Thursday, April 14, 2016

My Mountain Top Home

I often refer to my mountain top home and I know some folks may think my home hangs off the edge of a cliff. 

Nope, that wouldn't work for me at all with my fear of heights! 

Although if it was as fabulous as Debbie & David's home over at The Mountain Kitchen perhaps I could suck it up and deal. 

I think I could. 

Anyway, my home is not on the edge of a cliff but rather in a mountain top community. I thought it would be fun to show you where I live. 

Perhaps then you will understand why we get so much wildlife around here!

Keep reading for more on that.....!


Here's an aerial view of my house at this time of year. Nothing is green yet, but you can see the forest all around me, and it goes for miles and miles. 

We have a few houses scattered here and there, but my road is a nice, quiet place. 


Here's the same view in summer. Trees, trees, and more trees surround us!! 


A view from a little further away - can you just see how remote it is here? I love it. 

My house is on the slope on the left hand side, and you can see the mountain rises up again on the right hand side. The houses in my area border a forest preserve, which is just fabulous. 

I can only see one neighbor from my house, the folks that own the horses. 

I'm ok with that! 

On the other side of my lane is an old barn building that is used to store equipment for a quarry. You can see the building often in my photos as a white structure with a green metal roof. 

I think the quarry must be the big splotch just above and to left when you are looking at my house. 


Here's a closer view of my property. This gives you a clearer picture of 'the lay of the land', so to speak. 

The house is built into the hillside so the lower level is subterranean at the rear of the house, but a full walk-out on the front. Classic chalet style home, very typical up here in our little mountain top community. 

It's not a big piece of property, just under 2 acres, but it's certainly more than enough for my needs. 

It's peaceful and quiet. When the trees fill in I can't see the road at all from my house....and they can't see me. 

I can hear the creek singing from the deck when I sit out in the evenings. 

The birdsong is so loud in the spring and summer it will wake you from a deep sleep. 

I'm ok with that. I get up early anyway. 

The peepers on a summer night can be deafening. 

I'm ok with that, too. 

What I'm not ok with is this. 


Our friends just down the road a bit captured this image on their webcam this morning. 

Can you believe it? What a great shot! 

He was at their house yesterday morning and destroyed their bird feeder. 

I guess he came back for more. 

He's a big boy - I'm sure he's hungry. 

He may or may not be the same bear that visits me. Perhaps I have multiple bears, who knows. 

We get used to it, to a certain extent. We know they are around and we must be cautious. Let's face it, they were here first. 

I don't have garbage collection at my house for that very reason. My garbage bins are stored in the garage and we bring the garbage to the local dump ourselves. 

The feeders will be coming in every night now until winter sends the bears back into hibernation. I have hooks in the garage to hang them, and it's just another chore we get used to when living in bear country. 

We're grilling steaks tonight, which I am so looking forward to. But we need to be cautious about cleaning the grill well after our meal, or the aroma may bring the bears sniffing around. 

The edge of my property is thick with berry brambles, which I love...but I don't get to keep many berries as the bears and other wildlife get there first. 

As long as they don't hurt me or my loved ones we'll live together somewhat in harmony. 

It's just part of living in the country, surrounded by forest wilderness, on the top of a mountain. 


53 comments:

  1. You so live in a lovely spot. That is one big bear too! I guess you have to take a chance on the critters when you live in such a wooded area. How close are you from your neighbors? Take care.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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    1. I have one neighbor that I can see from my house, through the trees. That's the neighbor with the horses. The next neighbor is probably 1/4 mile or more down the road. I like it that way!!

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  2. You read my mind. I've been wondering how good the roads to your house were considering the weather you get and the down hill travel you must make. Good to see the whole place. Roads look good. Ok, I can rest now.

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    1. You are so sweet, Barbara!! The roads are good, thankfully - and I drive a Subaru, with studded tires in the winter - so I'm all set!! LOVE my Subaru!!

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  3. You truly live in a remote area. I hope you can get in and out easily during winter. Yes, that bear thing would scare me. Please be careful. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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    1. Thank you, Susie, I do try to be careful for sure! I even bought a bear bell for when I go hiking - it clips onto my belt to warn the bears that I'm around. We keep firecrackers in the drawer in the kitchen, also, to scare them off if we see them near the house. Thankfully I haven't come face to face with one at my house yet....well, not at THIS house!!

