House Hunting in Prescott

Here we are in Prescott looking for houses.  You would think that after looking at about 40 houses with one tired realtor we would have found "home" by now. But we're still looking.

This house above is too close to a busy two lane highway.

Now below is another home. Check out the 1600 square foot master.

I don't think I need this much space to sleep. It takes up most of the house.

Check out the tub.

Here is another house--Santa Fe style. It had a big horse barn out back.

The houses in this neighborhood are built into the rocks. Pretty cool. But the house is too small and no room for Mozart's studio.

Now here is some room! This looks like an airplane hangar. Could Mozart build into this RV garage?

Nice property but do we want 3 levels?

What a beautiful view, but could I negotiate the driveway curving on a cliff when I'm 75? It does snow here, which means ice.

This house is a little small.

What a beautiful house, and it even has a guest house--a separate little house for Mozart's writing and recording studio.

But it was 30 minutes from the market and too expensive.

Mozart measured it anyway, because one never knows... That's a loft upstairs, but the only way to get there is via a ladder.

We're getting a little crazy. I must have told Mozart I wanted to see a few more houses today.

Maybe we can clear our heads at Watson Lake.

 or drive over to Goldwater Lake

or Lynx Lake

Here is a peaceful spot to walk near a church.

We will be visiting again very soon and I know we will find the house. I can feel it in my bones. Escrow closes on our current house in mid-January.

Sold!

Taken earlier this year. (back porch)

Our house sold in one week!  We had five strong offers! Today we signed and began the escrow process. We need to go back to Arizona and continue looking for our future home. Fortunately we will be able to rent our own home after escrow, to give us more time if we need it. We are thanking the Lord for this wonderful blessing.

It's Beyond Me

The result of tossing grass seed in our backyard and watering like crazy.

Sometimes we come to a place or situation in life where our ability to control a circumstance wanes, and the whole situation moves over into God's territory.

That is where we are now with our plans to move. We've done all that is possible on our end, and now it is up to God. The house goes up in a matter of days.

I love how author Sarah Young pens God's thoughts to her on October 27 in her book, "Jesus Calling".

Jesus says, "As you become increasingly aware of My Presence, you find it easier to discern the way you should go. This is one of the practical benefits of living close to Me. Instead of wondering about what is on the road ahead or worrying about what you should do if...or when..., you can concentrate on staying in communication with Me. When you actually arrive at a choice-point, I will show you which direction to go."

Jesus makes it sound so easy. And I think it is. We just tend to veer toward the harder route. (Doing things in our own power.)

All of us are looking forward to seeing what will happen next.

What I Will Miss About California

The trees on our street display the change in the air, and in our lives. We are planning to move out of Southern California. This is such a big step for Mozart and I as we have lived here our entire lives.

 Yet I'm very excited about making this change, and especially living out in a rugged territory, closer to nature.

But no matter where I live, there is no place like California and I will miss it.

Especially all the things that grow here.

and the peacocks

and the wild parrots

and the walks on the beach

My parents

My Writers Critique Group

Letty and our adventures together
     and all my other friends who I can't find pictures of at the moment.

I will miss hiking the trails in our local mountains

and climbing on the rocks and exploring the tidepools.

And decorating the house with Autumn leaves.

Yes, there are good things to enjoy wherever one lives.

""Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go." Genesis 28:15









 

Going North (part 1)

Recently, as the summer days waned, and school approached, I did what every good "Instructional Aide" should do. I took a vacation day on the first day of school :)

Actually we were called up North because our good friends, Larry and Julie were getting married, and this entailed quite a long drive up to Capitola near Monterey Bay.

 The wedding was beautiful, but before I post about that, here are a few pictures of the first half of our trip. We stopped in Atascadero to see some long time friends, James and Elizabeth, who

kindly showed us around, and this included a drive along some beautiful country roads. Atascadero is about 18 miles from the coast. As we wound our way through the brown rolling hills, I wondered what it would be like to live here.

Watch out for wild turkeys along the road!

We stopped at an apple farm.

I think these are grapes, above.

Elizabeth and a horse.

It was nice to relax with friends.

Mozart's rather fun when he gets out of the studio.