Mud Trails

Libby the jeep could not make it to the cabin today due to the mud and water run-off on the farm road into the hollow. Even with 4 WD low range she slid sideways and came close to hanging up below the pond levee. Once freed from the mire and safely on flat ground, I switched to the tractor for a trip back to the cabin. No sign of the free range goats today. Gun shots in the Scioto Trails was a stark reminder we're in the heart of deer gun season in Ohio. Hopefully, the goats escaped the gun fire. Once inside, I gave Beulah a rest and built a nice fire in the fireplace. It was 46 degrees inside when I arrived but 39 and falling outside. The insulation in the ceiling is making a significant difference retaining heat and helping warm the cabin quickly once a source is established. I finished another quart of stain putting a second coat on trim strips for top of ceiling under ridge beam and  the first coat applied on 10 more 10' ceiling boards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Cabin regulars

What a cold rain today in the woods! Although it was only 43 degrees, the wind and rain made it feel much colder. Before staining trim, I built a big fire in Beulah and knocked the chill off. With a pot a coffee percolating, I made some 'turtles' by placing Rollo's on top of tiny twist pretzels and baking them in the oven. A former co-worker, Rich Gill taught me this little secret and he was right, they are succulent! With the generator running, I put True Lies in the DVDs and kicked back with coffee and turtles.

The free range goat herd in the forest are now regulars at the cabin. Could be the corn I throw out but I just think they are really curious. They really don't harm anything and leave about as soon as they come. Just another group of friends that are always welcome. Someone will end up picking one off and try to pass it off as a deer kill. This is southern Ohio...

First Day of Deer Gun Season

The first day of gun season finds me in the cabin holding down the fort and ensuring nobody considers the cabin as an oasis in the woods. Southern Ohio brings out all kinds of people in search of their first kill of the season. Unfortunately, property lines and fencing is seldom respected when in the hunt. Thankfully, no issues and no close gunshots.

Worked on hanging more ceiling boards on the unfinished lower half. The ceiling is 24' long so I took a tape measure to check just how far off my courses were from one end to the other. I was shocked to find that both ends measured exactly 29" from the top of the last course of paneling to the ridge beam. We've been very lucky with this cabin being square. Who would have thought that after all these boards installed that we would be perfectly plum! With 10 unfinished boards at the cabin, I need about 15 more to finish this project. Looking forward to completing it and tearing down all the tooling and moving on to laying tongue and groove flooring. I actually enjoy that project since all the boards are already finished and computer cut to tight installation specs.

Beulah really likes the wood Robbie and I cut this past weekend. She sure throws off lots of heat. Great green tea stove.

Making Progress

Finally, the upper ceiling is completed. I thought having the loft would make this side more accessible but I didn't realize how difficult it would be installing the final 4 courses. Too close to the edge to have a good seat and yet the ladder was no help as it couldn't be positioned close enough. I learned to work with 1 foot on the loft and the other on the ladder to finish the runs. Now anxious to finish the lower side. Looks like about 20-25 more 10' boards to finish this.

Finished staining the hickory finish board to go on the ridge beam. Using the same Early American stain but it looks much different on the hickory than pine. It will look really good in contrast with the ceiling at the ridge.

Robbie assisted with cutting firewood this weekend and we were successful in filling the tractor's front end loader with 3 loads that we neatly stacked on the porch. Really glad he helped out, I don't have the patience to cut the 2-3" diameter stove wood by myself. He just kept feeding branches to me and we cut enough to keep Beulah hot for weeks. The little stuff burns really hot and is quick to warm up the oven for biscuits and corn bread.

As we were sitting in the woods while I sharpened the saw chain, the 'free range' goat herd came wandering by with their bells ringing. I have no idea who owns these rascals but they seem to enjoy just hanging out in the woods. They stopped to munch on honeysuckle surrounding a locust and then were off into the woods again. A large flock of wild turkeys also came through just migrating from one ridge to the other like they owned the place.

We filled the bird and squirrel feeders to keep everyone happy. Ninja squirrel is still coming around and still competing with the raccoons and chipmunks for the shelled corn. Looking forward to the first snow at the cabin this year with all the dependents that come through looking for hand outs.

Beat the Rain

With rain moving into southern Ohio, it was a good day to take advantage of Nic's Ranger to get more ceiling boards before the moisture arrived. I also picked up finished hickory to cap the ridge beam. During initial construction, we used 2x10s bolted, nailed and glued together to make the ridge beam to hang the rafters from. Although functional, its not very attractive from the underside so I'll stain the hickory and dress it out.  With dark clouds above and a deluge just minutes away, it was a stressful 25 minute drive worrying that I would get all that green pine and expensive hickory wet. Thankfully, it was only sprinkling as I arrived at the cabin from Menard's. Once stacked inside, a change of direction had me up on a ladder staining the new finish boards and trim installed around the skylights. Afterwards, a third and final coat of stain was put on a group of boards and 10 of the new boards were sanded, vacuumed and stained with the first coat.

