I hope this doesn't come across as me being ungrateful, it's just a journey I've been on. Comments welcomed.
A few of you probably know that I lived in western Colorado "The Western Slope" for 18 years. Montrose actually, located in the Uncompahgre Valley. I lived on three different places while there, 5 acres, 35 acres, (and a difficult and public divorce) and the last place we lived before moving here was 3.5 acres in Duckett Draw, backed up to Sims Mesa, with a view of Storm King Mountain to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the south that was amazing. Al and I (married 13 years now!) and several of our children moved to Loveland in the fall of 2005 for his job and a fresh start. A move 300 miles to the east on the other side of the Continental Divide to what is called the Front Range. I picked out the house, on the west side of Loveland about an hour north of Denver, on just over a half an acre. Built in 1910, majorly remodeled and grandfathered in to a new subdivision just to the west. It had character.
It was the view from the front of Boedecker Lake.. (our property line ends at the grass)
..and the great backyard, long neglected and rough though it was, that sold me on the place. I figured if it had the framework of big trees I could add the color.
Check out the white plastic lattice enclosed patio that was falling off the house. Oh, and the TREES. Nice private fence too.
I knew there would be a house in front of us someday, but figured (wrongly) that it would be a modest home because the lot was relatively small. .46 acres or so. Well it's not modest, nor small and is right in front of my window, about 65 feet or so from my house actually. (we were told the house building envelope was slightly further to the left and further from our lot line by the contractor. It was not.) Totally blocking the view to the lake AND nearly all the sky. Most of my pictures try to avoid this fact. Oh, and the trash can. My living room view now, camera tilted down to avoid the bigness of the house:
These trellises I built in hopes of hiding all the concrete that was poured after they raised the grade three feet higher. I need to plant vines here.
I planted this garden of trees, bushes and flowers for our view out the front window.
What it looks like from the house.
In all honesty, I really like the folks who built the house. They let me mount a flicker nest box to discourge them from pounding holes in their lovely, rock, stucco and natural wood home. And then to mount my WingScape Bird Cam to capture pics of the Kestrels that nested! They are actually who we bought our home from. But they had a contractor working for them who ran us both through the ringer and never was honest about what was going on. Oh well, it is what it is right? But I am looking for ideas to block the house from our view even more, possibly denser willow privacy screens in between the junipers?
Ideas are welcomed!!
We have been in this house for 4 years now and I am finally to the place where it is home. Regardless of the imperfections and the frustration I've gone through, everyone is really happy here. Al is, my two daughters are, my three mini dachshunds love it, of course. I am really the only one who has struggled so hard here AND I PICKED THE HOUSE! What is up with that?? I finally got the guts to ask the neighbors in the house if they'd move their trash can so it's not SO in our view and they did. Thank you, much better. But that's a pretty tiny thing when you think about it. No one noticed it but me.
I don't think I or anyone else realized how difficult it is to move into a completely new community with no support system and re-establish yourself. It takes time and I think that issue, coupled with the big change in our family from 6 kids at home to 2 in a very short time was a huge adjustment for everyone. (I also went from a 25 year career as a full-time stay-at-home mom/farmer and 17 years of homeschooling to having much more time on my hands and much less work to do.) We're finally over the hump. We have friends, a church full of people we like, Al loves his job. I'm involved in the local birding community, have a great part-time job and a very understanding boss, who's become a good friend. Plenty of time to hike and garden and enjoy nature and the birds. (and though I occasionally miss my horses, goats and chickens, no heavy stall cleaning, 50 meat chickens that have to be butchered NOW or bucking 4 tons of hay twice a year either!) I live much closer to my Mom, sister and brothers and try to take advantage of that. Maggie is settled happily in public school, loves the neighborhood she can safely ride all around in. Plus we have nearby access to a ditch road that we can walk on all the way to Lon Hagler Reservoir which we do quite often. Oh, and as far as living in the country, we are surrounded by it and herds of Elk regularly visit our neighborhood along with the many foxes, raccoons, and more and more rabbits as our landscaping matures.
So, I'm not really sure why things have been so emotionally difficult for me in the last few years. Or maybe I am kinda sure. But none the less. I am finally in a place of peace and that's good. I am thankful to be here surrounded by the beauty of the Colorado foothills and prairie, backed by the majestic Rocky Mountains. You'd think at 49 years old, making these kinds of changes would be a bit easier.
