Moss Hunting in My Promised Land...

This afternoon while the babies were sleeping I put my boots on and headed outdoors.  It's been pretty warm the past few days so the snow is melting and you can see the green peeking through.  It feels slightly like spring and gets me anxious for when we can start work on the barn, the fencing, and the spring(not the season but the water type).  I wandered around the perimeter of our property - up the west hill and out across the street to the 40 acres of wooded area.  We don't own it but the people who do don't live in town and use it for camping.  They said we could wander around it as long as we don't shoot guns on it.  Following the deer trails across the snow through the pine trees with the mist curling around; felt magical.  Like a scene from Harry Potter.  Along the way I took pictures of all of the beautiful varieties of moss that grow around here.  Because it's a fairly wet climate with plenty of shade from the evergreens there is a lot of moss.  Moss prettier than any I'd ever seen.  It clings to the dark rocks that are scattered around.  They are all beautiful but my favorite is a longer moss that looks exactly like a shag carpet from the 1970's.  I fact, the first time Elijah showed it to me I actually thought it was a piece of old carpet.  Now when ever I see a particularly mossy rock I pick it up and bring it back to our front garden.  Come spring I hope to have a huge collection of it that I can plant some fern varieties around.  I love all things fern, moss, and dark woodsy.

After that I hiked back over to our property and up to the barn.  The barn is full of old junk and bird's nests and needs to be repainted.  Come spring when we add on a lean-to type chicken coop and an area for the pigs I think we will paint it.  Mike wants to keep it the classic red but I can't help but think about a deep peacock blue, a mustard yellow, or a dark warm green - all with white trim of course.  What do you think?

After touring the barn I hiked up the north hill and sat on a tree stump.  I was up high enough to have the warm sun and see the mist hanging below.  It was beautiful but after one picture my camera died so you'll just have to imagine it.  I just have to say that I am so happy here.  I feel like I have arrived in my promised land.

When I was visiting Utah I realized I still didn't have pictures to show people of the house.   I guess I've been too busy with the holidays and things to do it.  Today wasn't a very good day to take a pictures but it'll have to do for now...

Our property is 4.5 acres with probably an acre out front with the rest winding up and around the house like a bean.  I am still in awe when I hike up and away from the house and realize that I'm still on my property.  It's cool.

Want to visit us here up north?  We'd LOVE to have guests!