One of the joys of owning a cabin is when it has been built and you can begin to add things that reflect your personality. It is also exciting to add things that are functional and beautiful. That is why I was so pleased when I found this attractive storage box that seems fairly simple to build. Take a look at the directions for building this storage box on the Home Depot web site.
LeaRae Keyes
www.cabinstuff.com
We are into our fifth year working on our cabin in the woods. I am amazed how quickly the time has gone. It really doesn’t seem like we have been at this for five years already. Last year we built a sauna with a wash up room and a changing room. We are really enjoying having some place to clean up this year. We are off the grid (no connection to public utilities) and we do not have running water. We did have a well drilled last year so we can now get clean water without having to walk down to the lake and carry it up a bucket at a time. Besides which I struggle to carry a full bucket of water so I tend to only carry a half a bucket at a time.
This year we are working on finishing off the bunk room. When this is done, the entire first floor of the cabin (20 feet by 32 feet) will be finished. We built a closet with storage and book shelves. We also installed batten boards on the ceiling along with bead boards. We put a wave trim around the ceiling. Now we will put one or more additional coats of poly on the floor. The last thing to do is to plan and build the Queen size bunk beds.
How long have you been working on your cabin? What projects are you currently involved in doing? Do you have a way to keep track of what you have been doing and how long it has taken you? We keep track by writing on a calendar at the end of each day we are at the cabin what we accomplished that day.
LeaRae Keyes
www.cabinstuff.com
There are so many ways to build a cabin. It seems that log cabins get most of the attention, at least on the internet. However, there are other building materials that can be used. I love seeing what materials others are using to build their cabin. The materials seem to be related to the place and climate where the cabin is being built. Some materials are easier to come by then others and some are easier to get into remote spots.
I had not previously been aware of a technique called slipform. This appears to be a definite option to consider if you live in a damp climate. For more information on this technique go to http://www.hollowtop.com/cls_html/stone_cabin.htm
What interesting and unique materials have you seen used to build cabins?
Today while we were walking through a store we saw an outdoor heater. One of these seems as if it would be perfect for our cabin especially after we add a couple porches and a deck. This would give us a jump on spring and allow us to stay outside longer in the fall.
In Minnesota, and perhaps where you are, the summer is just never long enough for me. In addition, one of joys of spring and fall are that there are fewer flying insects so time outside is more enjoyable. When I am at the cabin I love to be outside and enjoying being surrounded by nature, and the peace and quiet of being in the north woods.
The newer outdoor heaters look more attractive and come with more bells and whistles. No, not literally. They do have options like remote controls and can run on propane and electricity.
I have to put one of these on my wish list.
Have you seen the new humorous commercial for the Gorilla Gripper that’s being emailed around? It’s a good example of the attempts at viral marketing that are showing up in your and my email box with increasing frequency.
The Gorrilla Gripper < www.gorillagripper.com > is a new gripping hand tool designed for lifting, carrrying, and
moving building materials, especially 4×8 sheets of anything that needs moving.
You can buy the Gorrilla Gripper online for $49.95.
Watch their entertaining commercial at http://www.gorillagripper.com/videos/commercial.html.
I came across these calculators and wanted to share them with you. I wish I had found them sooner. They would have been helpful as we are calculator materials. I hope you are able to use them early in your cabin building process. http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/calculators.html
LeaRae Keyes
CabinStuff
I am sure that it is costing you more and more to travel to your cabin as gasoline prices continue to increase. You are probably shocked by the rising cost of gasoline and it may be impacting on the number of trips you are able to take to the cabin.
You can save money on gasoline by looking for the cheapest gas in your area. Go to www.gaspricewatch.com or www.gasbuddy.com to find information on the least expensive gasoline in your area. Prices on these sites are regularly updated by volunteers.
Another way to save on gasoline is to watch for the day of the week when gasoline is the cheapest. Traditionally this has been on Tuesdays.
Phenology is the study of the times of recurring natural phenomena. Phenology has been principally concerned with the dates of first occurrence of natural events in their annual cycle. Examples include the date of emergence of leaves and flowers, the first flight of butterflies and the first appearance of migratory birds, the date of leaf coloring and fall in deciduous trees, the dates of egg-laying of birds and amphibia, iced and ice-out dates of a lake.
