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Monday, October 31, 2011

Where the forest meets the sea.



This is not where I grew up or even where I lived most of my life. But this is where I feel most at home.

How is that, you ask?

I can't explain it with reasonable answers. I can only say that the first time I saw the sea, when I was twelve, I marveled at its beauty,  immense horizon,  infinite mystery. That sense of wonder and calm never left me. Whenever I needed to feel restored, I made my way to the waterfront, walked on the beach, got myself cold and wet and totally immersed in a life force bigger than anything else.

We moved here to Oregon, from Southern California, trekking up the coast all the way, looking for a small village where we could just settle down and enjoy the last chapter of our life, for a small cottage  isolated from the hustle and bustle of big city lights, a place where, at night, we could sit outside and stare at the sky. I hoped to find a water feature nearby. If not, a bird-bath would suffice.

The place we found here in Port Orford spoke to me the instant we got out of the car and looked across the back yard.  In front of us a fresh water lake. Across the lake, the Pacific, waves lapping on the dunes, gently caressing the lake here and there.

I turned to my husband, before we even saw the house, and I said, Honey, make them an offer!
When he asked that I look at the place and evaluate it, I scoffed. This is it, I stated, with utter certainty.
Hubby had to figure out all that needed done, as I was so smitten with that water view that nothing could detract me.

A few months of negotiation, and we quit our jobs, gave away our possessions, and drove ourselves and a few boxes of books, the 800 miles on Hwy 101 to reach our new destination.  Hubby had made a couple of extra trips ahead of me, to get the house painted, the beds bought, the utilities turned on. He chose his office with the view of the forest. I chose mine with the water view. We have furnished the place simply.  We remodeled the kitchen, added a sun room, modernized the baths and the flooring, made the place comfortable.  

Did I mention that my husband is a tree lover? That he had missed his forests when we lived in Southern California? That he took us camping and hiking any chance he had? That he would go to the beach in California only rarely?  This place of ours is perfectly matched to our personalities. It is cool year round, as he likes it. It has plenty of forests, trees, ranch land, as he likes it. It is isolated and rural, as he likes it.  And it has the Ocean, and plenty of space for gardening, as I like it!

What about you?
What do you like about your place?




29 comments:

Terra said...

This sounds like you have found your forever home and it is a perfect match for you. I enjoy the glimpses I see here. My husband and I live in a smallish coast town in California and we do love the sea (see my blog photos today).

joeh said...

Do you have a room to let?



Cranky Old Man

Grandmother Mary said...

How wonderful that you found something perfect for the both of you. I sit on our balcony with a view of the Adriatic to the east, the Majela mountains to the south and the Gran Sasso mountains to the west (all the mountains part of the Apennines). In between are acres of vineyards and olive groves and our small medieval village a short walk away. I feel very full.

Josh said...

People talk about "taking the leap" all their lives but never pull the trigger.

Good for y'all for taking the leap!

Now you're an example of enjoying the "other side" of a great decision.

... I can't wait for me and the wife to take the leap :)

Lisa said...

Your home is so beautiful. I especially love the rocky beach. Amazing how you have both, the sea and the forest and your story of searching and finding it is so romantic.

When my elder son started college, I bought a townhouse for him in the city so that he could be closer to school and do not have to drive 50km daily one way that makes a 100 km daily. But he did not want. He wanted to remain at home and so we rented the place out. He loves this home of ours.

Eddie Bluelights said...

It's marvellous you were so sure of the place and wanted to set up your life there as if by instinct. My wife and I never managed this but are happy where we are. We chose our base at a half way point between her parents and mine and starngely it turns out my great grandfather lived here after moving from the North of england 60 years before my parents did the same, without knowing about great grandfather. I found out all about him on line and found his house, his workplace, and where he worked. Quite eerie really.

I admire that you gave up everything for your goal - I would never have had the courage to do that. Eddie x

Unknown said...

I don't have the beauty around me that you have, but I like where I am. I'm just a few minutes from the mall, from the beach, and I'm within 45 minutes of my grand children.

Trotter said...

Hi Rosaria! Sorry for taking so long to come here, but these last two months have been rather nasty! My mother (90) was in hospital for more than three weeks and the post-surgery was hard! My father (94) seemed to be an orphan while my mother was out and felt into some kind of depression... The economy is a disaster and the media only bring bad news... The € Euro is rescued every day, only to be known that it needs to be rescued again and again next morning... What else? Well, maybe «Midnight in Paris»... The problem is that the Gil there is a different one... ;)

Thanks for your comment at Blogtrotter Two, which wanders now around pre-historical Corsica, where it seems all this will be leading to... ;) Enjoy and have a wonderful week ahead!

PS: I love that place!!

Brian Miller said...

honestly...i am thankful for our place...but i hate it...we are very close tot he mountains which i love...forever away from the city which i miss...eh, we are stuck here until the market turns again so making the most of it...but sounds like you found the perfect set up...

ds said...

How beautiful your views--and how perfect. So few people find their truly "proper" space, but it looks as though you have. Something to be grateful for, indeed.

Vagabonde said...

This is the perfect place for you and your husband – and how great that you found it! I don’t know if we’ll stay where we live - we have been here for decades. We are close to town but cannot see nor hear the neighbors – and my husband loves that. I like that fact that we have an international airport not far away. Your top photo beautiful – I can understand how you got attracted to that area.

Helen said...

I love where I am .. though I doubt I will remain in Central Oregon. Thinking about my son and where he needs to be positioned as the years pass ... close to his older brother in suburban Atlanta I would guess.

yaya said...

