my musings

17 years ago

Please forgive me for butting in. I've lurked for 7 years and occasionally posted.

About a month ago I had to mortgage my old property to pay off a marital lien to the X. He tried to force me to sell it, but the judge said no way. I will sell it when I'm ready. First I need to move most of my 20-year collection of plants gathered world-wide mostly via Garden Web.

I LOVE my new home, but still feel as one with my old property. I lived there 25 years. It sustained me and my kids through good and bad times. It kept my kids and I from being homeless. It grew beautiful gardens that fed the kids and I. It grew beautiful flowers that fed my soul especially when I was in dire emotional straits. It was home to wood ducks, mallards, geese, muskrats, beaver, deer, bear, and all manner of wildlife. It sported ancient white and red pine trees, older than many in the state. The house was a crappy mobile home, but it was the land that grew me. And drew me.

I will sell it eventually, I've already had two offers. I just will miss it a lot. I was only the third person to own it.

I've got probably about 50 rose bushes to move, about 25 of which are seedlings almost 2 years old. And thousands of perennials and bushes. I'm tired just thinkin of the work - and making new beds.

Comments (9)

michaelalreadytaken
17 years ago
My shack in Louisiana has a buyer--I think.

I just found out this morning.

By no means would the words "stately" or "beautiful" apply to it. But I thought it was beautiful.

The thought of selling it is bringing me down, way down--so I know how you feel.

I hope you're able to move your roses with you.

FWIW, I have been through this before and it truly does get better.

Michael
pete41
17 years ago
Felt the same about leaving my trailer in Montana.After thirty years even the black hills spruce was a ``big,un''.I fly up there once in a while[thanks to google]and view but its not the same.
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carla17
17 years ago
I feel sympathy for anyone who has to leave their home or garden but I guess Michael knows cause he's done it and says it gets better.
Of course it's better for him, look where he's living. I mean they can grow lots of things.
I hope it gets better for you too.

Carla
meredith_e Z7b, Piedmont of NC, 1000' elevation
17 years ago
Oh, I'm so sorry! I pray that you get a great enough offer that you could sell half. That must really hurt, especially on top of a divorce... seriously a huge part of why I never married my guy [still ran into it though].

The work might be sad, but it's always exciting to start a new garden and new home, too, I think. Truly. If you can do it at a cool time of year, the transplanting isn't so bad, either.

I have to admit that I can't drive by my old place that I first started my own garden in, with my guy. I still enjoy the nostalgia of that area of town and shop there often, but I've not yet driven by!
pagan
17 years ago
XOOX to ya'll. We have always said if we ever have to sell up and move, then everything in the house goes with it so we don't have to pack. That was BEFORE I started gardening though...
dirt_yfingernails
Original Author
17 years ago
It's kinda funny in a way. When we divorced over 11 years ago, the property was only worth $9,000 but now it's worth over $54,000. The judge awarded the X only $4,500.

I plan to take the next 2-3 years moving plants. Some of the roses were from my great-grandma's property and she died almost 50 years ago. There are some of her flowering crab apples that I can take runners from too. Then there are roses that were my grandma's and she's been gone for 25 years. And roses from my dad and mom who have been gone for 30 and 10 years. Plants from an elderly lady at church who's been gone a long time. Things that to me are irreplaceable. The property was 6.25 acres.

So I'll hang onto it a while. I've already had 2 offers to sell it. They told me I could still come get my plants even after they bought it, but I don't want to risk losing them.

Our "new" home is marvelous. About 30 years old, but built with the highest quality. This year we have to paint the exterior. Last year we stained the deck. Then next year I'd like to do some painting and light remodeling. It has 4 BRs, 2 baths, family room, kitchen and living room. So much more room than the old place. The lawn is over 3 acres and beautiful with numerous retaining wall beds all over the place and a little pond. The pond liner leaked, but I bought a swimming pool liner on clearance for $5 and it worked great. Even had a frog move into it for the summer. Altogether we have 20 acres with maybe 5 acres of field and then the balance is deep woods adjoining thousands of acres of state land. A small river runs along the east and south borders.
kathwhit
17 years ago
Sounds like your new place is paradise. Now get your butt in gear and get stuff moved. Hanging on to your old place is hanging on to the past. Time to get on with it. Just my two cents....

BTW...good to know you. Glad to have you here and not just lurking
Kathy
dirt_yfingernails
Original Author
17 years ago
I moved tons of plants last spring/early summer. Barely put a dent in it. Drats. Actually it is good it will take a while to move them all, because the land will probably only increase in value. We're the fastest growing county in the state here in lakes country. Lots of baby boomers retiring here.

I'm not hanging on to the old place out of pure sentimentality - I need to move my plants. I have no problem selling it - it would pay off a goodly part of our mortgage on the new place and lower our payments.
kathwhit
17 years ago
Money is a good reason to hold on to it. Our place is going up in value also. It's a good thing, 'cause I don't have many other investments. I can understand the sentimentality of plants also. I have a peony, several roses and two hardy fushias that came from my grandma's garden. I would never leave them behind. Hope you can get them out this summer.
Kathy