Author: Arla

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’

Since there are people who "keep up" with us by reading this blog and since this is my current scribbling venue other than my personal journaling, I will sit down at my desk for the first time this fine Saturday morning. I don't exactly know where to start or what to write. Writing what I know… Continue reading One Week In

Here's a post that didn't. Fortunately our summer as you can see from these pictures, flew by. We did all the things: Sunday afternoon picnics, evenings outside by the fire, gardens, and flowers. Besides we made a water system that works at the cabin and the potatoes grew big, the squash took over, and the… Continue reading Summer Days

Garden daisies in whites are my favorite. Let's have sunflowers for yellow and gold and orange. These volunteer Forget-Me-Not flowers provide an old -fashioned touch. Besides what better blue is there anywhere? Purple coneflower isn't purple; it is pink. The cone itself is orange really or maroon-y brown depending on how you're looking at it.… Continue reading Summer In the Garden

Our weekend visit to the Nebraska family was wonderfully enjoyable. A graduation party, morning coffee on Jenny's new deck, seeing the girl's gardens, home-made ice cream, kayaking the Big Blue River, milking goats, living room visits inside where it was cool, a swimming party and getting reacquainted with the grandchildren are some of the ways… Continue reading Visiting Nebraska