WE DECLARE OUR INDEPENDENCE! …from mosquitoes

Now that we’ve built the “tiny cabin” and outhouse, cleared the driveway and parking area, we’ve reached the point at which others can come and experience a glimpse of Rustic Pines.  Two of our first visitors have scheduled to come up and Katie and I couldn’t be more excited.  Later this month, and mid-next, mine and Katie’s parents will visit, respectively.

We want this to be a place where people of all ages can come to get away, even if it’s just for a few hours.  We have many friends and family with varying degrees of mobility, so we’re making plans to create a place where even those with limited walking ability can get around, or at least have the facilities to enjoy this space.

Our inspiration comes from an awesome group of people we’ve come to love.  UFFDA, or the United Foundation For Disabled Archers was founded more than twenty years ago with the goal of assisting those who have a passion for hunting and the outdoors, but limited mobility, get out and pursue the activities they love.  Every October, Katie and I travel to Park Rapids, Minnesota for the annual UFFDA fall hunt.  We’ve met so many great people, and learned the importance of removing the obstacles that hinder us from enjoying the blessings in life.  We figured, if we are going to build a place for everyone to enjoy, let’s make sure everyone CAN enjoy it.

This past trip, Katie and I set out to do just that.  With the prospect of our parents joining us for a weekend, we wanted to ensure they could enjoy it.  My parents are hovering around the golden age of 80, and although they have no mobility issues, we knew we couldn’t comfortably fit everyone into our tiny cabin.  Up till now, inside our cabin, was the only place of refuge from the mosquitoes that seem to be more than plentiful with the rain we’ve had.  Our answer to the problem? Build a screen porch!

The Independence day weekend provided four days in which we could complete our task, or at least get a good start on it.  No fancy CAD designs this time… it had been a hectic work week for both of us.  So after arriving late Friday night, I sat up with a pencil and paper and created my bill of materials.

Saturday morning came early, and after a little coffee and a light breakfast, we departed for our favorite big box construction store.  That’s the advantage of the location of Rustic Pines… You’d swear you were hours away from civilization, yet a short twenty minute drive puts you at the gateway of “tourist country”, and another twenty past that, puts you squarely in the middle of a bustling city.  We made our purchase, and headed back to the land.

Because of the design, we could frame the floor on the ground, and then lift it into place.  Katie is really starting to get the basics of this carpentry thing… it won’t be long and I’ll be next to completely useless.  After we had the deck leveled and square, we sheathed it with 3/4″ treated plywood and started to frame the walls.

After the two side walls were up, the challenge of framing the gable end wall presented itself, and with a little head scratching it was up and plumb.  As twilight was upon us, we took time for dinner and cribbage (I finally won my first game on the property!), and then it was off to bed.

Sunday morning involved a big breakfast and several pots of coffee before work commenced.  Katie laid down her hammer for the soft touch of a paint brush and went to work on the outhouse.  She may have a knack for color choices and getting good even coverage on the first coat, but 10 minutes into her labor, she looks like a 6 year old at a finger painting class…. it’s okay though, I buy extra paint to account for facial coverage.

While Katie painted the outhouse with the enthusiasm of a hurricane, I went to work setting the rafters and sheathing the roof.  It didn’t take long to get the roof sheathed, and that meant one thing:  we could button this baby up.  I immediately switched gears and called for Katie’s help, as wrestling with the screen really is a two person job.  It took less than an hour for us to cut and install the screen on the walls… having a great team makes all the difference!

Once the screen was up, I cut the (knee wall) siding and Katie installed it.  Before long, she was back to painting, and I was building the door.  That afternoon, we both relaxed in a nice mosquito free breeze on our new porch.  I did take a little time during our break to hook up the mower deck to the ATV and trim up our driveway and the road that leads to our property.  The grass seems to grow at an exponential rate while we are away.  While mowing, I identified another twenty or so trees along the driveway that needed to go.  Most of them were small pines about 3″ in diameter that had crept into the lane.  I decided they would need to be dealt with later.  After a short nap, I climbed back up on the roof to install the tar paper… we were waterproof before dinner.  We took a while that evening to enjoy our new space… feeling a bit proud of our accomplishment, I asked Katie if she would join me for dinner on the “veranda”… the attire may not have been formal, but it felt as though it could have been.

