When we first saw this place, we knew we had to live here. The beauty was astonishing.

Everywhere you looked there were oaks and pines, manzanitas and acacias. A high desert wonderland full of mystery and wonder. Wildlife was all around us.

We knew the property was a gift from the Universe.

And, you ask, “how did you know that?”.

The house hunt had been on for awhile. Maybe a year or so. I spent my computer time searching the Multiple Listing Service for something. I wasn’t sure what that something was. But I was going to find it.

One night, tired and discouraged I asked my spouse what he imagined as his dream home. Without hesitation he said, “A small house, maybe sixteen hundred square feet, at the end of the grid, in the middle of nowhere on an acre or two of land.”

I laughed.

In this area if you want land it comes in 80-360 acre parcels. Especially at the end of the grid. The small house thing was not problem but, as Rick said in “Casablanca”, the geography might be a problem!

Two days later (no joke), there is was. The MLS listing that read: FOR SALE- 1600 square feet, 1.5 acres. It was 10 miles outside the closest town, 20 miles to a gas station, 25 miles to a grocery store.

Yup, it was at the end of the grid.

Astonishing.

It took some work to make the place livable for us, our three dogs and two cats. The deck had to be patched (there was a rather large hole in it)

It needed a new roof.

The interior needed “sprucing up”.

And six years ago, we moved into our little paradise.

We finally replace the old deck.

It is now a bit easier to enjoy all the calm, quiet beauty of this little piece of heaven.

Astonishing.