.
.
So, Kari’s been pining for a play house for the kids for some time and, to this point, I’ve always just smiled and nodded and agreed that would be a good idea.
.
.
.
Then a couple months ago my neighbor, John, mentioned that a friend of his had a bunch of walnut trees cut down on his farm but the loggers only took the trunks, leaving all the tops. Turns out those tops were plenty big for … a log cabin! Brilliant! Kari’s happy and I have an excuse to buy a new chainsaw!
.
3 trips down to the farm cutting 8 foot lengths of walnut and a few weekends later and the cabin really started coming together. I put some steel rebar though the windows and door. The corners are notched together, just like they did it in the olden days … well, the olden days with chainsaws. Believe it or not, it’s surprisingly sturdy and, according to Kari, it turned out a lot better than she was expecting (though I have a feeling her expectations may not have been that high?!).
.
.
Had to break down and buy some actual lumber from Menards to frame out the roof, but then ran across a little Amish run saw mill south of town where I picked up some cheap wood to cover it with.
.
.
It’s been a hub of activity for all the neighborhood kids ever since. They’ve gotten very creative, putting sticks in the larger cracks to make little tables and hauling chunks of wood in there for little chairs.
.
.
.
And another good thing is that someday we’ll have a nearly endless supply of firewood!
.
.
.
.
