Fall has arrived at Lake Superior as we put up soffit and fascia, pick up lumber, and enjoy the falling leaves. It's 36 degrees as I write this in the little camper and I'm burning leftover lumber parts in the little wood stove to stay warm. The pre-winter construction race is on. Photos and captions … Continue reading Soffit, Fascia & Fall
In the far north, the cabin's superstructure is done. That is, the big bones which give it shape and integrity...trusses, beams, roof. Now, work proceeds on the smaller bones...interior wall structure, loft, stairway. Things have moved along while I've been in Virginia! In fact, I can't believe how much we've done in four months. (Posts … Continue reading The Inside Bones
It's another big milestone in DIY building because (1) it means the house shell is almost dried-in and (2) at least that decision is done! Choosing shingles was almost as hard as choosing windows. And I never even thought about roofs or shingles before! For weeks, I looked at every house I drove past, watched … Continue reading Shingles Are Up 🙂
Needed: One capable man, one old back-hoe, one heavy chain, and a friend or two. Stand by with a few braces, and...ta-d-a-a! Two walls went up today, and suddenly, I can visualize it! The Cabin at Many Moons is taking shape. This was even more exciting than pouring the foundation. Photos and captions below. (To … Continue reading How To Raise a Wall
The word "camp" means different things to different people. Loners or groups? Tent or cabin? As with almost everything, the meaning you attach depends on one's personal experience. And the meaning is changing for me. For now, Camp Many Moons remains cabin-less. In the five years since I spent 50K for this 300-foot waterfront lot, … Continue reading Cabin-Less Camp
No, not in a car. On a snowmobile. Yup, stuck. It happens if you go off-trail into dense woods as the snow turns to mush. It happened to us. It started out fun. Two maneuverable little snowmobiles, heading out from Jeff's camp on a spring-like day with him in the lead. I grew up on … Continue reading Stuck in Snow
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
The trick to walking on snow is the right footwear. When it's deep, snowshoes are the answer -- at least if you want to get into the woods. And why wouldn't you? Snow-shoeing is great for the body and the mind. My urban friends ask me why I come up here to the frozen north … Continue reading Walking on Snow
If a dead tree wraps around a live one and steals the sunshine, cut it out. If a negative habit (or person) wraps around your core and steals your energy, cut it out too. Life lessons from nature continue at Camp Many Moons on Lake Superior's Huron Bay, five years after I purchased this 300-foot … Continue reading Cutting Out The Deadwood
Why leave a place you love? Because it's so great to go back, and you never take it for granted. I love my rustic camp on the northern border, on the shores of Huron Bay. But I left it last month for the east coast, then the west coast, and back to the east coast. … Continue reading Change Is Good
For Many Moons 