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I have narrowed it down to two great builders...waiting for their estimates which I will get any day now which will help my final decision. Then the real process of building will begin! I would ideally like to do the septic next summer and maybe get the well checked (drill a new one if needed) and another possibility is to start refurbishing the barn right away. Then the following summer start the real build, at least with the garage. I am excited! The Cooley Ridge Road House will reemerge. Phil Godenschwager will be doing some interior elevations soon as well...that will give you a sneak peek and help you imagine the inside of the house. What will you see as you enter that dining room door and look towards the kitchen? What will the mud room look like? When you are in the living room and look over at the stairs and this beautiful front door, will it look familiar? That is my hope.

Today I got to meet with Matthew Greene a builder from Topsham, Vermont. I am very encouraged that he would be an excellent fit with me as someone who is experienced and flexible (willing to do the project in sections, not insisting on going in/doing the whole thing/moving out), and able to suggest easier, better ways of doing things. I learned just from talking with him today. He is also willing to make changes as he works...if as the homeowner, you see something you didn't realize or quite understand as he builds...and you want to change it or adjust it, he is understanding and willing to do that. For example, a window could be moved if the view is better from that new position. I don't forsee doing too much of that since, I was able to be in this house in the past. I saw how the rooms were laid out, I saw how the sun entered the windows at certain times of day, etc. My sister Sharon met with me at the house site and luckily took photos for me since I neglected to take any. We walked through the barn to see what needs to be done there. What I had thought would be my summer project (working on cleaning out the barn) has not happened. Between having all of my equines get sick this summer, requiring extra care and attention, and so much rain creating constant mowing back here in Massachusetts, I didn't manage to work on the barn. Luckily I think Matthew Greene might be willing to help with any repairs or improvements to the barn that are needed. There is a lot to do.

Thank you Phillip Godenschwager for these drawings. The only changes in the front of the house are- A view of the south side covered deck/porch sticking out on the right in the above elevation, and a peek of the screened-in porch set back at the far end of the deck/porch. Also- the chimney is no longer centered. A hard decision for me, but it made more sense to get comfortable with the chimney being off-center since the wood stove will be in the living room, (rather than centered in the house's kitchen or front hallway). The kitchen was always an awkward location for the wood stove and if it was in the hallway, the heat would tend to just flow up the stairs. I am very happy with this rendition. It will have wooden clapboards, painted white, and a gray metal roof. The south side of the house will be the most visible as you come up the driveway. The changes are- The side deck/porch running all along the south side (30' long and 10' deep) with a shallow/flatish room to make it more out of the weather and sun. I wanted to keep it simple, no flourishes, not too many posts, not hiding the south side of the familiar house. The door to enter the dining room here is now centered (and doubled, glass French doors) between the dining room and living room, with a straight shot across into the kitchen. The screened-in porch towards the back of the house is on the far right in this elevation, actually lined up with the big deck/porch. A door to enter the screened-in porch is not visible here but is located off the deck/porch on the far right. You can also enter the porch from inside the house via the dining room. I love that this inside door position is in the exact location that the former door used to be- connecting the Cape Cod house dining room to the Saltbox house fireplace room. The screened-in porch takes the place of the large Saltbox style 'second house' that contained the fireplace room, the garage, and the upstairs 2 bedrooms. The back of the house that showed the side of the Saltbox house to the left (previously jutting out to the left and overlapping the main Cape Cod style house slightly), now has the screened-in porch, also overlapping the Cape Cod house a bit. The entry into the kitchen remains on the back of the house here, along with the same double windows above the sink. The 'Room to Nowhere' on the far right which contained a workshop bench in the past, still has a door (moved slightly to the left with an added window to its right). This door now leads to the mudroom. The mudroom will lead to the kitchen (see floor plans, previous post). A big change to the back of the house is the upstairs dormer over the upstairs bathroom. I wanted to limit the size to only accommodate the necessary head space in the bathroom without changing the whole back of the house. (See East Elevation above.) This is a view of the house from the North side. You can see the upstairs bathroom dormer from this view, but I think it balances the front dormer. Remember, it is actually small and tucked in. Instead of the back of Saltbox house to the left with its one living room window, you see the screened-in porch and a small landing to enter the kitchen door on the back of the house. The two typical-sized windows on this side are in the downstairs bedroom and the smaller, higher windows are in the downstairs bathroom. Upstairs of course a guest room matching the guest room on the south upstairs.

