Juniper Fields Cabin

Hello, Juniper Field December 2019 So we had decided, as an extended family, what to bring in some form or another from Grammie's House in the Glen to Juniper Field. It was now time to celebrate. And we did so in A Mac fashion--exploring the land first, and then settling in for tea (and coffee) and snack (egg sandwiches on gluten free bread). Granddaughters, daughter and me off to explore The Bottoms, where the land slopes steeply to the bottom of a bowl.  "Follow me....I want you to see the deer run. You'll see scat, flattened out grass beds, and deer tracks." Granddaughters coming up and out of The Bottoms. "Look! A squirrel's tail....wonder what happened to the squirrel." And a "writers' rock" for meditating, pondering, sketching, journaling, and just watching the world go by. Settling down for lunch. Daughter & Momma Where all things Juniper Field are noted ...

"Well, Grammie," said SammyGene in the most grown up voice his 9-year old self could muster, "we have to go now." I produced my sad face. "I know. It's sad," he said. "And SammyGene, it's the last time we will gather in this house," I said. And we both cried. "Tell me what you'll miss, Sammy; let's see how we might bring it with us." We walked the half-acre of my little piece of the historic district of Singers Glen VA. With solutions for the needs resolved, we could now look at what made the house a home, the place where we visit Gramma. The outdoor wrought iron-looking picnic table; we moved it to the front so it wouldn't be missed on moving day. "And the bird feeders. Grammie, you have to feed the birds....And the wind chimes; I like to hear them sing." A daughter would miss the built-in baking hutch in the kitchen, and the cubbies where she put her things we she came to visit. A granddaughter wo...

It is 5:43 p.m. I just removed wet boots, put on dry socks, and am toasting cold feet in front of a disk heater set on high. This isn't the first time this journey has frozen my toes, but more on that later. This morning at 9 a.m., almost 9 hours ago, I was wandering Juniper Fields with the engineer who will design the septic system. Juniper Fields is the name a daughter came up with for the land I am about to purchase.  "That's what you first noticed about the land, she said. So that is a good name for it." Proposed cabin site is just beyond that juniper behind & slightly to the left of the fence post. So practical the daughter. She would not have waited nine hours to change into dry socks and shoes. Is it any wonder the daughters worry about their momma? Today's news is hope-filled. It is possible that the septic system can be located on the former field, instead of adjacent land made available by an easement. That is good for a va...

After five months of hard conversations, brainstorming, and seeking counsel, we agreed on a move from my 900 square foot two-story house to a 676 square foot log cabin. In those hard conversations, it was easy coming up with solutions that ultimately wouldn’t work. Getting down to need and innovation, however, was challenging. Smaller space with less to mow was our initial idea. What about a condo? No, can’t control the chemicals in the lawn, or scents from attached homes. What about a cabin out in the woods? No, they were either too far from an emergency room (more than 20 minutes) or would require a four-wheel drive vehicle. What if the kids helped out more? While they were willing to try, I didn’t see how they could do that given family and work responsibilities. Besides, one lived six hours away.  What about buying a different house? Cost prohibitive or issues, such as carpeting, duct work for HVAC. The list of needs grew as the conversations went on. These conversations ...

Tiny houses inspired me but didn't quite fulfill my goal and needs. I wanted an abundant life that innovatively and intentionally considered the constraints of Physical needs (severe allergies) and the boundaries they set (a hypoallergenic and manageable space) Room for a 60+ full time employee female flying solo Proximity to family and church community Desire for independence with respect for the kids' concerns for my well being and their desire to be supportive Ongoing quest for novel camping experiences and travel   After five months, which included three visits for emergency medical care and hours spent brainstorming, values sharing, and gathering counsel through hard conversations with family and close friends, we agreed on a transition from my small two-story, 900 square foot house to a single story, 640 square foot cabin on two acres sprinkled with Juniperus virginiana. Through this blog, I shall share the journey with you.