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DEDICATEDTOMYLOVELY

Mother

Wholovedlife;whocouldtakeitwithcourage;wholovedandunderstoodprimitiveliving;whobythehardwaylearnedtoloveandappreciateacabininthewoods;whospentherearlylifeinacabininalonelywoodsandlovedit,butwhodidnotlivelongenoughformetosatisfytherealizationofherlater

dreams—a“CabinintheWoods.”

Godblessherbuoyantsoul.ConradE.Meinecke

Foreword

FIRSTofall,ConradMeinecke’sCabinintheWoodsisacabinnotmadewithhands; it is eternal in the heaven of his mind. He has roamed the Rockies,trampedtheBalkans,livedinadobe,beddeddowninthedesertofrestlesssands,butalwayshecomesbacktohistruelove—acabininthewoods.Hehasbuiltthirty-twocabinsandfireplaces in theRockiesand inCanadaandnowhassixcabinsscatteredaboutintheWesternHemisphere.

From his artist, linguistic father, who at ninety-three could still do ahandstand, and from his Scotch-Swiss mother, who combined a practical,pioneering type of thinking with a high degree of spirituality, he inheritedsomething in his genes that defies imprisoning in words. He is a lean, toughspecimen illuminated by a quenchless inner fire of spirituality. His tirelessenergy,hisbuoyancy,and,strangetosay,hisquietnessofspirit,springfromhiscommunionwithforms,visibleandinvisible,oftheGreatOutDoors.Atsometime,likehisgrandoldfather,hehashadadraughtfromthefabledfountainofImmortalYouth.Heisfortunateinhisancestry—thegenessomehow“blended”justright.

Curiouslyenough,withthisidealism,thishighspirituality,thisunderstandingloveoftheinnermeaningoflife,hecombinesaYankee,practicalingenuity.Heisthebestcookthateverconcoctedamealformeinthewilderness.He“swingsameanskillet.”Ifhesays,“Buildyourfireplacesoandso,”doit.Andwhenyouhavedoneit,youcanstretchyourmoccasinedfeettothefireandhavenosmokein your eyes. Build your cabin theway he tells you and youwill have a joyforever, partly because you built it and partly because it “belongs” to theparticularspotofitsownearth,partlybecauseit’sashandyasapocketinashirt,andthen,too,becauseit’seasyonyourincome.

Thismantrampsallovertheearthand,whenhesettlesdown,buildshimselfa “nest” on the end of a twig as practical and as intriguing as that of theBaltimoreoriole.Somehow,hehassomuch—maybeitisbecauseheisalwaysgivingitaway.

Frombeingasuccessfulyoungmaninbusinessaffairs,heturnedtoworkingwithandformenandboys.Somehow,hehasinhisspiritualheritageandinhisripeningwisdom,theblessednessofsharing.FromhisCabinintheWoods,youcanlearnhowtofashionyourcabin,butmore,youmaybecomemorefittoliveina“housenotmadewithhands,eternalintheheavens.”

ElbertK.FretwellChiefScoutExecutive(1943–1948)

BoyScoutsofAmerica

LiftingtheLatch

THERE is nothing unusual in these pages. There is little I may claim asoriginal.Someof thematerialhere treated isasoldas time.Manyfriendsandbooks have contributed to its contents.My thirty years of outdoor experienceand cabin buildingmay, however, save the readermuch of the trial-and-errormethodwhenhebuildshisCabinintheWoods.

I have attempted,most of all, to help build an attitude ofmind toward theGreatOutDoors—anappreciationofsimpleliving.Iwanttoinfluencebothmenandwomentowardthebeliefandconfidencetheyare“mastersoftheirdestiny”if theycan staywithin the realmof theirownpotentialities; if theycan findanormal“out”fortheirabilitiesinthiscreativefieldoftheoutdoors.Indeed,theycanbe“masterbuilders”inthebestsense.Resourcefulness,initiative,andaloveforthingsnatural—thesearethevaluesthatmaygiveusanewconceptofsimplelivinginaverycomplicatedandmechanicalcivilization.

You, too, can build a Cabin in the Woods. Cabin building is fun andsatisfying,andhereyoucanlearntobeamasterbuilderinsteadofjustahelper.Detailed andminute descriptions of every step in building a cabin can proveconfusing and discouraging to the novice. If you wish to study beyond theinformationheregiven,youwillfindamplehelpinyourpubliclibrary.Youwillnaturally go through that period of experimentation that is the trial-and-errormethod.Yourtrials,however,neednotbecrowdedwithtoomanyerrors.

IamcountingonthatgreatAmericanquality,“horsesense.”Sogotoit,Mr.Cabin-Builder.Keep inmindyou are going to build a better andbigger cabinsomeday. Inyour first experiment, fortifiedbyall thedescriptivematerial youcanunderstandandassimilate,wadeinandgotowork.Doitcourageouslyanddon’tyoudareapologizeformistakesmade.Youwon’tmakethesamemistaketwice.Besidesbuildingyourfirstcabin,youwillabsorbtechniquessoessential—acombinationoftheoryandpractice.

Infireplacebuilding,thefeelofatrowelinyourhand;theskillof“slingingthemud” to recognize cement, sand andwatermixed to the right consistency,and what it means to “sweeten” or “temper” the mixture—all these will findtheirrightfulplacesandgiveyouskills.Theydonotcomefrombooksalone.

Again, the art of pulling a crosscut saw; the swinging of the axe and themakingofthechipstofly;thechoiceofaxehandlethatfitsyourgripandyourheight—theseskillswedevelopthroughthedoing.

This book iswritten for thosewhowould “revert back to the land”—land

near your city home—five, ten, or thirty miles—a place that can be usedweekendsandonvacations;indeed,throughouttheyear.Itiswritten,too,forthe“poor” man, that is, the man not rich in worldly goods, but rich in dreams,imagination,resourcefulness,andawillingnesstomakeithappen.

Bless those folkswho canwrest from the earth its richness, itswealth, itsnaturalresources,andfinditspeace.ThatisourGod-givenright.

