Open and Shut Doors (Chapter One)

 Meadow Creek

The sun had set, darkness was wrapping its arms around us and lulling us to sleep. The children were quietly sleeping in their beds, and we had just blown out the Kerosene lamps, and lay down for a good nights rest. This would be our first night at our wilderness property. We looked out of our bedroom window that faced Canada. Thousands of stars sprinkled the night sky and cradled in our valley was the big dipper. Rippling across the heavens were the Northern lights; the most magnificent light show on earth. Surely God had led us to this wilderness setting. We had done our searching and now we we rewarded and satisfied, we could hardly sleep. We had thought that we would never have a home we could call our own. For just a year ago...

Our hearts soared as we thought of the prospects of owning this piece of land. Meadow Creek had taken our hearts by storm. “This is the property that we have waited for these three years.” I had said to Randy. Our dreams were finally coming to fruition.

The first time we set foot on Meadow Creek soil we loved it. We had to walk in by foot since the road was impassable by car. The air was fresh and invigorating, the birds twittered their happy songs, and the creek sang merrily as we trudge along the faint untraveled drive. Deer grazed in the quiet meadow. The field was abuzz with life; butterflies floated from flower to flower and bees hummed along as they sought the much coveted nectar. Rabbits sensed our presence and hopped away to their bunny burrows. It was perfect! Betsy ran through the meadow and picked the yellow snap dragons that grew in profusion. “Mommy, I just love this place!” she cried. All the essentials that we needed to set up our home were there; water, timber, sunshine, good soil, wildlife, privacy, space to roam, and many great building sites and a safe haven for our two small children.

Meadow Creek had 20 plus corners that outlined its borders. The original owners had split up this land perfectly; it was surveyed to take in three creeks, several meadows and the best timber. I imagine the surveyor took a great while to accomplish his task in surveying this piece of unusual property. I wouldn't have wanted to have his job except for the fact that Meadow Creek was such a pleasant place to be.

There was plenty of timber to build a log home, actually to build several log homes and fire wood to boot. Some of the timber found on the property was spanned by six people touching hand to hand around the base of the tree trunk.

We had been searching for three years for that country property we would call home. Since Randy was busy at his dental practice I did all the driving and looking at properties. If I found something I liked I would show Randy when he was off work. We had no Internet in those days to do our searches. I had to depend on our Realtor (Adrian) and my own travels to find properties available for sale. For what seemed to be an eternity, I had looked up and down the valley, visited many homes and properties and each ended in shut doors. We got to know our county real well and discovered where we would and would not want to live. But Meadow Creek had real potential and was appealing to our small family.

Randy sunk his whole heart and soul into this property. He bought the piece in his heart and mind before we even got a chance to put a dime down on the property. He spent many hours walking Meadow Creek. He envisioned where we would build our home. He found a spring that would be used for our drinking water. I had never seen Randy get so excited about a piece of land before like I did this one.

One of our criterion for country property was that it would be close to work. At least we wanted it to be at least 10 to 15 minuets to town. Meadow Creek was only 9 miles (15 minuets driving time) from the little town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho were Randy's office was.

The cost for the 120 acres was only $80,000.00. We were pulling our resources together to make our offer the following Monday morning. It was nearing Sabbath now and we did not have the time submit our offer that Friday. We left the property in God's hand's and prepared for a much needed Sabbath rest. 

Odd Lady

Sabbath was always a treat. We loved our little church family. The church was a growing 50 member congregation. We had just heard a rousing sermon and were now exiting the sanctuary when a guest met us in the foyer. She was an odd looking lady with long, stringy, gray hair that hung about her shoulders. She wore a drab looking long dress that hung loose over her small frame and draped over her woolen covered ankles. The little lady looked up at me, peering out of her thick glasses that perched on the end of her nose. She informed me that we should only wear solid colors in earth tones and one must never wear cotton and wool at the same time because the Bible forbids it. She looked up at me with her squinting eyes and a big wide condemning smile that made me quite uncomfortable. I am sure I was wearing wool, cotton some synthetic nylons and the color of my dress was....RED. I was happy and relieved to get called away by Betsy.