Insulation complete

With use of Ray Rigsby's ladder, I've been able to complete installation of all the insulation between the roof rafters. I also picked up some select 3" pine and framed the skylights. Hopefully I can get a coat of stain on the skylights this weekend. With only 14" left to panel on the uphill side of the ceiling, another load of paneling will complete it and go a long way in finish the ceiling project. Can already feel a significant difference in how fast the cabin heats up once the fires are built.

Chorizo on Beulah

Nic made fresh chorizo sausage and brought it home from culinary school. Since I planned to do work on the cabin this afternoon, I took it with me to prepare. After building a fire in Beulah, I covered the sausage with beer and simmered it while baking corn bread. The smell of garlic and all the spices really filled the cabin. Made a very nice little meal. Too bad Kuma d.o.g. wasn't with me to share. She hates the hunters that are shooting in the forest so I left her behind.

Simmering in a skillet of beer on Beulah.

Cabin Coffee

After two months of trial and error, finally, a percolated pot of coffee on Beulah that has full body, is aromatic, and filled with tasteful flavor memories from mom's kitchen 40 years ago. It took grinding beans and many failed sample pots but I lucked into it by chance Saturday morning. After incrementally increasing the measured grounds, I inadvertently lost track of time and percolated the pot 15 minutes. We're there, it was great, not bitter, just right. Now, when visitors want a rich, unique cup of java while visiting, I will be serving up the best the cabin has to offer. Another project completed.

This weekend I completed boxing skylights with 1"x 10" finished pine, now ready to frame and apply some stain. Continued with ceiling paneling and still making good progress as completion nears. Ray Rigsby, a friend and great man, loaned a 12' step ladder that should provide access needed to finish without having to erect scaffolding.

Beulah hard at work in the kitchen.

Pot of coffee percolating on the scalding top of Beulah.

Skylight above loft after boxing it in with finished boards

View from where bed on loft will be positioned. Nothing but
God's heaven above to enjoy both during the day and night.

Antenna erected at edge of forest behind cabin.
Still using the old rotor from mid-70s.
HighDefinition antenna upgrade.

Good, HD picture on TV "free through air".

Top of the ladder

Still making good progress installing ceiling boards in the cabin. I'm working at the dangerous level on the 8' step ladder. You know, the step that you don't ever want to go above. I've been working on the 'uphill' side or the side in the cabin that has the skylights. All boards have been installed between the skylights and now I'm just above them. There is less than 2' needing paneled to complete this side.  A little slow down cutting around the recessed light but that too has been completed. Also picked up more insulation to install. It seems to work real well just sliding 23" wide pieces down between rafters after installing boards. I really need to find another step ladder that is 10 or 12 foot tall or just set up scaffolding to complete this. I'm now ready to take down the Buck head and get serious with finishing out this side. Also plan to finish the skylights with finish boards and trim. Looking back, I'm running 1-2 months behind where I wanted to be at this time but the ceiling will still be finished and we'll move to the flooring next. I've been looking at furniture. 'England' has a nice queen size sleeper sofa that is a combination leather and aztec that would go great under the window. I'm already having dreams of sleeping in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night.







The cabin keeps me coming back

Today at sunrise I picked Robbie up and we arrived at a cold cabin for work. It didn't take long to warm the place up after building fires in both Beulah and the fireplace. We knocked a 30 degree chill off in a hurry and it was quickly a warm and toasty 70.

We worked on hanging the last of the pre-finished ceiling boards before quiting due to the Ohio State Buckeye's game at noon. I don't recall how many boards were actually hung but it was less than 10.

After the game, I took Kuma back to the cabin intending to sand and stain another 10-20 boards. Nic and his friend Kaleb showed up so we just hung out instead of me doing any work.That is the joy of building a cabin, you really don't have to do anything if you don't want to. With darkness moving in, we built fires and sat in front of the fireplace listening to the radio. Nic and I enjoyed some green tea made on Beulah while he tuned in Christmas carols on the radio. Nic asked if I would put a Christmas tree up in the cabin this year.

The magic begins.

Off The Grid Evening

With the rain dancing on the metal roof, I built the first fire of the season and enjoyed an off the grid evening. What better way to enjoy a book than in the quiet of the woods with nothing but the rain and the fire to break the silence. Even Kuma d.o.g. fell into a deep sleep and her snoring just added to the peacefulness of the moment.

The ceiling paneling is still progressing. Lots of work to complete above the loft yet but its coming together. Now in a routine and will need to get some scaffolding to finish the last 2' and the cap over the ridge beam.

Ceiling is cropped at where the paneling stops. Up to about 12' now with the
last 2' screaming at me to complete so we can install the wood floor.

Paneling in progress above the loft. Will be finishing this and trimming
out the sky lights. Tunes always are welcome while we work.