It feels like this is what we were made for…

peep!

A little over a year ago, the idea of Rustic Pines was born. It wasn’t a grand idea that popped into our head, it was more of an idea that grew out of an idea inspired by a chicken. Isn’t that the way all great ideas are born? One day you’re staring a chicken in the eye, the next you’re risking your future on an idea the chicken whispers in your ear? To see how that happened, take a quick read of our first post.

Since the chicken whispered in our ears, many days of hard work have taken place, frustrations bubbled to the surface and boiled over, cuts and bruises were nursed, and hours of audio books filled our ears on the road. Some days it didn’t seem like progress was taking place, like our dream was unattainable, bogged down by time and scarce resources. But, slowly, a bit at a time, things began to take shape. It wasn’t our dream, but a precursor, the foundation upon which our dream would be built.

Maslow expounded on his hierarchy of needs, and we fell right in line. Rustic Pines has a long way to reach self actualization, but for now, we have shelter, warmth, and food. With those basic needs taken care of for the moment, we can turn our eyes to the purpose we envisioned; providing a place of peaceful seclusion for friends and family to get away from it all. Obviously, we’re nowhere near where we want to be, but where we are, was good enough to hang out the welcome sign and receive our first guests.

On our last trip, my sister and her husband loaded up the RV, some honored guests, a trailer hauling a Can-Am side-by-side, and an ATV, and made their way to Rustic Pines.

I don’t know about you, but even at the age of forty four, I still experience great anxiety and excitement at the thought of showing my parents something I’m undertaking. Call it a hold over from childhood, but I still look for their approval. I don’t ask for it anymore, but I certainly look for the signs. So when my sister informed me that my parents would be visiting, it had an immediate impact. Plans were put in place, and preparations were made – yeah, that awesome screen porch, one of the best additions since the outhouse – that was mom inspired.

On Thursday evening I left Katie behind, and the dog and I made the trip north… Friday would bring much labor in final preparations. Friday morning I awoke early, and after a quick breakfast and coffee, set about my tasks. On a previous trip, I had shredded the belt for the trail mower, so that was first on the list. After getting the mower operational (Thanks YouTube, for confirming that step 2 in replacing the belt was in fact, removing the engine), I set out to not only mow the driveway and trails, but the sides of the forest road that led to our property. Before I started, it looked as though I might squeeze my pickup through, after a few hours with the mower, I was sure the massive RV could make the trek to our neighbors driveway. Our closest neighbors have a rather large clearing at the beginning of their driveway, and because I knew that forty foot RV would never make it to our driveway, let alone to our cabin, I saw it as the best case scenario to accommodate my family. After the roads were cleared, trees trimmed back, and the weed whacking completed, the dog and I enjoyed my lunch, and then began gathering some firewood. Katie arrived Friday afternoon and we picked up a bit before getting ready to meet our family.

With drink in hand, we bid adieu to the dog, and hopped on the ATV for the three mile drive to where my brother-in-law Dean would signal his turn off of County Highway Two. Within minutes, Katie and I saw the massive beast come into view. We led them to a friends land where Dean could unload the ATVs and drop the trailer for the weekend. We must have been a sight… a parade of three ATVs followed by Dean in the RV. We made our way down the forest road, all the way to our neighbors clearing, where the RV let us know that it was just enough space to turn around and park. I guess I wasn’t as diligent in my tree trimming duties, as the RV gathered a branch or two on the way in.

Dusk was approaching as we once again boarded the ATVs and headed down to the cabin for dinner. As an appetizer, Katie put out some homemade salsa. She expected it to last most of the weekend, but Dad and Dean enjoyed it so much it was gone before the meal started. Katie had prepared massive steaks and butterflied shrimp and I grilled them as our guests familiarized themselves with the area. Dinner was followed by conversation and by ten PM, everyone was ready to call it a night. Katie and I smiled as Mom & Dad, Jeanne & Dean fired up her jeep and drove up to the RV to head off to bed.

Saturday began with breakfast and coffee up at the RV. The weather was perfect at 70 degrees, sunny skies, and a nice breeze. Fate had smiled on us, even the bugs seemed to have left for vacation. Once breakfast wrapped up, we headed down to the cabin. It would have been an insult to have such a big project on our hands and not have tasks planned for the family to participate in, so I laid out the weekends work, and we got after it.

