Monday, June 17, 2013

Home Sweet Home

Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest.
Henry Van Dyke


I've been rather absent from blogging recently. I've had some scheduled posts and I've popped into a few of your blogs here and there but mostly, I've been rather absent from blogging.

Part of what has been keeping me busy is home renovation. I've lived in my house for twenty-nine years, and very little has been done to keep it looking current. As some of you may know, Frank and I have been on the lookout for the past year, for a home on a lake. I hope to eventually sell my home and so I have been getting numerous things done to put it in a more sellable condition.

Another part of what has been occupying my attention is the actual search for a home. We've scoured online ads, followed up on listings sent to us by real estate agents and on a few occasions, gone north to look at a some places.

A couple of weeks ago we went to see a couple of homes. One of them was on a parcel of land which measures a little over an acre. The lake on which it sits, houses several species of fish and has many nooks, crannies, streams and islands - a fisherman's dream. The shore faces east, across the waters of a bay. The immediate vista is that of uninhabited Crown land and a small, hilly island. Sunrises would likely look quite amazing coming up behind that scene.

Upon the property sits a small but impeccably-maintained house. There are currently three rather small bedrooms, an open concept kitchen, living room and dining room, a large rec room in the basment, an attached garage and decks on both sides of the house. The potential for expansion is great, and a fourth, large bedroom, bathroom and additional storage space would be essential. And doable.

The other side of the house is where you'd find most of the property. There is a long driveway alongside a grassy lawn where you'd find some sheltering trees - mostly mature pines. There is also a small garden for growing vegetables and numerous spots around the house where perennial flowers are growing.

The place is twenty-five minutes north of a town with a hospital, grocery stores, banks, several restaurants, two Tim Hortons and a Canadian Tire (these last two might be lost on most non-Canadians). It sits about fifteen minutes south of a smaller town and just a few minutes from an odd little general store.

There are reportedly daily sightings of deer, and occasional glimpses of fox, bald eagles, wild turkeys and moose on the property itself. It's a place where my camera will be busy clicking, where fishing will be a near-daily event and where, come August, Frank and I will refer to as "Home."

I'm very excited, of course but it's going to be difficult to leave my neighbourhood, dear friends, park, pond and twenty-nine years of living and memories. This move will truly be bittersweet. If the new neighbours are half as wonderful as the amazing people I'll leave behind, Frank and I will be very lucky, indeed. And this move will take us much further away from family and friends. This will be especially difficult for me but we'll have a lovely little oasis for our loved ones to visit.

So, my erratic presence in blogging will persist for a while. The Posts of the Week will probably suffer for a couple of months. We will take possession of our new home on the last of July. I won't disappear completely but I will be pretty busy over the next few weeks as I prepare my home for sale, sell it and move. Yikes!

I'll close by offering a few photos of our view-to-be. I'm not comfy posting images of the interior of the house until it belongs to us. But come August, watch out!


driveway
A view of the property from about one third of the way down the driveway.




facing north east
Looking northeast, you can see a bit of the neighbours property beyond the treeline, and lots of Crown land directly ahead.




front view
Some of the many pines on our front lawn.



side of house
The walkway which leads to the front door from the driveway and garage.




front
What you'd see as you approach our front door from the lawn.




view from dock
The back door and deck as seen from the shoreline.




view
The view as seen through the spare bedroom window.




view2
With this vista as enjoyed from the deck, I suspect I'll take in many a sunrise, while sipping on coffee with my camera in hand. I look forward to sharing it all with you.

Thanks for your understanding during this time of transition. More photos of some sort or another coming up in a scheduled post soon.

59 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

Are you going to take it? It looks so good. Bet you cant wait.

DJan said...

Oh, this is simply wonderful news!!! I am thrilled for you, and the pictures you will capture and share with me. Just simply fabulous, Hilary. Congratulations and fingers crossed that nothing goes awry with the sale.

Elizabeth Grimes said...

It looks perfect! Good luck with the transition, I know it will be difficult but I'm certain it will all be worth it!

TexWisGirl said...

congratulations on finding a place that is so beautifully situated and can accommodate some expansion to fit your needs, too!

i do have a question - what is Crown land?

(and i don't envy the selling of your places and the physical and emotional move, but it will be worth it!)

Ramakant Pradhan said...

Looks like an amazing place. You sure are lucky :)

stephen Hayes said...

Change is good and I can feel your creative energy soaring at the prospect of a new local to photograph. Can't wait to see more pictures.

