Before and After

Dear Diary,

Last weekend when Karen was here we talked about that first summer I bought the house.  She was my first visitor.  We laughed and laughed about that visit because in the few days since passing papers the house had become infested with fleas!  We fled in a panic and went to stay in New Hampshire with my cousin.  I had to bomb the house twice to get rid of them.  Not a very auspicious beginning.

But that was 20 years ago and a lot has changed since then.  I found some old photographs from that summer and I added a current view.  I added an extra collage as well with a view from the garden.  The new garden is on the same footprint as the old one.  In fact, the houses footprint is virtually the same as well with just the addition of the studio on the end.

Houses evolve and change with the people who own them.  I'm sure if I left here the next owners would make changes too.  I am just happy I was able to resurrect this little house; it was in a very sorry state in 1995.  It is a warm, inviting and happy house now.  Built in 1851, it is ready to weather many, many more Maine winters.  You can always tell when a house is loved, this one is well and truly loved.