I am excited to preserve the basic original floor plan of the Ridge Road house with a few changes. Guests, instead of just entering the dining room door on the south side, will see a covered deck along the entire side (the really old renditions of this house had a porch there). The porch/deck roof will be fairly flat to still let light in during the cooler months when the sun's arc is lower. The dining room entry door instead of being on the far-right-hand corner on that side will be centered off the porch with French doors. From the dining room instead of having a half wall into the kitchen, it will have an island separating it from the kitchen, so hopefully a similar feel. I will maintain the dark lower kitchen cabinet bases (mostly drawers), using oak which the older 1920s kitchens often had. I am hoping this will be reminiscent to the 1960s kitchen Harry created but with oak instead of the plywood cabinets. Above the base cabinets will be a few shelves instead of cupboards to try and preserve an older house look. One tall (but not deep) oak cupboard will hopefully make up for a lack of upper cupboards- sort of a pantry cupboard. This tall floor-to-almost-ceiling cupboard will be near the island against the adjoining living room wall (about where the refrigerator used to be for those 'in the know.') The living room which was always fairly open to the dining room will now be completely open with only the small wall behind the wood stove separating it from the kitchen. The stairwell (oak to match kitchen cabinet bases) will be open and seen from the living room (which used to have a wall separating it from the stairwell hallway). Stairs can be beautiful and this will also make the living room larger and let in more light from the side lights surrounding the front door. I want to keep the shape of the original banister in the house, a squared off post with sloping sides at the top. Remember it? (I will post a photo below.). I want to also reuse the charming glass 'bubble ceiling light fixture' from the original house at the base of the stairs. The downstairs bedroom (our master bedroom) will be in the same place as it was in the original house, on the north/west side, with a similar bathroom off it which can also be used by visitors via the kitchen (same as it always was). It will be a little more spacious than the original bathroom, with double sinks and a wide walk-in shower, oh and a window. One of the best changes will be using the original space in the house that I called 'the room to nowhere' which held a work bench (in the north/east corner of the house). You could not get into the house from that room in the past. It will still have a door on the back of the house so you can enter it from there, but will be a mudroom/laundry which connects now to the kitchen. Ha! what an idea! Another nod to the past will be a doorway that went from the dining room to the saltbox house (which had the fireplace room, garage, and upstairs two bedrooms). Instead of the saltbox house which we don't need and can't afford, we will have a screened-in porch there. It will have windows on 3+ sides- one side facing south, one west, one side east, one side north, and be a 4-season room with its own entry off the southern deck as well. This will give us extra living space, a little more shade than the south/west deck provides, and screens to exclude the mosquitos. We can sit out there at night with comfy armchairs and lamps or have our morning coffee there. The back door to the kitchen from the driveway will still be there but with a small covered deck entryway. You can pull up along the back and enter either the mudroom or the kitchen/dining room off the back of the house. The upstairs will still have the spacious hallway with two bedrooms on either side- to the south and to the north off the hallway. The bathroom will still be straight ahead but will have a very small (about 12') dormer to create head space there. Instead of just a toilet and small sink, it will have a tub/shower, double sink, and of course toilet, and again, an improvement- windows. The beloved 3rd bedroom will not be walled off but will create a space for extra guests to sleep or Danny's work desk while he gazes at the fields and mountain view from the upstairs two windows of the house. I am calling it the sitting nook (thank you Sara Tucker for the inspiration). I wanted to maintain that wonderful upside-down V shaped big dormer off the front of the house and these windows are great for light in the hallway upstairs and a beautiful space to sit. Definitely a room with a view. I will reuse the original upstairs bedroom doors for the same purpose, one closet door, and the door to the secret passageway up here for storage space.

