We drove down this dirt road, pulled up to a wire fence, and I took one look at the place. My eyes widened and I think I sighed with excitement; Phil said "Oh dear God." And that started our amazing journey on this path towards restoring this old farm house. We knew it was love at first sight with this beautiful mess. The farm sits in a little oasis of forest and trails, yet we are just one dirt road away from civilization. It is estimated to be about 250 years old, and it has been in the Fuksa family for about 100 years. It has taken on many identities in its long life, a working farm, market place, family house, with probably a host of residents. When we first walked through it, I was immediately drawn to the walls - they are all about a meter thick.... I thought about all the stories these walls hold. The lives they have seen, the laughter, tears, the people. The history of this farm draws me in every time. It's like it beckons to be rebuilt. To be restored, to be loved on. For new life to be breathed into it. It wants to hold on to the past and move into the future. I love this place - the quiet it brings, the space to process, and the messiness of it all. This is our journey as we navigate restoring and reclaiming this farm house.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

15 March

Not much new outside...

Except getting ready for the waste-water treatment area...

Inside are a lot new cables and pipes...



Getting the laundry chute ready (so kids can throw dirty clothes straight into the laundry room from their bathroom above!)...

This is our foreman and project manager discussing details...

The dining room is a temporary storage room...




Tuesday, March 1, 2016

1 March

The weather turned wintry again!  They've popped out windows upstairs (notice brick dust in the snow...)

They're sealing the floors.... 

Dry wall is going up in the master bedroom / bathroom...

And the guest cottage has insulation...