Julie Stauffer

<<when we still lived in the yurt>>

Todd, please tell more about this. My dream as a child was to be a hermit
(at least that was the only term I knew then to partially describe my strong
desire for independence and self-sustenance). Then I gave up "childish
dreams" and moved to the big city, met dh and had a pack of kids. We now
(at my insistence) live on a couple of acres in a semi-rural area outside of
a city. We partially homestead, raising much of our own food from the
organic garden, goats and rabbits.

I daydream about living out in the middle of nowhere in a yurt. When I talk
to dh about it, he looks at me from his "brick home with pool, using the
corporate jet" worldview and gives me a non-comprehending stare. Sigh.
(Sadly, I love him dearly so spousal abandonment isn't an option <grin>)

If others aren't interested, perhaps you could mail me off list.

Julie

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/20/2003 12:58:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jnjstau@... writes:

> I daydream about living out in the middle of nowhere in a yurt. When I talk
> to dh about it, he looks at me from his "brick home with pool, using the
> corporate jet" worldview and gives me a non-comprehending stare. Sigh.
> (Sadly, I love him dearly so spousal abandonment isn't an option <grin>)

Julie,

We're in the midst of relocating to a farm in NC. I've looked into them, and
yurts are SO cool (and I LOVE round)---but a little "too" much for my mental
health and well-being! <G>

We've compromised on a round HOUSE with real walls and such! <g> Only three
interior walls, no doors. There'll be one great room:living/dining/kitchen, a
bath and our bedroom. We're planning a separate wing for the boys with a
living area, two small sleeping quarters and a bath.

We thought about putting up a yurt for temporary housing while we build, but
it looks as if we won't need to :-(

You could always get a small one on your two acres and have a suana in it! <G>


~Kelly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Kelly Grimes

I'd like to hear about the yurt too! Dh and i have
often longed to just go out and put up our tipi...

=====
KELLY
mama to:
RAINY
PHOENIX
& TIA

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Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

At 11:52 AM 1/23/2003 -0600, you wrote:
><<when we still lived in the yurt>>
>If others aren't interested, perhaps you could mail me off list.

There's at least one other interested set of eyes.
We're putting up the base for a yurt at the moment, but have never lived in
one before, so....
Would be good to hear from someone who's been there.
Heidi

Kelly Grimes

--- Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema <heidi@...> wrote:
>
> There's at least one other interested set of eyes.
> We're putting up the base for a yurt at the moment,
> but have never lived in
> one before, so....
> Would be good to hear from someone who's been there.
> Heidi
>
>
Where are you putting your yurt? Do you have running
water access? What are the dimensions?

=====
KELLY
mama to:
RAINY
PHOENIX
& TIA

__________________________________________________
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http://taxes.yahoo.com/

Todd Tyrtle

Hi everyone,
Just a quick note since I just got home from a long day at work -
most of which was a ten-hour long meeting one of the outcomes of which was
that we'll be here at least 6 weeks longer than we originally intended
(but the longer we spend here the longer we get to stay home I suppose!)
Anyway - I'd be glad to talk about living in the yurt at some time
when I have more than a minute or two but in the meantime, you can read
the journal I kept while I was there at www.yurtsweetyurt.com. We still
keep the site up as a blogger for us (mostly Sage is writing these days)
but if you click on "yurt years" to get to our older entries.

-me
the only got to spend a total of fifteen minutes with his son before he
went to bed one :(

On Thu, 20 Feb 2003, Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema wrote:

> At 11:52 AM 1/23/2003 -0600, you wrote:
> ><<when we still lived in the yurt>>
> >If others aren't interested, perhaps you could mail me off list.
>
> There's at least one other interested set of eyes.
> We're putting up the base for a yurt at the moment, but have never lived in
> one before, so....
> Would be good to hear from someone who's been there.
> Heidi
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

At 03:46 PM 2/20/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>Where are you putting your yurt? Do you have running
>water access? What are the dimensions?

