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This is my initial list...possibly boring to read (but exciting to me). It is only preliminary, will take suggestions (especially to recreate the old house). I love the idea of oak kitchen cabinets with the oak grain. Some old 1920s kitchens had those (though I am not sure of the original kitchen in the Ridge Road house when the Day family had it), the 1960s kitchen Harry Cooley put in did have a darker stain wood cabinet. His kitchen also had light countertop. Instead of subway tiles though I am thinking of white shiplap to have an older look instead of shiny new. Here's the idea of oak drawers below, light countertop, shelving above rather than cupboards. Materials list: Ridge Road, Randolph Center, VT, Cape Cod style house with front large upside down V dormer Siding- Hardie plank smooth white Window trim white, 3 ½” wide, flat No shutters Retain molding details on front dormer of house and all along edge Roof- metal standing seam, medium gray Windows- Double hung, aluminum-clad wood outside, wood painted white inside Grill type- two over one, as realistic as possible (not pop-out grill or encased in glass grill) High quality in terms of energy efficiency Woodwork interior, all painted white wood, semi-gloss enamel paint 5 ½” flatboard baseboards with flat edge 3 ½” flatboard trim around interior windows All interior doors, solid wood, painted same white as woodwork 3-panel Shaker doors for all doors Except I have two old doors to use from the original house for the upstairs two bedrooms (do not repaint) I have one old closet door should be used in mudroom (do not repaint) I have one old very small door which should be used to recreate the secret passageway in upstairs hallway (do not repaint) All doorknobs needed- white porcelain All ceilings & walls sheetrock White ceilings Slightly off white (grayish tone) walls All floors wide board pine with square nails (except kitchen, mudroom, bathrooms) Kitchen, mudroom, and both bathrooms- solid sheet vinyl (pattern looks a little like concrete, a tannish/grayish mottled pattern) Armstrong CushionStep  B3252 “Ancient Fury Vinyl Sheet- Spitfire Shot” 12’ wide, low gloss (cannot install kitchen cabinets on top of this) Kitchen bases- medium stain oak (like old 1920s kitchens) with obvious grain pattern Mostly drawers on bases (no cupboards) except one tall ‘pantry’ cabinet Either slab style or full inset (I like the simple plain look of these) Open upper shelving of either same oak wood or white boards, no cupboards up Kitchen cabinet pulls- antique brass or bronze bin pulls Backsplash in kitchen- white shiplap boards Countertop quartz, white or off-white, simple infrequent pattern either lines or flecks Squared off front edges of countertop, slightly rounded corners Island between kitchen and dining room, use same oak kitchen cabinet bases with simple, attractive back (viewed from dining room), drawers on kitchen side, same countertop as kitchen Sink, white single large basin (double wide with no separation), drop down type White appliances in kitchen- refrigerator (bottom pull-out freezer), dishwasher, induction stove top, microwave.  As simply designed appearance as possible but energy efficient. Consumer Reports Best Buy appliances. White washer/dryer in mudroom, energy efficient, Consumer Reports Best Buy appliances. White wooden shelving in mudroom, hooks, bench? cupboards? small closet? Vermont Castings Encore black enamel wood stove in living room Slate (or plain granite) stone base in one piece if possible Possibly naturally found rounded stones creating interesting wall behind stove? Bathrooms- Double sinks white, squared shape, drop down type Quartz countertops same as kitchen Bases- oak, same as kitchen One small closet in each bathroom White tub with shower in both bathrooms Large tiled walls inside shower enclosures, similar to countertop color Mitsubishi mini splits for AC upstairs and downstairs Electric hot water heater But maybe makes more sense to have forced air AC/heat furnace/hot water source? Need advice on this Ceiling fans in living room, and in each bedroom Ceiling light (simple chandelier type) over dining room table Lights drop-down over kitchen island Light over kitchen sink Entryway mudroom light in ceiling Lighting and outlets in screened in porch Lighting above each bathroom sink Lighting outside at each entry door and along the side of house with deck Lighting outside garage with switch in mudroom Ring doorbell cameras at each entry

