Monday, August 29, 2011

Dreaming: Wishlist for a new house further north...

...a little bit further away from 9 milliion people of New Jersey, highways, and hot humid summers... (Vermont and New Hampshire, do you hear me?) This is what I dream of, in no particular order, for our new house...

  • solar power
  • solar heated water or something like that
  • greenhouse attached to the house with a big thick brickwall on the northern end to keep the heat during sunny water and spring days
  • own well, water that works when power is off, and enough water for watering garden in the summer without worries
  • high ground, no risk for flooding house or basement or lost bridges
  • no basement
  • wood stove, to heat the house and to cook food on if needed
  • smart design and architecture to conserve energy and easy to heat
  • lots of forest and fields, no noisy neighbors
  • vegetable garden, deer free, easy to care for raised beds, good soil for everything, sunny spot for longer season than usual
  • not too many bears, I hope none
  • pond you can swim in, or tiny lake, downhill from house of course
  • little easy to drive tractor
  • not too long driveway to plow
  • not too far from pleasant town with library, friendly store and coffee shop
  • farmers market with locally made eggs, cheese, and meat, or at least this within 30 miles or so
  • a nice job without a too long commute for me (30 min is OK)
  • guestroom, maybe two, for all our friends
  • lots of firewood for free
  • a giant barn or workshop for PP's machines, tools, and equipment
  • a garage to park the car in during snow storms
  • no big trees close to the house, so I don't have to worry about them falling on me while I sleep
  • a nice pantry for storing lots of preserved and dried foods
  • an orchard without sickly fruit trees: pears, apples, plums, and cherries
  • rhubarb, gooseberries, currants in the gardens
  • nice neighbors, friendly and funny
  • gorgeous views of hills and mountains, sunny spot
  • many good places in the forests for wild mushrooms
  • a house not built between 1965 and 1985... (I generally can't stand that style)
  • satellite internet or something like it
  • a tractor with a plow
  • affordable cost to buy and not too high taxes
  • an outside kitchen area with place for a grill, even when it rains or snows
  • propane stove (never going back to electric, ever)
  • generators for when the power goes out, which could go on for weeks if necessary
  • freezer with good food
  • cable TV/internet for netflix movies when the storms hit (I could live without this, but I like it)
  • birdfeeders for all the lonely birds that need to be fed
  • few snakes, few mice that goes inside, and a happy spot for Smokey and Ella outside
  • a nice reading chair and a nice reading lamp by a window and a cozy corner for winter afternoons for me
  • owls at night, when you open the bedroom window
  • a studio/guestroom with northern lights for AREA
  • a studio/guestroom with northern lights for LA
I think this list might be getting too long...but I am a bit tired of New Jersey.
Do you believe that if you wish for something really hard, it will eventually happen? At least partially?

1 comment:

Katie H said...

There's a little booklet called "The Intender's Handbook", I think you'd like it. Good life lessons on how to let go, if nothing else! http://intenders.com


LOVE every time I get back to this blog... one of my all time favorites. Gray Gothenburg sends greetings to you.