We are only a few minutes from both our work and town. We are surrounded by the pine trees that protect us and give such great privacy. We have our woods and our children and grandkiddos don't have very far to go to find us. I don't know if we'll be here forever, but for now this is home.

Linda Myers said...

I love where we live - a quiet green town near Seattle. In the summer we have leafy privacy from our neighbors, in the winter the bare trees allow us to see the lights of other homes. On a good day I don't have to get on the freeway.

quilterliz said...

G'day Rosaria. You are where you were always meant to be. I too am a lover of the water and in a couple of weeks hubby and I are staying at a B&B in a lovely little town called Port Fairy, it is by the water. I feel as though we were meant to make the move from the farm to where we are now, but I also feel that one day we will live by the water.Take care.Liz...

Joani said...

Rosaria....I never have thought about where I wanted to be. Only where I had a good job and comfortable living. I definitely don't want to be by water. Having said that, I like waterfalls and bird baths. I love watching the birds take their baths. I can remember thinking about a house on a hill with pastures, one with mares & colts and the other with cows & calves. At this point in my life the only house on the hill is going to be the Pioneer Home in Prescott....maybe. But, for now, I'm comfortable in my home that is quick to get on a freeway on go wherever I need to go. I'm only an hour from my aunt. I don't like the heat in the summer but for now will have to endure. The growing season in Phoenix has two seasons and I'm into the winter gardening right now and I'm really enjoying that. Flowers galore. Thanks for sharing and have a great day.

Roberta Warshaw said...

I live in a condo in a city. I tried living out in the country once. I thought I would love it. I was so wrong. I was so lonely. Not that I talk to people all the time. I don't. In fact I am a bit of a hermit. I just love that when I am feeling lonely all I have to do is walk out my front door. There are people everywhere and I immediately feel better. Now if I could just move this feeling to someplace with no winter I'll be all set.

Rob-bear said...

Where I want to be? Precambrian rock, rivers and lakes, and mixed forests (or mostly coniferous).

Am I anywhere near that? No.

So I live as a sort-of exile in River City. Which has three good hospitals. Which I may need from time to time.

RNSANE said...

It is so nice that you found just the perfect spot for both of you. I am like you about the ocean. I am really happy where I am in terms of location. When I return from India ( departure date is now set for Nov 14 from LA - I'm going on Korean Airlines so I'm making a two day free stopover in Seoul ). It will be very cold there in contrast to India but I have never been there so I couldn't stand to touch down at the airport and just fly on without seeing a little bit of the country. After all, with my very limited income, this will probably be the last big journey of my life. I will now have five months in India because of my late start.

Once I return, even if it means renting only a room, I'd rather be near the ocean than in a larger apartment far from the sea!

Ruth said...

I'm inspired by how you went about finding your place, and that you knew it from just the environ, without seeing the house! It was quite similar for us here at the farm. We knew after living in the city and going camping on weekends in the summer that we must want to get out of the city, so why not find a country place? We thought it would take a year to find just the right one. But the second Sunday looking at open houses, we pulled into the driveway here (after almost turning around for home because we couldn't find it) and knew instantly that we were smitten. We shouldn't have come, we said, because it cost more than we'd planned. But it all worked out, and now we never want to leave!

rjerdee said...

I'm so happy that you're still content with your perfect place.

I completely understand about the mysteries of the sea which is what I like most about living in Florida. What I like most about living in Iowa in the summers is being around family. And, as far as, the little houses go...I like the library feel of the simple condo in Iowa and the al fresco feel of the Florida house. If I walk in the front door and can see straight through to the back door and the areca palms blowing in the garden :)

Maggie May said...

I loved reading that post because you were really passionate about the place you found. It took a brave effort to start so different a life.
I guess I'm a city type but I am drawn to the sea quite a bit and have to visit before too long.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Yes, sometimes we just know when a place is for us.

Rubye Jack said...

If I had money, I would buy a home out near Lagunitas, California with lots of land. I say lots of land because the area is filling up so fast that soon it will be like the rest of Marin.

You live in one of the most beautiful places in the world Rosaria, and I'm glad you all have it.

Karen said...

Rosario, I love where I live. About 4 miles from Gulf beaches. I like the warmer weather, too. I didn't grow up near water-but adore it.

Michael G-G said...

It looks beautiful, Rosaria.

I'm a city guy myself, and Portland is one of the nicest I've lived in. Especially today, witrh thge sun shining and autumn leaves floating down.

Unspoken said...

I love the ocean. I used to say if there was a heaven it would be a little cottage by the sea for me, where every animal I loved who had gone there before me where would be when I arrived. I didn't want to corner the human I love to my idea of heaven :).

I love the tree lined street, the moss covered bricks, the walk to shops, the wood floors, and the 1940s building I am in now. Much to love. Oh, and it's tiny :). I like that.

L. D. said...

It is a gorgeous location. Your photos show it is a beautiful shoreline.

shopgirl said...

Hi Rosaria! Finally back from what seemed like a long hiatus. Your place sounds divine. The story on how you listened to your heart and found your new home is inspiring. I hope we can do something similar when we retire. Your husband sounds wonderful. I have the same affinity for the ocean. Neither my husband nor I can live without it.

p.s. I'm trying not to eat as much pasta as I used to but we still can't seem to go without bread at every meal. Last week, I made my own version of Vegetable stirfry with rice and my husband still ate a piece of bread and salami after. Go figure! :-))


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