[FESTIVAL] Kitty and Creek’s Wild Mountain Times

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

How reliant are we on the grid? The answer is not at all. The grid is not available here, and never has been. There are no services available to us at all. We are like a ship at sea - we make our own. We have a large Outback solar power system and battery bank, nine solar arrays and two generators for backup. It takes a well-designed system to power our house to modern standards that are adequate for guests and our home-based businesses. Our generators only run for around 100 hours a year, and on a cool sunny day the solar system can generate about 7KW for about nine hours. We draw our electricity for the rest of the day and overnight from the battery bank.  

Our internet signal comes to us from a remote mountain-top tower. Before we were able to install a neighborhood landline, we received our phone calls on a radio device. These are used a lot on remote places like islands, offshore oil rigs, fire watch towers, remote stretches of highway, etc. The signal can go 35 miles in a straight line, after which it requires a repeater to compensate for the curvature of the earth. Times have changed though, and we can now connect to a local cell tower. 

Whew! Life is such an adventure. Our guests are all interested in seeing our power system, and the self-tracking solar arrays on the hillside near the house. It is very fun to explain how it all works. You can see all that on our listing's photos. We have a deep well for our water, 340 feet. The pump is programmed to run only on solar when it is available. We pump it another 250 feet or so to the top of the peak to storage tanks 1/4 mile away from the house, so gravity flow gives us excellent water pressure in the house and the garden automatic drip system with 16 stations.

Fire safety is a huge concern here, and we constantly maintain our firebreaks. No open flames, campfires, smoking, etc, of necessity. We have 17K gallons of water stored, and pump stations to power our fire hoses in case of a local fire. We served as volunteer firefighters when we were running the remote resort with 12 houses and 50 guests, in the 1970's.  We were such tough young people, ready for anything. 

We also maintain a lot of private road - it is a three mile round trip to get to the county road to get our mail, and our driveway is a half mile to the house, off the resident-maintained private road.  Staying fit, strong and focused is so necessary. 

We also do the usual things - composting, growing vegetables, etc. We love taking our guests on hikes, birdwatching - a guest came from across the country to see two local bird species that nest in our garden, which are not easily found anywhere else. That was super exciting! We have nine trail cameras in the forest for watching our wildlife neighbors including bears and lions. Guests can and do hike with us to change out the camera memory chips, and have a look at the videos they captured.Our version of home movies! We have eight hummingbird feeders to keep the mob of hummingbirds satisfied. It is a full time job catering to them.

I plant seeds from tomatoes, and if a potato sprouts in the pantry, I plant it. I've a lot of short season tomato babies in the solarium, waiting for reliable weather. We take them outside for the day, and back indoors at night until Spring warms up the outdoor decks.  It is so satisfying to be able to dump out a pot and gather a bunch of lovely new potatoes for dinner. I let a lot of plants free seed - cilantro, parsley, borage, shiso, arugula, corn salad, etc. I've some lovely old rosemary plants that are filled with bees singing. We've a wild hive of honeybees somewhere in the forest. I've followed the "bee line" all over the mountain looking for the hive, and have yet to locate it. They ask for some sugar water when it has been a cold winter, and crawl all over my hands and arms. Fascinating to watch them. Anyone who loves wild creatures is in their element here. 

We have declared our ranch, all 180 acres, to be a wildlife sanctuary with an eventual conservation easement in place;  all the creatures seem to know that they are safe here. 

Now it’s over to the rest of you - how reliant are you on the grid?  Hoping to hear from you in the comments.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Jennifer3225 

More sounds - I forgot to mention the Pacific Tree Frogs - now called Chorus Frogs - who are talking up a storm this moment - and crickets, and cicadas!

Squirrels and chipmunks make commentary as well. Bees hum in unison in the flowers!

[Jennifer3225]

We have these adorable frogs in a swamp in the spring that sing. I think they are called spring chirpers.. I will think of you when I hear them on my walks. 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Jennifer3225 

And I will think of you and your frogs!

[Cj130]

OUTSTANDING!!!🎉🎉💝💝 YOU 2 ARE AMAZING!!! 💝💝 We will definitely be in touch!!!💝💝

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

Thanks for your love and enthusiasm! It was a sweet morning greeting, a lovely surprise. May this Spring bring you much beauty and many delights!

[Paula]

I agree with @Cj130 😊, @Kitty-and-Creek0 , this is fantastic 💝!

Cj's greetings have already made my day 💕🎉