In 2022, with renovations finished at Main Street and our forest property successfully transitioned into the hands of our kind neighbors, we happened upon an aging English cottage sitting proudly on a corner lot near Mt. Tabor with a for sale sign out front. Though it was hardly part of the plan, we immediately saw the potential and found ourselves excited to bring it back to prominence from what we’d learned over the past ten years and two properites. We’d always dreamed of being even more nestled up into the pines of Mt. Tabor, and as luck would have it, we were able to purchase the home and got the keys on Winter Solstice.
The four seasons that followed were a whirlwind of activity, first transplanting nearly 200 plants from our previous garden, putting Main Street on the market, and throwing ourselves into nonstop action during evenings, weekends, and PTO as we tried to restore Alder’s original luster. The largest project was the basement granny pad which we designed to be a short-term getaway and occasionally Airbnb. With help from Luis Godinez of AG Renovations and several great contractors, we turned the dingy basement into a light-filled studio for friend family and friends.
In October of 2023, Judith’s dad Terry visited and helped us complete a full overhaul of the house’s deck railing. What was once a beautiful, architectural feature had given way over the years to rain and rot. Terry brought a truckload of reclaimed redwood and cedar from which we milled enough material for the entire railing and its 188 balusters (the “rungs”). In all, we calculated that it took over 300 person-hours and ten full working days between the three of us.
What may have been the biggest transformation, and certainly where we put the most sweat equity, was updating the yard and garden. Thousands of hours were spent digging, laying landscaping fabric, hauling and placing gravel, transplanting and planting drought-tolerant plants, and creating a sustainable oasis for us, the bees, and other creatures to enjoy.
All in all, there wasn’t a corner of the house inside or out that we didn’t touch in our few years at Alder. From reroofing and repainting inside and out, to updates to plumbing, the sidewalk, new period-appropriate lighting throughout, and even the original front door set which we refurbished at Hippo Hardware.
We are so grateful for the beautiful seasons we spent here and all we learned about ourselves along the way.