That's what a niece said after Mom died and left a gaping hole in our family fabric. "Now what?" So, it's 2024. Now what? So we didn't enter a recession in 2023 as many predicted. Now what? So we are entering another presidential election year. Now what? So I've lost people close to me, feel … Continue reading Now What?
It worked. The water flowed. Hot. In the floor. The Cabin at Many Moons has heat! Six months ago today, we laid orange tubing into sand that would become a foundation and, eventually, a house. (The report of that day is posted here.) Today, those same tubes began to carry the hot water that will … Continue reading Heat Underfoot!
I live half the year in northern Michigan and the other half in northern Virginia. Jeff lives in Michigan. So, this time of year, we live 1,000 miles apart. Still, we continue to work together on the Cabin at Many Moons. After all, "remote working" is the thing these days! We're on the phone daily. … Continue reading 1,000 Miles Away…
In my 60s, I'm more and more attracted to browns. I wonder why, since I once preferred reds and blues? I think one reason is my increasing immersion in nature. I find the earthy colors calming. That's why the Cabin at Many Moons is planned around them. This is a fortunate trend in late-autumn since … Continue reading Beautiful Browns
While insulators rescued the house from cold weather, we rescued our meadow from a fallen spruce. The house is now warm and the meadow is now clear. An industrious day. Photos and captions below. (To read about the house-building process from the start, put "The Build Begins" into the search box at bottom.) Strong winds … Continue reading Clean-Up & Open-Cell…
It's all about preparing for winter now, both indoors and out, at Camp Many Moons on Huron Bay in Michigan's U.P. Today, the dock came out of the water as insulation went into the house. I'm sad to pull the dock but excited to receive insulation! In the midst of all this activity, an 80-foot … Continue reading Dock Out, Insulation In
You're wondering what gunshots have to do with windows? Just that I'm hearing them...close, too...as we put the last windows into the new house today. It's duck-hunting season, and this house sits on a bay that's beloved by ducks and therefore by hunters. I'm not against hunting when done respectfully. I'm not afraid of weapons; … Continue reading Gunshots & Last Windows
Our tires get mired in the cold mud. Our bodies get achy in the cold air. We work in jackets, gloves, and warm boots. Yet we soldier doggedly on, with an eye on inspection deadlines. We must pass three before we can insulate, and we want to insulate before the deep cold sets in. If … Continue reading Step by Shivering Step…
Winter arrived early. I usually greet the first snowfall with delight, no matter when it comes--but this year, not so much. When you're building a house and therefore don't have one yet, winter makes things more difficult. Prettier, but also more difficult. However, here it is. So I cleaned out the trailer, climbed a ladder … Continue reading Transitions
This past week, it's been about the nerves and arteries ... electrical wires, plumbing pipes ... all that behind-the-walls jumble that makes a house come alive. And still the autumn colors continued! My heart and eyes are both full. Previous doubt about this DiY process faded as my brother arrived from Montana, in the midst … Continue reading Nerves, Arteries & More Color!
For Many Moons 