Sunday update: My box still just has an empty nest. I wonder if it's a dummy nest????? Only saw the sparrow once today, but the wrens were around once too. Ugh. Wish the bluebirds would nest in my box, but at least both male and female are coming to my yard to eat mealworms. My neighbor's box had one egg in it today! Being that they are out of town, I am monitoring their box. We put up a baffle (metal stovepipe) and made and installed a sparrow spooker today. It is quite the spooker too! We actually bought fringed mylar and stapled it to the dowels after priming and painting them so they will hold up in the weather. We made three spookers, hoping I will need one and made one for another neighbor too. Question: Is there anything we can do to keep the wrens away?

Great shots Kenn! I am still wondering if our Blues here in our yard will nest again. It is kinda late for here in WI but they only had one nesting as they were way behind the other Blues in the area. They maybe had a failed first nesting elsewhere. It has been a week today since they fledged, I have noticed Dad keeping an eye on the nestbox, a wren was checking it out and he chased it away. I haven't seen the babies come into the backyard yet though, they are keeping them in the woodsy area yet. One of our Blues at the park is on their second nesting, the four eggs just hatched day before yesterday. The other pair down there I "think" chose not to do a second nesting, either that or they found a natural cavity as I see them enough down there but they haven't started another nest in any of the empty nestboxes. Donna

If you're leaning towards keeping some of the original features like the brown trim, there's definitely a way to make it work without painting everything white. You could consider adding a neutral or earthy paint color to the walls to complement the brown trim, making it feel more intentional and cohesive. As for the paneling, if it comes off easily, that might open up the room and modernize it, but if it’s a hassle, painting it could be a great solution. A muted green could look fantastic against the wood tones, bringing in a natural feel that’s both calming and stylish. As you're making these changes, don’t forget the little details that can make a big difference. Updating the shelving by either removing them or giving them a fresh coat of paint could also modernize the space. And, if you're dealing with any large items or debris during the renovation, a service like junk hauling Indianapolis can be a lifesaver to keep your project moving smoothly without clutter piling up.

Yes, the book cases are buildt- ins .. I currently have a bar on the left side of the fireplace that I would like to keep, as there is no where else in the house it seems to fit. The lower cupbards are refrig, glassware and liquor. The kitchen is in the adjacent room. If I took them down I still would want shelving for a few family photos .. how to do this without looking cluttered? would floating shelves look better? The daytime photos outside my windows are trees and lake, no neighbors.. but, eventually will get just not a necessity at this time. I just want to fix this wall as I think it looks very 1990’s countryish! .Do you think that all dark wood and fireplace painted to match light colored walls would be an improvement? I will eliminate the blue. Thanks so much for your unput!!