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  4. Hi Deborah: The closest I came to bears was when I lived in Alberta and we would hike in the mountains. We always wore bells around our necks to make a little noise as we entered bear country. It was just what people did. I was still a little nervous, though. Your property is so lovely and I know you feel it is well worth it. Just be careful, though. You sound like you know the ropes. ;-)I like the addition of ...You might also like. :)

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    1. Well, this girl from New York City has been up in the mountains for I guess about 15 years or so now so I'm sort of acclimated....but I never get used to the sheer size of the bears. I know enough to be cautious, but of course I worry when I let out the dogs, and I worry about my daughters being oblivious.

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  5. I'm with you in spirit, we live on the side of a mountain too, and there are bears here as well. Sometimes they have been on the veranda! Luckily they are easily scared off with some loud noises. More than once I have been grateful to them for digging up yellow jacket nests and eating the larvae.

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    1. Well, since I am more terrified of yellow jackets than bears that is wonderful information to have!!!!

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  6. We lived way out in the country on a farm with wooded areas etc...and there were bears on the back of our farm. We took down a tree near our back porch and later noticed claw marks on the stump...indicating more than one visit. Ha! My son warned me not to leave food in my car...nuts or crackers that I travel with. I once told hubby that I was not a country girl, but I learned to deal with snakes, chyotes, some kind of wildcat, etc. but I told him when the Bears came I was out of there. It was do-incidental, but I am off the farm, though still living in the country with woods. Sheila

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    1. I tell my daughters that all the time!! We've had bears rip into people's cars at work when they had coffee cups, pizza boxes, whatever in their cars and didn't think of it. Any bears where you are now, Sheila?

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  7. You are so sweet! Our house isn't that high up. We're only around 1000' and the cliff looks steeper from the bottom that it actually is. We have 3 acre lots in our neighborhood. We see more neighboring houses in the winter when the trees are naked. Like you we wouldn't trade it for anything. There are a lot of challenging things about living on the mountain like weather and the wild life, but it is all part of the experience. #Mountainlife <3

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    1. You are so right, Debbie - and I love that - #Mountainlife<3 right back at ya!!

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  8. Sounds like a little bit of heaven! You certainly are surrounded by a forest. I look out our family room window and can see our neighbors house. It would be nice to live in such a remote area, except for maybe the bears! :)
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. It's lovely to be able to wander around my property in my bathrobe with my coffee in the mornings! That was high on my list of must haves when house-shopping - PRIVACY!!

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  9. What a lovely area you live in. That is one big bear! My parents live in Montana and have wildlife, including bears, wander around the neighborhood and through their yard to get down to the lake. The neighbors all call each other whenever one is spotted and Mom always had bear spray when she goes on her walks...something that I need to remember to start doing when I am there also. ;)

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    1. Thanks for the reminder, Debbie - I must pick up some bear spray!!

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  10. I would love to live in a remote area like you do - except for the bears! That would freak me out. Just under two acres is a huge piece of property to me. Our house is on what I call a "postage stamp size piece of property". Think of it this way - it only takes me 15 minutes to mow the front, side and back areas. When we moved here 26 years ago, there was only one neighbor to the south of us and a couple of neighbors across the street. There were woods in back of us. Now we are totally surrounded by houses and even the woods are gone and huge houses back there now. I love my little house, but don't like living in a fish bowl. No choice though - nowhere else around here to go that's "remote" unless we lived waaay further out, and then my husband would be traveling over 2 hours to get to work. Not happening! Oh well, will just have to dream...

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    1. I actually have to break my mowing down into two segments....I have a battery operated mower (love it!!!!) and the batteries hold the charge for just long enough to do half the property. I suppose I could get extra batteries....that would solve the problem. That must be weird to move into a house with some privacy and have the area built up around you. I guess it happens more often than not, huh? And just think, there's also something nice about being able to mow your yard in 15 minutes!! :)

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  11. Well I have heard a lot about your bear this past year so it was fun to see him ( or her ) !!

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  12. Well I have heard a lot about your bear this past year so it was fun to see him ( or her ) !!

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  13. Replies
    1. My little corner of the world, right there on the mountain top! Love it!!

