I'm thrilled, but a little sad, that we've sold the Setzepfandt House, in Bellevue, Iowa. The new owners are a young couple who I'm sure will have the energy and gumption to keep the place up to the standards it deserves. I hope one day they encounter this blog and can see the photos of the work we've done. I also hope they'll meet some of the neighbors who have generational attachment to the place. These were the folks who were so kind and generous to us when we first arrived in Bellevue, back in 2010. Pictured here are some of their ancestors, date unknown. I suppose this means the end for this blog. Thank you all for reading. Please visit me at JulianneCouch.net. It would be great to stay in touch.

Now that I no longer live on the banks of the Mississippi River, I'm trying to stay mindful of what I loved about it. I could stand at my second story east facing window and see over one row of rooftops, and see the water backing up just above Lock and Dam 12. Just north of the dam, where I stood, is Pool 12. Just a few blocks south, is the section of river called Pool 13. When I needed a moment to soothe my mind and put aside the chaos of daily life, I looked out the back window through the spotting scope and observed trumpeter swans, canvasback ducks, bald eagles, Canada geese, various seagulls,and the occasional boisterous group of sand hill cranes. Boating on the Mississippi River, as we're doing in this picture just below the dam, is the best anti-depressant ever.

My goodness, it has been a long time since I've posted to this blog. I have big news --- after more than 10 years, we are leaving Belleve, Iowa, for another Iowa town, even more northerly than this one!
That means the Setzephandt House is on the market. Here is the listing http://associated-re.idxbroker.com/idx/details/listing/a654/144846/609-N-2nd-Street-Bellevue-IA-52031 You will love the mix of old and new within this historical house. From the striking exterior with its copper finial and wrap porch to the numerous bay windows, you can imagine the builder of this 1880s home carefully considered each detail. Inside, many original elements remain, such as the interior staircase and woodworking details. The house has been thoroughly updated where it counts, including plumbing and electrical systems, and central air conditioning. The spacious kitchen includes a Wolf cooktop with infrared red grill, a stainless-steel farm sink, quartz countertops, and custom cabinets. The backyard is inviting, with its concrete patio, and a powder-coated steel spiral staircase leading to a second story Trex deck with views of the Mississippi River.

Record Cold Iowa Winter

As we've heard, this has been the coldest winter in northeast Iowa in 35 years. Ah yes, 1979, I remember you well. Anyway, in addition to the cold, we've had some snow. Actually, we've had even more snow since Ron took this photo about a month ago.
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The finale: holiday open house

The house renovation is far enough along that we were able to include the Setzepfandt house in the annual Holiday Tour. This event is a benefit for the area Chamber of Commerce, and we were proud to participate. Here are a few photos of how the house looked just before guests arrived. Wish I could say it still looks this good now!

Front porch restoration

We realized that repairing the old front porch piecemeal was not a good approach. Not only were the floor boards rotting, the columns themselves were sagging and the whole thing was a big mess. So Ron and Marty took a week or so jacking up the porch, removing floorboards, discovering & replacing rotted or insufficient support lumber underneath. I helped with staining the replacement boards and placing the lattice. Here's the way it looks now.

Pilgrim's progress

Apparently I only blog on major holidays, based on the fact that my last post was New Years Day. We pilgrims to the Midwest have made great progress, thanks to carpentry help from Marty Jess of Bellevue, and the dogged painting skills of Al Thielen and his crew: JR, Laurie, Mitch, Dustin & others who dropped in to work a few days or even a few hours. We appreciate it immensely. Here are a few scenes from the last several months.