As we closed the garage and walked out of our home of the past eight years last night, the HH turned to me and ask if I was going to miss it.
And I said no. But that didn’t stop me from walking around the backyard and hugging all the plants and hard work I/we left behind.
Eight years ago when our kids were 9 and 10 a big house on a wooded acre was a gooood idea. Our kids had plenty of room to run around, dig for treasures and climb trees.
I had a blank slate.
And I filled it to my heart’s content.
Over the years we hauled in hundreds of yards of topsoil, planted fruit trees, berry bushes and even installed a greenhouse. It was HARD WORK.
And I loved every single minute of it. Until I realized that once Monkey Boy and The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird were gone and off to college, I’d be the only one left to plant the plants, grow the vegetables, and to put up the harvest. And then what? What was I going to do with all of that food? All that space.
It the idea of maintaining that lifestyle {chickens included} just became too much. And that’s when we decided to take the plunge and downsize and buy a smaller house on a more manageable sized lot.
About 5 minutes away. 🙂 It was the first and only house we looked at. I knew it was “the one” as soon as I drove by it. The house is by no means my dream home, nor does it have an awesome kitchen, amazing garden space, or any of those things I’d typically look for when shopping for a new home. Not.At.All.
But I saw what it COULD BE.
The house is SCREAMING for a cottage garden to be planted, a kitchen remodel, and some PERSONALITY.
The bones, location and exterior of the home we bought are great and I know with a little help {okay a lot} from Chino the Handyman and his crew it’s going to be AWESOME.
We gave all of our chickens, and the Eglu {their lifetime home} to Chino the Handyman’s best friend and his family. They have 4 young kiddos, and just purchased their dream “mini farm.” We know they are going to a good home and most importantly, they will be loved.
The fruit on the trees, beans, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchinis and pumpkins on the vine, we left those behind too. As luck would have it, the family who bought our home has 3 young kiddos and I couldn’t think of a better “Welcome Home” gift to leave them than an instant u-pick garden right in their very own backyard. 🙂
Change is good. And the fun starts Monday.
Peace Out Girl Scouts,
~ Mavis
PattyB says
I could leave the garden and start a new one. But the fruit trees and bushes! Especially the trees. They don’t happen over one season. My baby apple, pear, and peach trees are in their second season in my yard. I still have a wait to go.
Kathleen says
Best wishes on your new adventure ! I am looking forward to hearing all about your plans for the new place.
Patty P says
We moved into our house 9 years ago this month. The fruit trees were in full glory and there were veggies left in the garden. It was a wonderful gift to move in and to be able to experience the harvest that first year. I think that was a great gift that you left! Can’t wait to see what you do at your new place!
Manette Gutterman says
I wish I could have bought those gardens from you!! Best of luck in your new abode! I know you’ll make it glorious and bountiful!
Cenith says
i love your outlook on life and attitude. That’s why I follow your blog. My kids are all about your age but everyday I look forward to reading about your life just like I look forward to emails from my kids. Thanks !
Lisa says
So happy for you!
Jane says
This post almost brought tears to my eyes. Life certainly has its seasons and each one is glorious in its own way. Thinking of you all as you make the new place home and begin a new chapter. xo
Mindy says
Wishing you all the best as you begin again. Change is inevitable and you are handling it with great grace. Looking forward to following your journey : )
Leslie says
How exciting! a little bittersweet perhaps, but I love your positive focus. Enjoy!
JD says
Mavis, we have purchased more ugly ducklings with matching yards than I care to think about, each time we move it was really for the best. The next purchase took work, love and time but was so worth it. Change is good. You folks will be fine!
Trish K says
Does this mean your blog changes to”$50.00 a month? $75 if the monkey boy is still there? I hope you enjoy every minute of your new adventure. God bless and keep us posted. 🙂
Kathy G says
wow! I do not like change and this would be off the charts for me. Best wishes on your new home. I am excited to share your adventure.
Sandie A says
I look forward to hearing of all your new adventures (on both coasts) and how you make the changes to both homes.
sharon says
Since I’m fairly sure that you won’t be slowing down, does this mean more travel time, or new hobbies?
Alicia says
Best wishes with your new adventures Mavis!! I have SO enjoyed reading about your adventures in that garden, so I will miss it a bit too!!
Lisa Millar says
I am glad you hugged all the vegetables goodbye… the new lucky home owners must be thrilled!
Good luck with the next place, will be looking forward to reading about progress in the new home and garden!
Ellen says
This is a touching post, but I can’t WAIT to see the new place and what you do with it! It’s exciting for you and the rest of us…best of luck and have tons of fun! 🙂
Lynn says
Wow. I have always admired your garden and the hard work you put into it. What a wonderful housewarming present for the new owners. I’m sure they will appreciate the garden. Looking forward to your future endeavors. Congrats on your new home!