Here are some photos of when we moved in and what it looks like now in case you're curious.
Then:
Now:
Then:
Now:
Then:
Now:
Our little guest cabin then:
And now: (hmm, maybe a Birder's Guest Nest in the future?)
Front yard, Then:
And now:
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thoughts afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 139 1-18
It was the view from the front of Boedecker Lake.. (our property line ends at the grass)
..and the great backyard, long neglected and rough though it was, that sold me on the place. I figured if it had the framework of big trees I could add the color.
Check out the white plastic lattice enclosed patio that was falling off the house. Oh, and the TREES. Nice private fence too.
I knew there would be a house in front of us someday, but figured (wrongly) that it would be a modest home because the lot was relatively small. .46 acres or so. Well it's not modest, nor small and is right in front of my window, about 65 feet or so from my house actually. (we were told the house building envelope was slightly further to the left and further from our lot line by the contractor. It was not.) Totally blocking the view to the lake AND nearly all the sky. Most of my pictures try to avoid this fact. Oh, and the trash can. My living room view now, camera tilted down to avoid the bigness of the house:
These trellises I built in hopes of hiding all the concrete that was poured after they raised the grade three feet higher. I need to plant vines here.
I planted this garden of trees, bushes and flowers for our view out the front window.
What it looks like from the house.
In all honesty, I really like the folks who built the house. They let me mount a flicker nest box to discourge them from pounding holes in their lovely, rock, stucco and natural wood home. And then to mount my WingScape Bird Cam to capture pics of the Kestrels that nested! They are actually who we bought our home from. But they had a contractor working for them who ran us both through the ringer and never was honest about what was going on. Oh well, it is what it is right? But I am looking for ideas to block the house from our view even more, possibly denser willow privacy screens in between the junipers?Ideas are welcomed!!
We have been in this house for 4 years now and I am finally to the place where it is home. Regardless of the imperfections and the frustration I've gone through, everyone is really happy here. Al is, my two daughters are, my three mini dachshunds love it, of course. I am really the only one who has struggled so hard here AND I PICKED THE HOUSE! What is up with that?? I finally got the guts to ask the neighbors in the house if they'd move their trash can so it's not SO in our view and they did. Thank you, much better. But that's a pretty tiny thing when you think about it. No one noticed it but me.
I don't think I or anyone else realized how difficult it is to move into a completely new community with no support system and re-establish yourself. It takes time and I think that issue, coupled with the big change in our family from 6 kids at home to 2 in a very short time was a huge adjustment for everyone. (I also went from a 25 year career as a full-time stay-at-home mom/farmer and 17 years of homeschooling to having much more time on my hands and much less work to do.) We're finally over the hump. We have friends, a church full of people we like, Al loves his job. I'm involved in the local birding community, have a great part-time job and a very understanding boss, who's become a good friend. Plenty of time to hike and garden and enjoy nature and the birds. (and though I occasionally miss my horses, goats and chickens, no heavy stall cleaning, 50 meat chickens that have to be butchered NOW or bucking 4 tons of hay twice a year either!) I live much closer to my Mom, sister and brothers and try to take advantage of that. Maggie is settled happily in public school, loves the neighborhood she can safely ride all around in. Plus we have nearby access to a ditch road that we can walk on all the way to Lon Hagler Reservoir which we do quite often. Oh, and as far as living in the country, we are surrounded by it and herds of Elk regularly visit our neighborhood along with the many foxes, raccoons, and more and more rabbits as our landscaping matures.
So, I'm not really sure why things have been so emotionally difficult for me in the last few years. Or maybe I am kinda sure. But none the less. I am finally in a place of peace and that's good. I am thankful to be here surrounded by the beauty of the Colorado foothills and prairie, backed by the majestic Rocky Mountains. You'd think at 49 years old, making these kinds of changes would be a bit easier.Here are some photos of when we moved in and what it looks like now in case you're curious.
Then:
Now:
Then:
Now:
Then:
Now:
Our little guest cabin then:
And now: (hmm, maybe a Birder's Guest Nest in the future?)
Front yard, Then:
And now:
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thoughts afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 139 1-18
