Our friends at the Palomar Mountain General Store are open today and Monday for your shopping pleasure. They will be closed tomorrow, on Sunday.
Just took the photo of the daffodils greeting you under sunny sky, before they are perhaps covered in snow tomorrow. All week we have been promised ‘lots of snow coming down with a big storm from Alaska’. Then it changed to ‘an atmospheric river with tons of rain’. Yesterday they were promising ‘maybe 5 or so inches of snow’. Now it looks like maybe only a couple inches of snow and a pretty gentle storm heading our way: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=33.31119170000005&lon=-116.85450199999997#.XN4rAshKhPY
No matter how fancy your 4wd is or how new your snow tires are, just in case, it does always make sense to back in and park where you know for sure positive you can get out. I had a quick visit with Ann Sowards and earlier Tom Salzar chimed in with the same advice. Our last storm had a few neighbors very inconvenienced when they parked with confidence right at their cabins.
Driving up the South Grade tonight, these interesting clouds caught our eye so we pulled over. What do you see in these clouds? A very old oak tree? A bear pulling an elephant’s trunk? You just never know what you’ll see in the clouds from our beautiful mountain.
You might want to talk to Dan! He is with Western Exterminator and came up to inspect one of my listings. We got to talking as Palomar has a new-to-me pest problem. In my 24 years of being a Realtor, I had not come across Pack Rats until recently. Ohmygoodness! Those rodents are professional hoarders! They build huge nests! If you are missing anything, you might find it in their nests!!! Looking for your jewelry, poker chips, playing cards, hair clips or cash? Check the pact rat nest!
Dan’s company does ‘Whole Home Rodent Proofing, guaranteed for a year’ and just finished a job on a large home up here. They exclude the rodents from your home or cabin, can sanitize, install new insulation and wood repair, where needed, then check traps for up to four consecutive weeks or as needed. They have a by-monthly, full-service pest and an optional mosquito control service. Call Dan at 760-410-9401
We have spectacular views off Palomar Mountain! See all the way to the islands dotting the Pacific and sometimes, even a hang glider out for a ride! I captured this today while showing Mountain View Lodge for sale on the south rim, with this very private, amazing view.
Come on up and see for yourself!
Bonnie Phelps Realtor, flying ’round the mountain these days!
When potential new neighbors meet me at the gate of the 77 acres for sale off East Grade, it is usually pretty calm. On Friday, thirty two of my pals beat me to the driveway, danced around, then showed up at the house! They posed for lots of photos and stayed to meet two different groups of clients while grubbing for bugs! Just had to share.
In addition to seeing some wonderful properties on Palomar, you just never know when you’ll be treated to all sorts of wildlife out and about. Come on up for a tour and be sure to keep your camera handy!
Bonnie Phelps, Realtor cheering for the Wildlife, too!
Isn’t Chef’s Charmer is adorable with all the delightful remodeling? Oh my, the kitchen! Do you see what is waiting for you? A full-sized refrigerator and separate freezer, propane cooking, double ovens, large walk-in pantry and so much more. Like the furnishings? They are an option to make it so simple to move right in.
Click for the photos and all info then you’d better be quick! Just opened two new escrows today and we have so many showings of all these new listings.
Bonnie Phelps, Realtor-on-the-run!
760-533-1742 for calls or text – let’s get you in!
Just had a delightful visit with Lynn Martinez, the owner of this charming cabin. Her great grandfather, was named Guy Winks Wray. We don’t know the story of how his folks came up with that name. We are only guessing that when he was born, he was such a cute little guy, and did you see that? He winks!
Great Grandpa did go by ‘Winks’. He and he and his brother decided they wanted to have cabins on Palomar for their families to enjoy mountain life. They were well drillers and even had a candy store in San Diego. When they wanted a dose of big trees, spring water and and fresh air, they headed up to Palomar. This cabin was built first, then they had another built next door. Both show dates of 1923; oh my, that was a Century ago!
The families looked forward to every minute they could spend on Palomar. Lynn remembers back to when she was about 10 years old when her family started visiting the cabin so often. She and her brother and sister loved playing outside. (Guaranteed to be much more fun than any tablet or phone could ever be!) The cabin has two big bedrooms but the the kids had a blast pitching tents outside on the level ground by the kitchen. They looked forward to meeting up with their friends at other cabins and would hike, climb trees, and loved the square dances and fun fiddle music on Saturday nights at Bailey’s Dance Hall.
Click for the listing with lots of photos. You’ll recognize the big stone fireplace where you can still warm up with your family now a hundred years later.
Bonnie Phelps, Resident Realtor since the beginning of this Century! Oh my, how time flies!
The minute I posted this new listing yesterday for Wee Bit o’ Scotch, a neighbor, Danny Cruz sent me a photo he took. It looks like the cover of a magazine showcasing Most Enchanting Vintage Cabins in the Woods! He beautifully captured the cabin in the Winter of 2023; our biggest-snow-in-thirty-years.
Thank you Danny, it’s much appreciated and I just had to share!
Considering a fixer on Palomar? Wee Bit o’ Scotch just might check all the boxes. Almost 500 square feet, it looks very cute but there is really nothing it doesn’t need. Oh, because of the amount of love required, it does need to be a cash purchase. Click to see inside.
From the sisters who are letting the cabin go to new owners (Is that YOU?):
“Our family roots go back four generations on Palomar Mountain as Wee Bit o’ Scotch has been a getaway for over 9 decades. In 1931 our grandfather Wallace Stewart (a very fine Scotchman!) built the cabin. An early settler of Escondido, he and our Grandma Margaret would saddle the horses and ride up the Mountain with the children. You might still be able to see remnants of the hitching post under a large oak tree off to the side. (Next time you are in Escondido, pop by Grape Day Park. When our grandparents were building a new house, they donated their big two story Victorian home to the Historical Society and it is available to tour).
In the mid 50’s, our mom, Peggy Stewart inherited the cabin. At Escondido High School, Mom and her brother were pretty famous on Friday snow days for inviting friends to ditch school to be the first ones sledding on the fresh snow on Palomar. They’d light the kerosene lamps (that we have left for you), shoo away the mice (we’ve left those, too) and build a fire in the wood stove. The cabin would be warm in no time at all. We all used the outhouse until it fell down one day. Mom told the story about it being hauled down the mountain for one of the big bond fire evenings at the high school. A modern bathroom was added but that was 54 years ago and the roof has been leaking so you need to start over on a new idea for indoor plumbing.
Growing up, we enjoyed so many fun weekends with our cousins all piled in the back of the station wagon, traveling up to the cabin for parties and sleepovers. Thinking back, I don’t know how mom made all those amazing meals in that tiny kitchen. Our parties would always spill out onto the deck where we even slept sometimes. We have such fond memories playing on ‘Elephant Rock’, the giant granite boulder out front, climbing trees and hiking in the woods. Ah, life on the mountain was such a special part of our childhood.
We know the new owners will have to have lots of vision and skills to restore the cabin. We hope they have as much fun in that corner of the mountain that we did.” Heather and Dawn
Glad to take you on a fun adventure and show off this Wee Bit of Scotch!
What is waiting behind the gate? Glad you asked, please come inside. A very private, quality custom home is waiting for you. Be totally self-sufficient off grid, lookin out over your 77 acres to take-your-breath-away, beautiful views. 23,000 acres off in the distance is the Guejito Cattle Ranch and Vineyards so it is very rare to even see “sparkling city lights”. This is truly an escape from the cities to your peaceful paradise on Palomar Mountain. Click for lots of photos and please take a look at the video below.
That gate opens with a click of a button and let’s go explore!
Palomar Mountain News 