Completed floor plans and elevations almost ready to share. Stay tuned! Sara Tucker recommended Phil Godenschwager for architectural drawings and I have not been disappointed. He has made great suggestions, really discussed the design with me, and done such detailed, exacting work. The second house, the saltbox section that held the garage, fireplace room, and two additional bedrooms would make the house too big for us and unaffordable as well. But I'm excited that the very same door that went from the dining room to the saltbox section will now go to a 4 season screened-in porch. This has been such a fun process, a back and forth with Phil, looking at old photos, researching materials for the new house, meeting with potential builders. Now moving on to getting estimates. Cross your fingers for us that we can afford it.

OK, so I am just a regular person who shouldn't HAVE a philosophy on interior design (and those who know me could have a good laugh with our mix of furniture, etc.) but here it is anyway. Simple is best. Straight lines are more appealing to me than curvy. Light in a room is critical. Views from one room to another are important. I love cozy but I require open. I love interesting details but don't like a busy, over-packed room. I appreciate the Craftsman style. The Cooley house was not and should not be Craftsman style, but can contain some elements of it. Surprisingly, I was just reading (after deciding the above) that Farmhouse style often incorporates Craftsman design. For example, I love oak and the grain of oak and we already have a Stickley arm chair and ottoman (leather seat & back, oak arms, etc.) and Stickley coffee table (two small tables pushed together) and a bedroom bureau.  Maybe we will splurge on an oak/Stickley love seat for the living room.  My idea for oak kitchen bases would fit with this. Older kitchens often do not have upper cupboards, that is why I am going with mostly bases and then upper shelves instead of cupboards. Since the stairs will be exposed to the living room, I would love to do those in a similar oak (even though otherwise I am having white woodwork throughout), maybe white risers on the stairs to help integrate it? The newel post at the base of the stairs in the original house was a simple square post with the top angled up on all four sides to a smaller square top (see photo). I’d like to recreate that except out of oak.  I’d love to have the handrail be somehow special (ideas?) and the baluster posts as you move up the stairs be more interesting than the usual without going overboard…so a Craftsman sort of look…maybe two narrow square posts per step? Or a flatter oak board with a small simple cut out like an oval leaf and stem (one per step)? Could the mudroom have an oak bench to repeat the use of oak?  Maybe an oak board that has hooks? It is kind of strange that I like white woodwork and doors/windows, yet I want some oak included in the house.

