I've enjoyed writing about construction, design and a greener lifestyle in the "From the Ground Up" blog, where my wife, Stacy, and I shared with Star Tribune readers our experiences of building a house.
I've had contact with many people interested in our home and even made some new friends, including our architect, Michael Huber.
Some readers have given me insights while others have asked for mine. Many have challenged my thinking, or asked for greater explanation.
Modern homeowners Matt and Laura Tills, whose home projects and lives seemed to mirror ours, were with us as we both struggled through the construction process.
My buddy Jeff Gallo of the 5ive house -- Minnesota's first residential project certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) -- inspired me to add more green-friendly features than I had planned.
Many people helped make our project better, including our general contractor, Benedict and Associates, as well as the people at the local watershed district.
I've had so many informative and insightful conversations with people far and wide. That includes people down the street and others from as far away as Spain, Germany and South Africa.
And so the process, even more than the project itself, has been an incredibly dynamic, rewarding and enlightening experience -- far more than I ever could have imagined.
My energy and efforts have shifted in the past few months as I pursue additional avenues for my passion for green living and modern design.
I intend to spend the summer working on landscaping projects, adding a rainwater capture container, painting some pictures for our walls and enjoying the fruits of our labors.
This will be my last post for the Star Tribune, but I will continue to write my biweekly blog for blog. exclusivelyhome.com.
I'd also like to share my "modest modern" philosophy via www.modestmodern.com, which I plan to launch later this year.
Someday I'd also like to build a retirement cabin on our land in northern Wisconsin. This time I'd like to do something off the grid, and maybe I'll write a blog about it.
Thanks again to everyone who has come to these pages and participated in my journey.