Monday morning dawned bright with promise. Randy drove to the Realtors office. We had gone there to make an appointment to finalize on a few last minuet details concerning the property. I walked into his office with a smile on my face. But Adrian met me with a serious tone in his Voice. “I hate to tell you this, but someone has put $10,000.00 earnest money down on Meadow Creek today. The property is now in escrow. It is too late to put in your offer. I am sorry.” I was dumbfounded and stood frozen to the floor; not sure what to do.

Randy had been waiting outside in the car for me. “What is taking her so long?” With that thought on his mind he came into the office to see what was holding me up. Adrian broke the news to Randy. “What?” Randy blurted out. He was just as shocked as I had been. The property had sat unnoticed for quite some time. How could it be gone just like that? We had not heard of any other interested parties in the property. “Who put in the offer?” Randy asked incredulously. “A little, odd looking, gray haired woman put in the offer.” Adrian said.

“A Little, odd looking,gray haired lady”? I queried out loud. I wondered in my mind if it could be that strange looking woman that visited our church the previous Sabbath? She was asking a lot of questions about properties for sale in the area. But, it mattered not who had put the earnest money down. Meadow Creek was gone and we were devastated. Our dream of a future country home seemed dashed to pieces yet again; ripped violently from our grasp.

We discovered that very week that the “odd little lady” was the culprit that had visited our church. The next Sabbath she was there again. Our hearts desires were ripped from our grasp by this woman. It was hard for me to even look at her, let alone talk to her. I had to pray much that Sabbath day. We found out that she even knew that we were going to put in our offer and yet still put her earnest money down anyway.

Randy and I steered clear of the odd little woman that Sabbath day. She seemed to spell trouble. But, she was not steering clear of us. She walked up to us with a confident air and asked “Would you like to join me in purchasing Meadow Creek? I am going to herd goats on the property and I will need some help herding them?” We were dumbfounded! I briefly imagined myself out in the meadow herding goats. I shuttered with the thought and answered without a shadow of doubt “No thank you!” Herding GOATS! I choked with the thought of such an occupation. It was unthinkable, ridiculous and hilarious all wrapped up in one big bundle!

Little did we know that in just three months time the odd little lady would loose her earnest money. She could not come up with the financing and since we had no intention on joining her goat herding haven she was never able to purchase the land. But at this time we did not know the future, and to us Meadow Creek was out of reach forever. 

 Dashed Hopes

We had always submitted each of the potential properties to the Lord and we did the same with Meadow Creek. We asked the Lord to “open and shut doors as He saw fit.” He shut this door on Meadow Creek tight. Randy was done searching! This property had taken his heart like none other. He had decided that the Lord just didn't want us to have a place of our own, at least not now. He told our Realtor, “Adrian, I am finished”.

The next month found us disheartened and discouraged. We were living at a temporary location on our friends property in a mobile home. We felt like the Lord had slammed a door right in our face. I wondered if we were ever going to find a place we could call our home. Randy busied himself with his practice and sought to make our surrounding home pleasant. We had lost all our desire for searching for property. It was as if we had lost a loved one and buried him in a cold damp grave. Our hopes and dreams were dashed.

Two months went by. One day Adrian called “I found the place for you”. I reminded him that Randy was done searching. He said “Just humor me this one last time and take a look”. Randy told me that it was pointless to entertain another piece of land. But he eventually relented at the persistence of Adrian. We reluctantly took him up on his request; a decision that would altar our lives dramatically.

Adrian told us that we needed to travel in his four wheel drive to this property. Our Nissan Maxima would not like the driveway, since it had a rough access. Randy had other things that he would rather be doing that Sunday, but he went along for the ride. Adrian had become our friend. He had taken us on many interesting drives these past three years. We could go on just one more drive.

It was a long journey to the property; 55 minuets from town. We drove past Three Mile, the pig farm, past the Giles Connection Road and on up to Round Prairie. Finally we turned off the highway at Robinson Lake Campground to travel the last three miles to our destination. “This is a long way from the office” Randy thought. “Meadow Creek was only 9 minuets to the office” he whispered in my ear.

We started up the first dusty hill and around the corner. There were pot holes in the road, fallen trees and brush that hadn't been cleared in who knows how long. We bumped along the rutted dirt road. The woods were well forested with tall stands of pine trees on every side. We drove down a little hill and over a bridge and up another hill. “This is really out here” Randy spoke out loud. The last three mile drive took a good 15 minuets. 

