Want to buy a house?

Water feature garden in the back yard.

These are pictures of my house, the house we built 2 1/2 years ago.

The kitchen.

We made an offer on a house in town and our offer was accepted. We will move if we can sell our home. The house we bid on is larger than our current house and is near lots of neighborhood kids for my boys to play with. It is blocks from the swimming pool and the city park and it is across the street from my parents.

This is the tub surround in the master bath.
The tile job was done by my brother Rick, me, brother John and his wife Marlys.

However, this means I have to give up the house I designed and had my brother Rick build. That won't be easy. This house was literally made for me. If we don't sell I will not be sorry. If we do sell that will be good too.

Living room and entry.

Office.

Backyard garden.

This is the description the realtor used to describe our house:

Stunning is the perfect word to describe this home!! This home is a 1400 sq ft custom built Ranch style home. The workmanship is excellent and shows in the open floor plan and gorgeous Cherry woodwork and cabinets. This home is really indescribable and you need to see to really appreciate the beauty! The main floor consists of an open living, dining and kitchen. The kitchen has Cherry cabinetry which you will love and the dining room has patio doors to the deck--which has a awesome view. The master bedroom is huge with a gorgeous master bath right off of the bedroom. There is a main floor laundry with office and another 1/2 bath on the main floor. The basement boasts 2 bedrooms, bathroom and a large family room. Outdoor entertaining is made easy with the large patio and backyard and plan to spend many evenings relaxing by the gorgeous pond!! The home is located on a 1 acre lot on a hard surface road in the Rock River Bluff addition. Don't miss this one!!

So if you need a home in North West Iowa e-mail me. Open house is Thursday evening. I'll let you know how it goes.

Flowers won't last much longer.

This time of the year I like to take pictures of how things look and make plans for what I want to do next year.

Notice the screen of Emerald Green Arborvitae trees behind the garden? Like eyebrows on a face, the garden looked unfinished without them. They will fill in to form a solid screen about twelve to fifteen feet tall.

My goal is to have enough perenials so I won't need to plant annuals. I love the sweet potato vines though. I will continue to plant those each year.

The silver lace vine did well this year. I think I'll remove the trellis next year and let it grow along the ground. I like how it creeps between the rocks and other flowers.

More black-eyed-susans next year, they seem to bloom forever. More of the pincushion flower too, they are the lavender blue flowers just below the black-eyed-susans.

I will spread the feverfew around the garden. It is a bright little flower that blooms all season. Just needed to deadhead the brown blooms three or four times.

Need to enjoy it while I can, frost will be coming soon. It will look almost as nice with a coat of fresh white snow. Are you looking forward to snow?

I love a stump.

I have admitted to loving the tree below and no one has put me in a straight jacket. I'll go one step further and let's see what happens.

I love the rotting remains of a tree!

I even have it prominently displayed by the front door of my home!

I love the detail in its silvered carcass.

I use it for the desktop background on my computer.

Do normal people get excited about a tree, or a stump?