Home is Where the Heart is....

How do you like the Cabin??? Pretty swank, if I do say so...

Just kidding. Here's the real thing! This view is from the path to the chicken house (more on that particular project from Collin's blog, check it out). Still lots to do on the outside, obviously. Anyone wanna come spend a week in the cozy guest room? It'll only cost you a couple hours of chinking between logs, nailing up siding, chopping wood, etc. Come on, it's fun! And we have fresh eggs for omelets, and buttermilk biscuits with local honey, and hot chocolate, with marshmellows, and everything!

When we (the Committee of Four -Brent, Carrie, Dennis and me) decided our best option for a roof over our head was to remodel the old log milking barn, we sure bit off a mouthful. Dennis, Brent and the boys tore off the old roof (half gone by then, after 30 years of neglect), rafters, and loft flooring, clear down to the big support beams. Then rebuilt the whole upper floor, framing in the large bathroom/utility room and kitchen/living areas downstairs, and put in 3 bedrooms and small bathroom upstairs. It's an incredible remodeling job.

The picture below shows the dining area, with the picnic table that seats all of us, and the cupboards we salvaged from the old original farmhouse near the barn. That structure was too far gone to make it usable for us, but we are trying to use as much from it as possible. We like the feeling of history it gives us, and the flavor of the homestead.
I've been enjoying the labor of love involved in getting myself settled into the cabin as my own home, now that the rest of the gang has deserted me for a huge farmhouse (with toilets that flush - that was the main attraction; oh, the 8 bedrooms might have had something to do with it, I guess) just about a minute down the road. I've been painting, unpacking boxes of stuff I haven't seen for almost two years, and feeling more settled in this new phase of my life.

I sure miss my partner in building projects - Dennis was always able to take my ideas and thoughts and turn them into solid reality with a few swings of his hammer. But I can run a screwgun, and I hit the nails more than my thumb. And thankgoodness for velcro dots - those little suckers stick to anything, you can almost hang an elephant on the wall with them!
Brent has been a champ about taking on my "to do" list, I wouldn't get much done on the big projects without his cheerful help.

The low angle on the upstairs ceilings make for some cozy rooms. This project is the guest/play room. The boys were so excited to see some of the old toys and books from their previous visits with us in Washington!

Oh, you want to know about that lovely home? It's one of my favorites, in the neighboring village. Lots of old "vintage" homes, barns, equipment - and as Carrie and I were noticing the other day, a LOT of "vintage" old people, too! They stay strong and healthy, these mid-west farmers, well into their 90's. I'm hoping their magic works on us, too...