Bushwacking: making one’s way through wild areas without following a designated path or trail. And so we did, during a hike yesterday to and along the Huron River not far from my camp. And it was wild! The origins of the term harken to our country's beginnings, when private individuals and "irregulars" attacked each other … Continue reading Bushwhacking
A garage is one of those practical things that adds value to a home. I've never had one. Anywhere. That's about to change, at Camp Many Moons on the shores of Huron Bay. Like many retirees, I divide my time between two states. In northern Virginia, I live in a townhouse and park in a … Continue reading Building Solid Ground (Prepping for Garage)
Wildfires, and their resulting smoke, are seasonal. Lifelong friendships are seasonless. One is tolerated and, lately, argued about. The other is treasured. Or should be. I was exposed to both lately here in Michigan's remote far north. Photos and captions follow. As I write this Saturday night, much of the country is experiencing heavy smoke … Continue reading Fires & Friends
They're always moving. Sometimes the movement is barely perceptible and sometimes it's raucous or even violent. But it's always present. And there's another way that rivers are like most people. Sometimes you can see to the bottom, but usually not. The full story of what lives under the surface...what it hides, protects or nurtures... is … Continue reading On Rivers
American author Henry David Thoreau built a one-room shack on Walden Pond and lived in it for two years. He hoped that immersion in nature and a simplified lifestyle of introspection would help him gain insights into human nature and society. His book about it became a bestseller. (There's a wonderful new documentary about him … Continue reading On Huron Bay
Enough. Can we stop yelling publicly at each other, please? Yes, we are living through extraordinary and disruptive times, even historic times. Yes, name-calling has become "the new normal," modeled from the top. So yes, strong emotions by the rest of us are natural, even justified. But is it productive to share them in public? … Continue reading Peace, Be Still
The most special thing about the Cabin at Many Moons is that it's on the water. (Actually, 75 feet from the water's edge, as required.) Most recent posts have focused on the house itself as we complete a 15-month DIY building process. Here, reminders why I chose this place for the (possibly) biggest challenge of … Continue reading The View from the Water
As the Super Blue Moon visited Huron Bay, we clicked off more big milestones. Final inspections done! Stairway complete! Queen bed in place! And,Mary and Jeff finally do a camp-out! This past week deserves exclamation points, as our DIY new-home construction nears its end at Camp Many Moons in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior. … Continue reading More DIY Construction Milestones!
I spent on quartz but saved on mulch. That's how the mind works during pay-as-you-go DIY homebuilding. Always a mental negotiation re. costs. And it is more of a home each week, as we enter our 2nd building summer. The quartz countertops have arrived on Huron Bay, and I love them. (Jeff loves the look … Continue reading Mulch & Countertops
Nature continues to entertain us as the kitchen takes shape in the Cabin at Many Moons, on the waterfront in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Cabinets are in and countertops are on the way! We are now one year into this building project. (For Day 1, see this post.) It's consuming but tolerable, since we are surrounded … Continue reading Cabinets Are In!
For Many Moons 