When we awoke Monday morning, we discovered we both came down with an acute case of the lazy’s. After all, we had a nice new space to lounge in.  Later, Katie announced that she was going to name and stencil the outhouse.  It’s part of the fun of creating a space that’s all your own… there are no rules and you put your mark on everything.  Katie and I had been calling the outhouse the “shit shack” during our planning and building phase, and, in a nod to my Naval Service, she stenciled “S.S.” on the door.  That’s only half the name… and I’m sure many of my Navy friends will enjoy adding their own special moniker.  Sometime mid-morning, I started to install the metal roofing.  Around lunch, I quit – not just because I ran out of screws, but it was time for some fun!

After a quick wash up and a change of clothes, Katie and I hopped in the truck and headed up the north shore of Lake Superior.  It was our intention that we stop at a cafe or roadside stand for lunch while taking in some of the scenery.  We had other plans for the evening so we wouldn’t drive too far.  As we snaked our way up the shore, Katie was thrilled to see all of the lupine blooming on the sides of the road, intermixed with other wild flowers.  There was also a plethora of home gardens to observe as we passed cabin after cabin.  We definitely discovered a problem with our plans; we didn’t have a ton of time, and we were both rather hungry.  Most of the eating establishments we saw were pretty packed with tourists, and it looked like the wait times to get a table and finally a meal, were longer than expected.  So, upon arriving at Beaver Bay, we settled for gas station hot dogs while refueling the truck.  We both laughed at the idea that we drove an hour each way for our fine gourmet meal… oh well, we enjoyed the time spent together taking in the sites.  With our hunger squelched, we headed back to our tiny cabin, dropped off the dog, loaded the evenings supplies, and headed down the road again.

As luck would have it, Katie discovered that some of her friends owned a cabin on a lake just a few miles away.  They were up for the weekend and had invited us over for dinner and conversation.  We spent the evening laughing, eating, drinking, and even fishing!  I promised to give an honest fisherman’s report on the lake:  we got skunked… maybe it’s my life long poor luck with fishing, but our friends swore there were fish in the lake.  The lake did offer a spectacular sunset as the winds died down and calmed the water, it was though you were looking at two beautiful skies with the dual suns bent on a fiery collision.  After dark, a fire was made and a Minnesota tradition ensued; stories were told, new friendships formed, and laughter could be heard echoing off the water.  As all good things must end, midnight approached, and we climbed into the truck to head back to our land.  The beagle was happy to see us and managed not to destroy anything while we were gone.  We all curled up for a good slumber.

When Independence Day arrived, we started celebrating with flapjacks and sausage… the dog was overjoyed.  After breakfast, I fueled up the chainsaw and headed down the driveway to widen it “just a bit more”.  It’s a four lane highway compared to when we first walked single file down the path.  I felled a fair amount of trees while Katie began to pack up and clean the cabin.  After cutting the trees up, I asked Katie if she would take a few minutes and assist me in clearing what I had cut.  It didn’t take long and we were looking at a driveway that was unrecognizable from what it had been.  We can now invite friends to drive all the way in, without fear of scratching the paint on the sides of their vehicle.  With our task complete, we retired to the screen porch for some ice water and relaxation.  Neither one of us were ambitious to get going home… we finally reached the the point where work on the property has become optional; meaning we have all our basic needs covered, and the “have to’s” are complete!  What a milestone to reach… and I think we arrived at this point pretty quickly… just five short months.

Inevitably, the time arrived for us to pack up and head home, and we did just that.  We had a fantastic weekend and talked about it for a good portion of the ride home.  As traffic built, it became a reminder that the world we wanted to escape from was looming on the horizon.  When we pulled into our driveway, it smacked us across the face with a big ol’ log.  While we were away, someone decided to break into our home and squat.  It’s a story that will be told at a later date, with a specific topic in mind… security.  It goes without saying that the event was a jolting negative capstone for our weekend, but we are determined not to let it get us down.  Every problem is just an opportunity for further success.  We are both thankful that even though it was a bad experience, it could have been much much worse, and everyone is safe and sound.  That event aside, it was an awesome weekend!

Until next time, keep your eyes open, for the wolves are always at your door…