Blackhorse Hill No Longer for Sale

Goodbye

2010-01-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

Well, it isn't the end of the year, but we have decided to definitely pull the plug on selling Blackhorse Hill.
We hope those who have been looking find what they need. While it is a disappointment that we are not moving to the West, our retirement dream, we have come to appreciate what we have, and it is better than fine. We feel for those people who have to sell below what should be a reasonable price. We are so lucky to have the choice to stay in this beautiful home.

May all have a great 2010.

Namaste
Denise and Roland Frye
and
the Wonder Puggles

Coming soon - http://wonderpuggles.blogspot.com
Gus and Max Wonder Puggle Show
Did you know that dogs can read and spell?

The New Year Ahead

2010-01-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

Well, the New Year is here. A New Decade as well. The last one has been an interesting ride for all. Debate continues about climate change, debate continues about economic change, debate continues about social change. The bottom line is, these are always occurring, and the debates just serve to bring things into our consciousness.

Just as the clock ticks on, we daily have to make decisions about how we are going to live out future time. We have spent around 3 years planning on moving to the West, and living out our retirement in the mountains of Washington state. The area is beautiful, the people friendly, and the property fantastic. The same is true for this property. We need to get a certain amount of money out of this property in order to be able to afford to build on the new one. We don't blame people for trying to get the most property for the least money. There are so many people out there who have to sell, no matter what. It's just human nature. Building a new home right now doesn't really make sense, because it is almost like driving a car off the lot. Once it is done, it isn't worth as much as it cost to build. Not the way we all envision real estate, is it??

We are making plans to turn this place into an intense model of permaculture. We have operated that way for the most part, anyhow. It is a natural progression to intensify our efforts to live with nature, to function in a sustainable manner, and to actually make an income from living in that way. Once we start ordering the plants, there is no turning back, because there is a fairly substantial investment involved. For that reason, we are calling the end of January the cutoff date for trying to sell here. If you are interested, let us know by then. Otherwise, look for a variety of sustainably raised meats, fruits, and vegetables to be marketed in 2011 under the Blackhorse Hill moniker.

Thanks to all who have expressed an interest in the property over the last year, and given us such good feedback.

Namaste

Updates on Happenings at Blackhorse Hill

2009-12-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Since we need to have a life regardless of what happens with property selling, we have gone ahead with more activities and projects that lend themselves toward sustainability. We planted over 500 daffodil bulbs under the fruit trees, dug a pocket pond under the stone fruits, and planted siberian iris and garlic there. The siberian iris likes wet spots, and garlic should help with any tree fungus problems on the stone fruits. We also planted several varieties of garlic to sample in the next year, and see what grows best on our property.

The biggie has been the addition of a chicken pen/coop in the barn, and the experimentation with heritage breeds of chickens. We have 3 Partridge Chanteclers, 2 Black Penedesencas, 2 Blue Ameracaunas, and 1 Wheaten Ameracauna.

We hope to learn more about chicken keeping through the winter, and also to design them into our permaculture model. Future endeavors would be to have enough quality chickens, raised humanely and naturally, to sell eggs. The ones we have so far are amazing. There is also the possibility of branching out into free ranged broilers and turkeys. The chickens have been amazing not only in the great eggs, but the great entertainment they provide. Who knew there were chicken societies??

Well, Winter is certainly here. Here is a shot from across the Crawfish River Valley.

And another from across the field behind us.

Have a Safe and Warm Holiday Season!!

glitter-graphics.com

Legendary Lake Mills

2009-09-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Lake Mills is a very desirable place to hang your hat. Safe, convenient, and picturesque. For more information on this area, check out the Lake Mills Chamber of Commerce website.

Legendary Lake Mills Chamber of Commerce.

We're Back

2009-09-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

After having a lovely trip out to Washington state to look at our property again, we've decided that we would still like to move there. So, we will keep Blackhorse Hill on the market for now, and see if someone out there would like to make this their next home.
If you are interested in a sustainable lifestyle, in a great neighborhood with like minded people, then come take a look. As the cliche goes, you won't be disappointed.

Permaculture and Sustainability

2009-07-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

So just what is permaculture?

What does Sustainability mean? I looked for a good link to this question, but so many came up, it was hard to decide. This one to another blog does a lot to explain the concept.

These aren't things that we ever used to really contemplate, especially when it came to our homes, where we spend most of our waking and sleeping hours. How can you LIVE sustainably? What does that mean to you? Is permaculture a part of sustainability?

I used to think that these were questions for the future, for the next generation. But, I was wrong. The last few years, we have come to realize that these are questions that affect us all, right now. They always did. The indigenous cultures understood that, at least some of them did.

Once we became 'civilized", we separated us from the world we inhabit, and, well, here we are. It isn't that we need to go back to living in huts and hunting for our food, but we can at least take a look at how and where live, and try to minimize the future damage.