Terra said...

I can see why this home, view, lake and land captivated you, and it captivates me too. To live surrounded by nature, reminds me of Thoreau. Lovely.

Linda said...

Congratulations on finding your dream house/location. It is beautiful. Good luck on the packing, moving, selling your house, etc. I know you had to put a lot of thought into the idea of moving away from friends and further from family. I also know they will enjoy visiting you in your new paradise.

Anonymous said...

Oh finally - looks as if you've found a fantastic new house!

Gayle said...

I am so happy for you both. What a gorgeous hideaway. Your views are spectacular. Congratulations to you. I have the mental image of you on the porch w/coffee enjoying that sunrise. Many blessings.

Kerry said...

This place looks like a great opportunity. What a cute house on a lake! That deck looks very welcoming; I hope it gets a little breeze to chase away the mosquitoes. It's really lovely and so exciting. Your forthcoming photography will be such fun.

Phyllis E said...

Best of luck on the move, Cuzzie.

Leah J. Utas said...

It's beautiful. Congratulations.
Looking forward to many more pics.

Glo said...

Congratulations Hilary and Frank! What a wonderful location for your home sweet home on a lake :) The mixed feelings you are and will experience getting prepared for the move, and selling your long-lived-in home is understandable. Here's to the excitement of letting go and moving on!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Oh my stars, this is a lovely peace of paradise. I hope you will be very happy in your new surrounds and that the honey do list to get your house ready to sell doesn't do you in.
I only have one practical question.....does the house come with a riding lawn mower....cuz great googly moogly that's a lot of grass to keep at bay. Just asking.
New House blessings and best wishes Hilary and Frank, Oma Linda

Lisa Gordon said...

Congratulations, Hilary!
It looks wonderful.

Rosaria Williams said...

Ah, you'll be so happy with such open spaces, and plenty of opportunities to point and click. Best of luck with all the details that go with selling and purchasing. Soon, it will all be behind you.

Anvilcloud said...

Congratulations on your little piece of heaven.

lime said...

congratulations! it sounds perfect! what a lovely view and it does look like a nice cozy place. i am so happy for you. hoping your soon to be former home is quickly in shape and sold to someone who will love it and fit in well to your neighborhood. wishing you all the best!

Kat said...

Wow! It looks heavenly! I'm so excited for you! :)

yaya said...

Awww...a lovely Garden of Eden for you and Frank..I love it! I love the lake view and I think it will be so fun! You have many "whispering pines" of your own too! Good luck with the sale of your home and congrats on this lucky find!

Brian Miller said...

i hope all goes well with the sale and move to your new home...sounds like there will be plenty of life around still to be captured by your lens...smiles..

messymimi said...

Yes, Yes, Yes! See, i told Frank on his blog a while back to keep looking, the perfect place was out there.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Hilary!! I bet you are chomping at the bit to get there....it's gorgeous! And, I'm sure you and Frank will make it even better! Congrats to you both and good luck in selling your house promptly. Here's to new beginnings!

Barb said...

What wonderful news! It looks like a natural paradise! Benny will be in heaven! I can definitely picture you on the bench with a hot cuppa or a glass of wine. Good luck with the sale of your house. Take Care.

Rita said...

OMG! OMG! OMG! I am so happy for you! This place looks just heavenly and, yes, I can picture you having coffee on the deck. What a dream spot!! Congratulations!!!! So excited for you! Can hardly wait for more pics later. Whoohoo!! :):)

Ruth Hiebert said...

WOW! The place looks beautiful and the surrounding scenery is breathtaking.I can see that the camera will be kept very busy,once you settle in.

Red said...

Looks great! A person could go crazy here with the possibilities. The lake certainly is attractive. It's just an all round nice place. I'll understand if you're not on the blog.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Oh Hilary! How wonderful for you and Frank. It looks like a fabulous place to call "home". I'm thrilled for you and look forward to see the photos you capture as the seasons change and your house becomes yours-- moved in, comfy, and inviting.
Congratulations!
xoxoxo jj

Leave It To Davis said...

Moving is a stressful time....and leaving friends and good neighbors behind makes it even harder. Good luck on selling your home and best wishes for your new home....it certainly has a wonderful view.

Bossy Betty said...

Changes like this are always tough, but also such opportunities await! More pictures soon, please!

Pearl said...

Absolutely beautiful. You're going to love it. :-)

Pearl

Maggie May said...