This is my initial list...possibly boring to read (but exciting to me). It is only preliminary, will take suggestions (especially to recreate the old house). I love the idea of oak kitchen cabinets with the oak grain. Some old 1920s kitchens had those (though I am not sure of the original kitchen in the Ridge Road house when the Day family had it), the 1960s kitchen Harry Cooley put in did have a darker stain wood cabinet. His kitchen also had light countertop. Instead of subway tiles though I am thinking of white shiplap to have an older look instead of shiny new. Here's the idea of oak drawers below, light countertop, shelving above rather than cupboards. Materials list: Ridge Road, Randolph Center, VT, Cape Cod style house with front large upside down V dormer Siding- Hardie plank smooth white Window trim white, 3 ½” wide, flat No shutters Retain molding details on front dormer of house and all along edge Roof- metal standing seam, medium gray Windows- Double hung, aluminum-clad wood outside, wood painted white inside Grill type- two over one, as realistic as possible (not pop-out grill or encased in glass grill) High quality in terms of energy efficiency Woodwork interior, all painted white wood, semi-gloss enamel paint 5 ½” flatboard baseboards with flat edge 3 ½” flatboard trim around interior windows All interior doors, solid wood, painted same white as woodwork 3-panel Shaker doors for all doors Except I have two old doors to use from the original house for the upstairs two bedrooms (do not repaint) I have one old closet door should be used in mudroom (do not repaint) I have one old very small door which should be used to recreate the secret passageway in upstairs hallway (do not repaint) All doorknobs needed- white porcelain All ceilings & walls sheetrock White ceilings Slightly off white (grayish tone) walls All floors wide board pine with square nails (except kitchen, mudroom, bathrooms) Kitchen, mudroom, and both bathrooms- solid sheet vinyl (pattern looks a little like concrete, a tannish/grayish mottled pattern) Armstrong CushionStep  B3252 “Ancient Fury Vinyl Sheet- Spitfire Shot” 12’ wide, low gloss (cannot install kitchen cabinets on top of this) Kitchen bases- medium stain oak (like old 1920s kitchens) with obvious grain pattern Mostly drawers on bases (no cupboards) except one tall ‘pantry’ cabinet Either slab style or full inset (I like the simple plain look of these) Open upper shelving of either same oak wood or white boards, no cupboards up Kitchen cabinet pulls- antique brass or bronze bin pulls Backsplash in kitchen- white shiplap boards Countertop quartz, white or off-white, simple infrequent pattern either lines or flecks Squared off front edges of countertop, slightly rounded corners Island between kitchen and dining room, use same oak kitchen cabinet bases with simple, attractive back (viewed from dining room), drawers on kitchen side, same countertop as kitchen Sink, white single large basin (double wide with no separation), drop down type White appliances in kitchen- refrigerator (bottom pull-out freezer), dishwasher, induction stove top, microwave.  As simply designed appearance as possible but energy efficient. Consumer Reports Best Buy appliances. White washer/dryer in mudroom, energy efficient, Consumer Reports Best Buy appliances. White wooden shelving in mudroom, hooks, bench? cupboards? small closet? Vermont Castings Encore black enamel wood stove in living room Slate (or plain granite) stone base in one piece if possible Possibly naturally found rounded stones creating interesting wall behind stove? Bathrooms- Double sinks white, squared shape, drop down type Quartz countertops same as kitchen Bases- oak, same as kitchen One small closet in each bathroom White tub with shower in both bathrooms Large tiled walls inside shower enclosures, similar to countertop color Mitsubishi mini splits for AC upstairs and downstairs Electric hot water heater But maybe makes more sense to have forced air AC/heat furnace/hot water source? Need advice on this Ceiling fans in living room, and in each bedroom Ceiling light (simple chandelier type) over dining room table Lights drop-down over kitchen island Light over kitchen sink Entryway mudroom light in ceiling Lighting and outlets in screened in porch Lighting above each bathroom sink Lighting outside at each entry door and along the side of house with deck Lighting outside garage with switch in mudroom Ring doorbell cameras at each entry

I talked with another builder!  Recommended by my niece Emily Howe who has seen his work in Tunbridge for her husband John’s family (and he uses my nephew for excavation- Matt Loftus).  His name is RJ Hoyt (Rodney) from Chelsea.  I was excited to finally get to talk with him; we had done a bit of phone tag.  I will go up and meet with him this month, see his work and show him the site. He is available for 2026 so that will work for us.  We are not in a hurry (especially Danny) but I tell folks we may move in about 3 years. I am happy to get more estimates.  You can’t build a house with just one estimate, right?  This will be Estimate Number Two. RJ was easy to talk to and sounds like a nice guy. Emily says he is the best and I trust her opinion.  He does the whole job, septic, foundation, and finishing. I sent him my rough floor plans and elevations, along with a photo of each side of the old house to let him know what we want to recreate.  He sent me photos of an almost identical Cape Cod house he built last year!  The only big difference is the dormer on the front.  Anyway, his work looks great and the house he built was beautiful.  I am happy for any forward movement on creating the Vermont Cooley house.

