The House

I made this little model of The Ridge Road House almost 50 years ago for a Landscape Design class at UVM.  It is a bit crude but I love it anyway and my granddaughters have played with it a bit, so I am proud that it has ‘held up.’ 

What attracted me to this house in the first place?  I like the simplicity of a white Vermont farm house perched on a hill.  I like houses without all of the added stuff like ‘Foundation Plantings.’ Give me the one large white Hydrangea or the single purple Lilac on one corner.  It is almost regal to me in its simplicity. 

Most of all I liked the people who lived here, maybe that’s why I love this house so much.  I feel so lucky to now own this property.  I wish we had a million dollars to fuss with the house, having experts on antique houses come in as advisors, taking years to jack it up, put in a new foundation underneath, work with the old beams, keep what we can, restore it bit by bit in a by-the-book way. 

Instead we will do the practical thing (still expensive) and try to rebuild a house that matches this as closely as possible.  Prepare yourselves- things will start to come down in about a month, towards the end of February.  First the tree which has grown into the garage will come down, next the metal roof will come off.  I will document this.

I have tried to preserve the house through photos and videos.  I would love to have more photos of the house in its prime from family members who can send them to me.  I would share them here. 

I have tried to keep family informed via this blog so they are prepared.  I know it is a loss.  Ultimately though, the site will be safer and ready for the matching house to go up.  This is my 3-5 year plan though so the reappearance of the house will take longer than the process of it coming down.  Please say your Goodbyes.