Our House is
a Very, Very Fine House

… but we have no cats in the yard!

 
It may be a "fine house", but it is undergoing some exterior renovations. The photos below represent what some things looked like before the upgrade, during, and after. At this point in time most work has begun, so there will only be "before photos". Check back for updates as work continues.
On 2005-09-07 work began on The Porch. Despite estimates to the contrary, the work was not complete until 2005-10-21.
As of 2005-09-14, the garage door work by Overhead Door Company of Hibbing was begun and completed.
On 2005-09-19 Madison Products began installation of the new windows for the roadside. Work was completed on 2005-09-24.

Roadside

The Garage

Garage Before

Front View, Summer 2005: Door to be replaced and flower box to be added.

More Garage Photos to be available shortly.
The completed view of the Garage. The colors of Autumn are just coming into view.
Side view of Garage Before

Across the Parking Bay, Summer 2005. Note timbers set up for new flower box

This is the new door, in place, but not yet functioning (it is resting on the ground). The Garage is finished and a new flag has been affixed to the side.
Garage with large maple tree

The garage with maple tree. A new flower box will be going in here, surrounding the maple tree.

The Garage Door is in and Fall Colors are just past peak. Hard to tell that the door is there. The new flag is visible. Fall Colors are well past peak. The work on the flower box will have to wait until 2006!
View of flowers and trees
 

Parking Bay flower box on the other side. Only some trimming work scheduled here. The mock orange bush has gotten way too big! Can you see the house? Look closely, it's there ... somewhere.

In 2006 we'll show pictures of work on the flower boxes. Check back then.
 
     
 

The House from the Road

   
   

You almost cannot see the house for the trees. The living room window to be replaced is on the right (under a spruce branch) and the other window is hidden on the left behind a branch of the basswood tree.

   
 

This is a closer view of the living room window before the work begins.

This is how things looked at 4PM on 2005-09-21, when Raoul had gotten the new window into the opening. Other pictures of work on the window are found elsewhere  

This is a closer view of the other roadside window to be replaced in a "before" view.

This is a view out the window after we removed all the window dressings in preparation for Raoul to do his work. Note the split panes on each half of the window. This is a view during the installation of the new window. Note that each part of the double-hung window has only one pane. Work should be finalized on 2005-09-20.
     

A word about The Porch:

It is a large screen porch that is a massive undertaking to repair. Many a local contractor has come and looked at the porch and walked away promising to submit a bid (and then probably racing away from here as soon as the truck turns around the corner). Others have said, "no way" or "too hard to do." Check here to see how things are going.

P&M Construction, the contractor promises to have the work finished by Sept 22, 2005. We hope they can get it done!

The Porch as it was
Work in progress
 
Most Recent View from  the lake
 

This is a view of the porch from the lake.

The most recent photo of work on The Porch from this view. For previous pictures of the work in progress and more explanations, click here.  
Most recent view from the Flagpole

This is a closer view of our unique porch. It is a cathedral ceiling upper porch (screened in) with a lower level screen porch offset under the upper porch. The stones at the bottom of the photo mark the edge of a diagonal path up the hillside.

The most recent photo of work on The Porch from this view. For previous pictures of the work in progress and more explanations, click here.
 
Most recent view from the Southwest

This view from behind the landing of the diagonal path has the grill in the foreground.

The most recent photo of work on The Porch from this view. For previous pictures of the work in progress and more explanations, click here.  
View from the Grill before work started
Most recent view from the Grill
Here is a view from just behind the old stone grill looking at the lower entrance. The most recent photo of work on The Porch from this view. For previous pictures of the work in progress and more explanations, click here.  

Come back again for more ...

Click Here for some miscellaneous photos from around work on The Porch.