Saturday, March 3, 2012

A Place Called Hardway




Fifteen years ago my husband’s parents purchased an eleven acre piece of land.  It was a piece of land that had apparently been forgotten about.  Tucked between two hills, it disappeared amongst the few other homes and ranches on the dirt road.  Luckily, my mother and father in law noticed the little parcel, and snatched it up.
It was a blank slate.  The majority of the property is on a hill side, and right in the front was a perfect spot for building a house.  So they did.



After work on the house was complete, they began raising the barn.  My father-in-law’s brother, Joseph, who lived with them on the property from time to time played a big role.  Shortly after the barn was framed, however, Joseph passed away long before his time.  After he lost his brother, my father-in-law spent day and night working to complete the barn, and especially the old western styled saloon inside of it.  It was his therapy and helped him heal. 



Not long after they began developing the property they started calling it Hardway Ranch.  My husband said that when they started a project they would first do it the hard way.  Then when that didn’t work they’d do it the easy way (which never works…).  Then eventually they’d figure out the right way (“right way” of course being a relative term that meant whatever they were building stood straight, and no one got hurt in the process). 


Fences were built in the middle of a sweltering summer instead of in the fall when it’s tolerable to be outside.  Structural poles for the barn were erected, only to have a gigantic drilling truck with a faulty parking brake knock them down.  Instruction manuals have been ignored, in favor of tinkering and designing one’s own path to completion.

They figured things out as they went, and they worked together.  As a result they ended up with a 4 bedroom house, a barn with horse stalls, a tool room, and an old west saloon (complete with swinging doors), a pool with a redwood deck, and fences surrounding the whole bit and dividing the pastures.  The people of Hardway Ranch have followed their heart and hands.  They learned by doing.  When they wanted something they made it.  And now, when they look around their property they can say things like “I imagined that” “I created that” “I built that."


In August of 2010, my husband, our 2 year old son, and I (5 months pregnant at the time) moved out here, as his parents are preparing to move out of state.  The last thing they want to do is sell their beloved Hardway Ranch, so we live here now and will hopefully someday be able to purchase it from them and keep the ranch in our family.


This place inspires me.  It makes me want to dig my fingers into the earth and work hard.  It makes me want to create with my children, and give them a magical childhood.  Our second son was born on this ranch, and I hope to give birth at least one more time here!  I want to be a person that works hard, uses my brain, cooks hearty meals, makes art, and crafts with my kids. 

We have many projects planned like gardens, native plant landscaping, getting a chicken coop set up,  and LOTS of baby, toddler, and kid friendly arts and crafts.  We’ll also be focusing on frugality, and spending quality family time instead of money.  I hope you hang out with us for a while and get inspired to do some things the "Hardway" around your home too!

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