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  14. Your location is beautiful and peaceful and seems just right for you! Me... I like close neighbors and city living and that is another reason blogging is so fun!!---learning about so many different lifestyles and parts of the nation and the world. That bear does look like a BIG BoY so be aware and sure looks like you know the ropes and your safety precautions. Here we dont think twice about running into alligators and like you-- we know our precautions and steps. Its all about knowing what to do isnt it? Like you said--they were here first. Lol anyway your home is lovely and i enjoy reading of your adventures. Ps...my husband eats lunch with a rather large gator almost every day

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    1. I guess because I was born and raised in the city I just couldn't wait to get away to the country!! And you know what? I'd probably be terrified of an alligator!! It's all what you get used to, right? ps does your hubby share his lunch? :)

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  15. You really do live in a remote area. My husband would love that, bears and all. Me? I think it's absolutely beautiful and you know how much I love your horse neighbors, but bears? Um, no. I'm terrified of the raccoon I see occasionally. You my friend are a brave girl!

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    1. Do you see the raccoon at night or during the day? If it's during the day you SHOULD be scared!! Meanwhile you are near the ocean and there's all sorts of stuff in the ocean that I'm scared of like jellyfish and crabs and SHARKS!! :) It's all what we're accustomed to, I guess!

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  16. It's certainly a beautiful home and piece of property. Bears are cute to look at but not in person but at the zoo lol.

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    1. They are awfully cute when we see the babies around here Valerie....they are like little black fuzzy basketballs with feet!!

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  17. You live in such a beautiful area, and I enjoyed seeing your home from the bird's eye view! I can see why bears are hanging around, and such pests they can be. Bear spray is definitely handy to have around, and I would be keeping some outside close to the garden, within reach. You never know when they might decide to pay a visit. I need to do the same here. We had a bear visit us for quite a while last summer, and while I never got a picture of him, he did some damage to my garden fence. Enjoy the spring time days, it's Friday! :)

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    1. I have never had bear spray but now I'm looking into it, thanks to you and a couple of other wonderful readers. Yayyyy, Friday!! And it's going to be a wonderful weekend, weather wise - I can't wait to get out and play in the dirt - I think my perennials have arrived!!!

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  18. You're high on the mountain close to God!
    Enchanting, but Gurl, be careful about those
    bears. Just the thought makes me shiver.

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    1. Closer to heaven, that's a wonderful way to look at it - love that!!

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  19. Now you live in a place that my Hubby would love. Our last house was like that and I miss is so much. We are just too close to neighbors in this house.

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    1. My neighbors aren't far away either, on one side, but it's still nice and quiet here!

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  20. It looks lovely Deb. We have our fair share of bears, but I have to say I'm not afraid of them. They're far more afraid of us! It's only when they're caught off guard or there are cubs nearby that it might become an issue. Well, I suppose one can never know if there are cubs nearby, so I guess that blows that theory :).

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    1. True - it's when there are cubs around that we must be most cautious!

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  21. And I wish I lived up on that mountain top! But please be careful with those bears. I can see why you love your little piece of heaven so.
    Brenda

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    1. That's the sign I need for my garden, Brenda - "My Little Piece of Heaven" - I better get busy making one!

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  22. Such a beautiful area Deb! I think the largest wildlife where we live are deer. We did see a real bear in the wild while in the Yukon of Canada, so please beware and take all precautions so none of us worry about you.

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    1. We get deer also, Carol - I had a female deer last summer who was hissing at me when I was working in my veggie garden. I think she had a fawn bedded down in the woods across from the veggie garden and I was a threat to her baby!

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  23. So much nature around you, how wonderful. Stay safe!

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    1. Thanks, Daisy Gurl - I love all the nature around me, even with the bears!!

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  24. Dear Mountain Mama:
    What a beautiful place to live. Just please be safe. I know it must be a paradise. Thanks for sharing and linking.

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    1. I don't know about paradise but it is my little piece of heaven for sure!

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  25. I know the bears can be dangerous but I would love to live there. I'm sure you have to be cautious at all times when you are outside. It would be worth it though. It always makes me happy to see animals adapting to having people around. We sure don't do them many favors in this world.

    I keep falling behind on my reading, I'm glad you linked this to TOHOT so I could catch up. :)

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    1. I'm behind on my reading also.....it's tough to be everywhere at once, isn't it?

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  26. You are livin' the dream (mine too). Although I live in a city, I try to make my back yard more like a private world. Thankfully, the only wildlife here are birds, squirrels and the occasional mouse. I'm ok with that! I think you would enjoy the new book, Patina Farm. Enjoy your lovely place.

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    1. You sure do, I loved visiting your lovely gardens when I popped over to your site!

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  27. Oh, what a life you live!!!


    Thanks for sharing with SYC.

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