Retire to North Dakota????

I have been derelict and I apologize.  When I frist started this blog it was going to be about our trip from California to North Dakota - highlights and low lights; the food, and the events.  Some day I'll post some of the pictures - most taken from the van because we couldn't stop; the truck with all of our belongings was at least 2 hours ahead of us every day.  It became a pain.

There was absolutely No decent food on the trip until we hit Montana.  Of course that was our fault - if it had a drive through we ate there.  By Montana we were sick of it, and the friend driving the truck was going to meet us a bit ahead.  Luckily we found a little place called Clark's Crossing and we were at the point where we needed to sit down and have someone bring us food on a plate.

I ordered the Wasabi Chicken wrap (wasabi . . .  in Montana???) and the cole slaw, which for me is always an iffy proposition.  I usually wind up with some over-sweet mess with raisins, pineapple, and enough sugar to make a dentist grin.  Not this time!  The slaw was spicy, bright, just the right amount of "creamy" and a perfect compliment to the spicy chicken wrap.  I was a happy camper.

Arriving here, we found a lot of hard work to get the mobile home ready to actually live in.  That accounts for most of my absence. The first view of the farm was mind boggling.  It's rugged, needs work, but exudes peace and quiet, the absolute beauty of the country here.  I couldn't even wait to get out of the van!

We were busy, many, many trips to the hardware stores for materials.  Few expeditions for fun.  Our first night our "Farm Mates" treated us to dinner and beers at one of the (two)local bars.  Hand formed hamburgers patties were cooked perfectly and overflowing the sides of the buns, the fries were crisp and hot - and the ice-cold beer was Killians, on tap!    Bob and I slipped into Medina one day for lunch - Knoephla soup.  This is comfort in a bowl; potatoes, carrots, celery, all in a creamy chicken based soup with little dumplings.  Oh, so hooked.

Most of the work is done that can be done until Spring now.  We're warm and cozy, the views out our windows are amazing -  this the view from the living room window on a sunny day.  I love the funky "hip roof" barn and the lake.

When we first arrived we would frequently see cows grazing in the field around the barn. Oh, and the geese and swans that crowded the surface of the lake to rest on their trip south were so beautiful.

After the Christmas day snow storm - same barn - and there's the frozen lake with a huge snow drift.  Wow!  I am stunned by the beauty.   The snow here is like sugar, light and sparkling in the sun.  The wind blows the light sandy snow so the drifts and patterns are different every day.  Who needs TV?????

Now for some snow shoes so we can go for walks where the snow is deep, or not plowed or shoveled. 

This is the view from the kitchen.  Looking out at the treeline and the snow certainly makes dishes more fun.

Every time we go somewhere we see something new, the light touching the snow at different times of day, the tracks of an animal in the snow, a little farm tucked back in the trees, an old barn in a field,  When people ask why we retired here we are amazed that they don't seem to see all the beauty or appreciate all the wonderful  things we've found.  But I guess if you're not fond of the cold (or sick & tired of it), don't enjoy a feeling of isolation, (in our case on 40 acres 5 miles from a tiny town), and the snow you might not think North Dakota is special.  We don't agree!