I talked with another builder!  Recommended by my niece Emily Howe who has seen his work in Tunbridge for her husband John’s family (and he uses my nephew for excavation- Matt Loftus).  His name is RJ Hoyt (Rodney) from Chelsea.  I was excited to finally get to talk with him; we had done a bit of phone tag.  I will go up and meet with him this month, see his work and show him the site. He is available for 2026 so that will work for us.  We are not in a hurry (especially Danny) but I tell folks we may move in about 3 years. I am happy to get more estimates.  You can’t build a house with just one estimate, right?  This will be Estimate Number Two. RJ was easy to talk to and sounds like a nice guy. Emily says he is the best and I trust her opinion.  He does the whole job, septic, foundation, and finishing. I sent him my rough floor plans and elevations, along with a photo of each side of the old house to let him know what we want to recreate.  He sent me photos of an almost identical Cape Cod house he built last year!  The only big difference is the dormer on the front.  Anyway, his work looks great and the house he built was beautiful.  I am happy for any forward movement on creating the Vermont Cooley house.

Today I got to meet Joseph Bertrand from Central Vermont Building & Design, LLC.  Thank you to Phil Godenschwager for suggesting Joe. Our meeting was at the house site in Randolph Center on Ridge Road.  We were welcomed with kisses from Mazey Cooley. It was wonderful just standing with this view, but standing with a builder, someone who can help deliver a dream was great! I think Joe Bertrand and the Cooleys are well-matched.  He believes in quality and not rushing a job.  He is willing and able to make lots of suggestions with all of his experience, but respects what the owner wants as well.  He has been building in the Randolph area for over 30 years.  Beautiful work. He believes in simplicity when possible and that is my goal as well.  It was a pleasure meeting him.  I am convinced he would recreate the Cooley house and we would have a wonderful (modernized in only the best ways) little white Cape on the hill again. Though I don't think we are ready to start this year, the house could be started in the fall season with the foundation, get the shell up, then work on the interior over a winter.  It could be finished by the next spring/summer for move in! I would like to do some preliminary work before that process.  Take trees down (unfortunately two of the Maples close to the house do not look great) and have a source of wood for a wood stove, then install the new septic system which Joe said the state of Vermont almost always requires a mounded system (but the site to the north of house would allow for that since it naturally is somewhat bowl-shaped), put up the garage (which would provide storage and a work space for the builders), and look at the water/well situation.  So maybe the house could be a Fall 2025-Summer 2026 project. He can start with some basic estimates, but more exact estimates would come after drawings from Phil of the floor plan plus elevations.  Then decisions on heating, cooling, flooring, kitchen, walls, ceilings, trim, windows, siding, roofing, etc.  That would then provide us with a clear quote/contract. What I need is more estimates from other builders so I know we are making the right choice.  The problem…they are all busy and don’t get back to me.  One from Chelsea, Vermont did call me back once and I had forgotten to turn my phone sound back on (after being silenced for the night) so I missed his call.  I will keep trying. Joe said we could save the fieldstone in the foundation to use for stone walls! Notice all the chervil growing in that northern part of the lot (the septic system location).

