Nature reflects humanity, and vice versa. Cycles of destruction and renewal, ebb and flow, the ugly and the beautiful. Trees fall -- and sometimes are "felled" -- and we clean up the mess to create a more peaceful scene. We often use "nature" as a synonym for refuge. It is that. But it's also the … Continue reading Spring Clean-Up
Sometimes, you have to "lose" something in order to find something else. News of an expanding war is distressing to many of us military vets and retirees who served during the Iraq War and 9/11 and have studied wars through history. The "what's-happening-now?!" question lives too much in our brains. The "what-happens-next?" question follows closely … Continue reading Losing “The War,” Finding Nature
Window trim. Lighting. Floor sealant. Shelves. While we await installation of siding and arrival of kitchen cabinets, there's plenty of "fine work" to do. Even though we're 1,000 miles apart right now, Jeff and I continue to partner on everything. I'm shopping/buying and he's installing. The big leaps (laying foundation, erecting trusses, etc.) are more … Continue reading DIY Home-Building: The Fine Work
It's a phenomenon I haven't felt since retiring, this driving need to stay on task. Set daily priorities, accomplish them, evaluate, adjust. Next? When we set out on this ambitious DIY building process, Jeff promised to give it a year. Is that even possible, I wondered, without a contractor? When I know nothing about building … Continue reading On Task
And now, the installation of interior doors as our DIY progresses to create the Cabin at Many Moons...another milestone in the process of turning a house into a home. We've had reliable heat for months. We have a flush toilet and shower, and a washer and dryer. And now, a door on the bathroom. Yes … Continue reading In-Doors & Outdoors
Sometimes the moon jumps into your eyeballs -- especially when it's full -- and reminds you to Just Stop. Look. Breathe. Notice. Make sure you're living and not just existing. When you're doing DIY construction, it can become a long grind from one task to the next. Each morning, the same questions: What's the top … Continue reading Full Moon, Full Schedule
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
House-building is a series of milestones. Foundation done, walls up, trusses in place, roof secure. All those milestones have been met since June. And today, in mid-October, another milestone: windows and doors all in! (Well, almost -- two more decorative ones still to go.) The truck arrived at 10:30, carrying 15 windows and doors. By … Continue reading Windows & Doors! And Colors….
While building my house on Huron Bay, we live in a trailer. I call it a camper. So I guess we are "camping" -- even though, in my experience, camping requires a tent. I've been living this way for several months a year, over 4-5 years. I love camping, whether by tent or trailer. In … Continue reading Autumn Camping
Next up, the patio, as we continue to create "The Cabin at Many Moons" on Huron Bay. Wood or concrete? Wood requires maintenance but concrete is boring...unless you "dress it up!" So we did. And now, we have the best of both: a concrete patio with the look of wood. At least I think it … Continue reading The Patio: Concrete or Wood?
For Many Moons 