Keeping a record of phenology at your cabin can be fun and educational. Have a notebook or calendar handy to record the seasonal happenings in the area of your cabin.
One thing we listen for during May is the date we start hearing the spring peepers (a type of frog) around our cabin in northern Minnesota. The frogs are so loud at night that if one is a light sleeper they may be kept awake by the cacophony of sounds.
Last week our hummingbird feeder was attracting a number of ruby-throated hummingbirds (the only hummingbirds found in Minnesota) as well as goldfinches. We were seeing common loons, geese and ducks on our lake and we observed a wood duck looking for a nesting tree (we don’t have a wood duck house - yet!). And, we saw our first wobbly-legged spotted white tail deer fawn of the season..
Tamarack trees in our area have fresh green tufts of leaves again. The birch, popple, and maple trees have leafed out and the ash are just leafing out..
Wild flowers blooming at this time of year include trillium, bunch berry, marsh marigolds, yellow and blue violets, and jack-in-the-pulpits. Wild prairie grasses are also coming up.
The phenology at your cabin will be different from what we observe at our cabin, earlier or later depending on your location. Begin now to track the seasonal happenings in the area of your cabin..
Other seasonal things to track at the cabin include bird varieties and bird counts at feeders, high and low temperature, precipitation, and lake temperature..
For more information about phenology, check out Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenology.
I’ve been doing some research in early 1900s Minnesota newspapers and I saw several references to using split-log drags to keep roads in good shape in the spring. Since it’s spring and mud season in northern Minnesota, I thought they, or something like them, might be a low-cost way to improve our 3 mile access road/driveway.
Have you ever used a split-log drag or do you know of a low-cost modern alternative?
On this day after the shootings at Virginia Tech, I sit here still in shock over the massacre.
The thought that keeps running through my mind is that we are never promised another day. We do not know what tomorrow may bring so we need to make the most of today. Therefore, it is so important that you not put your dreams on hold.
If you want to build your dream cabin (or for that matter, any cabin), do it now! Identify the steps needed. Break those down into the smallest steps possible. Take a step every day, or at least every week, to make your dream a reality. If you don’t know where to start, go to www.CabinStuff.com for ideas and resources.
LeaRae Keyes
CabinStuff
As I was flipping through the latest Cottage Living Magazine, I came across a picture of a set of tableware that I thought was just perfect for a cabin or cottage. Go to Faux Bois tableware if you would like to see this delightful tableware. Its twig and branch pattern would look great on any cabin or cottage table.
Have you discovered something you think is perfect for a cabin? If you have, let us know about it.
LeaRae Keyes,
www.CabinStuff.com
“Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink”
We aren’t on a sea of salt water, but finding water to drink and use for washing is a challenge. We are on a small lake, but the water isn’t necessarily safe to drink. With beavers in the lake, we may have some bacteria present that would make the water unsafe to drink without treatment.
We are also set back from the lake at least 175 feet, so carrying water to the cabin for washing dishes and us, is no simple task. Up to this point we have been hauling in water in 5 gallon containers for drinking.
We have used lake water for showering. Cabela’s has a great shower shelter at a reasonable cost that comes with a solar shower bag. We also have a propane heated shower for those cloudy and cool days.
We would like a method of having water available closer to the cabin. Lately we have been exploring the possibility of a rain water catchment system or driving a sand point.
Has anyone else had a similar challenge? What did you do?
LeaRae Keyes
CabinStuff.com
Welcome to “Cabin Dreams“. The official blogging site for CabinStuff.com This is where I share my thoughts on being a cabin owner. This blog is for cabin owners, those who want to be cabin owners and those who are just interested in cabins in general.
I hope you enjoy this blog and it’s features. It’s free, it’s open to CabinStuff members and non-members, and you can post your own entries and add your own comments.
This blog is moderated. That means that your posts won’t show up until approved for posting by me or my designee. You will need to register for this blog, separately from CabinStuff, to be able to enter comments.
Feel free to post messages on any cabin-related subject. But, be nice - no profanity, no name calling, no commercial posts.
LeaRae Keyes
Executive Director
CabinStuff.com
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