One of the projects that needs to be undertaken at the Ridge Road House is tackling the Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris, called Cow Parsley in England) that is invading/filling the fields on either side of the house. As you probably know, an invasive plant is non-native and may tend to overtake native species when it moves into an area. This one came from Europe and is sometimes included in wild flower mixes. Most people in Vermont know it as something that first showed up in great amounts along the Interstate Highways and was most likely spread from mowing there. Mowing equipment can become 'contaminated' with the seeds, thereby spreading them at the next mowing location. Farmers who mow along the road first and then later mow their fields might carry the seeds into their fields. In addition, Chervil sap can be irritating to some animals that come into contact with it. The bottom line is, if you want to grown something else in an area where Chervil has invaded, it is pretty difficult to compete with it. In an article in the White River Valley Herald (all the way back in 2003) Victoria Weber, from Bethel, VT suggested that Randolph, Vermont might be Chervil capital of the state. Vermont now has a sugaring season, a mud season, and a Chervil season (blooming from mid-May until mid-June). After mid-June you can make things worse and increase the spread of it by trying to work with it (since seeds will then be present). https://www.ourherald.com/articles/expert-to-lecture-its-wild-chervil-time/ The mystery is why this plant, which has supposedly been reported in the area since the early 1900s has become so aggressive in the 2000s. It doesn't seem to cause such great problems in N.H. Maybe it is simply a factor of time plus mowing methods, then throw in a little climate change intensity which tends to benefit aggressive invasives. Ironically enough, as I researched whether it is bad for horses to ingest (I want to recreate the paddock in front of the barn eventually), I found this article in "Irish Sport Horse Magazine" 2024, that recommended grazing your horse on Wild Chervil. They seem to relish it like carrots, the article states. Hmm, if they don't develop a rash from it, maybe horses could be suggested as a way to control it...let the horses in there until they continuously eat it all down to dirt. https://www.irishsporthorsemagazine.com/the-benefits-of-cow-parsley-for-horses/ However an article in Northern Woodlands, May 29, 2005, claims horses and cows don't like it. I would certainly agree that it is not conducive to baling in with hay, since it is a tough, big, herbaceous plant that will likely mold in the hay rather than drying properly. https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/its-wild-chervil-season An article in "Vermont Invasives" describes the plant and suggests control mechanisms. On a small scale you can dig up individual plants, being careful to leave nearby non-invasive native plants intact. The less you disturb the ground, the less likely Wild Chervil seeds will sprout there. Wear gloves, cover your body with long sleeves and pants (the sap can irritate skin). Of course it is a difficult plant to dig up, with strong roots. On a large scale basis you can try to smother the plants using a combination of cardboard and thick black plastic, though this can take years. And yes, there are herbicides you could use. Wild Chervil is resistant to many chemicals and you have to have knowledge and training to apply any pesticide. There are risks to native plants, animals, and water supplies. Don't apply during bloom since bees would be affected. Don't apply when windy since you will have drift, etc. Any one method above is not going to be successful in eliminating Wild Chervil. https://www.vtinvasives.org/invasive/wild-chervil#:~:text=General%20Guidance:%20%C2%B7%20Chemical%20treatment%20has%20limited,the%20species%20is%20resistant%20to%20many%20herbicides. It's going to be an interesting experiment. Charlie Cooley will be watching I'm sure.

Phil Godenschwager suggested a screen-in porch for the design of the Ridge Road house. I decided it would be a great idea (we loved one we had on West St in Amherst, MA and used it a lot in the 1980s). This would give us a covered porch area. We could leave the deck on the south side uncovered, letting as much light into the south side of the house as possible- the dining room and living room wouldn't be as dark as it would be with a covered porch. Thank you for that suggestion Sara and I agree. The screened-in porch could be off the dining room/kitchen on the east side of the house (with a little southern exposure), towards the back where the old fireplace living room/garage were. We would get the best of both worlds...one uncovered deck for days of sitting and looking at the view, one screened-in covered porch for shady insect-free dining or sitting. We could have electricity out there for sitting in the evenings with a lamp on for reading. I need Phil's help with the added roof line of the screened in porch (elevation) and what the siding/windows/screens would look like. I want it to blend in with the existing design of the house but also be one of the features that adds character. Something you look at and think, "I want to sit there!"

