New photos from the week of Nov. 13-17.

There is no back porch anymore!  

This photo and the next show how badly 

the siding needs to be spray washed.

Original back door.  To left of door, original siding in beautiful

condition, having been sheltered by the porch for 70 years or more.

                                            Original window and siding that were covered.

                                            These materials will all be saved and reused.

                                                 .

First photos of the demolition.

Good news!  The renovation has begun!, and here are two photos of it.

This renovation is being done "with surgical precision" (architect's words) in order for
us to be able to reuse as much of the salvage as possible in making some
new outbuildings.

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These photos show how much deterioration had occurred on the back porch.  It was going to have to be completely renovated in any case, and was unusable as extended living space.

We Bought a Farm!!

   

The photo shows my mother and uncle and their prize oxen, circa 1924.  The photo was taken on the farm that we now own.  Note the heart-shaped blaze on the ox at the left.  So fitting for the name of our farm!

We bought a farm!!, a 105-year-old farm in southern Illinois, where my mother was born and raised.  Included on the 40-acre property are a house, barn, machine shed, granary, garage, pump house, and chicken house. The farm is still a working farm thanks to our two renters.  We have lots of plans for the place -- renovating the house, repairing the barn and outbuildings, re-establishing the vegetable garden and orchard, making a "she-shed" from the chicken house, and more.  First on the list, and supposed to begin TODAY, is removal of the back porch to make way for an expansion of the first floor that will include a sun room, laundry room, bathroom, pantry, and wraparound porch.  Check back again for updates; you'll get them as I get them. I live in Oregon, which means we are managing this renovation from halfway across the U.S.)  The reno team includes an architect, a contractor, and a 'window guy' (expert in restoring old-house windows), all of whom live in old homes.  If you're going to successfully undertake a renovation/restoration project from afar, these are the guys you want to have on your team. They 'get it'.  Meanwhile, here some 'before' photos of the house. 

First three from 2016

Front of house as it looks today

Goodbye, back porch!

Back of the house as it looked earlier this year. The back porch is coming off.

             Last three from 1995                                       

North side of house, showing back porch on left.  

North side of house 

Front of house, 1995