BLOG – Page 3

Think I’ll have my Front Door Open Out on My Next House

People follow codes and trends, and in most places in my country (barring parts of Florida), the main entryway into a house opens into the house. I think this is annoying for an off-grid cabin.

Fire Starters and Reversing Instinct

Fat-wood comes in bags filled with little 6 inch sticks. At the start of this winter, I had a handful leftover from last year, but I find myself using them less and less.

Oak Axe Handle: Success and Failure

So many things in life seem to possess opposite qualities, especially when it comes to hand-crafted tools.

Started A New Axe Handle, Out of Oak!

Sorted through my pile of staves today, looking for a good piece to use to cut out a blank for my next axe handle. Since I’ve been cutting planks with the chainsaw, I decided to rip a board out of the stave rather than hacking it down with my hatchet.

Four Little Kittens

After the farmers market two weeks ago, I came home with a litter of baby kittens…

Chainsaw Rip-Sawing

I decided to try something a little different today and see how it turned out. It’s been cold enough that the concrete place was shutdown, so I took my day off to try my hand at ripping lumber with a chainsaw. The results were most excellent.

Logs, Firewood, and Board Feet

“That tree could be worth thousands,” says a friend.
“Put your money where your mouth is,” is the only valid response.

The Moon

Outdoor lighting is something I think a lot of people overlook. The glow of even a half moon is plenty to cast strong shadows at night, and gives a sublime look to the world. While moonless nights can be incredibly dark, the light of the silver disc showcases a world just beyond the veil of normal life.

Annoying Primitive Human Habits

There are things instilled in our biology that aren’t rational from a modern perspective, but when we dig deeply, we find that these annoying habits probably kept our ancestors out of harm’s way.

Freezing Temps Mean Winter Prep

For those of you in the Midwest, you already know that winter is fast on his way this year. We had a couple good weeks of autumn, but now the race is on.