We finally reached the driveway; the old rusty locked gate stood in the way like an old worn out guard. The rest of the quarter mile we had to walk on foot. The aroma of skunk cabbage perfumed the air as we stepped out of Adrian's truck. A little creek ran under a culvert at the gate where Skunk Cabbage grew in perfusion.  As we strolled along Adrian told us of the property we were about to see. He informed us that the property was homesteaded in the 1800's and once boasted of a saloon. The Old Horse Trail into Canada bordered the land. More recently the trail had been used by drug runners traveling by foot to and from Canada. The land was bordered on three side of national forest service land and one side Canadian forest. This private piece of property was one of the very few private lands that did not have a US/Canadian border crossing.

The gentle hill we climbed was thickly forested along the driveway. I wondered what wild creatures might be stalking us as we talked and walked along the drive. When we came around the last bend that led to the main property our eyes met a breathtaking view of a beautiful meadow with mountains surrounding the valley and Canada before us. An elk was quietly grazing in the meadow. The US road ended here. Canada was the next stop. Adrian said not a word. He waited for our response. I was excited! But Randy's heart. . . . was still at Meadow Creek.

 Border Mountain

Shocked

The 60 acres of property boasted of two creeks in the meadow, mountains surrounded the land, bordered Canada, had wildlife galore, with a small unfinished cabin on it. The cabin had no water, no electricity, no phone, and the nearest neighbor lived 3 miles away. It was a remote piece of property. Only the sounds of nature could be heard here. No traffic, no loud city noises, just animals and that big rushing sound of the gentle wind blowing through thousands of trees. To most, this was an unthinkable challenge. But to us, it would become our way of life.

Adrian spoke “the owners want $60,000.00 cash, and the property will be on the market for only one week, and they are firm on their price.” Well, that answered our question and relieved Randy. We did not have $60,000.00 cash and certainly could not come up with it in one week. But Adrian encouraged us to see if we could get a loan from family or friends.

We called the most likely relatives that could help us in our venture. My sister's husband was a neurosurgeon and if anyone of our relatives could help us they would be the ones. But they turned us down flat. They thought we were too edgy. Our quest for country/wilderness living was a bit out there for them. We asked a couple other people that might loan us the $60,000.00 but came up empty. Randy was glad to tell Adrian “We tried, but our relatives will not loan us the money, and all we have is $5000 cash.” Adrian's response “Lets write up an offer with $5000 down.” So we wrote up our offer; $5000 down and $1000 monthly payments. We submitted our offer and knew that it would be denied. Randy settled back, relieved that he had done all he could.

The next day I dropped into Adrian's office. I opened his office door expecting a quick reply of a denial and then I would be about my day. But instead, I walked in with the beaming face of Adrian saying “You have yourself a piece of property. The owners accepted your offer.” I didn't know what to say. I was without words. When God opens doors he opens them wide and often in unusual and humorous ways. This time He had dashed our hopes for Meadow Creek to give us something we were not even sure we wanted. I related the news to Randy. He was SHOCKED. He hadn't decided whether or not if he really wanted to live that far away from civilization. His heart was still at Meadow Creek.

Reality finally hit and Randy decided he had better check out the property we had just unexpectedly purchased. He traveled the 55 minuets and spent hours walking its borders, alone. There was a beaver dam in the field and a nice stand of quaking aspen. He discovered two creeks and one spring on the land. There was peat moss in the meadow that would be great for the garden. He walked the land and thought of strategies of how we could eventually live in this wilderness setting. He pondered how long it would take to make it all come together. He began to warm up to the property and soon Meadow Creek was a blur.

The little cabin that existed on the property was just a small tar paper shack. There was no insulation in its walls. The cabin boasted of just one room and a loft; about 300 square feet altogether. There was no bathroom, no kitchen, no bedroom, no living room; just a bare room with a loft. Much would need to be done to make it even livable before winter set in. It was now fall and it was obvious that our move would not be done before the snow began to fall.

With the sounds of nature lulling us to sleep we finally succumbed to a good nights rest in our new surroundings. We were now owners of the old homestead. We could not believe that this property belonged to us and that our three year search had now ended. I felt like we were walking in a dream. With Meadow Creek in the shadows of our hearts, we launched into our new venture. The previously shut door was now open and we were walking through its threshold. We went to sleep wondering what our future life would be like in this place.  

The US(our property)/Canadian Border Clear Cut Line

This is our story....