Bad cat at the Log Cabin

I finally found a headboard I liked at a reasonable price for our bed at the log cabin. I am addicted to that Garden Ridge store thanks to my friend Michele! (P.S. - my friend Michele has a cool online store for doggy fashions if you'd like to check it out.)

After Greg put it up he said - now this is a nice bed and the cat shouldn't be on it. I said okay.

Five minutes after Greg went outside......bad cat decided to check it out. Ha,ha....

Log Staircase

I had mentioned before that one of the best things I think we purchased for our log home was the log staircases (up to the loft and down to the basement.) The main staircase has become a nice focal point in our home. We had the builder finish and stain the main staircase. To save money, Greg is doing the basement stairs himself. He's been working on lightly sanding the dirt tracks left from the people traffic and is now ready to finish staining. This has been a little hard to do as Marvin the cat keeps wanting to walk on these steps and see what his daddy is doing. Amazingly, the loud noise from the sander doesn't deter him.

Sanded steps ready for staining!

My "hope chest" for the Log Cabin

See this little pine cone lamp in the picture above? It holds a very special meaning to me and our log cabin. When Greg and I first started thinking about a log cabin 5 years ago, we talked about what it would look like and what we would do once we had it. It was in the early stages of dreaming. We weren't talking cost,mortgage, builders or any practical stuff.

One day we were in a small town shop and I saw this pine cone lamp. I told Greg I liked it and wouldn't it be great for our log cabin. And then I said, well, it will probably be a while before we can build a log cabin so no sense in buying this lamp right now. Greg grabbed it off the shelf and said let's get this honey, we will have a log cabin one day and this will go in it. This was the 1st item for our log home "hope chest" and now it has a permanent home. I bring this story up because a woman in one of my log home groups was talking about how they were years away from building a log cabin but she wanted to buy stuff for it now - I told her she should do it - the dream will come true and the road to get there makes it all worth it!

Outdoors at the Log Cabin

It's amazing all the things you can do outdoors just around the log cabin. Greg and I had some set projects to work on but we always find time for a little fun!


Here is the morning moon shot from the deck of our log cabin.













We checked the logs - making sure everything looks good as winter is fast approaching. I noticed my stain color has darkened slightly and I like this new tone.













We had numerous Mallard ducks in our lake quacking up a storm!

















The leaves are still falling off the trees.












The Black-capped chickadees are flying rampant on our property and enjoying all the bird feeders I put up.












I added some little pumpkins to our porch steps.












Greg and little Greg were suppose to be raking. See that very small patch of green toward the log cabin....this was their progress. The next thing I knew, I heard the ATV start up and those 2 were cruising down the road. Hey guys - what about those leaves????

To end the day, I made a cherry pie. (And told the boys they could have a slice once the raking was finished.) I have my ways.....

Thank you to Jessica at Five Pines!

I just received this beautiful stained glass Loon in the mail from my kind blogger friend - Jessica at Five Pines! Jessica knows how much I love the Loons up at our log cabin and how I document them on my birding blog. Jessica - thank you again - this was the most thoughtful gift ever!
(I am hanging it over my desk for now - and this Christmas - it will be on my tree!)

Morning at the Log Cabin

Saturday morning was beautiful in Northern Michigan. It was sunny, low 60's and the light wind was blowing off the last of the autumn leaves. I get up so much earlier when we are at our log cabin - I don't want to miss a moment of what could be going on. Especially to see who's going to come visit me...



Here's the morning mist on the lake. You can see our log cabin off in the distance.

This black squirrel was very busy between emptying my bird feeders and teasing my cat with his loud chatter.














I had a flock of Black-capped chickadees all day on my bird feeders. I love their energy and how they let me get so close to them.

The Downy Woodpecker enjoying a suet cake. Greg put a few more up around our property. I hope we can attract that Pileated Woodpecker back to our yard!