Doug Spieker, master welder, works his magic as he welds on the enormous north window steel tubing and beams. Quite the view he has there, if only he wasn't wearing a welding mask!

Doug Spieker apparently doesn't mind heights as he welds on the north window in a basket over 30 feet above the ground outside.

Olivia Stenvold, log cleaner extraordinaire, moves this beauty to the log cleaning station for a good buffing.

Visitors are greeted with the curious sight of this massive towering steel structure rising from the lodge.

Breathtaking perspective of the North Dakota plains through the three story picture window of Coteau des Prairies Lodge.

The south view lounge boasts a terrific panoramic view of the Coteau des Prairies as it continues it's climb into nearby South Dakota.

The south view lounge has a very stately appearance as it sits upon the massive ponderosa pine log pillars.

The north window is soundly anchored into the concrete of the lower level wall.

The heavy steel north window is engineered to provide strength and rigidity for the whole building.

The amazing steel structure on the north end of the lodge towers above the crest of the prairie coteau. But the lodge will grow higher yet, just wait and see!

Gideon, Noah and Benaiah Breker play in the lodge while their dad Phillip is home on the farm to work on the lodge.

A pile of freshly cleaned logs lies near the log cleaning crew hard at work preparing truss and purlin logs.

Workers clean a batch of logs for use to build log roof trusses and purlins for the roof structure.

Jeff Richards, Horizon Custom Contracting, is the mastermind behind much of what you have seen at Coteau des Prairies Lodge. We are blessed to be working with this skilled and talented contractor.

Joe Breker and Jeff Richards must be checking their calendars and planning for the next week...or they could be playing Angry Birds head-to-head. You never know.

Coteau des Prairies Lodge gains height on the coteau as the construction process marches on.

A view of the winding, hill climbing portion of the new driveway. You will love the scenic drive along the ridge of the coteau leading up to the lodge!

Olivia Stenvold, Coteau des Prairies Lodge Manager, giving a tour to a group of curious visitors.

The south end of the lodge was tented and Joe and Patty Breker stained and finished the logs. Don't they look great?

Phillip Breker and his boys, Noah and Gideon, walk the evergreen forest down the hill from the lodge for pheasants.

The Joe and Patty Breker family poses (or at least attempts to pose) for a photo below the hill where the lodge is being built.

A row of concrete columns line either side of the lodge. They will support the porch and porch roof.

Concrete columns are being poured which will join steel beams and hold up the west wing.

Footings have been poured for the west wing, a 36' x 30' second floor addition we will construct once we get the main building enclosed.

View of the grand north window structure of the lodge from the hillside below the lodge.