Progress in the rebuilding of the Cooley house on Ridge Road- I have started to touch base with some excellent builders (but since they are busy I haven’t met with anyone yet, but am eager when they are available).  Phil Godenschwager can start on the floorplans and elevations for the house in June or July. Since I can’t start building the Cooley house just yet, I will make Charles’s barn my summer project.  This photo was taken January 4th so I’m sure the buds on trees are starting to soften the landscape now, the snow is gone, and the grass is starting to green up. I love the way the barn uses the hill to have an entrance into the loft.  The sleigh is parked up there. I want to sort through things, which will require heavy work gloves and may involve a dumpster. At least a metals pile.  I can make some trips to the dump myself. I want to check the structure and get ready for horses there.  I was pleased that Jim Hudson (my niece’s husband) gave it the thumbs up for the building.  He knows his way around structures after building his own house, his summer house on his pond, etc.  I wasn’t sure how adept Charles was with building but most farmers have some experience in the Jack of All Trades Department.  I had seen some plans for a barn that Charles had bought.  I know the barn has electricity and water and some stall space.  I’m excited to put horses back (or at least a horse, a mini horse, and a donkey) into that pasture where my <3 horse Fern Hill Alexandra, Lexa, once stood with her mother Suzanne Royalty (Suzie). Since I was once called The Mad Sweeper by another boarder at a previous barn, you can imagine I can’t wait to hit the place with a broom!  Get anything old and molding out, paint the entrance door to the barn, organize remaining useful tools.  I will let you know what I discover in there.  It will be a labor of love- for Charles and for horses, past and present. I need to work on the paddocks since Wild Chervil is prevalent there.  I will have to do a lot of work.  I am debating digging up and baking the pulled plants under plastic to kill them vs. covering an entire paddock with black plastic for 2 years.  Neither is an exciting prospect or very pretty either.   But herbicides don’t work on this nasty plant as most Vermonters know.  Mowing can only happen before seed formation or the equipment carries the seeds to innocent pastures.  I imagine it will be an ongoing battle there on Ridge Road since it has made its way onto the property. Here’s an article about Wild Chervil, Anthriscus sylvestris that appeared in the Herald, Randolph, Vermont way back in 2007. https://www.ourherald.com/articles/invasive-wild-chervil-blooms-again-unless-you-pull-it-up/

The first Cooleys started a farm on Ridge Road, Randolph Center. Anna (Hale) & Augustus Cooley, their son Harry Cooley center. Augustus's son Harry Cooley married Gertrude Small Harry's son Charles Cooley married Lois Rogers Charles's son Daniel Cooley married Sylvia Shepard Daniel's son Alex Cooley married Brittany Baumann Children: Harry Hale Cooley 1893-1986 Sumner Dewey Cooley Hollis Raymond Cooley Oscar William Cooley Emerson Frisbie Cooley Children: Idora Gertrude Cooley Tucker Ruth Hilda Cooley Demarest Godfrey (Marion) Marian Rogene Cooley Stouder Charles Henry Cooley 1926-2017 John Hale Cooley Children: Daniel Rogers Cooley 1952 (Charles) Peter Cooley Matthew (Marshal) Cooley Paul Andrew Cooley Children: Alexander Shepard Cooley 1985 Harry Cooley Charles Cooley Charles & Alex Cooley Dan Cooley

Supplied by Tim Cooley from his father John Cooley's slide collection

I can't decide if I am just obsessed with recreating a similar house or if I am truly inspired by the old house to get new ideas. At any rate the old kitchen got me thinking about wood cabinets (rather than an all-white kitchen), light countertop to contrast with the wood cabinets (and brighten up the kitchen) and white appliances (rather than stainless steel). The old kitchen: OK, so not exactly inspiring. Here's my playing around with these ideas- I like minimalist cabinets without all of the hoopla (of fancy edges, curved molding, added framing, or too many details). There is a cabinet company in Greenfield, MA near us named Boxco, https://boxco.studio/ that makes simple cabinets that I think would help make a new kitchen look older (surprising, since minimalist usually means modern). Compare these Boxco cabinets below to the original 60's cabinets above. Try to picture just these cabinets in a lighter color (not the green backsplash, not the black handles, not the black countertop). I could even try to replicate those 60s silver handles- One way to create an older impression (in a new kitchen) is to use upper shelving rather than upper cabinets. I love the wood cabinets above (simple lines, no extra framing) but too dark, grainy/oaky. I think I like Maple. I do like the countertop. But I would choose different handles (though these do look old.) Here's a kitchen with wood cabinets and white appliances: I like this wood of the cabinets above (but do not like the 'holes' substituting for cabinet handles). Instead of the half-wall separating the kitchen and dining room, I would just use more lower kitchen cabinets to create sort of an island like this (except picture wood cabinets and light countertop): You'd have to make sure the back side of it (towards the dining room) has a nice finished appearance, like this: I have thought about using white wooden shiplap or white wainscoting as a backsplash. Less modern than subway tiles. Still bright and light with a contrast to darker wooden cabinets below. And I do want the 3 windows over the kitchen sink. Should I do this? Or this? Thank you for letting me have fun here and thank you for your input!

