Big trees and little cabins
There once was a time when trees were large,
and homes were small.
Originally posted 2016-08-20 15:57:04.
The family home
Here we have the front porch of a fine old farmhouse.
You might recognize the gentleman here, being struck by a broom from his loving wife.
I’ve always admired Grandpa Walton.
He had plenty or reason to miserable, having had to work hard all his life, being penniless in his old age, having to live with one of his children, and having a wife that was constantly calling him an “old fool”.
But instead, he chose to always be the cheerful character of the family. He focused on how fortunate he was to live where he did, and to be surrounded with those who he cared so much for.
So, let us learn by his example.
Hug those in your life who are nearby, whether they want it or not.
And, find that special place in the country… it can be life changing.
If you’d like, occasionally, take a nip of the recipe.
For health reasons, of course.
And be ever so thankful, for the gal in your life with the broom.
Be extra thankful that it’s not a cast iron pan that she swings.
Originally posted 2016-08-20 15:07:49.
Creating a window made of stone
Here’s “before and after” images of a stone arch that we made years ago.
It’s a simple process, you just create a form out of scrap lumber, and then you carefully, and patiently, shape each stone.
And then, once done, you have created something useful and attractive (that will last for centuries).
Originally posted 2016-08-19 12:45:02.
Roof-lines
I do so admire the roof-lines of houses built in the past.
Originally posted 2016-08-18 17:03:16.
A cabin with a screen porch
And, here is that little screen porch tucked away on the backside of this little cabin. A treasured room… and… by far the easiest and least expensive room of the home to build.
Originally posted 2016-06-17 13:05:36.
A fine little screen porch
Ah yes, a screened porch.
The perfect place to read a good book.
Talk with loved ones.
Or, take a nap.
I’ve built homes for some who have claimed that the screen porch was their favorite room of the house.
Are you a “screen porch person”?
Originally posted 2016-06-17 12:58:31.
Come on now… it’s time to get started!
Your Aunt Ida thinks it’s about time that you had that dream home you’ve always wanted.
Originally posted 2016-06-13 16:29:27.
Thank God for trees
Without trees we would not have logs.
Without logs we would not have log cabins.
Who would want to live in a world without log cabins?
(and porches… with rocking chairs)
Originally posted 2016-06-13 16:15:00.
Keep the dream alive!
It’s easy to lose focus when it comes to gaining our dream home.
Life is busy and full of distractions.
Our thoughts turn away from the dream, and then the “how’s” start to move in to destroy all hope.
Our greatest weapon?
Just start, gain momentum, take small steps, like laying stone, one at a time. Setting stone is easy enough that anyone can do it. And, with a little bit of progress every week, eventually the home is complete.
Originally posted 2016-06-13 16:11:10.
Every form of building has it’s pros and cons
This house, one of my previous homes, was built using several different forms of construction.
Without a doubt the modern stick-built area saved me money and sped up the construction process.
The log cabin addition aged the entire home… made it feel as if it had always been there.
The post and beam section gave us a very warm and cozy feeling family room.
And the stone basement, foundation, and chimney kept us warm and ensured the house would stand for centuries.
Quite frankly a home like this would have been out of our financial reach had I not contributed a lot of effort in building it, work that anyone can do, one step at a time.
Originally posted 2016-06-13 15:11:27.