A wildlife haven in the backyard

from Country Acres - January 15 edition

by Star Publications

Recreating masterpieces

A wildlife haven

in the backyard Tommerdahls’ creek, wooded Tommer hillside is a photography “studio” hillside is a

BY SARAH COLBUR | BY SA STAFF WRITER

SAUK CENTRE – On a cold, wintry day, the water of SAUK CENT Ashley Creek appears to stand still under a frozen layer of ice. Ashley Creek appe The creek meanders through Nancy and Blake Tommerdahl’s The creek meande backyard, dotted by trees that cast dancing shadows on the backyard, dotted b ground below. ground below.

The Tommerdahls live on two-and-a-half acres in Sauk The Tommerd Centre and they chose the property specifi cally because of Centre and they the water source. The creek is what beckoned to the couple the water source from the minute they saw the land. Nancy found the home from the minute on Facebook; it was posted by one of her classmates who on Facebook; it was assisting her mother in selling her childhood home. was assisting he

The property was enough for the Tommerdahls to The proper move from Fergus Falls back to Sauk Centre where Nancy move from Ferg grew up. grew up.

It’s a place where the Tommerdahls relax on a warm It’s a place summer’s day. Lounge chairs grace the outdoor deck that summer’s day. L runs the length of the back of the house. Five bird feeders runs the length sustain the neighborhood birds and provide a playground sustain the nei for the chickadees that hop from the feeders to the nearby for the chickad tree, the only birds that carry their snack back to the tree, the on tree to eat. tree to Tommerdahls page 25

PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM Blake and Nancy Tommerdahl live on two-and-a-half acres along Blake and Nancy Ashley Creek north of Sauk Centre, where they fully enjoy the Ashley Creek no wildlife in their back yard, and where Nancy photographs many wildlife in their diff erent species of birds and other animals. diff erent species

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