Today I got to meet Joseph Bertrand from Central Vermont Building & Design, LLC.  Thank you to Phil Godenschwager for suggesting Joe. Our meeting was at the house site in Randolph Center on Ridge Road.  We were welcomed with kisses from Mazey Cooley. It was wonderful just standing with this view, but standing with a builder, someone who can help deliver a dream was great! I think Joe Bertrand and the Cooleys are well-matched.  He believes in quality and not rushing a job.  He is willing and able to make lots of suggestions with all of his experience, but respects what the owner wants as well.  He has been building in the Randolph area for over 30 years.  Beautiful work. He believes in simplicity when possible and that is my goal as well.  It was a pleasure meeting him.  I am convinced he would recreate the Cooley house and we would have a wonderful (modernized in only the best ways) little white Cape on the hill again. Though I don't think we are ready to start this year, the house could be started in the fall season with the foundation, get the shell up, then work on the interior over a winter.  It could be finished by the next spring/summer for move in! I would like to do some preliminary work before that process.  Take trees down (unfortunately two of the Maples close to the house do not look great) and have a source of wood for a wood stove, then install the new septic system which Joe said the state of Vermont almost always requires a mounded system (but the site to the north of house would allow for that since it naturally is somewhat bowl-shaped), put up the garage (which would provide storage and a work space for the builders), and look at the water/well situation.  So maybe the house could be a Fall 2025-Summer 2026 project. He can start with some basic estimates, but more exact estimates would come after drawings from Phil of the floor plan plus elevations.  Then decisions on heating, cooling, flooring, kitchen, walls, ceilings, trim, windows, siding, roofing, etc.  That would then provide us with a clear quote/contract. What I need is more estimates from other builders so I know we are making the right choice.  The problem…they are all busy and don’t get back to me.  One from Chelsea, Vermont did call me back once and I had forgotten to turn my phone sound back on (after being silenced for the night) so I missed his call.  I will keep trying. Joe said we could save the fieldstone in the foundation to use for stone walls! Notice all the chervil growing in that northern part of the lot (the septic system location).

One of the projects that needs to be undertaken at the Ridge Road House is tackling the Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris, called Cow Parsley in England) that is invading/filling the fields on either side of the house. As you probably know, an invasive plant is non-native and may tend to overtake native species when it moves into an area. This one came from Europe and is sometimes included in wild flower mixes. Most people in Vermont know it as something that first showed up in great amounts along the Interstate Highways and was most likely spread from mowing there. Mowing equipment can become 'contaminated' with the seeds, thereby spreading them at the next mowing location. Farmers who mow along the road first and then later mow their fields might carry the seeds into their fields. In addition, Chervil sap can be irritating to some animals that come into contact with it. The bottom line is, if you want to grown something else in an area where Chervil has invaded, it is pretty difficult to compete with it. In an article in the White River Valley Herald (all the way back in 2003) Victoria Weber, from Bethel, VT suggested that Randolph, Vermont might be Chervil capital of the state. Vermont now has a sugaring season, a mud season, and a Chervil season (blooming from mid-May until mid-June). After mid-June you can make things worse and increase the spread of it by trying to work with it (since seeds will then be present). https://www.ourherald.com/articles/expert-to-lecture-its-wild-chervil-time/ The mystery is why this plant, which has supposedly been reported in the area since the early 1900s has become so aggressive in the 2000s. It doesn't seem to cause such great problems in N.H. Maybe it is simply a factor of time plus mowing methods, then throw in a little climate change intensity which tends to benefit aggressive invasives. Ironically enough, as I researched whether it is bad for horses to ingest (I want to recreate the paddock in front of the barn eventually), I found this article in "Irish Sport Horse Magazine" 2024, that recommended grazing your horse on Wild Chervil. They seem to relish it like carrots, the article states. Hmm, if they don't develop a rash from it, maybe horses could be suggested as a way to control it...let the horses in there until they continuously eat it all down to dirt. https://www.irishsporthorsemagazine.com/the-benefits-of-cow-parsley-for-horses/ However an article in Northern Woodlands, May 29, 2005, claims horses and cows don't like it. I would certainly agree that it is not conducive to baling in with hay, since it is a tough, big, herbaceous plant that will likely mold in the hay rather than drying properly. https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/its-wild-chervil-season An article in "Vermont Invasives" describes the plant and suggests control mechanisms. On a small scale you can dig up individual plants, being careful to leave nearby non-invasive native plants intact. The less you disturb the ground, the less likely Wild Chervil seeds will sprout there. Wear gloves, cover your body with long sleeves and pants (the sap can irritate skin). Of course it is a difficult plant to dig up, with strong roots. On a large scale basis you can try to smother the plants using a combination of cardboard and thick black plastic, though this can take years. And yes, there are herbicides you could use. Wild Chervil is resistant to many chemicals and you have to have knowledge and training to apply any pesticide. There are risks to native plants, animals, and water supplies. Don't apply during bloom since bees would be affected. Don't apply when windy since you will have drift, etc. Any one method above is not going to be successful in eliminating Wild Chervil. https://www.vtinvasives.org/invasive/wild-chervil#:~:text=General%20Guidance:%20%C2%B7%20Chemical%20treatment%20has%20limited,the%20species%20is%20resistant%20to%20many%20herbicides. It's going to be an interesting experiment. Charlie Cooley will be watching I'm sure.