SOyouareanotherloveroftheoutofdoorswhodesiresacabinorshelterinthewoods!Isaluteyou.Iunderstandyou.Iknowyourkind.Youcarrythespiritofourancestors.Thespiritof the“GreatOutDoors.”Thefirst lettersof thesethreewordsspellGOD.ThereisanirresistibleforceintheGreatOutDoors—theverysoulofAmerica.Thisisasitshouldbe.

Andsofromthestart,letmechatwithyouinaverypersonalway.Let’stakeeach other at face value. I picture you as sitting on a log, dressed in colorfuloutdoortogswhileIamnestledagainstthenotchinabigtree,huggingmyknees—eagertotalkitover.Ifeelsomehowthatwebothwantthiscabintorepresentour own handicraft. It must be cozy, equipped with comforts—beds, cots, orbunks according to our own fancy. It must be made bright and warmwith aglowing fireplace. It must have rustic furniture and, at least, a five-footbookshelf of our own choice of books. Old-fashioned kerosene lamps againbecomealuxuryastheythrowtheirsoftflickeringshadows.

Thehowlingwind,thesleetdrivingwithanimpactagainstourtightlybuiltcabinwillonlyaddtothesecurityandsnugnessinside.Addanotherlogtothefire.Readjust thecushionsand let theworldgoby.This is life—witha friend

who understands. Snugness and security in our Cabin in the Woods, be itsunshineortempest.Thisislife.

Becauseweareusedtocityhouseswithamultiplicityofhouseholdduties,ourCabinintheWoodsshouldbebuiltwherethereisquiet;wherehouseworkcanbereducedtoaminimum;whereourtimemaybegivenovertotheperusalofafewchosenbooks;wherereflectionmayhaveitsfullsway;whereonemaybecarefree in theGreatOutDoors.Here, for abrief spell,wemay find in itsveryfullness,“life,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.”

Sonow,“partneron the log”opposite, letusplanourCabin in theWoods.Which shall it be—a log cabin or a frame building?There really is notmuchdifferenceintheplanning.

First, letusnotbetooconcernedaboutthewholeventure.Thecostoflandneednotbeprohibitive.Theproblemofthedistancefromtowncanbesolved.Building costs, how to get logs, transportation, reforestation, trails and trailmarkers, gateways and fences, sanitation, lighting, lamps, and many otherquestionswillbediscussed.Ifthedesireisthereandthewilltoseeit through,the building of Your Cabin in the Woods will be fun. Resourcefulness andinitiativewillmeetthechallenge.Mostimportantofall,letustakeourtime.Letusplancarefully.Letusgetasmuchenjoymentinthebuildingasinthefinishedcabin.

A cabin and campsite in thewoods, after all, shouldnever be finished, forwhenthereisnothingnewtodevelopornothingtobeadded,therewillbelittlefun.

StartMakingNotes

INtheoriginalprivatelyprintededitionofthisbook,amplemarginsandblankpagesaffordedroomforpersonalnotes,plans,sketches,photos,andclippings;alsoforsignaturesoffriendswhohelpedplanorbuildtheCabinintheWoods.

In this edition, most of the blank pages are omitted, but the margins aregenerous,andyouwillfindotheropenspotsat thebeginningandendofsomechapters.Use them, from the start, to collectmaterial for your cabin-buildingprogram.Theywillnotonlyproveinvaluablelater,butwillmakethisbooktrulyyours,expressingyourownindividuality,andhonoringtheauthorbypermittinghim to collaborate with you in producing your own exclusive volume—yourCabinintheWoods.

PlanWiselyandYouPlanfortheFuture

ABOVEall things, letusnotplantooquickly,buildhurriedly,or layoutourgroundshaphazardly.Letusnotbeconcernedifwedonotaccomplishthisinaweek, or amonth, or even in a year. I knew amanwho built a shack in thewoods. Itwas little better than awoodshed. The next year he needed anotherroomsohetackedalean-toononeside.Thenheaddedanotherandanother.Theroof looked likeanoceanofwaves.Whenhe finished,hisplace looked likeabig sprawling shack. No general floor level—no plan; low ceilings, poorventilation.Whatamess.Hedidnotplanwisely.Heisthekindoffellowwhosays,“IfIweretodoitagain,I’ddosoandso.”

So,Mr.Cabin-Builder,Isayplanwisely.Spendasummeronyoursiteinatent before you build. Study the air currents that flow down the hills; theprevailingwinds; the landscape andvista youwant to develop.Doyouprefersunrisetosunset?Ifyoudonotenjoysunrise,thensetyourcabinsothemorningsunwillnotdisturbyoursleep.Youmayenjoythesunsetfromyourporchorbigwindow.Where are the noises fromhighways and how can you plant trees toblotoutuglyviewsorevensomeofthenoise?

Lastly,blueprintyournewlyacquiredplayground.Paceitoffattwo-hundred-

foot intervals, both ways. Do this if you have an acre or one hundred acres.Record in your field notes what you find—springs, gullies, kinds of trees,bushes,rocks,grounderosion,and,ifyoufindthelatter,seekadviceonwhattoplanttoovercomethishazard.

Youwilldiscovermorenatural resourcesandmaterials,whichyoucanuselater and you will know where to find them when you need them. On yourmaster blueprint, locate your yearly tree plantings, roadways, trails, springs,datesofevents,etcetera.ItwillproveastorybookofYourCabinintheWoods.

WhoKnows?ThisMayBeYourFutureHome

MAYInowinviteyoutodeeperthoughtinyourplanning?Whoknowswhattenyears fromnowwill hold foryou.Youmayconsider retirement andmakeyourfuturehomeinthisspotofyourdreams.Thenagain,youmayturnfarmeron a small scale—chickens, perhaps a pig, a cow, and a garden spot. Start abeehive or two—honey is stored in the flowers about your place.Don’t closeyour mind to the thought. You may discover your greatest contentment andhappiness,alsoskillsandaptitudesyoudidnotknowyouhad.That’swhatourpioneerfathersdid.Itwasabouttheironlychoiceinthosedays.

Thisideamayprovideameansofescapefromtherealityandtensionofcitylife. Itmay prove a step forward and upward in the fulfillment of your life’sambitions.

