Walk with me up Pine Needle Hill's driveway

Five years ago....my hubby said, "Dad needs us to help with the business. We need to move. " 

We found this hill of pine trees....an oasis of green in amongst Iowa cornfields. We fell in love with it.

The house...well, it's big and we are approaching an empty nest...and it wasn't finished...but we were in love with the trees:)

I mean really...we don't need five bedrooms, three bathrooms, 4 garages! REALLY we don't! But 8 months after my hubby said those words we took possession of Pine Needle Hill (well, she wasn't called that then, but she is now). We had NO idea the amount of work, time, and money she was going to suck out of us......oh the lessons we have learned!

This is how the kitchen, living room, dining room looked when we first saw the house. There wasn't even a front door....what WERE we thinking!  He took his tools and left it just as it was.....we are STILL working on it :)

BUT we aren't going to talk about that right now...we are going to walk up the driveway together!

last fall

last week :)

Take a deep breath....those pines SMELL wonderful!

You knew I had to decorate it...didn't you?

AND of course it was on a budget....either it was free, we had it, or it's from a garage sale.

Mr. Tree moved with us. There is ONE non-pine tree on the driveway and this is his home.

Halfway.....

looking to the east

looking to the west 

Last year I put a plant in this old wheelbarrel, but these guys like to drink out of it...unless it just rained and there is a puddle....

Looking to the north is a little clearing in the pine trees, the sunshine is beautiful there....

AND my favorite trees....THE TWINS....

I know there are lots of pictures....but the driveway is long...we haven't even gotten to the front of the house yet...saving that for later! Thanks for walking with me. I sure wish you could smell it too :)

 I close with these words....

Hugs from Iowa,

Michelle