It. Is. For. Sale.

The Link to the Cottage Listing

Click the link above. It is official and listed. The house between the Sandbar and the Swamp is now on the market. My real estate agent has told me that she does not think most potential buyers would care for that description. It seems that “Swamp” is not a good word for some folks, but as I told her, my kind of people like swamps. Hell, birders love sewage works! But there are no sewage works near this cottage. It is located in Manns Harbor, NC between the Outer Banks Beaches (the Sandbar) and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (the Swamp). It is beautiful here. I absolutely love it, but we are moving to Australia and so we have to sell it.

The view of the water is phenomenal. It is a panoramic view of Croatan Sound without the worry of maintaining a bulkhead (we are one “lot” back from the water) or flooding. This property has not flooded. For example, hurricanes: Irene, Floyd and Matthew which caused major flooding in many of the surrounding areas of Dare County, never pushed water into this yard. It is a just a bit higher than the surrounding properties. This was a comfort during the recent Hurricane Matthew from which we suffered no damages.

The house also has a new (2013) propane-powered generator that runs all the essential parts of the home. During the recent hurricane, the power went out at 4:30 Sunday morning, the generator automatically came on and we had electricity until mains power was restored 36 hours later (and it used only about 10% of our propane).

The predominant trees here are lovely Live Oaks. There are no pines in, or around, our yard. Pines, as you may know, are weaker and tend to break-off or blow down in storms. We are indeed nestled amongst sturdy trees and it is a very birdy place.

The cottage is about ten minutes from downtown Manteo, ten minutes from the Nags Head beaches, fifteen minutes from a Fresh Market and Food Lion, fifteen minutes from the OBX Hospital and twenty minutes from Harris Teeter. You get the idea. We are close to the beach area and all its amenities, without the cost, or the hassle. It is (to me) an ideal place to live. If I were not moving to Australia, I would want to stay right here.

Again, here is the link to the MLS Listing. It has a lot of photos and gives a very good look at, and into, the house. Please have a look... The Cottage Listing

And please do feel free to share the link or this blog with any friends who you think might be interested in the cottage. I would love for birders to live here. It is such a special place.

Wishing you joy and peace from this very drawing table. I truly will miss this view.

Peace. Love. Birds.

One From Between the Sandbar and the Swamp

This morning I was having coffee while checking facebook and emails at my drawing table as I do. I was also drinking in the new and “improved” panoramic view of the sound. I am sad for the loss of some beautiful, big old live oaks in neighbor's yards, but it has opened the water view from this house even more! It is gorgeous. I will truly miss it.

I dearly do love it.

As I sat, I noticed a small bird fly into the live oak on my right and thought that it seemed different than the Yellow-rumped Warblers that are so ubiquitous this time of year. I got up and peered into the tree and finally got a good glimpse. I told Lynn, “I’ve got a Blue-headed Vireo out here.” We went back to the bedroom for a better viewing angle and it was still there, but on the backside of the tree. I cracked the window and pished and it popped right up in front of us. I went to get the camera, but it flew over the house toward the front yard.

I decided to wander out and see if it was still there and it was. It posed (although back lit) right in front of me for a few moments and I snapped a few photos. It had been far too long since I took photos of a bird. I am grateful for this little vireo and his visit this morning.
     

Beautiful Blue-headed Vireo

         

The cottage between the Sandbar and the Swamp will soon be listed as they say. It is easily one of my favorite places I have ever lived and certainly one of the best views I have ever had. I would love for it to go to someone who birds. I will keep y'all posted and I will, of course, post the link to the house once it is officially on the market. Anyone can contact me if they are interested and I will be happy to talk to you about this wonderful home.

Peace. Love. Birds.

We Are Moving To Australia (Want To Buy A House?)

Yes, we are moving to Australia full stop. We did this once before, but there were some difficult and unexpected problems and we ended up back in the USA. That was a blessing in part because Lynn (and I as well) was able to spend a lot of time with her father. Not long after we had returned, we found out that he was terminally ill. Lynn was able to take a very active roll in his care. It truly was a blessing (and I try not to over use that word). She was able to be with him until the end.

We returned to Oz and made the decision to do the massive year of travel and birding and keep our Permanent Resident Visas. With our visa requirements satisfied, we prepared to return to the US for a while, but then we found a house in Victoria that we could “afford.” We have found a tiny, one bedroom house that is... 2 minutes from the railway station, 2 minutes from good grocery stores, 5 minutes from the Avalon Airport, 5 minutes from the WTP (yes, the world famous birding location also known as the Poo Farm), 10 minutes from the You Yangs Regional Park, 5 minutes from Serendip Sanctuary and close enough to our kids and grandkids. It is a wondrous location, but as I said, it is very small house. We will be getting rid of a LOT of stuff.

So we are selling the House Between the Sandbar and the Swamp in Manns Harbor, NC. Our incredible cottage that is only 2 minutes from Alligator River NWR (the swamp) and 10 minutes from Nags Head’s beach (the sandbar). We renovated it just over two years ago. It has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1 reading loft, bamboo floors, new stainless appliances and an enclosed porch with a breathtaking view of Croatan Sound. I will be adding more photos in the coming days. We also have an excellent generator that powers the majority of the house should the electricity go out. This is an ideal little house. I. Love. It.

Our US Prius in the driveway.           

The wonderful porch (one end of it anyway).

Living room into the kitchen 

The new shower in the bath off the master

Five minutes down the road (and there are bears there too!)

Bears in Alligator River NWR... just down the road.

The guest room

Sunset crossing the old Manns Harbor bridge.

The view from where I sit every morning when I am here.

If I were going to live in the USA, I would want to live nowhere else. I love this house and coastal NC. But we are going to be living in Australia… Parrots, Grasswrens, Fairy-wrens and Universal Healthcare… I will be coming back to you. I am coming home.

Peace. Love. Birds.