Life, after all, need not be measured in accomplishment of wealth, greatachievement, nor by standards of public opinion. If you have a partner who

thinkslikewiseandisnotregimentedbyconventional thinking, thenIsay,Mr.Cabin-Builder,layyourplansboldly—whetheryougotothewildsofAfrica,totheSouthSeaIslands,or toYourCabin in theWoods—solongasyougoyoumayfindlife,liberty,andultimatehappiness.

ACureforRestlessness

YOURCabin in theWoodscanbeaperfect cure for restlessness. If youarerestless today,youmaybeevenmorerestless tenyearsfromnow—unlessyoudosomethingaboutitnow.Lifebringsincreasingcares.Sogoingtoyourdreamspotmonthaftermonth,yearinandyearout,youwillexperiencearecharging,arehabilitation,are-creating.

YourCabin in theWoods should always present enough challenge to keepyou constantly adding to its loveliness. In this way, after each visit, youwillreturntoyourcityliferested,stronger,revived.

Itisobvious,then,weshouldtakeourtime—months,years,predicatingourbuildingonlong-termplanning.

Takefullenjoymentinthebuilding.Taketimetorest.Mostcityfolksseemalwaystorushthingsthrough.Why?Layoffuntiltomorrow.Takeanafternoonnap. Stop the clock for the weekend. Get off to an early start in the cool oftomorrowmorning.Youmaybecrowdedinyourworkintown,butthisshouldbeyourrest-cure,yourre-creating.Don’tspoil itbycity-drivingstandards.Setyourownpattern.Youwillberewardedwithincreasingpeaceofmindfromyeartoyear.

Again,Isay,hereisaperfectcureforrestlessness.

ANDnowforawordaboutthesizeofthecabinitself.Haveyou,inthebackofyourhead,somenotionofa three-, five-,orseven-roombuilding?Youhaveabigfamily?Youneedguestrooms?

TheFamilyCamp—SummerandWinter

IHAVEinmyowncabin-siteaccommodationsforfourteenpeople.Buttheyarenotallinonebuilding.I,too,hadmanytoprovidefor,butIstartedsimplysometwentyyearsagowithaplan.

First,webuiltalargelivingroom,eighteenbytwenty-fourfeet—withagoodfoundation, large windows; in fact one window with forty-nine panes in itmeasuredeightfeetwidebysixandone-halffeethighandaffordedafive-mileviewacrossthevalley.

Weincludedabigfireplace.Laterweaddedaspaciousporchontwosides.Onathirdside,weaddedakitchenandacombinationwashanddressingroom.Nobath.The showerwasplacedunder theporch.Thenorth endof theporchsuppliedwhatwecalledthe“masterbedroom”—twinbeds.Theporchtodayisenclosedrichlywithwoodbine.

Asourneedsgrew,weaddednine-by-twelve-foottents—twobedsineach,alocker,chairs,etcetera.Finally,therewerefourtentsaddedandweweresetforthe summers. With this arrangement, there was freedom for everyone—moreindependence and plenty of privacy.Onemember of the party could retire ortakeanafternoonnapwhiletherestofthegroupwouldbefreetoplaywithoutconcernaboutthosewhowantedquiet.

This,ofcourse,didnottakecareofourwinterneeds.But,asoneofthetentshadserveditstime,wereplaceditwithalovelyone-roombedroomcabinwithalarge porch. It was finished with pine board and included a clothes closet,washstand, and a large fireplace. This bedroom cabin, which is our latestadditionnotmorethantwohundredfeetawayfromourmainlivingroomcabin,isnestledonthehillsideandistheenvyofeveryonewhoseesit.Insummer,wesleeponthescreened-inporch.

Thus,wehavebuiltaseven-roomhouse—eachroomwithanoutlookonfoursides,plentyofventilation,privacy—allwithrealcomfort.

LEGENDOFFAMILYCAMPGROUNDS

A.MainLivingRoom

B.Kitchen

C.WashandStoreroom

D.Veranda

E.“MasterBedroom”onPorch

F.GuestCabin

G.GuestTent

H.WindmillandWaterSystem

I.ShadeTrees

J.TennisCourtorVegetablePlot

K.ParkingLot

L.SwimmingPool,9by15feet

M.LilyPond

N.Driveway

O.HotWaterHeater

P.“Johnnie”

Q.Trails

R.FruitTrees

S.SunkenGarden—OutdoorFireplace

T.ShowerUnderVeranda

THEFAMILYCABINANDFLOORPLAN

TheGuestTentforTwo

A TENT, fly, tent frame, and platform can be had inexpensively.With care,yourbedroomtentwithaflywilllastabouteighttotenyears.Theflywillgiveyouaguaranteeagainstleaking.Also,whenanchoredtosidepostsitwillkeepyour tent fixed and secure against storms. The platformwill give you a levelfloorandadddrynessandcleanliness.

Eight-ounce duck canvas, double filled, is heavy enough for this size tent.Hangthetentoverawoodframeandfastenallaroundthebottom.Guyropesarenot needed. The tentwall is two feet and six inches high. Therefore, to havestandingroom,aframewallisbuilttobefourfeetandsixincheswithtwo-footboardsidingbelow.

A nine-by-twelve-foot tent is large enough for twin beds, a dresser,washstand,andrug.

Tentfly, if tenfeetbysixteenfeetwithairspacebetweenflyandtent,willhelpkeepyourtentcoolinhotweatherandprovideafour-footporch.Onwarmsunny days, roll up the canvas walls, let the breezes through, and make thehillsidepartofyourlivingquarters.

OurWindowPictureFrame

THE big window in our cabin resembles a picture frame in which miles oflandscapeacrossthevalleybringnature’schoicestpicturestolife.Eachhourofthedaybringsintriguingnewvistas,changinglightsandshadows.

Theearlymorningsunlightsupthesparklinglilypondbelowus,which,inturn,throwsplayful,mischievouslightsaboutus.Asthedaywearson,pastoralscenesreplacethepictureofthemistymorningandthroughour“pictureframe”we see the hillside dotted with lowing cattle, green fields boxed in with rail

fences,and linedwithsmall treesandbushes—telling thestoryof the toilandaccomplishment of our neighboring farmers. An occasional tall elm or maplestands as a sentinel in themarch of time. Far beyond “stately ships of fleecywhitecloudssailmajesticallyacrossthedarkblueoceanofthesky,”leavingonein awe, for such scenery is painted onlywith bold strokes by the hand of theMasterPainter.