On some very, very, very rural land we own. (In winter, it's 40 minutes
from the hwy in a 4-wheel-drive truck then another mile in on an ATV. In
summer, the road's okay for regular cars.) It'll overlook a river, be
surrounded by mountain range and be just slightly above the fog belt so
things can get humid sometimes. We're having mouse-problems in the
shack/cabin that was there when we bought the place, so one of my concerns
is about mice getting into the yurt. Has anyone had to deal with yurts,
mice and/or humidity?

We have a seasonal spring downslope and a 1500 gallon tank next to it,
already full. We're hoping to solar-pump to a bigger tank upslope and
gravity-feed so I can have a real 'bathroom' (ie, flush toidy and running
water!) The water's fecal coliform contaminated because of deer and
ranging cattle, so we're filtering for drinking and eventually making a
fence to keep the cattle away.

It's a 21 footer. I thought 18 feet would be too 'close' when the inlaws
come to visit. (grin) We'll live in it off-and-on over the next few years
until we (hopefully) move up there full-time.
Heidi

Todd Tyrtle

Hi Heidi,
On Thu, 20 Feb 2003, Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema wrote:

> At 11:52 AM 1/23/2003 -0600, you wrote:
> ><<when we still lived in the yurt>>
> >If others aren't interested, perhaps you could mail me off list.
>
> There's at least one other interested set of eyes.
> We're putting up the base for a yurt at the moment, but have never lived in
> one before, so....
> Would be good to hear from someone who's been there.

Well, I'd highly recommend it, myself. Even with all the difficulty we
faced in living there. In fact, the actual living in the yurt bit was
fairly problem-free. I think we'd still be there now if things had worked
out differently with the people who owned the land.

Of course I also like our current lifestyle of living in a small town much
of the year and travelling off to one city or another for a portion of the
year. It gives our son a chance to see the world, different lifestyles
and people and still get home where we can all spend time together.

I think it would have been particularly difficult for us to live that
isolated (15 miles from the nearest town) for long, though. We didn't
realize just how much we thrive on other peoples' company until we moved
into town after living in the woods for 2 years (27 days of which were
spent snowed in out there - we *still* have flashbacks ;^) )

-Todd
the still a little feverish and rambling a bit one

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

Hi Todd,

I'd actually already seen your website! Did you build your yurt yourself?

So, did you ever have any problems with mice (deer mice/field mice/ etc) or
did your multiple cats take care of that? (I'm allergic to cats, so we
won't probably be able to use them for micing while we're there only
part-time unfortunately. ...maybe when we get full-time up there.) I'm
getting *really* tired of cleaning up after the mice in the shack/cabin,
but with hantavirus and all, it's gotta be done. Buy stock in Lysol. I'm
hoping the yurt will be easier to keep mice out of?

Well, I'd highly recommend it, myself. Even with all the difficulty we
>faced in living there. In fact, the actual living in the yurt bit was
>fairly problem-free. I think we'd still be there now if things had worked
>out differently with the people who owned the land.

Good to hear! We own the land, so I figure we won't have too many problems
with the owners. (grin)

>I think it would have been particularly difficult for us to live that
>isolated (15 miles from the nearest town) for long, though. We didn't
>realize just how much we thrive on other peoples' company until we moved
>into town after living in the woods for 2 years (27 days of which were
>spent snowed in out there - we *still* have flashbacks ;^) )

Yeah, I'm coming at it from the other direction, though. Years of living
on the SF Peninsula where you can always hear at least one freeway droning
on-day or night-no matter where you are, people everywhere you look, a
licensed-for-12 daycare right next door (Justin! You stop that or I'm
gonna smack you!) and a neighbor across the street who 'deals' (and not in
grass, either.) ...Believe it or not, we live in a *desirable* part of
town. sigh.