Phil Godenschwager suggested a screen-in porch for the design of the Ridge Road house. I decided it would be a great idea (we loved one we had on West St in Amherst, MA and used it a lot in the 1980s). This would give us a covered porch area. We could leave the deck on the south side uncovered, letting as much light into the south side of the house as possible- the dining room and living room wouldn't be as dark as it would be with a covered porch. Thank you for that suggestion Sara and I agree. The screened-in porch could be off the dining room/kitchen on the east side of the house (with a little southern exposure), towards the back where the old fireplace living room/garage were. We would get the best of both worlds...one uncovered deck for days of sitting and looking at the view, one screened-in covered porch for shady insect-free dining or sitting. We could have electricity out there for sitting in the evenings with a lamp on for reading. I need Phil's help with the added roof line of the screened in porch (elevation) and what the siding/windows/screens would look like. I want it to blend in with the existing design of the house but also be one of the features that adds character. Something you look at and think, "I want to sit there!"

Progress in the rebuilding of the Cooley house on Ridge Road- I have started to touch base with some excellent builders (but since they are busy I haven’t met with anyone yet, but am eager when they are available).  Phil Godenschwager can start on the floorplans and elevations for the house in June or July. Since I can’t start building the Cooley house just yet, I will make Charles’s barn my summer project.  This photo was taken January 4th so I’m sure the buds on trees are starting to soften the landscape now, the snow is gone, and the grass is starting to green up. I love the way the barn uses the hill to have an entrance into the loft.  The sleigh is parked up there. I want to sort through things, which will require heavy work gloves and may involve a dumpster. At least a metals pile.  I can make some trips to the dump myself. I want to check the structure and get ready for horses there.  I was pleased that Jim Hudson (my niece’s husband) gave it the thumbs up for the building.  He knows his way around structures after building his own house, his summer house on his pond, etc.  I wasn’t sure how adept Charles was with building but most farmers have some experience in the Jack of All Trades Department.  I had seen some plans for a barn that Charles had bought.  I know the barn has electricity and water and some stall space.  I’m excited to put horses back (or at least a horse, a mini horse, and a donkey) into that pasture where my <3 horse Fern Hill Alexandra, Lexa, once stood with her mother Suzanne Royalty (Suzie). Since I was once called The Mad Sweeper by another boarder at a previous barn, you can imagine I can’t wait to hit the place with a broom!  Get anything old and molding out, paint the entrance door to the barn, organize remaining useful tools.  I will let you know what I discover in there.  It will be a labor of love- for Charles and for horses, past and present. I need to work on the paddocks since Wild Chervil is prevalent there.  I will have to do a lot of work.  I am debating digging up and baking the pulled plants under plastic to kill them vs. covering an entire paddock with black plastic for 2 years.  Neither is an exciting prospect or very pretty either.   But herbicides don’t work on this nasty plant as most Vermonters know.  Mowing can only happen before seed formation or the equipment carries the seeds to innocent pastures.  I imagine it will be an ongoing battle there on Ridge Road since it has made its way onto the property. Here’s an article about Wild Chervil, Anthriscus sylvestris that appeared in the Herald, Randolph, Vermont way back in 2007. https://www.ourherald.com/articles/invasive-wild-chervil-blooms-again-unless-you-pull-it-up/