Fall at the cabin

Fall is such a beautiful season for just soaking all of God's work in and enjoying life's simple pleasures of sight, smell and feel. During this time of year, I can't get enough time in the woods and am disappointed when I have to leave. Walking through dried leaves, a scent of summer's end, the crisp coolness of a gentle October breeze; money can not buy the feelings associated with this exposure or the peace of mind it provides.

I also enjoy cutting and splitting fire wood for the cabin. Sounds crazy but there is such satisfaction in knowing there will be many cold, blustery nights where a cup of hot chocolate while sitting in front of a warm fire will be my reward. Preparing for winter in October will make those long, cold winter nights very bearable off the grid. Let an ice storm hit and a heavy snow bury the cabin where nobody gets in or out and I'll be happy. At ManCamp, nobody cares if the power is out and the roads are impassable. Beulah will provide all the heat for a cast iron pot of beans and an oven full of golden brown corn bread. A Kindle full of books, a recliner by the crackling fire and no other sound but the gentle ticks of the clock on the wall with snow blowing all around is a wonderful experience. I also look forward to the vast number of wild birds that will soon visit the feeders again as their food sources are no longer available. An occasional glance out the cabin windows is a quick reminder of how harsh Winter can be and how appreciative the feathered friends are when finding the handouts.

Winter of 2011 was such a disappointment for those of us that love a heavy blanket of snow and bitterly cold, blustery days. Hopefully, the winter of 2012 will deliver!

Fall at the cabin engulfed in nature's beauty

The sleepy township road enroute to ManCamp.



A window view looking north.

Cabin window view looking East

The cabin windows bring Fall inside.

Sitting in the recliner, evening's sun begins to set behind the western hill

When Nic stays and sleeps on the sofa, Kuma d.o.g. curls up beside his
thin body. When I sleep on the sofa, she has no room and must sleep on
the floor. With winter approaching, a trip to Menard's resulted in a new
bed that she loves.

A trip to South Bound Flea Market resulted in very aromatic wooden wick candles
that filled the cabin with the smell of pumpkin pie.

Brandon and Wendy enjoyed the evening with me. It was a tutorial on
cabin living as I taught them how to start a fire in Beulah, light lamps and start the generator if needed.