I figure I get out there, get the yurt up, build some cabins and when we're
ready, invite folks to come up and visit for vacation (or rent them out to
campers, or do an every-now-and-then Bed and
Breakfast-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, or women's solitude retreats...
whatever) and that might be enough social interaction to hold me. Maybe
not, but how can a body tell? There are even some decent neighbors (and
some real nuts) so maybe I'll make some friends of the locals... I've
already met one guy who grew up friends with Jerry Garcia. He was nice
enough. And Alice and her husband have already pulled one of our trucks
out of the muck, so they were lovely!...

Is there a reason you didn't go with Satellite for your internet and phone
connection?
Heidi

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/25/03 2:27:37 AM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< I figure I get out there, get the yurt up, build some cabins and when
we're
ready, invite folks to come up and visit for vacation (or rent them out to
campers, or do an every-now-and-then Bed and
Breakfast-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, or women's solitude retreats...
whatever) and that might be enough social interaction to hold me. >>

Keep us posted....I love to travel (hint, hint) :)

Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."

----Frances Hodgson Burnett

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

That's exactly the idea! (Especially if you don't mind things a little rustic.)
Heidi

><< I figure I get out there, get the yurt up, build some cabins and when

>Keep us posted....I love to travel (hint, hint) :)
>
>Ren

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/25/03 6:47:38 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< That's exactly the idea! (Especially if you don't mind things a little
rustic.)
Heidi >>

Where are you again? I love things a little rustic actually...some of my most
fond memories are of our cabin in Prince Williams Sound, AK.
Outhouse and all...

Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."

----Frances Hodgson Burnett

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

We're currently in the Bay Area, but the land is about 40 minutes northeast
of Laytonville, which is 3 hours north of San Francisco, more or less.
On Map Quest, do a search for Nashmead and we're just west of it. Middle
of Bloomin' Nowhere. (considering that Nashmead is a railroad ghost town,
now owned by a family.) some pics are at
http://www.dykema.net/simmerly
...at least there used to be some pics up if they're not there now. ...and
I'm serious! I'm gonna need some folks stopping by to save my
sanity! What's left of it, anyway... (grin) If you wanna help raise a
mini-cottage/cabin when they're ready, come and stay a while!

We've only got a spider-infested-but-no-flies outhouse at the moment (the
door fell off, even), but I'm hoping to put in a flush/septic system this
spring or summer. The oddest things make me all happy now. Putting in a
flush system, for goodness sake.
What next?

I'll bet your cabin was awesome... I've heard Prince William Sound is
beautiful, but I've never been, yet, that is. ...didn't it get cold
running to the outhouse? (or was it a summer thing?)
Heidi

<< That's exactly the idea! (Especially if you don't mind things a little
>rustic.)
> Heidi >>
>
>Where are you again? I love things a little rustic actually...some of my most
>fond memories are of our cabin in Prince Williams Sound, AK.
>Outhouse and all...
>
>Ren

Tia Leschke

> We're currently in the Bay Area, but the land is about 40 minutes
northeast
> of Laytonville, which is 3 hours north of San Francisco, more or less.
> On Map Quest, do a search for Nashmead and we're just west of it. Middle
> of Bloomin' Nowhere. (considering that Nashmead is a railroad ghost town,
> now owned by a family.) some pics are at
> http://www.dykema.net/simmerly

I shouldn't have looked. Now I've made myself homesick, even though I've
been here way longer than my 21 years in California. I just love the north
coast area.
Tia

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

At 07:13 PM 2/25/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>I shouldn't have looked. Now I've made myself homesick, even though I've
>been here way longer than my 21 years in California. I just love the north
>coast area.
>Tia


(cackling maniacally)
Aha! another Fly for my Web of People To Come Visit! (cackle, cackle...)
I'm gonna have to have a hugoid Unschooler Camping Party at this
rate! (and wouldn't even really need cabins for it!)
That would be so cool!
Heidi
...is hugoid a word?

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

At 08:33 PM 2/25/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>know how soon I'm likely to get down that way. The last time I was in the
>Bay Area, my older son was almost 2. Now he's almost 25.


