The things we take for granted in "civilized" life! Winter has finally returned to Michigan's far-north. Snow is falling steadily as I write this, now measuring five inches with more to come and temps falling to 10 degrees. But the real headline here is something indoors at Camp Many Moons...something most of you take for … Continue reading Winter & Washing
Now he's a lumberjack. And a sawyer. Jeff had the idea of creating the steps to the loft from a local maple. He's been looking for the right tree for days. Yesterday, the chosen maple came down...all 60 feet of it... along with a hemlock just as tall which was intertwined alongside. Tha-whump! I caught … Continue reading Tha-whump! Two Trees Down.
It's February, and winter still hasn't "arrived" here on the 47th parallel. I'm back at Camp Many Moons in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where wild turkeys waddle out of my path and deer bolt across it. I hear coyotes at night and see evidence of a wild kill underfoot. And where is my attention? On toilets … Continue reading Picking Paints, Flushing Toilets
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!
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
The musical "Fiddler on the Roof" includes a catchy song called "Sunrise, Sunset." (If you know it, the refrain is playing in your mind right now.) In between some beautiful sunrises and sunsets, we are fiddling with a roof...but not yet on it...while fighting flies. Ticks in June, wasps in July, black flies in August … Continue reading Sunrise, Sunset, Roofs & Flies…
If snow-shoeing is walking on snow, cross-country skiing is gliding on it. If you're skilled, it's more like a kick-then-glide. (If you're really skilled, you also use a skating style. I mostly glide.) Nowadays, it's considered the best cardiovascular exercise because it works the entire body. In the past, it was considered a form of … Continue reading Gliding on Snow
Late fall is a time of falling back --- with our clocks, and sometimes our habits. It can feel like back-tracking. It's harder to pull myself off the couch. My mind goes to snacks. The ever-earlier sunset brings a mild sense of dread. I know how this goes and I know what to do: increase … Continue reading Falling Back
In three months, I might see a tiny sprout. In three years, I might be able to plant it. In three decades, it might look like a tree. By then, I may be dead. But the seeds I've planted will develop roots and grow tall. Eventually, some will create new seeds, and then new trees. … Continue reading Harvesting Seeds
For Many Moons 