History

We have a new home as of October 17th, 2016! The history of our decision to move to the Home Place is chronicled in the early posts to this blog. Washington State had changed in many ways over the years we'd lived there. Life in a small mid-west town appealed to us in a way we couldn't have imagined earlier. Finding a new place to call home, was a challenge. We decided a few years ago, my native state of Iowa would be our destination.

The Home Place - October 21, 2016

 The remodel started the day after we arrived.  Larger than our previous house, there's enough projects to keep us busy, without all the work of maintaining an acreage.  A porch was at the top of the list & made a major change to the exterior.

July 2018

Our yard is good sized - the south property line is Tinkle Branch Creek.  We purchased two adjoining lots & added a Cabin on the one with a street address.

The Cabin~

We have nice views & appreciate the convenience of being within walking distance of the town square.  We've enjoyed making new friends, exploring new places & the comfort of our new home.

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Where we came from~

The Homestead~ Arlington, WA

I took this photo flying over in a Helicopter, October fifth - 1991.  The pilot/helicopter owner participated at the Granite Falls Railroad Days Celebration - by offering short charter flights.  I managed to convince him to take me a little off his usual flight path around town.  He extended it to the west a few miles & soon the Homestead came into view!

The Homestead became our home St. Patrick's Day weekend of 1990.  After many years of managing residential income properties, we sold our rental house in Marysville & moved to the country!  A fixer-upper - we spent almost 27-years building, planting & loving this place.

7-28-2016

The Google Earth image above was taken less than a month before we decided to sell.  Encroaching development, the loss of my riding trails & the ever-increasing length of Butch's commute to work, fueled our decision to move on...  

I started blogging early 2011 - posts from those years can be found at;  TheHogeHomestead~

Artist rendering of the Smaaladen Farm, ND

We are both country people at heart, coming from several generations of farming families.  Butch's family, after immigrating from Norway, began farming in North Dakota.  The above artist rendering is of the 1905 farm owned by Seven & Christina Smaaladen - Butch's maternal Great-grandparents.

Fleming Farm - mid-60's

My maternal Grandparents, John & Carrie Fleming owned & operated the farm above, north of Creston.  I loved spending my summer vacations riding my mare - Topsy, over the rolling hills of the SW Iowa countryside. It wasn't until the early 90's when my Grandfather passed, the farm went to his brother.  My Grandmother moved to a house in Creston.  Listed on the Iowa historic registry - the farm is now over 100-years old.