Eventhesundialonacloudydayseemstoreflectourmoodofresponse tonature—andsotimepasseson.Finally,lengtheningshadows,dissolvinggloryofeventide—night—twinklingstarsandafullmoon.

Wheneveryoulookoutofawindow,whatevertheview,trytorememberyouarelookingatoneofGod’sgreatpictures.

There neverwere paintings comparable to those in the bigwindow of ourCabinintheWoods.

One-RoomCabin

HEREistheperfect,yetsimplest,two-personlogcabinyoucanwishfor,lowincostandeasytobuild. Itcanbeconstructedassmallasninebytwelvefeet(inside measurement), or twelve by fourteen, fourteen by eighteen, or evenlarger.Thelargercabinneedsaddedstructuralmaterial.

Let’s discuss the nine-by-twelve-foot two-person log cabin—just one roomwithtwocommodiouscouches,eachwithaviewofthefireplace.Akitchenette,quitecomplete.Nexttothefireplace,twocomfortablechairs,andatable.It’sthevery essence of snugness. It can be ventilated easily at upper gables withoutcreatingadraft.Afloorofflagstones.

Ifyouhavenaturalmaterialonyourcabinsitesuchaslogsandstones,youwillonlyhavetopurchasesuchmaterialascement,boards tocoveryourroof,shingles,windows,nails,abitoflumberfortheinside.

Two-RoomCabin(withStormPorchandToiletRoom)

THIScabinhastheaddedstormporchandtoiletroom.Thecabinproperisthesame.Theaddedstormporchoffersabitmorecomfortandrefinementwithoutaddingmuchtothecost.Thetoilet—aslopbucketwithseatandcoverandpipevent running to the outside make this type free from odors. The bucket isemptied from time to time in thebackyard toilet. It serves itsbestpurpose forwinteruse,whenonedoesnotgathermuchenthusiasm,especiallyonastormynight, to visit the backyard “Johnnie.” An oil heater will keep this roomcomfortable. Then there is the washstand. Improvise your own supply watertank; also drain the stationarywith pipe to the outside. Note, also, the neatlypiledwoodwithinthestormporch.Nothinglikehavingdrywoodtostartyourfire,especiallyifyouarriveonastormynight.Anine-by-twelve-footcabincanbecomfortablyheatedbythefireplace.

Youcanhaveaninexpensivecabinifyousupplyyourownlabor—thatis,doityourself,and ifmuchof thenaturalmaterial ison the landfor the taking.Anine-by-twelve log cabin will require fourteen logs (seven inches in averagethickness) twenty-one feet long; also sixteen poles (four and a half inches inaveragethickness)eightfeetlongfortheroofrafters.

Four-RoomCabin(withKitchenandStoreroom)

NOWwecometothespreadingidea.Obviously,itwouldnotbesatisfactory,ifyouhavemorethantwotoprovidefor,tobuildonthefrontandbacktheaddedroomshere suggested on a nine-by-twelve cabin.Youmaynowwant to buildyourprizecabinwithlivingroom,sayfourteenbyeighteenorlarger.However,the nine by twelve can still enjoy a lean-to on the back by cutting a door asindicatedinthisfloorplan.Thekitchenwouldbesmall—aboutsixbysixfeet,but, ifcarefullyplanned,withasmallstove,shelves,etc., itwillenrichevenasmallcabin.

Youwillneverhavegreaterenjoymentoutofanycabininthewoodsthanthenine-by-twelve log cabin for two. It’s snug. It suggests teamwork. It invitesconsideration. It is rudely complete. It provides the perfect setting for idealcompanionship.

TheAmateurArchitect

WHEN planning a home of several rooms in which the cellar, first floor,secondfloor,attic,alsobath,areinvolved,onedoesnotsavemoneybybeinghisownarchitect.ButtoplanyourownCabinintheWoods,ofoneortwoorthreerooms,byallmeansbeyourownamateurarchitect.Eventhoughyouhavehadnoexperience,herearesomeverysimplerulesandmethodstohelpyou.Aboveall,youwillgetarealthrillindoingyourownplanning.

Cabin planning is different from planning a city home. First, there is littleneed for a cellar, so start with a good foundation. So many would-be cabinbuildersthinktheycansavemoneybybuildingacabinonconcretepiers—oneat each corner of the cabin.This is gettingoff to a verybad start. Piers settleuntil,finally,thecabinfloorisnolongerlevel—cracksappearinthewallsandthecabinisnolongersnugandtight.Agoodeight-inchconcretewallallaround

willprovecheapestintheend.Itmustgobelowthefrostline,i.e., threeandahalf feetbelowground level inNewYorkState.A twelve-inch footing for theeight-inchwallisdesirable.

Let’s take, forexample,acabinwithacombination livingroomanddiningroom, porch, kitchen, and bath. Size overall, 18 feet by 32 feet. After theconcreteispoured,buryone-half-orfive-eighths-inchboltsinthesoftcement.The bolts should be long enough to sink eight inches into the cement andprotrudeupward tobolt down the first log. (In framebuilding, enough toboltthroughtwotwo-by-foursills.)

Butnowlet’sgetbacktothefloorplan.Inthesepages,youwillfindmanysuggestionsofcabins,baywindows,rusticdoorsandwindows,built-infeaturesfor books, cupboards, nooks,window seats, etc. I have avoided detailed floorplans,forafterall, itshouldbeyourcabin,notmine.Yourconceptionofroomsizes will naturally differ from mine. I do, however, present some methods.Talkingtowardsomesimpleprincipleswillprovemorehelpfulthantryingtotellmyreaderhowtoproceedateverystep.

Let us then look at the overall picture, from size of cabin to cupboards,furniture—yes,rugs—tofittheplan.Howmuchfurniturewillbeincluded:beds,tables,cupboards,etc.?Howmuchspacewill thefireplace take?Doorsshouldbetwofeet,eightincheswide,byatleastsixfeet,sixincheshigh.Windowstofit inbetween, and sized to suit one’s fancy.Most log cabins are spoiledwithsmallwindows.Amodernlogcabinmusthavelargewindowstoprovideplentyof light. In one ofmy cabins,whichmeasures fourteen feet by sixteen feet, Ihave an endwindowmeasuring six feet by eight feet,which not only gives aburstoflightwithin,butalsoprovidesabeautifulviewoverthecountryside.

