new house

The New House - Windows and doors and so much more

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It's probably time for an update on the new house...

The snows came and went throughout late fall and early winter as the house moved closer to completion. The floor heat went in and the concrete was poured. The roof was finished and many of the smaller windows and doors arrived and were installed.  The big glass doors, which appear to have been heavy, were carefully lifted into place. The porch was built during several unseasonably warm November days. The house was insulated and drywall put up. And although the weather changed almost daily, progress moved steadily forward.

Photo credit goes to Gary and Lillian.

Christmas Day Hike

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Christmas 2016 was as different from the previous Christmas as it was possible to be...white, overcast and chilly as compared to green, sunny and warm in 2015.  It was a Christmas to match a tough year, a day spent huddled on the bathroom floor, miserably clutching a bucket, while listening to the sounds of laughter and joy from the rest of the house. All I can say is I'm so happy it's 2017!

The big move south in 2016, starting a new job and the general hustle and bustle of the holiday season resulted in no new posts over the last few months.  The goal for the new year is to get back on track, editing photos and posting regularly. 

The first post of the year is a throwback to Christmas Day 2015 - a sunny and warm winter day, a day perfect for a hike around the new property. Enjoy!

P.S. I find it amusing that we all seem to walk like little ducklings in a row! 

The New House - Laying the foundation

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The foundations of the house and garage have been laid! It's so exciting when a new house begins to take shape.

Photo credit for these images goes to my father Gary and sister Lillian - I missed out on this stage of the build. Enjoy!

The New House - Breaking ground

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One weekend in June, our beautiful niece informed me that she was sleeping over at grandma's and grandpa's with me for the weekend.  So we packed up her bag and off we went on a grand adventure. We visited the new building lot (read more here) and watched the tractor break ground. An exciting step in any new building project - it signals the beginning of something new!

We skipped down forest paths, planted seeds in the garden, jumped on the tree tent, climbed hills, trees and trailers, walked through fields where the grasses were as high as her shoulders and played in the mud and sand (shh - don't tell mom and dad).

Summer was just beginning - the trees and hills were still lush and green. Wildflowers bloomed. A storm rolled in later in the day, bringing rain and interesting cloud formations. I can't wait for summer to be here again!

Leveling the building lot

The kids almost always run or skip along this path - they rarely walk

At day's end



The New House - The Property

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Earlier this year, mom and dad found their dream property. Tens of acres of rolling hills, forests and pastures. As things do when they are meant, everything fell into place in short order. The house was sold - in a matter of days, the sale for the new property sailed through and a rental house was found - right next door to the new place. Dad has the best commute in the world now - a short walk along a magical forest path to the building lot.

The start of the long and winding driveway

In May, we took a walk around the property before any construction started. Spring was in full bloom. The apple trees were blossoming, the grass was fresh and green and a certain peacefulness seemed to have settled over the forests and hills. We spent many hours exploring and found, among other things, a creek to splash in, a great camping spot, some excellent sites for building forts, old fences, fantastic trees for climbing and numerous forest paths. This is a child's version of the world's greatest playground - mine, as well, for that matter. 

Spring flower crowns

Views from where the house will be built

The colours of spring are very inviting at this dark and dreary time of year.  We will provide regular updates on the build over the next few months. 

The tree root fences are so structural and appealing - you'll see a lot more of them

Spring leaves and sunshine