Gnome Sighting...

There is a rumor in our neighborhood that a Wooo Gnome Sooie has been sighted. Gnombody telling where he is!

And the Views Go On and On and On...

Living room and wrap around porch side of house.

Southwest corner...notice living room windows are now cut out.

Looking toward the front entrance...front windows cut out.

Library/Study windows

Guest bedroom windows.

Guest bathroom window and master toilet room window.

Hmmm...The Great Wall of West Fork?

Butch looking out the sun room with back door to his right.

Master bedroom wall with window cut out in master bath for the whirlpool tub area. Using glass block for those two windows.

Sun Room windows to the right and Dining Room windows to the left.

Back porch off of rear of house.

Tornado shelter closer to ready for it's steel door.

The rock that couldn't be moved...

Fireplace end of Living Room. Spoke with our builder, Morris, today and he suggested making the fireplace flush with the wall and the box extending out to the porch. We think that is a great idea. He is also putting in a firewood door to the left of the fireplace so we don't have to carry wood through the house...it is messy. We're thrilled!

View out the front living room windows.

View out the read living room windows.

Outdoor view of fireplace side of living room and porch.

Progress Underway Despite 100 Degree Temps

Despite unbelievably hot weather our framers are forging ahead with their part of making our dream come true. They are awesome!

John, Clay, Bill, Steven are our framers. We can't say enough good things about them. Throughout this part of the build they've worked very closely with us to build what we wanted, caught problems with the plan drawings and worked to correct them to our satisfaction, made great suggestions for improvements, and been gentlemen to boot. Hats off to you guys!

Porch cont. and Roof Structure Going Up

From the front of the house...

Butch and Buster Buddy King of the Universe inspect.

Wrap-Around Porch Being Added

We have been waiting for the porch to be added as it really is the defining element of this house plan. Not to mention our favorite part of the house...we love to sit, read, eat, drink, entertain, nap, rock on the porch...a little tough in the winter but pure delight for us during the rest of the year.

View from the living room out to the back area of the porch.

From the back side of the house...

Interior Spaces Cont...

For anyone familiar with the original Southern Living Tideland Haven Home Plans 1375 or the 199 Slidell, LA blogsite's build photos, you can start to see how we had the architect draft the plans to suit our needs and preferences. While it follows the basic idea of the home, our budget dictated simplifying it a good bit as well as making it conform to our land requirements.

View from living room includes one of the kitchen walls...

Looking into the laundry room/pantry.

Interior Spaces...

On the left of this hall will be the library/study followed by a half bath and a guest bedroom with full bath. On the right you can see one of the two kitchen walls. Keep walling straight back takes you to the master bedroom door.

Looking from the great room/living room toward the kitchen. To the right is the dining room and you can see through the walls to the laundry room/pantry behind the kitchen and the sitting room off the master bedroom adjacent to the dining room.

Humming Birds Hummin'

Look closely to see one of our Ruby-Throated Humming Birds. They are kick to watch as they scramble like jet fighters to edge each other out from the feeders. Curious about people, they will fly right up to you, take a look and then zoom off. Easy to see why folks of old thought they were fairies. Who knew in our dotage we'd be so taken by bird watching!?!

Ceilings and Pony Walls

Our competent framer found some problems with the roof design and has corrected them by working with a pony wall. In the photos it looks like the start of a second story but really what that half wall will do is raise the roof so it will follow the correct pitch. We are very thankful to have him help build our house.

Rooms Shaping Up...

Southwest (Front) of house...entry way (stairs will be on South side), study/library, then guest bedroom are taking form.

Controlling the Waters and Repairing Roads

Our roads here are "country" and between the heavy spring rains and the big construction trucks coming back to the building site, we've needed to do some work so all of the Misty Wood residents can travel in and out safely. Repairing the roads has been an ongoing process and the boys are almost to "done" for awhile. The latest work involved shoring up the culvert for the main stream through the road/property so that the road not only won't wash out again but will also bear the load of the heavy trucks and equipment coming and going.

Check out the log...Butch's work on the Wood Miser! Finally. it's paying for itself...ha...ha...

Walls Going Up

Southwest (front and porch though porch isn't built yet) side of house.

Northwest corner of house - Master bedroom/bath area

Buster Buddy, King of the Universe, checking out the kitchen. "Hey, where's my bone?"

East (back) of house. Catchment tanks are under the dining room and sitting room - sitting room is off the Master Bedroom.