The accompanyingmap of quadrille paperwill help lay out the first floorplanintheminutestdetail.Considereachsquareequaltoonefoot.Itisobvious,then,ifthecabinistobethirty-twofeetlongandeighteenfeetwide,weneedtocounttheexactnumberofsquarestogetafairpictureofthesizeofthecabin.Justwhereshallweplacethebedandhowmuchspacewillittake?Atthispoint,take a yardstick andmeasure the bed. Three feetwide by six feet, six incheslong?Againwecountoffthesamenumberofsquaresandwillbeamazedtofindhowmuchspaceitreallytakesinrelationtotheroomitself.Iftwocomfortableloungingchairsaretobeincluded,thenmeasurethese,too,anddrawtheminthefloorplan.Afireplacerequiresaboutsevenfeetby threefeetof floorspace, ifyouwantanopenhearth threefeetwide.Cupboards, table,andother furnituremustalsobeincluded.

Atthispoint,wemayfindweneedalargercabintohouseall thecomfortsdesired.Remember, themanwhosaysafterhiscabin is finished,“If Iwere tobuildagain,I’ddosoandso…”So,Mr.AmateurArchitect,youwilldowelltospendwinter evenings in laying out your floor plan on paper. After the floorplan,usethequadrillepaperagaintoplanthesidewalls,againonesquaretothefoot.Raiseorlowertherooftogiveyourcabingracefullines.Drawinthedoorsandwindowstoscale.Alogcabininwhichthegableisincludedaspartofthemainlivingroomleavesonefreetostartwithlowersidewalls,i.e.,aseven-footsidewall is ample with the roof slanting upward to a thirteen-, fourteen-, orfifteen-footpeak,accordingtoone’sfancy.Whenlayingoutthefloorplan,makeallmeasurementsstartingfromtheinsideofthecabin.Thenaddthethicknessofthewallsontheoutside.Anothercommonerrormadeincabinconstructionistobeskimpyabouttheoverhangingroof.Thecabinheredescribedcanwellaffordtohaveanoverhangofeighteeninchestotwofeet,especiallyonthegableends.

MODELBUILDINGAfter your cabin plans are complete, build a miniature cabin. If you are

unfamiliarwithreadingblueprints,theminiaturecabinwillprovemosthelpful.Morethanthis,itwillserveasaperfectguide,andsaveerrorsandexpense.

Everypersonwhohaseverbuiltahouseofanykindsayswithoutfail,“IfIweretobuildagain…”Nogreatprojectwaseverbuiltbeforeamodelwasbuilt,tovisualize to theunskilledmind justwhat itwould look like.Sowithus, the

building field isnewandweneed toproceedcarefully.More than this,withamodel we can get a better perspective by a little adjustment here, raising orlowering theroof,byextending theeaves—togive itgraceful lines.Youdon’twantyourcabintolooklikeagaragewhenitisfinished.

Youwillbecomesothoroughlyfamiliarwitheverypieceoflogorlumber—itsdimensionandfitting—usedinyourcabinyouwillapproachtherealbuildingwithconfidenceandsoundenjoyment.

Build your miniature cabin one inch to the foot. In the winter in yourworkshop,youwillfindthisanidealhobby.Whittlethelogsofsoftwhitepineabout three-quartersofan inch indiameter.Use thinpackingboxesfor lumberandcuttosize.Yourhardwarestorewillsupplyyouwithone-quarter-inchandone-half-inchbradsfornails.Leavetheroofremovable,soyoucanlookinsideandplanfortherooms.Buildtinybook-racks,lockers,beds,etcetera,yourtableandrusticchairs,andbuildthemtoscale.Havethefamilycheckeachitemwithyou. Rearrange doors and windows to your liking. Check space and, ifunsatisfactory,makechanges.Thenyouwon’tbedisappointedorwishyouhaddone it differently.Whenerectingyour cabin, take theminiature along. Itwillserveasablueprint,orbetter.

Ofcourse,theeasierwayistohireanarchitectandcontractor,butmorethanhalfof the fun is buildingYourCabin in theWoods, from theplanning to thebuilding,withyourownhands.Itwillbereallyyours.It’swhatyouputintoitofyourselfthatwillreallymakeitapartofyou.

WHENyoureallygetseriousaboutbuildingaCabinintheWoods,youwillveryquicklyenvisionratherdefiniteideasofyourown.Byallmeans,holdontothem. The ideas are usually larger and surrounded with more grandeur, morespaciousquarters,addedacresoftenbeyondyourfinancestocarrythemthrough.Thencomes theparingdownprocess to fit thepocketbook.At thispoint, youmaywelcome suggestions, but you do not want to be told, “This is the onlyway,”or“Thisistheonlykindofacabin.”Afterall,thisisyourproject.Itwillmeanlittlewhenfinishedunless ithasyourpersonality,yourowninnovations,your own architecture built into the sum total. Perhaps these offerings maystimulate your thinking and planning. Theymay save you some of the errorscommonlymade.Lengthydescriptionshavebeenavoidedpurposely.Thereisnooneway.Yourownaptitude,yourownpeculiarkindofinitiative,andtheabilityto use your hands, together with native intelligence (horse sense) precludesanyonefromtrespassingwiththefinalanswer.SoifIcanbeyourhelper,let’sgotowork.

Your “treasure chest” is really your tool chest full of sharp tools.You cansaveyourselfendless troubleandaddtoyourenjoymentbybuildinga toolboxforyourtools.Itisyour“treasurechest”forthese,plusyourownwildestideasand your ownwill to express yourself, thatwill lift you into the realm of thegenius—thecreatormakingdreamscometrue.

Itwillspeedupyourworkifthechestisarrangedwithaplaceforeachtool.Theywillkeepsharplonger.Mostofall,youwillnothavetobuynewonestoreplacethoselost.Thechest,too,willserveasatableforthosecampfiremealswhileyourcabinisinthemaking.Anaddedcushionwillmakeitapartofyourcabinfurniture.

