By Carolyn Martens
The Durant Education and Service Sorority is happy to announce that the Annual Parade of Homes will take place on Sunday, Dec. 2. Homes on the tour will be open for viewing from 1-5 p.m.
In conjunction with the Parade of Homes, there will be a gift show at Opera House Coffee, located at 200 Evergreen Street, from 12-5 p.m., with over a dozen booths featuring beauty products, baked goods, clothing, and more! Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. They can be purchased from any DESS member, as well as at Bliss Boutique, Marie’s, The Medicine Store, Hot Shots, and Kopper Kettle.
The first home we would like to feature is that of Scott and Janell Martin, and their son, Blake. It is located at 1566 Bryan Road in Durant.
Scott is a rancher and investment manager, and Janell is a retired teacher and newly ordained minister. She and her husband travel and share God’s word and love to all they encounter. Their son, Blake, is a pilot for Enoy/American based in Dallas, Texas.
Their classic farmhouse was built in 2008 by Jody and Rhonda Harrison. In 2013, Birdhead Ranch was established when the Martins put three places together for a total of 117 acres. The house sits on the front 20 acres, while the rest of the acreage includes a 10-acre pecan orchard, two ponds, and pastures holding quarter horses and a small black Angus cattle herd.
The home consists of 3,150 square feet of warm and inviting living space and has 1,300 square feet of porches, in true farmhouse style. It is two stories with four bedrooms and three and a half baths. They have been told that theirs is a home where friends and families come together and want to stay.
In 2014, the Martins added an entry way with custom gates. As you come down the driveway, you will pass by a prayer garden with custom made crosses, beautifully setting the tone of the land and home. The Martins enjoy a view of rolling hills covered with horses and a magnetic oak tree just behind the house, which can best be seen from the double window at the top of the stairs. Scott has been erecting a historic style, 4,100 square foot horse barn that will serve as the Birdhead headquarters. There is also a 2,300 square foot shop on the property that houses Scott’s various projects.
Janell plans to display a tree and nativity in every room on the tour, so enjoy the hunt to find each one. Guests will also discover a nutcracker collection that started when Blake was a baby and is added to each year.
