Mountain Lane Homesteaders

Mountain Lane Homestead Fall Tour

A little while back Harriette posted about joining in a Fall Farm and Homestead Tour.  While we don't have a FARM we do have a HOMESTEAD so I've gone outside and taken tons and tons of pictures and then narrowed it down the best I could to the ones that best represented the big things happening here right now.  I just couldn't bring myself to shrink the pictures down any smaller so I hope they don't take too long to load for you all.

Welcome to Mountain Lane Homestead

This is the view as you first turn onto our property from the county road.

You can see the cabin hiding down in the trees.  We did that on purpose for privacy as well as to help me get through the heat of summer without airconditioning!  The big pile of brush you see is sentenced to go up in flames as soon as we can get to it.  We have been busy continuing to clear and clear and clear away years of fallen branches and old tree stumps.

Our property extends on both sides of the lane that's shown on the left side in the first picture.  This little cattail swamp is located on the righthand side where there is an area that holds some degree of standing water year round.  Anyone know why there would be so many leaves and yet only one lonely cattail?

On the left side of the lane across from where the cattail grows is a big area that gets very swampy and only dries out during the hottest part of summer and fall.  Someday we hope to either create a pond there or reclaim dry land as best we can but we may have to jump through some hoops to do it because of regulations on wetland areas here.  The picture you see is of our creek that we get to by walking through this soggy area via a path I managed to mow last summer.  The kids have spent HOURS playing here.

Back up around the more "lived in" area we have tons and tons of huge ponderosa pines and douglas fir trees.  The tree in the center of this picture is one of our 6 larch trees.  Larch is valued here as a long burning firewood and it's also one whose needles turn yellow in fall so there is a bit of color added to our otherwise very GREEN surroundings.  Unless we have them die on us I don't imagine we'll be using any of ours for firewood!

I just had to put this guy in.  We have so many of these little squirrels.  Isn't it cute?  They scamper and run and jump around in the trees like crazy.  They are also very vocal and like to throw pinecones.  I stood outside one day while one would go to a pinecone, eat the seeds out, and then throw it to the ground before moving on to do it again and again. 

Another familiar sight of fall around our place is the school bus.  I thought this one taken through the baby ponderosas was nice.  This area was all overgrown with brush and dead branches until I got my garden clippers and mower out this summer.  I really am enjoying transforming brush and brambles into something enjoyable to look at.

This is a picture of the foundation we have waiting for us to get to work on next summer.  Doesn't it look sorta scary?  One thing we will never run out of around here is rocks and rubble!  The brown branches laying on the foundation are from a big tree that came down this summer during a wind sheer we had.  The big douglas fir tree landed smack onto what will be our house someday.  I'm glad it didn't wait until we were in the midst of building to fall!  Anyway, the long straight pole is now stretched out in another area waiting to be made into a beam for the house.

Here is the beginning of our wood stash for winter.  I say beginning because we will need ALOT more wood to keep warm in our cabin which doesn't have insulation.  If you look in the background of this picture you see several piles of more rock.  That is where the foundation is dug for the house. 

The last picture I have for today is our current project.  These are 3 of the 4 trenches we need to dig to put in our septic lines.  We also are digging two big pits for septic tanks so we can have both our cabin and the big house on the same system.  You can see the wood pile at the end of these lines and then the location of the house beyond that.  The cabin is built down the hill on the left side of the picture.

I hope this gives you all a little feel for life here on our mountain lane homestead.  We've only been living here just over a year now, and we have made much progress, but as you can see......we have a LONG way to go! 

So today, I'm off to get my shower before Sam has to unhook the propane tank so he can finish digging the pit that's outside the cabin.  Hopefully we will have no more dramatic backhoe experiences and we can be ready for the delivery of the tanks this afternoon.  It promises to be a busy and LOUD day!

Thanks for visiting!!!

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10:16 AM, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle

I really enjoyed the pictures today. It kinda gives you a feel of the place. I think I like the little creek the best. That's where I'd spend lots of time! You all are to be commended for all that hard work and determination!

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12:25 PM, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 .. Posted by mc2rwe

Ok Darcy... you make me miss the Northwest. I am feeling just a little nostalgic... sigh.... great pictures...

Kat

Beautiful

12:33 PM, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 .. Posted by Pattisea

It's just like visiting! I love the whole place, and I can imagine how brisk it might be this fall, and cold in the winter; how comforting the fires will be!

Thanks for letting us in on your life!

Patti

Amazing Photographs!

2:56 PM, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 .. Posted by southofthegnatline

Wow - I feel as if I just walked through with you!!

I want more, I want more! You guys are amazing and put us to shame ~ whew! What a wood pile - what an everything!
Thanks for sharing,
Harriette
(waving from the South)

Thank you

7:58 PM, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 .. Posted by blessingsbaound

Thank you for visiting my site I am excited to share more soon!

Great Tour

8:45 AM, Wednesday, October 4, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66

Hi, Darcy... I enjoyed your photos. In looking around your place I noticed how incredibly different it is from the northeast where I live. We have few pines & trees like yours. We have LOTS of oak, maple, some beech, etc....most of our spaces are developed, so trees are carefully placed (or left) in areas that need mowing all the time. We have LOADS of stone walls... your house foundation, is that all rock that will remain, or will you pour concrete? Can you show us your cabin sometime soon? It really looks beautiful where you live, and peaceful. What a blessing, friend. Thanks for sharing. -Chris

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1:16 PM, Wednesday, October 4, 2006 .. Posted by borderling

I've visited your blog a few times and enjoy it. My opinion? Montana is the loveliest state in the 48. We love it when we get a chance to visit there.
As for septics...we were blessed with soil that is sandy and so we won't have to put in trenches, just a new tank and lines. In Minnesota everything is "mound system", but our mound will only have to be two feet high. (Last time it was eight feet high. Looked a little like foothills. ;-0 ) We won't really get serious about it until next spring.
Thanks for stopping by. I love your pictures.
From Glory Farm

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8:03 AM, Thursday, October 5, 2006 .. Posted by katenicholl

It's beautiful where you live. I feel rather envious!
Catherine