Some simple cuts with the chainsaw and we now had life size “Lincoln Logs”. Pretty simple framework. The placement of the logs was a simple measurement of the width of a full size truck so the tires roll on the logs themselves so we didn’t go broke buying material. If we had to do it over again we would use 2×12’s instead of 2×6’s for added strength down the middle.

Turns out those poles are every bit as heavy as I thought they would be. After laying out the basic shape we came in with the Bobcat and prepared a bed for the cross beams to lay.

Bridge

Our property has several natural waterways as it drops elevation over 250′ from top to bottom. Once our home site was chosen we started planning the different dirt work projects to divert water away from the building pad. We camped on the property every weekend through the monsoon season so we could watch firsthand just how much water we will be dealing with to help us decide how best to get it to pasture below.
Most things up here begin with, “You know what we ought to do…….” This time the thought was to add a bridge to the long list of things we had never done nor had any experience with.
Knowing where a stack of old telephone poles were for the taking we got to work.

The name.

Trying to name a blog about our family’s journey to a simple life has not been easy. While I hoped for something witty and clever I found myself heading for practical and easy to understand. Proof that my brain is starting to think more like my heart? Let’s hope so.

We are the Holmes family. Mom, dad, four kids, ages 30 to 14 and a delicious little granddaughter. Each of us has a story but this is about our journey together.

Arizona is where we live. After searching for a few years, we found our perfect property 100 miles from where we currently reside. Fifty acres of virgin Northern Arizona at 5300′ elevation. What follows will be the story of a family with no previous experience developing this raw rural land into a forever home.

Arizona Holmestead seemed to cover all of the above quite well.