Stone House Scribblings

I worked for hours last week on a post for “scribblings”. Writing thoughts and feelings about the new year in reflection to last year. All old hat, all that has been said and done. More chaff. Who cares? So that piece is not going to get any more of my time and attention for now.… Continue reading Ordinary Days

It was -27* this morning. Elv had both stoves stoked and pumping heat by tending them often during the night. He slept in his recliner while I stayed snuggled deep under a thick layer of blankets in bed. The temperature started dropping yesterday afternoon as we were getting home from a funeral. There was a… Continue reading On A Cold Morning

It’s Monday, December 21, 2020. Snow fell in the night and is still coming down in big, floating flakes. The four inches on the ground are already full of the tracks of cars and critters. Francis and her little ones started for home this late morning. I followed her out to the end of Joshua… Continue reading The Christmas Letter 2020

My new computer has been shipped. I am excited. Soon, I will scribble on this blog again. And show everyone what we're doing around here. Soon, I'll be able to reason with everyone about our current crazinesses: cabin life, north shore winter days, Covid chatter, and other reasonings that I don't mind sharing. I really… Continue reading A Note

We would not have chosen gypsum board for our walls, but it was already here. So we came down off our high horses and admitted that using what we had in hand would be better stewardship in more than one way. The paint color is what you're supposed to appreciate about these pictures above. It's… Continue reading Close Up

Our company last weekend said our life here at the cabin must be like camping all the time. Like camping as a fun thing, that is. I didn't even know what to think about that. Because to us it's not like camping at all. But I tried to compare. I really want to hear people's… Continue reading The Way It Is

I gave myself plenty of time. For several days I had been thinking ahead to be sure I would remember to shut off all the battery/inverter users (lights, the booster, printer) when leaving, to bank the stove properly, and to remember to clock in. You see, I was excited about going back to work at… Continue reading Cabin Dweller Works At The Mall

It turned out just as I anticipated. I've been looking forward to canning on the cookstove for years. The idea that I could cook the apples and water bath the sauce filled jars at the same time on one surface over one wood fire using no LP or electricity makes me feel triumphant.  October, already.… Continue reading By The Hearth

On the mile long lane that leads to our clearing, we stopped our vehicle to watch the sandhill cranes feeding. Their couple dances, graceful wing spreads that lift them lightly though they're large birds, are fascinating. The Canada geese have gathered here again too, feeding and waiting for the signal to fly to their other… Continue reading Fall Is Here and Not Lonely

We stood back and admired an hour's work of nailing pine T and G to the entry wall and agreed. "Let's keep going." Thus, space by space, until the alcove was done, or about half way around the inside walls of the house. We were quite weary and still had cleanup to do. So the… Continue reading A Heap Of Livin’