So.... You're saying that you're due for a visit, eh? (grin)
Yeah, yeah. I'm not holding anybody to anything at anytime.
No worries!
I'll bet the bay area's changed some in 23 years! We've only been here,
maybe 13 years and the changes are something shocking sometimes.
Heidi

Tia Leschke

>
> (cackling maniacally)
> Aha! another Fly for my Web of People To Come Visit! (cackle,
cackle...)
> I'm gonna have to have a hugoid Unschooler Camping Party at this
> rate! (and wouldn't even really need cabins for it!)
> That would be so cool!
> Heidi
> ...is hugoid a word?

No, but I like it. I'd love to come to a big camping party, but I don't
know how soon I'm likely to get down that way. The last time I was in the
Bay Area, my older son was almost 2. Now he's almost 25.
Tia

Tia Leschke

>
>
> So.... You're saying that you're due for a visit, eh? (grin)
> Yeah, yeah. I'm not holding anybody to anything at anytime.
> No worries!
> I'll bet the bay area's changed some in 23 years! We've only been here,
> maybe 13 years and the changes are something shocking sometimes.
> Heidi

Yeah, my mom was down in Berkeley for a visit, must be 15 years ago now.
She said most of the big old houses like we lived in had been converted to
apartments with little houses in the back yards. She said the traffic was
really awful. I think it's funny the way people in Victoria whine about
rush hour traffic. I've still not experienced as bad a rush hour as the
ones I drove in during the late 60s in the Bay Area. I almost burned out a
clutch once between one freeway exit and the next.
Tia

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/26/03 2:21:08 AM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<<
I'll bet your cabin was awesome... I've heard Prince William Sound is
beautiful, but I've never been, yet, that is. ...didn't it get cold
running to the outhouse? (or was it a summer thing?) >>

Oh yeah, summers only. The Island is only accessible by boat, very, very
isolated. So the boat goes into the water in Valdez around Memorial day and
comes out around Labor day. That's about all the "summer" they get anyway (if
you can call it that) lol.
It's a very rainy region of AK, so the forest is like the Olympic Peninsula
in a lot of ways...very deep moss and tall trees. It's gorgeous.
And there are mountains and rocky islands all around you, reflecting into the
ocean....absolutely breathtaking.
We boat up to the glacier, see Whales, Sea Lions, Bald Eagles and such. It's
an outdoors persons paradise.
We usually fish for Salmon and Halibut mainly....I caught an 80 lb. Halibut
once, my all time best. :)
The cabin is owned by my Grandfather (as is the boat) and there have now been
five generations of family visiting the Island.
The Island used to be Federal Land, but is now owned by an Indian tribe that
has a village across the bay from our cabin. My Grandfather has to lease it
from the chief, which has been a very interesting test of dipomacy.
The future of our little piece of paradise is unsure....so I value every
chance I get to be there.

Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."

----Frances Hodgson Burnett

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/26/03 2:21:08 AM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<<
We're currently in the Bay Area, but the land is about 40 minutes northeast
of Laytonville, which is 3 hours north of San Francisco, more or less. >>

I can see making it up there sometime. We LOVE California and I have family
up in Portland, OR area....so I'd really love to do a West Coast trip in the
next couple of years.

Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."

----Frances Hodgson Burnett

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

Hmmm... now I wanna go to Alaska and visit your island cabin!!!
It sounds gorgeous... and so remote! I'm turning into a loon for remote
places!
Ren, I think I'm gonna have to get to know you...
(winsome smile)
Heidi

[email protected]

In a message dated 2/26/03 8:58:19 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< Hmmm... now I wanna go to Alaska and visit your island cabin!!! >>

Well, if you have a trip to Alaska planned anytime you should let me know. I
have family in both Wasilla and Fairbanks that would probably be more than
happy to have overnight guests. And I could see if there was a trip planned
to Valdez while you were there....that part is a bit more tricky since the
boat can only handle so many people and family is usually filling it up! But
sometimes Dad or Grandpa have a small trip planned and can take extras. It's
the BOMB!!
I'll share pictures if we meet up....are you going to the conference?

Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."

----Frances Hodgson Burnett