CabinTools—Keep’emSharp

THERE is nothing, in my experience, more trying, more time wasting, anddisheartening than to attempt to carvea turkey, repair adoor,orbuild a cabinwithdullorinadequatetools.

A tool chest and aworkshopwill alwaysbe apart of your cabin craft—soprepareforit.Stocktheessentialimplementsyouwillneedifyouaretogetrealsatisfactionfromyourefforts.Goodtoolsneedprotection—aroof—andalock.Ifyourbuildingoccursonweekendsandscattereddays,asmallshedisagoodinvestment. The shed may later serve as a chicken coop, a woodshed, or forstorage.Atentisprobablysufficientcoverageifyoucanstayonthejobuntilitiscomplete.

Eitherbuildorbuyaworkbenchwithaviseattached.Youmusthavethevisetogripfirmlytheboardsuponwhichyouwanttowork.Yourtoolchestshouldcontainhammers,alevel,screwdrivers,square,chalk,asoftpencilortwo,toughstringforplumblinesandanadequateplane,asturdyaugerthatwillboreholesatleastoneandahalfinchesindiameter.Addacarborundumstoneforfineedgesharpening. Put in a supply of nails of needed sizes,weights, and lengths foreachparticularbitofconstruction.Splittingpiecesofwoodbecauseofimpropernailsorscrewsisdisappointing—andawasteoftime.

Besides these smalleressentials,youwillneedsaws,a reliable jackknife,adraw-shave for shaping rustic furniture and trimming logs, and an axe—moreaboutthiskingoftoolselsewhere.Forgroundwork,apost-holediggerisagreattimesaver.Apickaxe,acrowbar,shovels,rakeandhoe,andgrubaxe.

Now something to keep the tools sharp.An old-fashioned grindstone goeswell with your cabin craft. On a rainy day, I get the grindstone working andsharpenmy axes. This done, I getmy collection of jackknives, bowie knives,and—justtokeepinrightwiththekitchenfolk—thebutcherknivesandkitchenknives.Thereisnothinglikeagrindstoneforreallysharpeningsteel.Thewaterdrippingfromthecanabovepreventsoverheating themetal. I’msureyouwillnowdefendtheemeryorcarborundumwheel.Ihaveoneconnectedwithpower.Itisgoodforroughwork,but,toooften,Ihaveburnedagoodpieceofsteelbyoverheating.Once burned, the life is gone from the steel. To grind an axe orknifeproperlytakespractice—asteadyhandandpatience.Edgetoolsshouldbeheldagainstthestoneatananglesothesharpestpartoftheedgebarelytouchesthe stone.Asyouwear the roughhigh spotsdown toward the fine edge, your

bladewillevenup.

Theflat finecarborundumstone ismostvaluable for thefinal finishing.Togiveyourtoolitsfinalkeenedge,useaneight-inchflatcarborundumstone.

THEAXENow,ifyouareacitypersonwhogoestothewoodsforweekends,whohas

most of his work done for him, you won’t need an axe. For the real cabinbuilder,theaxeishisbestfriend.Withanaxe,youcanfashionaroughcabinorhuntingshelter;withanaxe,youcanbuildtrapsandsnarestocatchwildanimalsforfood;withanaxeyoucanblazeyourwaythroughdensewoods—notchingareturn trail; with an axe, you can cut firewood for cooking and for warmth.Withoutanaxe,Ishouldfeelhelplessinthewoods.Itisthefirst“must”onmylistoftools.

At this point, if you are a novice in axemanship, youmight expect furtherinstruction on how to handle an axe. Any expert would agree with me, suchwrittendirectionswouldbebad teaching.Here isacraft thatcannotbegainedfrom books. The skill must be handed down by one who knows—it must belearnedinthedoing.

Many books have been written on how to play golf. They may serve forwintersportbesideafireplace.But,tobenefitfromrealinstruction,theamateurstillgoestothegolfcourse—askstheguidanceofagolf“pro.”The“pro”knowsthe why and how of grips, stance, and position and teaches right out on the

course.Soalsoinlearningtheuseofanaxe.Findthefarmerwhocutshisownwoodfromhiswoodlotor thelumberjackorcraftsmanwhoearnshissaltwithan axe. Either one will say, “Well, come along to the woodpile—we’ll cutfirewoodwhilewe are learning.” Thiswill result in added skill for you—andmorewoodforthewoodpile—andyouwon’thavetopayfivedollarsanhourforthismostpracticalinstruction.

As your skill improves, you will not be satisfied with one axe. I haveseventeen in actual use. A bit of a hobby? Yes—but each axe has a specialpurpose.Theydiffer in shape,weight, and length.They range from thedaintylightaxeforfineworktothebroadaxeusedinpioneerdaysforsquaringlogstobuildbeamsandblockhouses.Thebroadaxeislittleusedtoday,butIwouldn’tpartwithmine.

Someaxesareforcutting,othersforsplitting.Cutting-axesmustbesharptobeeffective.Keepthemsharp—razorsharp—andyouwillrespectthem.IoncesawalumberjackinnorthernWisconsinshavehispartnerwithatwo-bittedaxe—not for the sakeof the shavebut to demonstratewhat hemeant by a razor-sharpedgeonhisaxe.

An old tree stump provides a center for sport and healthy exercise formyguestswhenweplay throw thehatchet. I have four old axes for this purpose.Theobjectofthegameistothrowthehatchettwentyorthirtyfeetsoitwillstickintotheoldstump.It’snotatalldifficult.Throwtheaxeoverheadwiththebladepointing forward. The axemustmake a complete revolution before it hits thestump.So ifyoumiss, standa little fartherback.Varyyourpositionuntilyouconnect.Eachaxeandeachcontestant’sforcevary.

Nocampiscompletewithoutoneormoreaxes.

KNIVESNext to theaxe inusefulness is thewoodsman’sknife. In thisdayandage,

weare inclined to thinkof thepocketknifeasadaintypearl-handledaffair forsharpening pencils and cutting string on packages. No true woodsman wouldtoleratesuchatool.

