Welcome to The Shack. I have decided to challenge myself and learn how to take videos of my land and upload them to platforms such as YouTube. I realize that most 8 year olds would ask, "What's there to learn?" But the technological advances beyond the most very basic photograph editing do not come easy to me. Currently, I don't have any particular homesteading skills or talents to video and share. But I do have my country-living, retirement dream in progress and I would like to document the before, during, and after.
My Off-Grid and Debt-Free Retirement Dream
In 2015 I had quite a year. Too many things were going on to list here. But one of those things is important for this post - I bought 4 acres in West Virginia and started dreaming of retiring there as soon as possible. Preferably, debt-free and self-sufficient.
Two years later, I'm moving slightly away from the idea of replacing the existing rickety hunting cabin with an completely off-grid small home. But that is still to be determined.
Currently, The Shack (that rickety hunting cabin) is off-grid. And I go camping there as often as possible in order to escape the hustle and bustle of living near Baltimore and to plan for life on that West Virginia Ridge.
I do know that I plan to build a small home. Use solar for power and passive solar for heating. And I hope to grow as much of my own food as possible.
Two weekends past, I spent the weekend there. I like cool weather camping. I love keeping warm with that wonderful wood stove.
This is a partial and brief tour of the inside:
This is a tour of the "yard" portion of the land.
The previous owners left behind the old shed (it is not an outhouse - although it looks like it) along with probably two truckloads of things that need to go to the dump. I have been slowly but surely trying to do some removal of poison ivy and invasive weeds. While planting a few fruit trees, and starting a "flower garden".
There is much to do. And even more to learn. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.
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Wow you are brave to say the least. I admire that you don't seem to be fazed by too much. There is a lot of hard work to living off the grid, but you seem to be doing a great job of it! Congratulations and Best of Luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind comments. I'm not living there yet.So it's easy to seem brave. And in the hot and humid summers.... I am fazed. Fazed, hot, miserable, and grumpy. Hence the decision to consider electricity.... for AC !!
DeleteLovely views, I can see why you would love to live there! What a wonderful dream.
ReplyDeleteWow!! What a Beautiful view, Nice job on the videos. Thanks for the the tour. Sounds like you're taking on a lot of work. But, I think it will be well worth it in the end. Wishing you the best of luck Dawn :)
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you are stretching yourself in so many ways to achieve your off-grid retirement dream and to share the journey with others.
ReplyDeleteI finally got to watch the videos...your property is beautiful and the views are amazing! Your place looks really cozy and I love the wood stove! Cute pups too :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I've watched you build your place and I love watching the progress. You are an inspiration.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous view! I can see why you fell in love with the land and look forward to retiring there. The furbabies sure look warm and happy too. Way to go with the videos! I enjoyed watching them.
ReplyDeleteI somehow missed this post with your videos of the Shack and and surrounding area. Found it through the link in your 3 reasons to build a small house post. :) Nicely done.
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