Where the hell is Likely??

Sorry about the -::gasp::- swearing! But it’s a little catch-phrase around here. You can even get it on your bumper sticker. I just thought I’d elaborate a little on the blog name and where we call home – the sprawling town of Likely, California. The REAL Northern California (7 hours NORTH East of “Northern California” San Francisco).  I know a lot of you know where Likely is, but for those of you who don’t, hold on and enjoy the ride!

As I said, we live in Likely.  We have our own Wikipedia page. Population 200.  Not 200 thousand – only 200.  And yes, we have a general store. And they have a Facebook page. You can buy gas, groceries, wrapping paper, a “Where The Hell is Likely?” hat, travel mug or sweatshirt, rain boots, candles, vintage metal signs, screws, spray paint, dog food, beer, office supplies, cast iron pots and pans, pinatas, bullets and more.  We also have a saloon (the Likely Saloon), a cafe (the Most Likely Cafe), a school (kindergarten – 8th grade with 2 teachers and 35 students), a cemetery (the Likely Cemetery), a volunteer Fire Station, a post office (you guessed it – the Likely Post Office) and that is about it within the “city” limits.  Outside of town we have a really nice golf course and a BLM Fire Station (where Glenn works!).  I think I might add a video of the drive through Likely.  It would take about 28 seconds.  But the thing is – I like it that way.  My neighbors are the post master and the k-3 teacher on one side, and a field on the other.  Across the road is another neighbor (a family of 4), and another field.

Sacramento isn’t even showing on this map.  We’re basically in Oregon.  If you’ve driven from Reno to Oregon, then you’ve passed through Likely.  My husband’s fire station is here, too, but his commute is a whole 3 miles out of town.  He grew up on a 700 acre cattle ranch 14 miles east of Likely in Jess Valley (technically their address is Likely, but the area is called Jess Valley).  His family still owns the ranch, and his parents run a guest house in the house he grew up in, and they live in his great-grandmother’s house.  It is gorgeous out there.  And that is why we live here.  Plus we got a great deal on our house.  And don’t worry – we are 20 miles outside of the big ‘ol town of Alturas – population 3,000.  There’s a Rite Aid there.  And a Quizno’s.  They’re new.  No big deal.  It’s where I grew up.  And I just found out that Lonni Paul from the most recent season of Design star went to Modoc High School, too!!  I’ll have to see if she remembers my mother-in-law because that’s who confirmed the rumor and she told me a few stories about Lonni!  Good ones, don’t worry, Lonni!

This is a picture that I took on a walk last winter. Those are the Warner Mountains, where we like to go play!

I’ve obviously lived other places (I do have a college degree in Interior Design) – beautiful Santa Barbara, California to attend UCSB, and I also went to Shasta College in Redding, and CSU Chico, which is another one of my favorite places.  We finally settled back here for good a year ago.  And we won’t live in Likely forever – the plan is to move to town, aka Alturas, by the time Harper is in middle school so that she can play sports.  You know those Christensens are athletes!!

This was taken off my front porch.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my quick little Likely plug!  And I’d love to hear a shout out from more small town designers!! Thank goodness for the internet, right??  And by the way, the Likely, CA Wikipedia page says that the only internet available in Likely is dial-up.  That would have been a deal breaker for living here if it were true.