Weather Retreat

With summer weather finally entering the Ohio Valley, much time has been spent at the family home working on opening the pool and preparing the backyard for summer visits with family and friends.

Today after work, I found myself cooling off the 89 degrees in the 82 degree pool water. However, it wasn't long before clouds began moving in from the west to block the sun while followed by showers.

With the pool party abruptly ended by mother nature, there is no good place to retreat except to the cabin.

Always on the look out for cabin accents that reflect an atmosphere for relaxing and relieving work stress, I found a lamp at Cabela's web site for the side of the recliner that fits the decor of a cabin in the woods.

A glass of wine, a Kindle and rain on the roof is all that's needed to make worries go away.

Rain, wine, a Kindle

Where is the heat?

Last night Kuma d.o.g. and I spent the night at the cabin where temperatures dropped into the upper 30s. Had I not awoke and built a fire, there weren't enough blankets in the chest to keep me warm on such an unseasonably cold night.

I'm sure as June approaches, nights such as this will disappear and I'll long for cooler weather. That's what makes Ohio unique, you get a full blast of each of the 4 seasons.

Spring has sprung at the cabin
 

Deep Sleep

I'm finally understanding an interesting phenomena I've discovered about my connection to the cabin. It involves sleep.

Months ago, when sleeping in the loft bed for the first time, I thought the cabin was possessed. As I went to bed staring out the skylight at lightening above, I fell fast asleep as rain danced gently on the metal roof. At some point later I awoke feeling an evil presence, weight on my chest, I couldn't move a muscle and I felt like there was a vibrating sound all around. This unusual sensation didn't last long at all but the emotional event was significant. So significant that I began searching on the Internet to better understand what I experienced. I found out it was not uncommon and it is attributed to waking during pre-rem sleep. Rem sleep is the deepest stage of rest where dreams occur. The body's large muscles are paralyzed during rem, perhaps to prevent us from acting out in our dreams. The sensations I felt were text book descriptions others had used to describe thinking their bedrooms were possessed. Once I understood the science, I never feared the loft or the chance of pre-rem awakening.

Yesterday during the afternoon rain, I stretched in the recliner and fell into a deep rem sleep where I began dreaming. A nap became a much needed rest event where a few hours passed and I awoke feeling I had traveled abroad.

Last night, I hiked to the cabin in a steady rain and darkness to the comfort of the couch for a night's rest. With all the windows open and that rain outside dampening the tree frogs singing above, I again fell into a deep rem sleep that lasted much longer than perhaps it should. Long adventurous dreams kept my mind active while the body was at rest.

The cabin is my dream world. Nights there are always filled with adventure.

Somethings in the porch ceiling

The cabin porch ceiling is 6' x 24' and boxed in.

Well, sort of; it's supposed to be boxed in.

Procrastination resulted in the north end, which is about 17' above the ground, being left open awaiting a final section of paneling.

It should come as no surprise that this dry sanctuary from the spring rains would attract a tenant or two.

For the past two evenings as the sun drops below the western hill and the string of porch lights twinkle to life, something nocturnal begins stirring above my head and above the porch ceiling.

At first I thought this mystery may be the infamous Ninja squirrel but not knowing the life cycle of a squirrel, I had my doubts he was still alive to taunt me again.

It is clearly bigger than a bread box and walks around as if to exercise before going out for the night.

I wondered if it was a troll or an elf as each would be more welcome than a destructive gangsta 'coon. I have yet to see this creature and although I sit with a Winchester Model 92 32-20 rifle at my side, I'm not motivated enough to erect a ladder to inspect this dark, foreboding space.

One evening as I sit in the dark, it will reveal itself.

Until then, I will sit and wonder as it walks above.

Something is living above the porch ceiling

Failing to close the north end just invites guests to make a new home

Spring Rain

Unless you have new plants in the ground or recently sowed grass seed, weather like today's leaves little to enjoy outdoors less there is a cabin in your life.

At ManCamp, from the back depths of the front porch, raindrops managing to find their way onto the wooden slats below are far removed from dry sock feet as they spray on contact from their fall.

Hearing the gentleness of a constant early May shower as it disrupts new leaves in every direction around is as relaxing as a child's bedtime lullaby.

Torn between spending time on the porch or in a loft bed beneath the metal roof above is a pleasant set of options.

Love of the seasons in the forest is hard to separate into most or least favorite. Each are unique and offer so much to ease the mind. Winter's soft yet silent snowfalls are as beautiful as one could imagine yet an early spring rain my mom would call a 'good soaker' brings out the color and life of the woods for another year. Summer's relentless heat is rewarded by iced down beverages on the porch as a symphony of tree frogs, whip-poor-wills and life on the forest floor entertains casual observers. Fall delivers the colored, falling foliage, cool evenings and the crisp smells.

How blessed I am that I can come here and distance myself from all the advancements of civilization and time if only for a short period.

This is nature; this is where we evolved and where we all shall clearly return.

God's creations.

Whip-poor-wills return

So easy is it to forget why we labored so hard to build it when life's commitments distract and take precedence over quality time at the cabin.

A date night with Kuma d.o.g. this evening included a trip to the local Walmart where a shopping cart was filled with bird seed, suet, corn and squirrel food for our neglected friends in the woods.

A stop at the Wilson Run grocery en route for the coldest beverages in the state and a handful of SlimJims made both of us happy as we arrived at our sanctuary for some much needed peace and relaxation.

Inside, finding the cabin guest book out of place with new entries reminded me that our youngest son had unfettered access and could come and go as he pleased with new converts to cabin time.

After filling the feeders and taking our places on the porch, we witnessed nature's transition from day to night on this Spring evening. Chirping birds above were silenced by sounds of tree frogs and a symphony of bull frogs in the distant pond.

Hearing numerous whip-poor-wills in the surrounding forest brought it all home again; just like 1965. What a joy to hear them sing!

As I struggle to write under the solar porch lights a hoot owl injects an opinion of the upcoming darkness.

How I love being here once again and hearing these sounds.