Eugene Breker guiding in a log to be cleaned on the deck as Kirk and Nate work on the wall.

Coteau des Prairies Lodge raising the skyline on the prairie.

John Hanson selecting the next 'perfect' log. A difficult job, but a job well done by John.

Kirk Ivankovich putting logs together for a corner. See how one is notched and one is angled to fit perfectly in the notch? Not quite the same as Lincoln Logs.

Jeff Richards guides a log into place.

Braces are used along the length of the walls to support the weight of the heavy logs where there are cutouts for windows or doors.

West wall glowing in the setting sun, showing off its natural beauty.

Nate Rude and Jeff Richards of Horizon Custom Contracting, the team of general contractors who are in charge of the building project.

There is Joe again with that maul. Do you think he is releasing any stress?

Eugene Breker and Mike VanVucanburg, on cleaning crew, break for a quick photo op.

Remarkable before and after image of a log. This shows the transformation each log goes through in the cleaning process.

Evening angle shot of the logs with shadows showing amazing texture of the logs.

Phillip Breker showing off his pipes. They ought to be impressive after scrubbing logs!

John Hanson in his element as he selects another log from the log yard. Joe Breker's cattle don't seem to mind at all.

An indispensable tool on the construction site. Well, actually two of them.

Kirk Ivankovich using a pencil to make scribe marks where the power planer will shave the wood to match the adjoining log.

Scribe marks where a log will be planed to match the adjoining log at this 'butt joint'.

Who says you can't have fun while you work?

A long wood drill is used to drill through the thick logs.

A maul strikes a piece of rebar, driving it through two logs to fasten them together.

Nate Rude drilling a hole for rebar. The rebar fastens the logs together.

John Hanson watching as a log is being brought to him by Chuck Sundlie with the boom lift.

Joe Breker following the scribe marks with a power planer.

Joe Breker using a power planer, an awesome tool! Notice the pencil lines on the log. Joe is 'scribing' to match this log with the one it will meet on the wall.

John Hanson, the log picker, making notes about measurements for logs he needs to find for the next layer of logs on the wall.

Eugene Breker buffing a log with a powered stiff plastic bristle brush to clean and polish a ponderosa pine log.

Kirk Ivankovidh snapping a chalk line to provide precision in log wall construction.

Our friend, Wilder, from Peru has been living with Joe & Patty Breker and working on the lodge. He is a master with the draw knife.

Every new log brings discussion. Logs are a very irregular product, each piece is unique. Each one needs special consideration for placement.

A busy log working crew building Coteau des Prairies Lodge.

View of Coteau des Prairies Lodge from the new 'under construction' driveway as you approach from the west.

Nate and Kirk hoist a log into place. Notice the rebar on the top of log. The rebar is pounded through the log and into the next like a giant nail.

Kirk Ivankovich and Nate Rude cut Sil Seal, an insulation, to fit between the logs.

Chuck, Kirk and Eugene starting off the morning right.

Bird's eye view of the construction progress after 4 to 5 layers of logs completed.