The plan was to cut a road through the woods from the outhouse out to the driveway, creating a “turnaround loop” by the cabin, as well as cut a trail and campsite off of that road. We discovered as we worked, more trash. We filled big contractor bags with plastic, glass, and very old beer & soda cans. Trash is both cool and a nuisance. It’s a nuisance because you have to clean it up, but it’s cool because it gives you a little historical glimpse into the past. One of our finds was a Pepsi can from 1976, bicentennial logo proudly displayed. It stayed there for forty one years until we plucked it from its resting place. Who placed it there? Why did they care so little about this beautiful place? Once the road was cleared, I called for a break, and we all assembled in the shade, with ice cold beverages nursing the aches in our labor worn hands. Jeanne provided awesome chicken salad sandwiches and fresh fruit for lunch. As laughter rang through the trees, it was hard not to smile.

All work and no play makes John a dull boy. I offered an idea that was well received, and before long, the ATVs were purring, and the six of us headed off to go explore the numerous trails accessible from our paradise. Dean put dad and mom in the side-by-side… Dad drove… with the biggest grin you could find on an eight-one year old adolescent. We headed down the trail, through the trees, over rocks, and splashing through puddles. The trip was a blast, except for a short terrifying 10 seconds where I might have lost control while goofing off and narrowly missed a tree.

After returning from our trip, Katie and I were treated by my folks who had built a picnic table for us. We relaxed and watched as my dad and sister assembled the table. Our guests christened the table with a rousing game of “Dirty Harry”, while Katie and I prepared grilled chicken and corn on the cob for dinner. After dinner, we retired to the screen porch for more conversation before heading to bed after a perfect day.

On Sunday, Katie and I headed up to the RV to prepare flapjacks and home made bacon for breakfast. Later, Jeanne and Dean followed Katie and I down to the land to clear the campsite and pile brush while dad napped in the RV and mom picked up a bit and read. As Jeanne forged a trail down to the campsite, she excitedly called for us to check out the latest treasure “found” in the woods of Rustic Pines. Painted green and perfectly camouflaged in the trees was the cab of a truck, well most of one anyway. Dean hooked the winch of the side-by-side to the body and pulled the husk from its nest. Dean’s a car guy… he owns Upsala Motors a shop and dealership in central Minnesota, where, although maybe in my biased opinion, you’ll find the best car buying experience you’ve ever had. Anyway, Dean got kind of excited because there was very little rust on the cab, even though it had spent decades exposed to the elements. He noted that if anyone was into restoring this sort of vehicle, they may be very interested in obtaining our find. Jeanne kept moving on with the lobbing shears and created a trail from the campsite out to a knob that formed a peninsula into one of our larger wetland areas. It will make a fine location for a bench to look out over the landscape.

Soon it was time to pack up and head out. We helped Dean and Jeanne fetch the trailer and load the ATVs, and then said our goodbyes on the side of the road. I remember thinking that until now, each weekend had presented some experience that didn’t go the way we had planned… some sort of negative event that we had to overcome. This weekend, however, was perfect. The weather, the company, the whole experience, and for that I will be forever thankful. As far as the signs of approval from my folks; Mom again warned Dad that after 50+ years of marriage, that if he purchased a property like ours, she’d serve him with divorce papers. Dad on the other hand pointed out that my porch floor was out of level. That may not seem like approval to you, but in the strange language of my family, I’ll count that as a win… and a big one. I am for ever in my sister & her husbands debt for providing the means for my folks to join us, they will never know how much that weekend meant to us.

I believe we were given a gift, a glimpse into what we are supposed to become. It will keep me excited to push through the hard work ahead. This is our goal, this is our purpose, this is our dream… to become a place where people can come and create memories, foster relationships, and take the time to show others that they are loved.

You don’t have to come to Rustic Pines to do those things, and where ever you find yourself, I pray that you take the time with those close to you, to pause and reflect, to experience life away from the world. BUT, if you have the opportunity, I’d hope you’d consider visiting our neck of the woods!