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Monday, January 24, 2011

What a weekend!


On Saturday we needed to make a trail up on one of the hills so the dead logs up there can be chopped and loaded easier than trying to buck them up a hill. Three hours later the trail was cleared. I figure it was at least half a mile of trail clearing. Clearing a trail is hard work! But after it was done my first thought was, come nicer weather I'm going trail riding on one of the horses. Haven't been real trail riding in a long time. Really looking forward to that day!
This is the view from the top of one of the hills looking down on the property. See those little dots in the pasture area? Those are the horses and donkeys!  


Another landscape view from the top.


Another hill top view.


One of the books I checked out form the library is about the local history of the Applegate Valley which is where we live now. As I was reading it Saturday night I came across a chapter that very much caught my attention. It was about this piece of land we are living on!
Back in the 1870's there was a supply store on the property! The very first actual store in this area. It also talked about a small mill where they ground feed for livestock and flour! The original house was torn down in the 1950's and the house we are living in now was built. And guess what, there was a map of where everything was! The only thing left of yesteryear is the dairy barn.
So, on Sunday we went investigating looking for remnants of what was.
After climbing the opposite hill of where we were Saturday, we hiked down to the irrigation canal and started following it back to the house.
Here is a pile of rocks alongside the canal. They have been there a very long time.


Then I found really old, what looks like railroad ties, lining the irrigation canal.


While we were walking in the irrigation canal I noticed footprints. These are from a raccoon.

During this week I am going to start cutting and taking out as much of the blackberry bushes that have taken over where the old mill once was. Maybe, just maybe there will be some sort of remains left. 

I love history and to be fortunate to live on a piece of history has me wanting to learn more.

Who knows what will be found!

Until next time..........................



11 comments:

  1. That's so cool that you found a book telling about where you live.

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  2. What fun!! I would love doing just that..investigating that history! How romantic and to wonder how people worked and lived that very piece of land your on? Very fascinating and I can't wait to see more of your findings!

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  3. Beautiful (scary) view from up on the hill! It's so interesting to have found history on your place! Do you have a metal detector? Who knows what treasures you may find? I am excited for you!

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  4. What beautiful country you live in! And it's so nice you found out about the history of your land. What an adventure.

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  5. How are you clearing these trails? bulldozer? or by hand? oh my. Must be fascinating to read and find stuff on the property.

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  6. This new place of yours is very beautiful! I think you're going to enjoy living there, especially when the weather gets better. Please do tell us more about the history of the place, as you find it out. It gives you a sense of continuity to live in a place where others have lived before, doesn't it?

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  7. Wow, that's quite a view you've got from up there. What a magnificent piece of land you've found, Cindy! Trail riding...now that's something fun to look forward to. :-)

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  8. Sounds like you are on an historical goldmine....and view...really nice Cindy!

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  9. Your new place seems so enchanting! Awesome view of the critters!

    Hope you get out on your trail ride soon.

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  10. love the racoon footprints
    they look like little humnan handprints

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  11. Now that is so very cool to have found a book that tells about where you live! I love history, too. Can't you just picture the mill, the store, the dairy barn in full swing? It's so much fun to find out about the history on our property. We have a few historic bridges in the woods crossing little streams. Now they are old, broken down, overrun with brush. But I always picture people long ago crossing those bridges. I picture people working this farm, raising crops, animals out working in the fields. The man that lived in our house was a minister and his family. He used to ride his horse a few miles across the property to a church which still stands where he preached. He also ran the farm here. There's always so much to learn... have fun!
    ~Lynn

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