Hi all from Eastern Wa.

[old fashioned]

I'm in Pierce County, Kitsap is on the other side of Puget Sound. I don't know about the legalities of composting toilets or diverting grey water, but I've not heard of it done in WA. It may be possible, I just don't know if it is. Maybe someone else will chime in with more know.

 

[discoversimplicity]

Sure, bynaturefarms, I would love to! But I need some help finding places to explore.....

I have been looking in 4 counties. You can only see so much in a photo. We have thought about flying to Spokane, we just need to find a sitter for our 4 kids.
Pend Oreille County (southern)
Stevens County (Colville area)
Ferry County (Republic Curlew area)
Okanogan County (Anywhere that does not look like a desert)

We've been looking for property here in Northern Californina. We've made 5 offers on forclosured properties with 5-20 acres and each time we've been beat out by folks who've made cash offers Pretty disheartening. We've got a pre qual letter, and we're not selling our current property, which is on just under an acre, so a loan is in order. I was telling my realtor here about our vacation plans and he said to definately look at properties there - he absolutely love that area ! So, my DH and I will go and check some out I'm going to explore Realtor.com and find some MLS #s. Now I'm getting really excited I love looking at property! I'll let you know what we find. What are you looking for?

 

[discoversimplicity]

I'm another from the West side, but across the puddle from Gig Harbor. I love the Eastside (so much warmer & dryer-in the summer anyway) especially northern Okanogan county where we like to go for vacation. I'd love to move over there.

Which towns do you like to vacation at? Any help would be appreciated

 

[bynaturefarms]

Sure, bynaturefarms, I would love to! But I need some help finding places to explore.....

I have been looking in 4 counties. You can only see so much in a photo. We have thought about flying to Spokane, we just need to find a sitter for our 4 kids.
Pend Oreille County (southern)
Stevens County (Colville area)
Ferry County (Republic Curlew area)
Okanogan County (Anywhere that does not look like a desert)

We've been looking for property here in Northern Californina. We've made 5 offers on forclosured properties with 5-20 acres and each time we've been beat out by folks who've made cash offers Pretty disheartening. We've got a pre qual letter, and we're not selling our current property, which is on just under an acre, so a loan is in order. I was telling my realtor here about our vacation plans and he said to definately look at properties there - he absolutely love that area ! So, my DH and I will go and check some out I'm going to explore Realtor.com and find some MLS #s. Now I'm getting really excited I love looking at property! I'll let you know what we find. What are you looking for?

I like this site
http://www.johnlscott.com/
and I use
http://www.landwatch.com/
sometimes

 

[old fashioned]

We've been to Oroville area near the Canadian border. IMO most anyplace along I-97 from Wenatchee north. It's hot, dry & desertlike in the summer yet there are places with scattered trees and greenish areas-mostly the domesticated areas along the Columbia River. And I've heard it can be very cold & lots of snow in the winter (I don't cross the mountain passes from October to May, so )

I do love the look & feel of No Central WA, but it also has it's downside. Wildfires are abundant nearly every year and alot of them are difficult to contain due to less populated areas/lack of facilities.
We were in Oroville a few years ago during the massive Okanogan fire that destroyed 10,000+ acres. It was scarry since we were only a few miles from it. The smoke blocked the sun and ashes were 'raining' down on us. We were far enough out of town in the hills with no communication reception (tv, phone or radio), no nothing.
We did see some guys from the fire dept start some work near the only road in or out of that area and I asked them if we needed to evacuate. They said 'not yet' but got another call to go to Omak and had to leave.

Anyway, another downside is the job market where farming/ranching/orchards prevail there are others but in more limited supply, although Spokane area may have more options.

Please do understand that my knowledge of the Eastside is limited, since I don't currently live there, nor do I know anyone who does and my actual experience is a few summer trips usually in the sweltering 110 degree August heat. I suppose if I did ever live there full time/year round, I may not like it so much. :/

 

[bynaturefarms]

We've been to Oroville area near the Canadian border. IMO most anyplace along I-97 from Wenatchee north. It's hot, dry & desertlike in the summer yet there are places with scattered trees and greenish areas-mostly the domesticated areas along the Columbia River. And I've heard it can be very cold & lots of snow in the winter (I don't cross the mountain passes from October to May, so )

I do love the look & feel of No Central WA, but it also has it's downside. Wildfires are abundant nearly every year and alot of them are difficult to contain due to less populated areas/lack of facilities.
We were in Oroville a few years ago during the massive Okanogan fire that destroyed 10,000+ acres. It was scarry since we were only a few miles from it. The smoke blocked the sun and ashes were 'raining' down on us. We were far enough out of town in the hills with no communication reception (tv, phone or radio), no nothing.
We did see some guys from the fire dept start some work near the only road in or out of that area and I asked them if we needed to evacuate. They said 'not yet' but got another call to go to Omak and had to leave.

Anyway, another downside is the job market where farming/ranching/orchards prevail there are others but in more limited supply, although Spokane area may have more options.

Please do understand that my knowledge of the Eastside is limited, since I don't currently live there, nor do I know anyone who does and my actual experience is a few summer trips usually in the sweltering 110 degree August heat. I suppose if I did ever live there full time/year round, I may not like it so much. :/

Is that a dry sweltering or a humid sweltering? I have heard its a dry heat.

 

[old fashioned]

yep, very dry. But then I think anything over 100 humid or dry is sweltering.
Here on the westside, the sweltering starts around 85---MUCH more humid heat kinda like a sauna. Anytime it gets over 90, we all start to melt

 

[savingdogs]

From another W Washingtonian, but I'm from SW, near Portland, Oregon, in Clark. We love WA!

 

[old fashioned]

The place that we like to go camping is at the bottom of a canyon and I think these pics can reveal what most of the Okanogan County area is like. Although once you get out of this canyon the terrain isn't so steep. his is us looking to the south....

and here is looking to the north, with an uninvited yet welcome guest....

WA is a beautiful place with all the different extremes.

ETA...The date shown in those pics is seriously wrong. These were taken on our last trip there 3 years ago last August and it was 95-109 for the whole two weeks we were there.

 

[bynaturefarms]

The place that we like to go camping is at the bottom of a canyon and I think these pics can reveal what most of the Okanogan County area is like. Although once you get out of this canyon the terrain isn't so steep. his is us looking to the south....

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/1275_similkameen_008.jpg

and here is looking to the north, with an uninvited yet welcome guest....

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/1275_similkameen_016.jpg

WA is a beautiful place with all the different extremes.

ETA...The date shown in those pics is seriously wrong. These were taken on our last trip there 3 years ago last August and it was 95-109 for the whole two weeks we were there.

So in the summer the the grasses turn brown?
Do they green up in the fall?