Knife collecting, Imust confess, is quite asmuch a hobby ofmine asmyhoardingofaxes.Afewofthemarerareantiques.Thecaseofoneismadefroma deer’s foot—hair and all. Another, it is claimed, saved the life of mygrandfatherwhenfacedwithabear.Caughtwithoutagun,grandfatherfoughtitoutwithhisknife.Scaredandbruised,hewassavedbytheknife.

Awoodsman and cabin builder needs both a jackknife in his pocket and astoutbowieknife inasheathattachedtohisbelt.Hunters, too,needthissharpbowieknife,foradeer,afterbeingshot,shouldatoncebebledanddressed.

Inmycollectionareknivesfromthreetoeighteeninchesinlength.Ihaveasetof finecarving tools,eachof themrazorsharp. It is fun toshowyourskillwitharoastbeeforawell-brownedfowl.Ifyourknife issharp, thecarvingisquitesimple—juststeady theroastwitha largeforkanddrawyourknifebackandforth.Witha littlepractice,youcancutroastbeef ineven, thickorpaper-thin,slices.Forfowl,Ipreferashortthinblade.Itiseasiertofindandseparatethejoints.Alongerthinbladeshouldbeathandforcarvingtheslicesofwhitebreastmeat.

In our family—as in most families—are swords from past wars. We hadseveral:commanders’swords threefeet long,bayonets,afencingsaber,adirk,andshortdaggerforclose-inengagements.Thesetoolsweredesignedforkillingmen. They are refashioned now into implements for peacetime pursuits—forcarvingandforpruning.

The commander’s sword was a piece of excellent steel. Using my emerywheel and grindstone, I cut it in two, regrinding the blades into fine carvingknivesthatareamongmyprizedcuttingtools.

Goodsteelissometimeshardtoget.Ifyouareoneofthosewhomusthaveareallygoodknifeofthebesttemperedsteel—andarewillingtodothenecessarygrinding—reconvert an old steel file. Steel files must be made of the besttemperedsteel.Theycanbegroundtotheshapeandsizedesired.Atwelve-inchfilecanbegroundintoaperfectcarvingknife.

Thestoryistoldoftwoancientkingswhodemonstratedtoeachothertheirskillwiththesword.Thefirstking,agiantinsize,drewforthhisheavypowerfulweapon. With one mighty blow, he severed an iron bar one inch thick. Thesecondkingdrewforthhisslender,delicate,razor-sharpblade.Hedrewitacrossafeatherpillow—splittingthecasewithsuchhair-precisionnobitofdownwasspilled.Themoralof thisbedtimestoryisnot importanthere.Forme,Ipreferthe delicate skill that comes from sharpwell-balanced tools, handled by thosewhoappreciatehowtousethem.

Nails

CHOOSING the right kind and size of nails to be driven into wood is asimportantasknowingwhatingredientsgointoacake,orwhichgolfclubtouseformaking a particular shot. The purpose of the nail is to hold two pieces ofwoodtogether.Ifthepiecesofwoodarethick,i.e.,nailingtwopiecesoftwo-by-fourtogether,thenlongerandstouternailsarerequired.Iftonailtwoone-inchboardstogether,thenasmallernailwilldo.

There are cut nails, common wire nails, horseshoe nails, finishing nails,pennynails,andothers.Forourpurposeintheuseofnailsthatwilldealmostlywithjoineryandcarpentry,therearethreekindsofnailstobeconsidered.Theyarecalledpennynails,boxnails,andfinishingnails.

Penny nails run from two-penny to sixty-penny nails. A two-penny is oneinchinlength,athree-pennyisoneandone-quarterincheslong,andsoonuptoasixty-penny,whichisaboutseveninchesinlength.

Thepennynail isaheavynailwitha sturdyshank thatcanbedrivenhardwith a heavy hammer without bending. Never choose a nail longer than thethicknessofthewoodyouwanttonailtogether.Ifyouchooseanaillonger,soitsticksoutontheotherside,youarewastingthatpieceofthenail;but,morethanthis, you add nothing to the holding strength of the nail. It should be buriedthoroughly into the twopiecesofwoodyouarebinding together.To turnoverthepieceofprotrudingnailindeedlocksthenailintothewood,but,insodoing,thereisdangerofpartlydrivingitbackandyourboardsarenottightfitting.

Boxnailsrunaboutthesamesizeaspennynails,butarethinnerandforfinerwork.

Lastly, finishingnails are for cabinetwork.Thesehave small heads,which,whendrivenintothewood,canbesunkdeeperwithanailsetsonopartofthenailisabovethesurfaceofthewood.

With the last stroke of the hammer, which finally plants the nail in your

board,caremustbetakentohitgentlysoasnottoinjurethegrainofthewood,ifyouwanttoproducefineworkmanship.

BuildingRulesYouMayNotViolate

Anyonewithageneralworkingknowledgeoftoolscanbuildhisowncabin,ifhefollowsafewsimplebutfundamentalrules:

1.Setfoundationorpiersbelowthefrostline.Ifindeepwoods,freezingisnotassevere.Bankyourcabininthefallwithleaves.

2.Setthefoundationbothlevelandtrulysquare.Thiswillsaveendlesstroubleas building develops. Triangles of three, four, and five feetwill give you alargesquare;alsosix,eight,andtenfeet.Hereishowyoudoit.Driveastake(A)firmlyintothegroundatthecornerofyourplannedcabin.Markacross(X) on the top. From the center of this crossmeasure off exactly three feetalong the side of your cabin and then drive the second stake (B). At rightanglestothislineandstartingagainfromthefirststake(A),measureofffourfeet and drive a stake (C). This done, measure from (B) to (C). It mustmeasureexactlyfivefeetandyouthenhavearightangletrianglewith(A)atthebase.Ifitdoesnotmeasureexactlyfivefeet,movestake(C)untilitdoes.Yourwholestructurewillrevealgoodlinesbythecareyouexerciseintheuseoftheplane,plumbline,orlevelandthesquare.

3.Square,level,andplumbtellthetruth.Neverguess.

4.Sharptoolswillspeedupthework.

5.Provideforthoroughdrainageaboutthecabin.

6.Build fromaplan,notmemory.Don’t rush it through inaweekend.Takeamonth, sixmonths, or a year.Your greatest pleasurewill be in the buildingandyourgreatestenjoymentwillbeinthesatisfactionofacomfortable,snug,andwell-builtcabin.