We've made a good start here to that end. This is a very large house, yet it uses way less in terms of energy than similar houses its size. We quit using harsh chemicals outside a long time ago. We have lots of bees and frogs and beneficial creatures around because of it. We have fruits of all types growing within the landscape. We use our rainwater to irrigate the landscape beds. We use the horse manure to replenish and fertilize the land that we disturbed when we built.
In getting ready to move, we have rehomed or recycled or ... whatever we could do to keep old possessions out of the land fills. We're trying to be responsible, and it feels good.

If you want a place that can nourish you for the rest of your life, you can't go wrong here.

We're getting to closer to making a decision to take it off the market forever. Don't miss out. This can be your forever home.

Bits and Pieces of Information

2009-06-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

Water and Septic systems tests are required in this area before transfer of property. We will pay for these tests upon finalization of an accepted offer. (They are only good for 30 days) We are offering a one year home warranty, which we will be paying for. We are also including an exit cleaning by a professional cleaning service.
Included in the purchase price are all appliances, fencing, window coverings and dog kennel. If you do not want the custom ceiling fans in the upper level bedrooms, they can be replaced.
The home currently has a newer air conditioner (4 yrs ago - Energy Star), a new well pump and pressure tank (3 yrs ago), new garage door opener, (2 yrs ago), has a 25 year arch. roof, and an Energy Star furnace. Most of the house has been repainted within the last year. The American Earth Clay Plaster on the gas fireplace was applied in 2008. The carpet in the upper level is new as of April 2009. In keeping with our earth friendly ways, we used Shaw Green Edge Frieze.
The house was built with 2x6 lumber, and has ample insulation. The design gives partial passive solar heating in the winter, and the big overhangs help shade in the summer. By living in an organic manner utility costs can be kept at a reasonable rate. Using calculators provided by WE Energies, this house currently outperforms other houses of its size. We have a VHS of the construction process, and have the original blueprints available to look at.
We have avoided chemical pesticides and herbicides as much as possible. Our landscaping plants and fruit trees have functioned well with little intervention other than the basics. We would be happy to mentor you in how to easily care for the plantings and property. There are currently 3 apple trees, 3 cherry trees, 2 pear trees, 3 plum trees, 2 peach trees, 2 apricot trees, and one nectarine. Small fruit plantings include blackberry, seedless grape, rhubarb, and strawberries. There is also a mature asparagus bed and wild raspberries and mulberries. The raised bed garden has its own water supply, and could supply even a large family with all of its vegetables.
The pasture area for the horses is somewhere around 3 acres. The barn is setup as a run-in, so the horses can live as natural a life as possible. This is a great neighborhood, with great neighbors. The local doctor, the owner of the local bank, and the owner of the local camper business all call this road home. Most people living in this neighborhood are professional people who commute either locally, to Madison, or to Milwaukee. Living in this rural paradise is a lifestyle that you can stay with forever. We hope you would like to call it home.

Time to Get Serious

2009-06-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, if you've gotten this far, you're either interested, or bored. If you are interested, then it is time to get serious. We are.

We would like to get on with our retirement, so we have dropped the price another $40,000 to $469,000. There is no way anyone would be able to replace this place for anything close to this price. Seriously. Look around, do the math yourself.

Yes, the economy is questionable right now. That dosn't make this place any less desirable. Now, more than ever, it is important to consider quality of life. Closeness to nature is a great way to enhance your well being, and this place certainly fits that bill.

Don't wait too long. If we haven't sold by the end of the summer, it is coming off the market, and we are going to sell our property in Washington.

On Being Lucky to Live Here.

2009-05-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Luck comes in many forms.
Or, as they say, it is in the eyes of the beholder.
We are very lucky to have been able to live in this lovely spot for the last 13 or so years. The view across the Crawfish River always amazes me. I can get up a little crabby, then walk out to the great room, see the sun come up over the valley, and have my complaints put quickly into perspective. Here are a couple of recent vistas. The panorama is from this morning. Everything has finally turned green, it is raining a bit, and the distant hills look like phantoms in the mind.

Enjoy.

The View from the Window

2009-05-04T18:23:00.000-07:00

It is pretty amazing to see a view like this in Jefferson County. This is the view from the windows in the Great Room. The trees are starting to get their leaves, and more and more plants are starting to bloom. The Apricot trees were loaded with blossoms. There should be a bumper crop this year. The rest of the trees will be in bloom any time now.

The Blooming has Started!!

2009-04-17T09:53:00.001-07:00

With Spring finally coming to the Midwest, the blooming has started on Blackhorse Hill. The Forsythias just opened, and there are still some crocuses in the shady areas. The daffodils should be in full bloom any minute now!

New Carpet, New Paint

2009-04-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

We finally got the new carpet in this week. HOORAY!! We replaced all of the upstairs carpet with Shaw Green Edge Frieze. This certainly gives the upstairs a fresh feeling. We also painted the Master Bedroom with no VOC paint in a nice cafe latte tone. This matches the color used above the oak railing in the rest of the upper level. If you are looking for a home with a Prairie/Craftsman look, this is the one!! By using eco friendly materials when making improvements, we continue to keep to our goals of making peace with the environment.

