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