We picked up the keys today; the heavy stuff gets moved tomorrow. I’m proud to say I cleaned greasy crud buildup underneath the stove.

This is the view from the porch; Silicon Valley is off in the distance; beyond that lies the Santa Cruz Mountains; behind that, the Pacific Ocean; and behind that, well, the rest of the world.

This is the view out the window of my new office; you can see the screen if you look real close.

A rustic looking wooden rail sets the corral apart from the rest of the place. Our landlord has about three acres up here.

This little shed provides shelter for our hooved neighbors.

Here’s one of ’em.

Here’s another. Melissa is beside herself with glee at the idea of a goat on the property. Guess she never tried to milk one (which’d do no good on this guy, but it might get ya a feel for those horns)

I loved the way the wind bends this tree backward. It’s really windy — 15 to 20 mph pretty much all the time — here. It’s about 1500 feet up, we’re told.

Here’s a shady spot where I might be found in weeks to come contemplating the sunset, or perhaps wondering why the wildlife won’t shut the hell up for 10 seconds.

Here’s the exterior of the cottage, for those who missed the pic I posted last week.