Thirty years of admiration turned into a dream come true when a couple living two houses off Lake Minnetonka bought a historic property on a peninsula in the lake. "Spirit Knob," named for a distinctive, large mound of white clay that was located on the end of the peninsula, was formerly owned by the Washburn family as a summer home. The Washburns had owned Washburn Mills and the Washburn Crosby Company.

"We feel the sense of history here. It's truly a special place."

The history and significance of the property dates long before the Washburns discovered it. Well-worn footpaths that remain today likely were made by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. Mythology holds that the property's point was a bloody, sacrificial ground; a sacred burial ground; or a hallowed ground for worship.

The property is considered one of the five holiest places by the Dakota tribe. The Indians believe that it was the home of Manitou, who ruled Minnetonka. In fact, Native Americans believed that Spirit Knob was the source of all water in the world.

Native Americans continue to contact the homeowners for permission to worship on the property. One visitor built a half-ring, stone fire pit on the peninsula.

The clay mound also was used as a navigation point around Lake Minnetonka. Whatever happened to the mound and a large stone on the point is unknown. Some believe white men knocked it down; one story has it being hauled to the Smithsonian Museum. Native Americans have told the homeowners that Indians knocked it into the lake.

A nearby island is believed to have been a burial ground for Native Americans.

The Washburns' house eventually burned down. Another owner built the current home in 1947. The property is smaller than what originally belonged to the Washburns. A former tennis court, for example, is now the site of a house on an adjoining property. Spirit Knob still includes nearly three acres and 1,600 feet of lakeshore.

With Lower Lake in front of the house and Wayzata Bay behind it, every window in the house has a view of Lake Minnetonka. The windier side of the property faces Lower Lake, which has a sandy beach. The other side faces calmer Wayzata Bay, where the family's boats are docked. Besides the beauty in every direction, the location means that the homeowners can view fireworks from both the front and back of their house on the Fourth of July.

Let the renovation begin

A few years ago, with the house in need of many repairs, the couple needed to decide between renovating it or selling it. A new owner likely would raze the house and build what they described as "another McMansion." They decided to renovate, which turned into a major project, affecting everything from the floors and ceilings to the walls, most right down to the studs.

Some details remain from the old house, including an "intercom" outside the chauffeur's room up a side stairs.

The exterior of the English ivy-covered house is largely unchanged. A large pergola remains, as do two dressing rooms and a bathroom, accessible from the outside, which are used by the family and guests after swimming. One of landscape architect Todd Irvine's projects was remodeling the patio area. New patio stones incorporate a couple in sailboat shapes that the homeowner designed.

Mary Jane Pappas, working with Maureen Haggerty, was in charge of the home's interior design.

Details, details

The home's front door opens to a silk Turkish rug in red, white and black tones that the couple bought on a trip. Straight ahead, through the cream-colored living room, is Lake Minnetonka as seen through a large picture window.

Walls along the stairs and upstairs are among the most beautiful features of the renovation. Local artist Darril Otto applied Venetian plaster. Otto uses chipped and powdered marble from Italy for his technique. He hand-trowels it on, sands it, repeats the process two times, and then applies a subtle wax coating. A gold-taupe color adorns much of the upstairs walls, with walls in one bathroom showing off a lustrous blue marble finish.

Other details include:

• Green slate floors were used in the new mudroom and Australian bottlebrush floors in the kitchen and hallway.

• An armoire in the master bedroom was handmade and hand-painted in Italy.

• Other finds from their travels include hand-painted silk Fortuni lights in the dressing room. Three sides of the dressing room are lined with white cabinets.

• Just for fun, little critters are scattered throughout the house - such as the painted butterfly and ladybug adorning the grandfather clock in the stairwell landing, and artist-created green frogs on a tabletop.

Gardens galore 

The homeowners have done yeomans' work restoring the woods and garden areas, including clearing many thick patches of invasive buckthorn, and spending countless hours uncovering, weeding and planting gardens. At least 350 species of hosta thrive in the shady spots. Lady slippers, blue gentian and other wildflowers bloom, as do millions of blue scilla in the spring. They are thrilled when they find flowers that the Washburns planted, and try to add native plants and trees to the property.

Items from their travels, including a teak bench from Bali, hold prominent spots in the woods and garden areas. Some parts of the woods and gardens hadn't been properly tended for decades. The homeowners' efforts resulted in uncovering a stone path, two rock gardens, a pond that was plumbed to the lake, and even a small waterfall.

The homeowners claim no favorite spot on the property. "We like to go everywhere here. It's like being in the North Woods and it's very private, yet we're only 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis."

Walk around this Lake Minnetonka home and it looks like the outdoors has crept inside. Whimsical critters are scattered throughout the house in lots of unexpected places - from the kitchen faucet to a grandfather clock on a stairs landing. These beautiful and fun replicas and artwork of insects and small animals bring a smile as you walk room to room.

A turtle holds a bar of soap in the bath, a praying mantis holds court on top of a large metal leaf, two frogs frolic in the sunlight, and a beautiful, shiny rabbit adorns a countertop.

'Yoga Chicks' Find Ideal Spot to Meditate

Carla Marie Friedman teaches yoga at the Life Time Athletic and Life Spa in Minnetonka, Minn. At a previous fitness center where she taught yoga, she and several of her students formed a strong friendship. "The Yoga Chicks," as they call themselves, enjoy yoga and their friendship so much that they started to socialize and practice yoga together outside of the studio.

The women started meeting at each other's homes. They found a special place to meditate this past summer when they arrived at one group member's home on Lake Minnetonka. "It's a very special place," Friedman said. "Yoga is all about creating space - opening up space in our bodies for inner awareness. Doing a yoga meditation so close to nature helps balance our inner and outer worlds. We become more grounded.

"The water is soothing," she continued. "You can feel the life energy of the water. And the trees, with their stillness, are in constant meditation - just like we are when we sit in silence in our poses near the water."

The closeness to nature, that literally surrounded them, and the chance to meditate with the sounds of water so close by were a special treat for group members. "The nearby gardens on the property are a special place, too," Friedman said. "It's just a perfect place for the Yoga Chicks to go to and feel renewed from the stresses of everyday life," Friedman said. "It adds to the experience."

By Barb Umberger