December 17, 2008 Winter Covoland

View from Blue Mountain Road

Jeff and Dan went out to Covo after a big snowstorm to check on the farm and see how the  new hilltop building is braving the winter.  The road up the hill was too deep with snow even for Dan's truck and the four-wheel drive ATV, so they hiked up stairway to heaven to the lodge.

The road driving in 

Frozen pond

Too deep to drive on 

The scene we've photographed so many times before
covered in snow

October 27- 28 More Fun at the Farm

Does she or doesn't she?

Uncle Palmer brought his grandchildren Audrey and Cooper out to Covo for an overnight. It may have been Audrey's first time, but certainly not Cooper's, who proved to be a great worker taking nails out of the old barn wood last year. Audrey wanted an appetizer before dinner so she found a baby snake.

Cooper with a before dinner drink

Uncle Palmer in the cornfield
Can you find Audrey and Cooper?

Lucky visitors get to see the Mississippi

October 19, 2008 - Fun at the Farm

We take Marianne's mom Christine to Covo Hills on a pleasant and sunny autumn day.  Jeff offers to take her for a ride in the gator, but says, "Let's pose for a photo first with you in the driver's seat. "

Before they could switch seats, Jeff steps on the gas and tells the person who has never driven a car to steer. On the top of the slanted hill!  Where she expected to go toppling over! Knowing they were safe, I had fun taking photos. 

Looks like a wild wacky ride

Steering for dear life 

Next stop - the cornfield.

The "boys" have a new gravel floor 

The latest improvement at Covo Hills is gravel...inside and around the equipment barn, hay barn, lodge and lodge driveway.

August 30, 2008 Lodge Exterior Complete

The official raising of the roll up garage door

Late August and the lodge construction is finally complete with all doors installed and lockable - the roll-up garage and two (wo)man doors on the front and side.  The berm area around the lodge is smoothed and grass seed planted.

Grass seed sprouting up around the lodge

Our country home

August 3, 2008 Summer's Bounty

Dan uses the tractor to mow grasses too high
for the smaller mowers. 

August begins green and colorful with billowing  cornfields, nature's wildflowers and blooming plants and flowers from our yards in Batavia and Hinsdale, thanks to Deena and Jeff.

The smaller but restored hay barn is looking
pretty good after Katie and her friend Noah
helped Jeff paint and add the white fascia boards
(that Katie painted at home in our garage.)

The old barn wood is dry and protected for its
use in the lodge interior.

We're still waiting for Morton Building to complete the lodge. In the meantime, we sleep in the old but reliable camper and cook over the best firepit this side of the Mississippi.

The view from the campground below

May 28 - 29, 2008 First look inside lodge

Millie and Dennis down at the campsite

Jeff's mom Millie and brother Dennis visit Covo Hills on a chilly late May weekend.

The lodge shell is so close to being done that it almost looks complete from the distance. Even at this stage, the  red and white-trimmed building is an imposing presence in the hills - a new landmark that suddenly comes into view traveling north on Route 78. In essence, the Covo lodge, which was strategically positioned to have sweeping views of the countryside from every direction, has itself become part of the countryside, visible from near and far.

Dennis and Millie standing in front of
the man door location 

As luck would have it, Morton Buildings ran out of the materials necessary to complete the building, leaving us with gaping holes on both corners in the rear.

Jeff and his mom knee deep in alfalfa

Millie and Dennis take shelter from the cold

The spacious 2,400 square feet interior is one open space that will keep us busy for the next few years. The ground to roofline height is a voluminous 14 feet.

Jeff is standing at the eastern wall or front door
 indicating how high the floor will be.

See the lodge in the distance

May 2, 2008 Lodge Construction Underway

At the top of stairway to heaven
View from the future front door

 The site for the "pole barn" lodge on the top of "stairway to heaven", coined by Jeff after his all time favorite Led Zepplin song, was selected for panoramic views in all directions.

Morton Buildings started framing as soon as the ground was thawed enough to put the foundation posts in concrete.  The alfalfa field is filling in around the new construction in spring's vibrant green hue.

View from one side