Juniper Hill Cottage

Video: Whiskey Porch version 2.0

7/29/2020

100 years ago, our little bungalow was graced with a small covered front porch, facing due west out over the valley and the downtown.

We know this because although that porch was enclosed a very long while ago (we think in the 60's or so) we were lucky enough to receive 2 photos of the original porch taken in the 40's.

Juniper Hill Cottage with two ladies in the 1940's

The original whiskey porch circa 1940's. Notice the two elaborate windows. Only one survives today.

In fact, that is the only historical information we have on how the home looked originally.

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Intro video

8/14/2019

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It's become really clear to me the last couple months, as I put content together here for the website, that photos (although they DO say a thousand words) do not always give a true feeling of a place.

As much as I don't particularly like being filmed, I've decided that it's time to get over that and just let the camera roll!! Plus, sharing the limelight with my trusty side-kick Ibis the yellow lab adds flavor and a touch of humor that keeps it fun. She's a natural!!

So, to get things started, we put together an impromptu little video to introduce Juniper Hill Cottage and the original whiskey porch.

Have a look -- Hope you like it!

Cheers and contentment,

~Miriam

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a coat of paint does wonders

7/30/2019

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This is the second chapter in our Bungalow journey - continuing on from "We Accidentally Bought a Bungalow."

After acquiring this amazing historic bungalow in 2010, the first challenge was coming up with a manageable game plan.

Sometimes it's just so hard to wait for your long-term vision to begin to take form. And we knew we were going to be here on weekends and taking our time with the first chapter of our life in this historic cottage.

So, we decided that in order to enjoy our time here for the next 8 or 9 years (until we could be here full-time and properly renovate), we would only tackle a list of must-do projects.

This is what we do. Michael offloading supplies for the new deck.

Must-Do List

Now, you would think that that list would be an abbreviated short-ish list. That was the idea for sure.

But now that we look back it's truly amazing what we've accomplished.

Bit by bit, on a budget while still living and working in Phoenix. Virtually 90% of it turned out to be DIY, and not just because we knew we could control the costs more that way.

Creativity

We had a vision of what it would take to make it livable for the short-term, but we also felt strongly that this was going to be an expression of our creativity and personalities.

And that's kinda hard to accomplish with contractors executing for you.

This is what we do. Crafting a home.

Flexibility

The process requires tweaks and consideration as you go along - allowing for better flavors of your original idea, or the unforeseen snafu.

It takes a while to get acquainted with a new house and property. This can make it tricky to come up with the perfect layout and updates on day one. Where does the shade fall in late summer? What's the best flow for traffic through your home - given how you live and your style? Where's the best soil and conditions for your kitchen garden?

While it's tempting to just get to the end-point as quickly as possible, there's an advantage to taking it in measured steps - if you can stand it.

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