It looks lovely, doesn't it?
Hope it all runs smoothly.
Maggie x

Nuts in May

Jackie said...

How beautiful this is!
I am so happy for you. It looks like a bit of heaven on Earth to me.

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

Congratulations. It looks and sounds wonderful. Can't wait for the photos.

Gail Dixon said...

Hilary, it's a beautiful home and piece of property. Congratulations! Your patience certainly paid off.

Dianne said...

I'm so excited for you!!
it's beautiful
every way you turn there's something wonderful

good things DO happen for good people

solarity said...

You create great pictures with words as well as the camera. It looked wonderful before I scrolled down to the photos. Did I spy hammocks?

Good luck to you with the packing/moving/unpacking! Still in the throes of unpacking after ten months, myself.

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Sharon Wagner said...

I see photos of sparkling waters in your future. How exciting and bittersweet. Last night we were sitting outside with the neighbors air conditioner blaring the whole time. I'll envy your solitude. And a whole new world of phototunity!

ellen abbott said...

Yay! the hunt is over. I know what you mean about moving. It was very hard emotionally to leave the house in the city that I lived in for 35 years. Family and friends are an hour away now but we love the larger property out in the country and the quiet slow life out here.

Daryl said...

mazel tov! it looks like its going to be a wonderful second act! xo

Mage said...

How very exciting all this will be for the two of you. I'm sitting here grinning as I type this. Delightful.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

It looks lovely...peaceful, relaxing, restorative. I'm so happy for you. Your and Frank's determined diligence seems to have paid off in spades.

Linda said...

Oh, that's exciting! Good luck.

Indrani said...

Looks like a great place. Wonderful photo opportunities too!

Anonymous said...

This looks perfect for you and Frank. I'm so glad you found it and I can't wait to see what you capture in your camera. Change is always hard, though, isn't it? I actually know what a Canadian Tire is from a post I read a few minutes ago!! So funny!

Congratulations to you and Frank! Change is also good!

Anita said...

I't looks like a place to relax and vacation - and you get to live there!

I'm very happy for you and Frank and your dog. I'm having a senior moment and can't remember his name. Is it Benny?

Wishing you many blessings as you transition from your beloved old home into your new one.

:.tossan® said...

The text is bright and the pictures also are excellent! Beautiful perspective. hug

SandyCarlson said...

That is one sweet house! I hope the sell and search go the way you want it. Thanks for stopping by during this busy time!

I hope the geese family got somewhere safely, too!

Lynne with an e said...

Oh!!! what exciting news. Congratulations! This does look like a real haven! Hard to say goodbye to all that history in one place, but once it's done, I'm sure there will be no regrets. I wish you courage and stamina with the move. New phase of life awaits. I'm looking forward to all that you will be moved to share here on your blog.
Lynne xo

photowannabe said...

Hilary, I am thrilled for you.
This looks like Paradise for you and Frank.
I can't wait to see your sunrise photos and read about all of the new adventures.
Post when you can.
We will be waiting.

Pauline said...

How splendid! I can imagine the posts you and Frank will share from there! Lucky you - lucky us! All the fuss and bother will work itself out. Enjoy every minute of it! And thanks for sharing :)

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Oh, Hilary, this looks absolutely incredible!! The frustration and waiting for the past year looks to be totally worth every second (and every penny).

Betty Manousos said...

congrats my wonderful friend!
looks like a lovely and peaceful place.
that is one beautiful house, too.

great news-i am so excited for you!

xoxo

Betty Manousos said...

sorry for only just now commenting.

Cedar said...

Wow, what a great space! I could easily see you both there!!!

Merisi said...

I feel so happy for you and Frank to have found this paradise of a home! Good luck with selling your old home and may you soon enjoy that gorgeous morning view with a good cup of Java from your deck!
Best wishes,
Merisi

Dan said...

Ta da! You both found all the right ingredients for the recipe.

So this means everyone here (your blog-friends) are invited over for a virtual BBQ and perhaps the daily catch of the day too!

Very very happy for you both. Patience and not settling for just anything wins the day.

I can see a lot of new and happy memories in this next chapter of life.

xooox

Esther Avila said...

I've been away for a while and had not seen this news about The Nest.
Are you still there? How absolutely wonderful for the two of you.
I think we should have an AW Reunion out there..... just saying.

Congratulations - Happy Nesting!

Esther Avila (September Skies on AW)