Most of the rest of the house was repainted last fall, so the whole place looks fresh and cheery.

Because I don't have a wide angle lens, I had to take two pictures and paste them together. The ceiling really isn't curved!!

Why do we want to sell?

2009-04-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

The reasons people have for selling a home vary, of course. In case anyone is interested in why we are selling, it is because we want to move on to a different phase or our lives.
We own a lovely acreage in Northeastern Washington where we had been planning on building a smaller, energy independent home to retire to. This is place is lovely, and we are very attached. But..... we had talked for years about moving out West when it was time to retire.
Even though the new property is in the mountains, and has a lovely view, this Wisconsin property is actually better situated. The view especially in the summer is amazing. You can see fireworks all along the horizon from communities as far away as Oconomowoc early in July. The changes throughout the season always entrance. From the early morning fogs over the river, to the rainbows after the rain, closeness to nature is a hallmark of Blackhorse Hill.

For anyone wanting more information on the Lake Mills, area, there was an interesting article on the front page of this Sunday's Wisconsin State Journal. There are more links on this page to other Lake Mills web sites. This area is so safe, and so convenient, what's not to like?

New Idea!! How about a trade?

2009-04-11T15:26:00.001-07:00

We are considering trades as well. For more information, see..........

Spring is Coming to Blackhorse Hill

2009-04-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

These last couple of weeks have been pretty amazing. The cold of winter has finally given way, and spring is coming quickly. There is no more snow now. That just happened in the last couple of days. The drifts and piles from the snowplow were really high. 4 feet in some places.

The snow crocuses are blooming already, and the tulips and daffodils are showing their tips. The cranes and geese fly along the river valley, swooping and swooning, their calls coming and going with the wind.
The horses are enjoying the warmth. They are sprawled out on the hillside, soaking up the warm sun. They look brown instead of black, because of their love of rolling in the dirt, but that is ok. The cats are enjoying roaming around looking for mice, and the dogs lay on the deck watching the horizon.

Right now we are gearing up for the summer, and relisting the house on the MLS. We will be doing some more painting, and are looking at replacing all the carpeting. We had hoped that a new buyer would be able to choose the carpet they wanted, but I think we will just go ahead and get it done. We are going to go with a Shaw Green Edge carpet, in line with trying to keep this place as eco friendly as we can manage.

Why Buy?

2009-04-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Every time I hear someone talk about real estate on the TV, or the radio, I listen to see if they have anything worthwhile to say. Judging that isn't easy. If it doesn't jibe with what I want to hear, it is easy to turn the station. And, I often do.
What I have finally come to terms with, things will not go back to the way they were. That is a good thing. The mad spiraling of prices, the rampant consumerism, have bugged me for years. I was once a part of that mentality myself, but somewhere along the line, I suppose after many years of meditation and realigning of spiritual practices, I realized that the planet was being ruined by this kind of thinking. So, in balance, I am glad that this time of reckoning has finally come.
So, why buy a home? On a radio program yesterday, I was listening to Kevin McKinley from On Your Money. He addressed this issue. Some of the reasons are also enumerated in this article from About.com.
For a while, people were buying just to make money. That doesn't make a house a home. The main reason to buy is to provide a home for yourself. One that suits your lifestyle, makes you glad to be there when you come home, or maybe even lets you work from home conveniently. Price is a big factor now too. What price is right is a hard one. We were told by an appraiser just recently, that building a home right now means losing value as soon as you move in. Hard to swallow.
We have put a lot of love and thought into this property. It is a complete package. It took us 13 years to make it what it is. If you were to try and build a property like this right now, well, lets say it would be really, really expensive. A lot more than what we are willing to sell it for.

Open house sometime around the end of April. We are also running a display ad at the Midwest Horse Fair.

Our house featured on decorating website

2009-04-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise when I found out that one of the bathrooms was featured on this website.
Zimbio - Bath Ideas.

Living on the hill of Black Horses

2009-04-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

It is no big secret that Blackhorse Hill is for sale.

We have lived here for almost 13 years now. We were really lucky when we found the property to begin with. Roland and I were both working at the Post Office in Madison. I wanted a place where I could keep my horse, Coco, who I had been boarding for a while.

We had been looking West of Madison for a while, but nothing clicked. We found a listing for some property East of Madison, near Lake Mills. We were skeptical at first, but when we went out and looked at the property, we were bowled over.

When you go up the hill that is Springer Rd., it doesn't seem like you are going up very far at all. But, when you top the hill and look out towards the Crawfish River, you are greeted with a view that almost feels like the mountains of the West. As we have lived here over the years, I still marvel every time I come up to the top of Blackhorse Hill.