Responds to your ongoing care

Let it go or take action? Just like a good friend, your historic house will respond to ongoing care. You know what happens when you ignore a friend, never call, and say "no" when asked to do a favor? So, do your house a favor and maintain it! Give that porch railing a fresh coat of paint. It will keep the wood beneath from rotting away. Your house will return the favor by costing you less to replace its precious parts over time, and, most important, will retain its historic character. If you let that crack in the paint film go, the smooth surfaces will become rough; the tight joints will loosen and open up; the porch railing will rot; and you may end up falling off the porch and breaking a leg. Only one question remains: would you rather be lying in the snow and ice on a cold winter's night, or be out on your porch with a paint brush in your hand on a pleasant spring afternoon? Photo: ŠJohn Leeke.