The house across the street is a project of mine. We restored the uninhabited(not livable) 1850's house and barn over the last couple years. Our theme: Make the exterior look like the day it was built in 1850. The interior is 2014 only given away by the original windows I reused with a type of storm window I build.

The building is used as a bookstore and little cafe, a studio apartment up, mostly a philanthropic venture by the owner and friend of mine to fit events and things for we locals. There's been author readings and little concerts in the old barn. This was a Halloween concert this fall. It looks like it's about to fall down, but I think I have it under control,...(right Steve? )

Almost exactly a year ago, the lawn looked green as well in the middle of December.

We've had several frosts and a few mornings in the teens. I considered launching the dinghy for a sail yesterday. Scrolling through photos of last year, my memory was jolted to see that Rockport Harbor was frozen over just three weeks from now(earliest I remember). It was brutally cold. Just a another week going forward(last year), and here is what the old house looked like.

Makes me shiver looking at that today. Good test for my project though; still looking like 1850 to the street, we heated it nicely with two small heat pumps, the buildings only source of heat.