Living Off The Grid

The night before last I left my reading glasses in the car and realized it about 10:00. It was cold so I wanted to rush out to get them and opened the back door – and stopped dead in my tracks. The sky was amazing! Constellations, planets, stars, the milky way – all shining, crisp, awe inspiring. That’s why I live off the grid. I enjoy and thrive on the experience of living in harmony with nature.

My property is located on the corner of a square mile of private property. To my west is one mile of state land and beyond that is about eight miles of national forest. To my north is one mile of state land. I cannot see my closest neighbor’s house and do not see artificial lights at night. I have a sense of solitude.

Each day leaving for work or returning home I see several jackrabbits along the drive on my property. Week before last I saw antelope three times.

I live off the grid because it gives me a sense of communion with nature, it gives me a sense of contentment, it gives me a sense of accomplishment, it gives me a feeling of self-reliance — because it feels right.

The area is open range and this horse could travel several miles if he chose.

Hello!

I live in Arizona, about 25 miles east of Flagstaff, just west of the Painted Desert and on the eastern edge of the San Francisco volcanic field. The “hills” in the photo are volcanic cinder cones — extinct volcanoes. The last volcanic eruption occurred about 800 years ago, approximately 12 miles northwest of my home.

My property is circled in yellow and does NOT have access to water, electric, gas, cable TV, internet, trash pickup or phone service. I have all of these conveniences just as if I lived in town but, I provide these services for myself. In this blog I will describe the small challenges and great benefits of living off the grid.