Hi Melissa, that’s fun to hear and reassuring from someone who has seen it for real!

After 30 years of preserving, restoring and sympathetically renovating if needed, antique homes, I can’t help but get excited over this one. My current 1875 miner’s cabin has housed my family for nearly 15 years. I applied for landmarking and after successfully jumping through all those hoops, I was devastated the health department got involved after black mold was found and a third of the house need to be demolished.  😭  I was gutted (perhaps pun intended) when the county made the replacement portion meet modern code!  🙄  I balled my eyes out when the 8′ walls were erected to replace the original shorter walls that accommodated the 7′- 6′ sloping ceiling on the 1920’s addition.

Anyway, I’m an old school carpenter and love working quietly with hand tools.I love to preserve everything that can be preserved like time worn patinas and original windows. I’ll restore what I can by sourcing similar and sometimes almost identical material whenever possible. I love the sleuthing and problem solving needed with any antique work. Don’t ask me about my antique tools… most of them come with cools stories. I can’t thank enough my full Ancestry.com membership for connecting me with all sorts of information.

When modern replacements or repairs are needed I’ll replicate where I can with hands tools. Breaks my heart seeing the overwhelming number of these homes falling into disrepair. But… this one can be saved and I hope I get to be the one to finish bringing her back into the light.

Maybe you’ll come join me for morning tea once that front porch is restored?!

Warmly, Michelle