Kind of feels like a really big chapter in our life is coming to an end... both bittersweet and exciting at the same time. My wife and I have owned a mountain cabin since sometime in the '70s (we couldn't quite remember the exact year as we were driving up the mountain today to meet with a realtor to list our cabin). But when we were both still in college and couldn't afford CA real estate, a close friend of my wife's family asked if we wanted to by his little cabin in the local mountains (Green Valley Lake). He was asking $17,000, and said he would carry the loan. We said "sure, why not?" Here it is.
About 10 years (and many great times and memories) later, we fell in love with another cabin within walking distance from this one and decided to "trade up". This place was a little bigger, so we could invite more friends and family up to spend time with us. Again, wonderful memories, and soooooo many weekends were spent enjoying the mountains (and painting, sanding, re-roofing, re-decking... you get the picture).
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| Mountain Jam: My niece on guitar and nephew on harmonica! |
There used to be a small family ski area that was within walking distance from our cabin. We spent many winter weekends skiing (and teaching the kids to ski) at this spot. It was great! Below is a photo of yours truly after walking up to the top of the ski run in summer. Like the bell bottoms? Must have been the '70s :-)
Disaster struck, and our beautiful little cabin had an electrical fire and burnt pretty much to the ground. Thankfully no one was hurt, and the fire was contained to just our cabin. We rebuilt the same year our son was born. Three years later our daughter followed, and our "new" mountain cabin became the focus of our family life. We spent almost every free weekend in the mountains, and the kids loved it!
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| Photo taken today... Still quite a bit of snow on the ground from last weekend's storm |
Our little lake is walking distance from the house, and much of our summertime activity was either down on the lake or out on hikes.
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| My Son and Daughter boating on the lake! |
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| We kept our rowboat tied up in this cove. |
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| After you catch 'em, you got to clean 'em! |
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| A nice stringer! |
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| Friends out on a hike! My daughter and son are at the far left. |
So yes, an end to an era. We rarely go to the mountains anymore. The kids are grown and doing their own thing, and if you follow my blog, you know my wife and I have a new love (the desert). The time feels right to sell (even though the market is terrible!). I just hope the next family can enjoy the property even half as much as we have over the years. We were so fortunate... it's been great fun!
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| My wife... never met a critter she didn't like! |
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| View from Green Valley Lake Road looking down on Lake Arrowhead. |
It can't be easy to say good bye but you have the memories and more to make. Such a beautiful place, someone else will fall in love with.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a tough call. But the desert wants you now.
ReplyDeleteo my, love all the old pictures...eric still has a fascination with harmonicas....not very good at it though haha. Eras have to end for new ones to begin.... :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a fun spot. Sometimes you have to move on though.
ReplyDeleteWe bought 5 acres up in Garner Valley before I got pregnant with our daughter. We kept it for a couple of years, but then sold it. Yes, it is a big change. We used to go camping on it with our VW van and take our German Shepherd with us. I used to go hiking all over that area. I really miss the mountains, but, like you, I enjoy the desert now.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know where Green Valley was until the Lake Arrowhead photo, so have a good idea now. So, is the plan to pick up one of those desert shacks now and rehab it for a weekend retreat?
ReplyDeleteIt is my dream to own a cabin up north here in Michigan. What you have is huge and I could tell memories filled in that abode. ^_^
ReplyDeleteSWF
It makes me incredibly sad....sad, sad, sad.....I understand the reason to sell but it doesn't change the total feeling of loss.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a change you are contemplating - mountain to desert!
ReplyDeleteawww. i do hope it is purchased by someone who will love it like you have...
ReplyDeleteSad to hear you are going to sell, but understandable. What a great cabin you have there! Wow, if I was living anywhere close to you I would definitely consider buying :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the photo where you are cleaning the fish, the look on your son's face is priceless.
Terrific photos. It looks like you guys had a blast...like you said -new chapters can be exciting too. Good luck! Have a wonderful weekend. =)
ReplyDeleteSounds like your family had a lot of really good times at the mountains, but as you pointed out the kids have grown up and things are different now. How wonderful that you have all these great pictures!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have these great memories. I enjoyed this set...Love the last pic! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteChange and moving on often come with a nostalgia for times gone by - your photo journey through the years is wonderful. I love that last pic. Hope you can make a sale.
ReplyDeleteNow a new family will be able to make mountain memories.
ReplyDeleteyour pictures are fabulous...and I can see the fun in the pictures. sounds bittersweet leaving those mountians.
ReplyDeleteI am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.
Oh that is sad..same thing happened with our family cabin..I had no interest as a young adult..but now I am sorry it's gone..Michelle
ReplyDeleteI so know ho you feel! We sold ours after cottaging there for 50 years. I cry at the improvements we made and the wildlife we cared for.
ReplyDeletesigh
Mostly I miss living by the water. I don't miss the friggan' tourists!!!
What is your fave body of water?
I think I would find it hard to sell my mountain home.
ReplyDeleteI love this post -- time moves on and it's good not to dwell in the past (that's what I talked myself into anyway when we sold out and went fulltime RVing -- and now it's time for another change)....but the memories remain and obviously you have some wonderful ones. Thanks for sharing. I'm so glad I scrolled back far enough to see this post!
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