Moving to the High Country

Are you a beach person or a mountain person?  

That's the question that people always ask in the Carolina's and many people have a very definite answer. As for me I feel a sense of belonging in most places. I grew up in Southern California and lived at the beach, spent time in the mountains and in the deserts of California and Baja. 

Our Mountain Cottage

“You are only free when you realize you belong to no place – you belong every place – no place at all. The price is high. The reward great”. This quote is mentioned in the book “Braving the Wilderness” by Brene’ Brown. The quote is by Dr. Maya Angelou and Brene’ heard it in an interview with Bill Moyers in 1973 on public television. I just finished reading this for a book club that I was invited to by my Bestie Karin and we both agree it is a must read.

When I started writing this post, I had not finished reading the book “Braving the Wilderness”. Now that I have completed it and joined the “Bookies” book club in a discussion about this book, I started rethinking what I was writing about.

Front walk way

I think feeling comfortable with yourself and where you choose to live are two different things. You might be one of those people who just loves living at the beach, in the mountains or a busy city and you might not ever consider living anywhere else but the place you currently live. However, you might not have found a way to feel free with yourself...yet. 

Maybe you are a person who feels comfortable in many places, you just choose to live in a warm climate because that is what works for you right now. 

I am writing this post today because Doug and I recently purchased a Mountain home, a quaint cottage style home in need of a little TLC.  Finding this little jewel was a journey in itself and a story for another post. As I shared with Doug “the house found us, maybe the house needed us or maybe we needed the house…hmmm maybe both. Stay tuned for that story. 

When we decided to move from Charlotte to the North Carolina Mountains I got “Oh you’re a Mountain Girl”, hmmm yes I love the lush green mountains, the scent of pine and fresh air but I also love the smell of the ocean, the feel of the salty air on my skin, also the quiet dry heat of the desert and the wonder, that many before me braved the hot dry trek across the California deserts to reach the Pacific Ocean.

I don't know about you, but something magical happens to me whenever I get out of the city and close to nature. Whether I am near the ocean, a lake, a river, the desert or the Mountains, I feel at home.

Growing up in Southern California I learned how to scuba dive, surf sort of but mostly knee boarding and body surfing. Camping trips and campfires, lazy days soaking up the sunshine, playing volleyball, long walks and beautiful sunsets were a big part of my life. And of course, exploring the tide pools on school field trips and on my own. I wanted to be Jacques Cousteau growing up, a world travel and explorer!

There were family camping trips, loading up our family camper and traveling the length of California, Oregon and Washington on “PCH” the Pacific Coast Highway and interstate 5. Exploring the Redwoods, Big Sur, Yosemite National Park; which to me are some of the most magical places that I have ever visited.

Then there is the San Diego desert; Ocotillo Wells and Borrego Springs in the Anza-Borrego State Park, where we spent a lot of time on the dunes. Dune buggies, three-wheeler bikes. Yep I am talking way back, before they started making four-wheel all-terrain motorbikes. I am proud to say that I never did roll in one of those three wheeled motorbikes or in a dune buggy. Unfortunately, a lot of people I know did injured themselves; broken collar bones, legs, arms and assorted injuries. 

We also spent holidays, vacations and long weekends in Baja camping, also acting as pit crew for friends during the Baja 500 and the Baja 1000; a off-road Motorsport. And then there is the Mint 400 off-road race in Las Vegas, so many memories with my girlfriends and family. Which is now called the BF Goodrich Tires Mint 400…I miss the days of simple titles for sporting events.

I also spent holidays and weekends when I was growing up in Big Bear, where tobogganing, sledding and snow fights were the main event and always a cup of cocoa on the stove at our cabin to warm us up.

School camps and Young Life Camps in the San Bernardino Mountains and Mountain ranges near San Diego, California. Also spending time in Mammoth Mountain learning how to snow ski. Now that’s a story. My Sissy Deb moved up to Mammoth Mountain after High School to learn how to snow ski and work.

A lot of our friends and those chasing the snow and the surf would head up the Mountain for Ski season. The jobs didn’t pay much, the housing was really expensive but living the dream was all they cared about. As for my Sissy, she never did really learn how to Snow Ski, her and bestie/roomie Desiree had to work several jobs just to pay the rent and feed themselves. They also lived in some very interesting places; the apartment above the Disco where you could hear the bumping beat of music late into the wee hours of the morning. Then there was the apartment with a drape as the door for the bathroom... interesting, but for me and my besties Lu and Candy it was a free place to stay. Lu already knew how to Snow Ski but Candy and I learned in Mammoth, which kind of spoiled us because it is one of the most beautiful Ski resorts I have ever been to. Plenty of powder, wide open Ski runs, which I love and Sunshine on many days, pure Snow Skiing Heaven!

So here we are in the mountains. We are a family of roads warriors, adventures and travelers. We are now about 5 hours from the coast rather than 4, so not so bad of a drive and still within driving range of our family in Charlotte and Georgia. 

It already feels like home! Hubby is still painting doors and touching up, it is a process but all the walls have a fresh coat of paint. The house has beautiful Chinese elm floors in the great room area, we did replace the carpet in the two bedrooms and LV in the bathrooms. Next up; pressure wash the deck, replace siding and the roof. Remove the planters from the front of the house; yes we do love these but they gotta go. 

I LOVE it here and of course home is where the heart is...

And I couldn’t write a post without mentioning food, sooo my first meal that I cooked on the “new to me" Bosch Stove fueled by propane was turkey chili. Easy for me to make, I kept it simple with a really bare pantry. Click on the link Quick and EasyTurkey Chili for the recipe.

Just Cook Something and stay tuned for more recipes and adventures.

Cheers! Kary~