We never really intended to be off-grid greenies; it just sort of happened. While we were searching for the perfect piece of property where we could build our dream home, a search that was complicated by the paucity of our finances, we ran across this 22 acre parcel. A piece of land we could both love and afford.
But there
was a catch. Of course, there’s always a
catch. The 22 acres were off-grid. That’s not something we had been looking for
but figured it would be kind of fun and different, so why not… that was seven
years ago.
This
weekend marks our second year of living off-grid. It
doesn’t feel like it has been two years already... two years of living like ‘Little
House on the Prairie’ – only in the mountains and with internet. Most of our friends and family seem to think
we have lost a marble or two, while others think it’s fantastic.
The
biggest surprise so far is that the transition has been easier than one would
expect. No, we still don’t have hot
water. Nor do we have a washing machine, a coffee maker, a microwave, or a television. If we want to use the internet, or the
toaster, we have to go outside and turn on a small generator.
A lot
of tasks are harder up here, sometimes living the simple life isn’t so
simple. But we have daily adventures,
and are surrounded by National Forests, rivers, fir trees, and wildlife galore. We have chirping crickets on starry summer
nights, and the sweet smell of warm earth and fresh flowers in the spring, along
with the crisp morning air after winter’s first frost. Living up here is what it is... it’s pure and
simple.
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Each passing year we stand a bit more humbled and wiser by our experiences.
