Stairway to Log Heaven

Here's our log staircase, just inviting you to come up and survey the log kingdom. Our cat (Marvin) loves weaving in and out of the rails and perching himself on top to meow at us. The steps are half logs - rounded on the bottom, flat on top. I'm looking for a small corner table to put on the staircase landing so it can showcase a nice vase or wooden loon carving or maybe just some silk flowers. You can see the temporary handrails that are fastened to the log one so we would pass the city inspection. I think it detracts from the log handrails so the temporary one might accidentally get removed....

Cooking in Pioneer Times

If we were back in pioneer times, I would be making dinner in a kettle hanging from trammels over a fire. My cabin would have been one room and all the furniture handmade. Our meal would most likely be blackberries, fish, deer and other wild game. Fast forward to today, and I need to purchase a gas stove this week from Lowes. Somehow the stove seems to take away from my vision of having a cozy cabin in the woods that reconnects me to nature and simpler times. So on my list of projects to get close to recreating that feeling is canning my own fresh picked berries this summer and picking up some pioneer - log cabin type cookbooks. Here's one cookbook I found called Log Cabin Lewis & Clark Cookbook. Here's the link: http://www.campchef.com/catalog/item/8/65/0/BK-CSLC/23/Log+Cabin+Lewis+&+Clark+Cookbook.html

Also, if anyone has some cookbook suggestions that would be perfect for a "log cabin meal" - please send them my way. Thanks!!

Log Cabin Ceilings

I like the way the log beams look on the ceilings of our log cabin. I love laying in bed and looking up at the ceiling at the perfectly spaced beams. They have individual characteristics with their coloring and knot holes. The best part is they are very useful and can be used with your log cabin decor. The 2 main level bedrooms have rustic bronze lights hanging from the middle beams drawing attention to the architecture of the logs. We hung our kitchen track lighting on one log beam. The lights point in different directions highlighting different areas in the cabin. On the beam of our loft are 2 ceiling fans. However, one fan is over 20 feet from our 2-story living room floor. How are we going to change that light bulb??

Cabin Tip - Don't forget the propane

A few weekends ago, I was the perfect example of what people up north call people downstate in Michigan - a fudgie, trunk slammer, flat lander or troll. Fudgie has always been my personal favorite since the northern people laugh on how we "fudgies" like to buy fudge when we visit. But fudgie can also describe one of our "up north" mistakes. Last weekend we arrived at the cabin, the heat wasn't working. After several minutes of playing with the thermostat and inspecting the furnace, we called the heater guy. "Did you check the propane tank?" he asked in his all knowing northern michigan way. I as the fudgie said "no but thank you. I will call the propane people." I run out to inspect the tank gage - and it was empty. The propane people were understanding - they get these weekend calls all the time from us fudgies who forget to inspect the tank. It was an expensive mistake as we got charged an emergency fee to fill - but I was just glad they showed up. Cabin tip of the day - don't forget to monitor your propane tank on at least a bi-monthly basis.

Snow and unfinished business at the cabin

It is 32 degrees and snowing in Gaylord today! Where is spring? After I filled my bird feeders this morning, I had flocks of juncos, nuthatches and chickadees swarming them. But the lake is breaking up and we even saw a Canadian goose swimming in a small open pool of water. We spent the day shopping (to my husband's dismay) for more items for the cabin. Our fridge was delivered, we picked up some rugs (including this carpet runner pictured here in the hallway) and another bed. I've invited some friends to come up to the cabin in a few weeks so the pressure is on to get the cabin a little more complete. I'm pushing Greg to hang up the other set of blinds. This wasn't easy since last week the screws weren't cooperating and it involved a lot of swearing on his part to get the first ones up. Our lot is perfect right now for someone who wants to four wheel in some mud! Looking forward to dry weather and counting down the days till my builder's return.

My guest bedroom is better

Last weekend when we were at the log cabin, I realized my guest bedroom is better than my master bedroom. How so you ask? Well for one thing, look at all the sunlight that pours into this room! This is what morning is like in the guest bedroom. Not so much in my room. Second thing - the view is better at the guest room's smaller window. You see the undeveloped wooded lot with large maple and pine trees. In my room, my small window has a direct view of the propane tank. Also - I think the birch tree I can see from there is dying. Well I guess before I start feeling sorry for myself, I remember that my guests will think I'm such a good host for providing them with the "best room." (And oh yeah -I have the big double closet - not so bad! ha,ha).

One at a time

I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt as I pick up items for the log cabin one at a time. I'm a very careful person and want to make sure I don't regret any purchases. I have a binder filled with cut out images from log cabin magazines to give me decorating ideas. I found this great lamp pictured here at Advance Lighting in Gaylord. I like it for its metal base that resembles a tree trunk. Now where to put it.... Right now I have it on the kitchen counter.

* Click on the photo to view the details in a larger version.