These are very basic. I don't have all details on them yet. If you see the trim I drew on the front of the house (west side) imagine there is trim on all other windows and doors on other sides. Full of erasure marks, etc. But SO MUCH FUN! I will post them twice. Once without comments, then again with what is behind each window or door for rooms. It's important to me that the front of the house look as much like the original as possible. I have tried to capture the molding, the big front door with its side lights (but I'm sure Phil will help me capture it more accurately from photos.) The living room is located where it was in the old house. The downstairs bedroom in the same spot. I want to have the stairwell and that wide front hallway open to the living room, doing away with the wall separation.  There won't be the 3rd bedroom upstairs, but it will be saved as a Reading Nook/extra sleeping space (as suggested by Sara Tucker.). The south side (below) was always the 'usual entry' for most visitors. Here the difference will be French doors at the entry (let in as much light as possible). I left space along the wall in the dining room for Grampa Cooley's (Harry's) desk, so it can be in its usual spot. I have not drawn in the covered porch yet...I need help with that. Nice big deck area with room for company to sit out beside the dining room/living room and enjoy that view. Phil suggests a screened in porch for part of it (maybe along the dining room area?). Should I have the living room windows be French doors as well...a whole side of the house that opens to the deck/porch via doors? Or keep it more traditional with the living room windows as they were? There will be a 'new' dormer along the back of the house to allow for an upstairs guest bathroom. Here you can see new dining room windows (where the connection to the 2nd house/saltbox Fireplace room used to be on the far left of the drawing), the usual door into the kitchen area, the kitchen windows above the sink, then to the north of that- the matching 3-paned windows up high for the laundry and mudroom. (Note…I decided in a later post that this is not good aesthetically so see future changes.) We may have a garage along the north for entry into the mudroom. On the north side of the house you can see the mudroom entryway (that will lead past the laundry and into the kitchen). (Note…this gets switched to the back of the house in a future post.) High windows in the 'master bath' and the master bedroom north windows. Upstairs the other of two guest bedrooms.

The upstairs will be very similar to the old house except for no walls around the '3rd bedroom,' (keeping it open for light into the hallway upstairs while still providing extra sleeping space and a reading nook, thank you Sara for suggestion), and the bathroom will have a true dormer to not be so squeezed into the space. I have added lots of closets along the two window-less walls for storage and for guests to use, and figured the bedrooms do not have to be huge to be useful (but may have overdone it). I need suggestions for the most aesthetically pleasing and safe way to 'rail in' the stairs above (without that wall there). I don't especially like the idea of stair balusters lining the side (and it would have to be high enough for kids to not lean over the top)...but if there are especially cool ones or attractive ones or design-appropriate ones I'd like to see them. The downstairs (already shown in earlier post except the mudroom entry here has been moved to the back (east) side of the house and the two high windows in the mudroom/laundry has been replaced by one conventional window. Still pondering the porch/deck. I am with Sara...porches can darken rooms and I don't want dark rooms. But having the protection of a roof from sun or rain could be nice and cozy out there. Either way, I definitely want at least a deck for enjoying that view.

A reader/family member suggested changing the north side less (from the original house design) and to do that have the mudroom entrance on the east side instead of the north side.  Good idea. So now the only difference from the original house on the north side are the bathroom windows. On the east side (back of the house) I changed two of the little high windows in my design to one conventional window.  I didn’t like the little windows all in a row there aesthetically, though they would have allowed more wall space.  I kept the one above the kitchen sink as it was in the original design. This is what suggestions by readers can help with, thank you!