Jess-Nebraska says
We downsized into a stucco 1930 cottage with original woodwork, hardwood floors, and interior doors intact with skeleton keys! it is 790 square feet on the main floor and another 600 square feet upstairs. It had a great level 2 lots, two garages (with a bathroom and workbench in one) for the hubby, fruit trees, canning room, you name it. The down side? Needed lots of work. The up side? We purchased it for $58,000.00 and will owe nothing in five years – even with all the “new” we will have put into it. It is my work in progress – the bathroom and kitchen hideous…but I am redoing them cheaply to get us through to the “gut” day in a few years. Outside I work on my gardens and add every year to my raised beds. Another great thing? We can buy our fifth wheel AND have it paid for by retirement at 62!!!! Woot woot! Downsizing was a great decision and I do not regret it by any means…I always thought the house cute…but by no means was it my dream home – but…it is slowly becoming so. The downside to it? My oldest moved home just a few months ago after college to pay off student debt – we didn’t anticipate that!!!! ha ha! So I am just going to now plan that my youngest child – our daughter – will leave for college in 2015 – and move back as well…so much for downsizing!
Jess-Nebraska says
On another note, I do hope you continue with your blog…I absolutely love every part of it!
Lisa B. says
Really cool & exciting! Was this one of your secret projects? Enjoy your new home!
Mary Neathway says
Your attitude should be bottled and sold .. the world would be a better place if more people faced life with such positivity.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
Wow- big move for you and the family! I’m not sure I could be so upbeat to leave behind the fruit trees and pumpkins after all your hard work. But you will be surprised how much you can grow in a tiny space. I think small space gardening actually forces you to get creative and think of new ways to grow food. I can’t wait to see your new growing spaces in WA and on the east coast. Congrats on the big move!!
KK @ Preppy Pink Crocodile
Lissa says
Oh my…I’ve been a daily reader for years. I did not realize how emotionally invested I am until I read this post. Your yard (and home) have become like that of a friend. I am going to miss it! The chickens! The pear tree! The greenhouse (please tell me you took the greenhouse!) You are inspiring. Like one of the other commenters, I also dislike change. You are doing it with gusto. You go girl! Keep up the amazing work. And please keep entertaining us with your antics. Thank you!
Tracy L. says
I feel the exact same way, thank you Lissa for putting words to my feelings!
Trina says
This post made me want to cry!! Very bittersweet.
Heather says
Good luck on the new adventure and we all are curious about the new place. We have lived in our place 25 years (first and only house). In some ways I want to move (same town would be find, but a new neighborhood, etc would be different), but at the same time we planted and built everything in the yard (it was a house on an acre of land when we got it). Change is hard, but it sounds like you are staying in the same area so that will make it easier.
Heather says
Dear Mavis,
I read your blog daily and just love it! Good for you and your family to start a new adventure…..it will be great and I can’t wait to see the pictures
ChisM says
I would follow your blog no matter what. I love the many pictures and your sense of humor. My priorities are always changing too. Its so exciting to move someplace new and make it your own. I totally understand you wanting to downsize. I already have a smaller home and still have trouble keeping up with it sometimes.
Marcia says
Wow, big change! I had no idea.
I can see why though. Too bad I don’t live there – I could have bought it! We may be approximately the same age (I’m 44), but my kids are 8 and 2, so I have a lot of kid days ahead of me. I would have LOVED to move in to pumpkins already!!
We bought a small house on a small lot, so I joke that I bought my retirement home – that you know how people “trade up” when they have kids and then “trade down”? We are just going to skip that middle step. Not sure how it will be in 1000 sf when the boys are both teenagers.
Syde says
Marcia, that is brilliant to buy and keep a small home. Moving up or down is expensive financially and emotionally. They will be fine with 1000sf!
Peggy Stenglein says
What a kind and wonderful gift to the new owners! I can’t imagine you not gardening at the new place! You can downsize the garden too! Best of luck at your new place. I’m not at all surprised you have decided to make a move like this with many of your posts focusing on waste and excess. Way to go!! 🙂
Shannon says
Can’t wait to see what you do with your ‘downsize”! I am at the same stage in life…….kids are both in middle school now, and I have just gone back to work full time. My huge backyard homestead is suffering, and I have come to realize that it needs to be scaled back now. We’ll keep our 8 hens (the kids take care of them), but next year our garden will look much different.
Next step will be to scale down from 3200 square feet of living space to about 1800. Won’t that be nice! I won’t have to clean it all!
Best of luck, and I will be following your adventure!