When I arrived on Saturday, it felt as though I was seeing Kenoza Lake for the first time again, yet with renewed appreciation. This being immediately after touring the country with my closest friends, from where the images tattooed in my mind are as countless as the experiences. I was honored with the offer to be their Tour Manager and literally jumped at the opportunity. So, having completed the 13,000-mile journey, driven through 33 of our finest states, the nation’s capital, and two Canadian cities in the last six weeks, it still feels very wrong not to be in motion. (Thankfully, the spa is helping me readjust.)

Here is the link (ustheduo.com) to the band’s website if interested in more details and pictures, and here are a few you might not find, of Snake River in Idaho:

My Home Away From Home is simply not getting enough attention lately and it is worth noting that the current price of $438k reflects the actual cost of construction making the land effectively FREE!! I am increasingly anxious to begin the ‘next generation’ model home and before doing so, this one absolutely must be sold. This 3200 square foot, 4-BR smartly designed mountaintop home is the perfect weekend getaway for a family. From the rear porch you can enjoy the combination of the outdoor stone fireplace and listening to the birds compete with the waterfall in the background.

As an additional consideration, for those who might be interested, but not quite ready to make a purchase – consider the TEST DRIVE option. You can rent this home and see how you like it before you buy it. If you do, the full amount of rent can be taken as a credit towards the purchase price. I encourage any and all inquiries who would like some firsthand experience at lake living this summer!

Sure we have our fair share of deer and turkey, and lately, an abundance of their offspring. But, other residents generally go unnoticed so I thought the diversity was worth noting…

There are two baby skunks (one is camera shy) that I see almost daily on either side of the road as you begin going up the hill from the gate at Old Taylor Road – on Lots 12 and 13 primarily. They are generally foraging, but occasionally I’ve seen them playing or fighting, which is really fun to watch. While walking up the hill the other day, I ventured pretty close (slowly) and this baby didn’t mind or notice my presence whatsoever, as they are quite near-sighted.

Our legless friend has taken up residency in the stone wall that supports the sign at the entrance to Kenoza Lake Estates on Old Taylor Road, and this morning, decided to pose for the camera. This is about as close as I ever want to be to any snake regardless of size, shape or color, and we seem to have an understanding – I stay in the car and keep my distance and it stays in the stone wall, mostly in hiding. If you are snake-friendly, keep a look out, but don’t disturb the stones!

My fearless children practically ran up the ladder to the platform in the trees yesterday. Both Donovan with his binoculars, and my daughter Theia with her unabashed courage, were amazingly unfazed looking over the railing to the ground nearly 15 feet below!

This area of The Wanderlands is undergoing further developments, most recent of which is the installation of 10 new bird houses which literally encircle the treehouse. No new residents that we noticed yesterday, but once news travels among the bird community I’m certain they will fill up quickly. The access trails (East and West) are undergoing further improvement and stones have been delivered for the construction of fire pit (or two), which I will be determining the exact location of this week. More to come soon, so stay tuned!

Our latest addition to the Wanderlands is nearly complete! I would not have guessed, but standing in the treehouse, you are amazingly closer to what I’ll call the “fly zone”. One bird really brought this to my attention as it passed no more than 10 feet over my head, within 2 feet of the tree and doing somewhere close to mach 2. This experience inspired the thought of hanging a birdhouse and/or bird feeder on each of the 10 or so closest trees surrounding the treehouse. This will be the hottest talk among the birds in the community, comfortably hovering 15-20 feet above the surface.

A temporary floor has been installed as our few remaining logs (from the property) are being sent to the sawmill, so residents and guests are welcome to use it immediately. So feel free to follow the newly laid wood chip trail (think Yellow Brick Road) to this one of a kind viewing platform. The east trail access (for advanced hiking) is across the street from Lot 9 and the west trail access is across from Lot 19. Birdhouses to follow! 😉

The 1500-pound stone cap is just one of hundreds of “final touches” going on at Lot 7, but most are less dramatic. In truth, our team’s precision engineering and workmanship made this final touch look easy. I suppose having a crane comes in handy too..!

The interior is expected to be furniture ready by the end of the month and the exterior shortly thereafter (as long as it doesn’t snow again).

As with most of our projects, the completion is bittersweet. The months of working together on a project such as building a new home, which is filled with so many very personal choices, creates a personal bond. With the completion so near I’m feeling the first inklings of sadness already. All the best in your new home my friend! Cheers!

Plans for the next generation model home at Kenoza Lake are underway and before breaking ground, we would like to sell our current model, Home Away From Home. As an aggressive step in this direction, we have significantly reduced the price. Please check out what an amazing deal this is by clicking the picture below for the details.

This is the first lakefront home available for sale in Kenoza Lake. Up until now, if you wanted a home on the lake you would have to build it and wait the 6+ months to begin enjoying. Instant gratification is now available! This smartly designed and elegantly appointed home is move-in ready. Kick off the 2014 Summer in style and comfort while enjoying the privacy, tranquility, and cool mountain water that Kenoza Lake offers. Click on the picture below for more information.

Happy Spring and C’mon Inside!

My sincerest welcome to the new owners! Lot 1 is one of Kenoza Lake’s most unique, with half rolling open meadow, half forest, and tremendous views of all of Hust Pond. Like all of our lake view lots, Lot 1 includes unrestricted access to Kenoza Lake for recreation subject to our Covenants.

This marks our first sale of 2014 and spring is just around the corner (hopefully). If you’ve been on the fence it is time to jump down! Whether you are looking to design and build your custom retreat or purchase an existing lakefront or lake view home, Kenoza Lake has something special to offer – the perfect place to call home or Home Away From Home. So give us a call or send off an email and I will gladly give you a personal tour.

With snowflakes and the onset of nightfall, the lanterns at the gates to Kenoza Lake spring to life as welcoming beacons. Meanwhile, the spa is always a steamy 102 degrees at our home on Lot 11…!

I was visiting again about 10 days ago and enjoyed lots of great photo ops, spa time, and generally taking in much of Kenoza Lake’s winter splendor. Pack your snowshoes, cross country skis, and sleds for endless outdoor fun on our 400-acre playground and come see for yourselves what makes this place so special in all seasons. Don’t forget your shovel though!