a-half incomes.
Nevertheless, they couldn't resist tooling along local county roads, wistfully pointing to one dream after another, murmuring: what about that one? what about that one? ha-ha.
But the day came, in '93 when Risa slammed on the brakes and backed up.
"What, what?"
"That one. It's in our price range!"
"How can you tell?"
"See, there are all of five blue tarps on the roof."
"Yeah, it's pretty ugly."
True. It was so ugly and had been so poorly maintained that the real estate agent tried to talk them out of seeing it, and, after they had seen it, to talk them out of buying it.
But there were four bedrooms. That many would be needed for years yet. And an acre. It was easily the one truly decrepit place for five miles in either direction, but it met the single crucial criterion: price. Along with just enough room to sort of homestead, twenty minutes from town, access to a bus route ...
So, despite the nightmare penniless remodeling that loomed, they signed. And paid up in thirteen years.
Beloved harvesting summer squash
Risa gathering beets
Many adventures -- including an almighty "century" flood -- disappointments and disasters, triumphs and joys -- and gardens, fruit trees, ducks, chickens, geese, and even sheep later, the nest is empty. Not that there aren't regular visitors. Four generations of them have added to the memories at Stony Run. Granddaughter, who likes farm chores, is shown here working on her flower bed as her aunt and great-grandfather look on. She regards the place as hers, and we suspect she is right.
Sometimes in my dreams-- Tetrault and Thomas, Country Women: A Handbook for the New Farmer
I still see
my Kentucky grandmother
thin, strong and hungry
holding her egg money
out to me
saying
buy land, Mary,
buy land,
buy land while it lasts
they stopped making it.
Oh, what a good post to read with my morning tea. The poem at the end pulled a tear or two. Land... I might be Scarlets father... I feel that pull, too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, tears come easily when reading your regular thoughtful posts about your well-lived life.
ReplyDeleteA question that somewhat nags me surfaces today, based on your noted flood experience, and may I ask what you would advise an urbanite to look for in size of and proximity to a body of water for a rural retreat where to put down one's final roots?
Thank you for your time and insights.
Best regards,
~dc
P.S. Risa, glad you are feeling better to reclaim your garden from the overseeing angel on duty.
Well, hmm -- that's ably discussed in all the homesteader books -- some places are just begging for a flood, and you can usually find out where those are, and avoid them. Down about a mile from here the highway gradually rises up onto a causeway, even though it's flat, and then goes over a bridge in the middle of a bone-dry pasture. Now that we've seen a couple of serious floods, we know what that bridge is there for!
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at an area, find out the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan for that area. Here are the online ones I collected from counties for the library in my last job. They cover history and show risk data for earthquake, fire, flood, storm, and tsunami (if applicable), with maps. A nice well-stocked lake is a good thing to have around, assuming it will behave itself. Streams can change in a matter of hours if they are prone to receiving the runoff from eight-inch rains, though. Choose with more care than we did!
Price *and* flooding risks are on the top of my priority list, even if it's love at first homestead-sight!
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing me in such a useful direction. I've located similar information for my current place of residence, and reading/learning with interest.
Stay well *and* dry!
Regards,
~dc
that quote has me tearing up, too. what a touching post. i love seeing pictures of your home as your beautiful family settled into its nooks and crannies.
ReplyDeleteSitting in a nook now by the fire (30F out but it will get to 60) reading a wonderful letter from a friend ...
ReplyDelete