人里離れた森のログハウスアッシュランドまで15分

My favorite occupation is a very long backpacking trip, finding new routes and beautiful places. Next favorites are skiing the Mt. Ashland area, walking or running on the Pacific Crest Trail from my house, and a good conversation with friends. Otherwise, I am home taking care of 38 acres of forest and our three houses.
It has been my good fortune to have been Co-director of Stillpoint Foundation together with Gia-fu Feng, a potter making wood-fired ceramics, a curriculum developer for middle and high school social studies and language arts in Native American Studies, and briefly a teacher at Southern Oregon University. And my greatest good fortune, to have raised two sons.
My dog, Kellen, accompanies me nearly everywhere. He is a black and white McNab herding dog who I believe loves long backpacking trips as much as I do!
I look forward to meeting you!

Our parents bought this Oregon property in 1981. They wanted to return to their home state for retirement, having grown up in Portland and being descendants of generations of our family making their homes and founding towns in Oregon. We are hoping that by sharing two of the homes on the property as vacation and retreat rentals, we will be able to keep this family homestead for more generations to come.

This log home was the first home to be built here. My ex-husband and I came in 1982 to put the log house kit together. We then lived in it for a couple of years as we finished the interior. If it looks a bit like living inside a piece of furniture, that is because he first trained as a German cabinet maker before doing art schools and becoming a wood sculptor. As more of the family came to live here, two more homes were built. It became a gathering place for many friends and family throughout the years.

This land is part of the Klamath Knot, which is the only place in North America where four mountain ranges converge and one of the few places in North America with such immense biological diversity. It is a crossing place not only of mountains, but also for many birds and animals. In spring the forest is a cacophony of bird songs from thousands of birds happy to return. Many Native American tribes used this crossing place on their way to and from the healing waters of the upper Rogue Valley. White settlers followed their trail as they too crossed over this pass, until it became a stage road, then an automobile road. The remnant of this road is our driveway. There is also the shell of a very old automobile and the remains of the four-seater outhouse, roundabout and spring that were part of the stopover here at the top of the pass.

So here we are, continuing to take care of this small piece of land, help the forest be healthy, and it gives us a beautiful place to live.

Every morning one can walk down the grassy path a few minutes and be on a beautiful section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Perfect for hiking and trail running, it rises gradually through forest and meadow to the top of a ridge with views of the western mountain ranges and eventually to Pilot Rock. And one doesn't have to drive to get there!

On the western side of the land, one can find a comfortable spot to watch the sun go down behind the Marble Mountains and the Trinity Alps. One can sit on the deck of the log house, work on your laptop and watch the birds. Or sit in the solarium and watch the snow fall, while sitting in a comfortable chair with a cup of tea and a good book. It is as if one were in a glass enclosed tree house in the middle of a forest of old trees. Or sleep on the futon there and watch the moon and stars, be wakened by the sun.
Come home from a day out on the snow and hop into a hot cedar sauna. Listen to the fire. Run out to cool down in the snow on the sauna house deck, moonlight making it sparkle.
Children often bring their bikes (and little training bikes) and spend much time riding up and down the long paved driveway. Or when there is snow, building sled runs and snow forts.

We are lucky to have very good water coming from our well. Nothing is above us, so the water comes up pure and delicious tasting. If you fill the ofuro hot tub, the water will be a very light blue. No small thing in this time when we are so challenged to try to clean up and protect the water!

A short 20 minute drive brings one to the top of Mt. Ashland, great hiking and skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking as well. Another short 15 minute drive brings one down to Ashland, with all the choices of entertainment, great restaurants, music and theatre. It is possible to be totally in retreat or very much engaged in the town with ease, or a little of both.