7.Ifindoubt,seekexpertadvice.

LandCost

LANDcanbesecuredatsurprisinglylowcostoratlowrental.Poorfarmland,i.e.,landcutdeepwithravines,isoflittlevaluetothefarmerandidealforourpurpose,especiallyiftherearetrees,bushes,andshrubs.

Over the past thirty years, I have traveled the length and breadth of thiscountry.WhetherNewYorkState,Florida, theRockies,or theprairie landsofthesouthwest,thereisanunlimitedquantityoflandavailable.Morethanthis,itcanbepurchasedinexpensively.

The troublewithmostofus iswewantsomanyfeet frontageona lakeorstreamorocean.Orwewantthehighesthillforaview.Forthese,ofcourse,wemustpay.Letusthinksimply.Abitofland,sayfiveacres,offthemainhighway,a lovely view to the south, a real vista after removing one or two trees andbushes.Thelandisroughandrocky,butthisisnoobstacle.It’sachallenge,forhereweshallbuilda rockgarden, trails, anout-of-door rustic stove forpicnicsuppers.

Youwillfindplentyoflandforyourpurpose“offthebeatenpath,”anditwillbewithinyourmeans.Ifyoudonotwishtoowntheland,youcanworkoutarentalarrangement,say,forfive,ten,orfifteenyears.

Ifyouliveinabigcity,thedistancetotravelwillbegreater.DonotcasttheideaofaCabinintheWoodsasidejustbecauseyoumaynotownanautomobile.Itstillcanbedoneevenifyouhavetotakethebusortrolleyortrain.Itwillhelpyougrowstrongandmoreresourceful.Yes—itwillincreaseyourearningpower.Somedayyoumayhavethatauto,alsoatrailer.

CabinCost

THATalldependsonhowlavishyouwishtobeandonyourownresources—howmany rooms, howmuch land. Remember, the purpose of this book is tohelp thenovicewhowants toplayabigpart inbuildinghisowncabin—whowantstoberesourceful.

If you hire your labor instead of doing most of it yourself, or buy rusticfurniture instead of creating it out of woods material, or are in a hurry tocompleteYourCabin in theWoods, then,of course, costswillmount.Agoodslogan to keep in mind is “Utilize all natural resources. Do it yourself. Taketime.”Evenhinges,doorlocks,coathangers,shelves,shingles,stonesteps,andslab floors need nothingmore than a few tools, the natural resources at yourdisposal,andthewilltomakeityourownhandicraft.

If this isyour first cabin-buildingexperience,avoid largercabins thanheresuggested,forbothcarpenteringandstructuralproblemswillpresentthemselvesthat are not included in these plates.Abig cabin needs additional reinforcing,heaviertimber,supports,etcetera.Youwillbecomediscouraged.Ourancestors,theoldpioneers,builtsmallcabinsandlivedinthem.YouwilllosetheloreandspiritofaCabinintheWoodswithabighouse.Again,agoodcarpenterisnotnecessarily a good log cabin builder.Different technique is involved, and yougainthistechniquethroughexperience.Youwilllaterwanttobuildanotherandwillbenefitbyyourfirstexperience.

LogsforYourCabin

CHOOSE softwoods rather than hardwoods for your first experience—hemlock,bass,pine,evenpoplarworksupeasilyintologs.Byallmeans,avoidworkingwithoak logsunlessyouare thoroughlyfamiliarwith thiswood.It is“temperamental.”Ihaveseenit,afteritwasthoroughlydried,seasoned,squared,andfittedintoplace,changeformayearafter thecabinwasbuilt. Itwill twistslightly likeabarberpole,evento liftingyourcabinatonecornerandleavingbigcrackstopatchfromyeartoyear.Butthat’sanotherstory.

Speakingofgreensoftwoodlogs—itwillpayyoutoremovethebark.Useadraw-shave. Insects get under the bark and may cause you much annoyance.Therearemethodsofpreservingthebark,butIstillfavorstrippingthelogs.Itwill give you a clean cabin. Old cedar telephone poles redressed arerecommended,ifyoucangetthem.Theyaredryandreadyforuse.Dressingoldtelephonepolesisfun,andwillgivemostsatisfyingresults.Thegrainincedarlogs is straight.Witha sharpaxe,dig inaboutone inchall around.Thewoodwillcomeoffinlongstrips—two,three,andfourfeetlong.Aftertheroughaxework, finish and smooth offwith a draw-shave.Your logswill look like newtimberandthesweetsmellofcedarwillrewardyouforyouraddedeffort.

Fourteenlogswithanaveragethicknessofeightornineinchesandtwenty-sixfeetlongwillbuildacabintwelvebyfourteenfeetuptofourteenbysixteenfeet,dependinguponthenumberofdoorsandwindows.

Pilethelogsfarenoughapartandcrisscrosstogivethemalltheairpossiblefordrying.If the logsaregreen, it isbest toallowthemtodryseveralmonthsbeforeusing.Whenhaulingyourlogstoyourcabinsite,placethemequallyoneither side of the planned building. Thiswill save unnecessary loads after thelogsaresawedup.Removeknotsandburls tohavelogsasnearlystraightandsmoothaspossible.

TieYourCabinTogether

Therearethreeimportantplacestobindyourcabin:

1.Afterplacingthesilllogs,whichrestonthefoundationandshould,ofcourse,runparalleltoeachother,placeyourfloorjoistsrunningatrightanglestothesills.Thelogsillsshouldbedugouttoaccommodatethetwo-inch-by-six-inchfloorjoistsandthennailedinsecurely.Thisbindsyourfloorbothwaysafteryoulayadoublefloor.

2.Thenextplace to tie in is at theplates,which rest on topofyour logs andcornerstudsandformthebaseforyourroofconstructiontofastento.Platesshouldbetwoinchesbysixinches,laiddoubleandoverlappedateverycornertobindand leavenoweakspots.Logsmaybeusedasplatesand they, too,should overlap at corners and then be bolted together as well as spiked tocornerstuds.

3. The third important tie-in is in the roof rafters, for a hip roof will spread,especiallyunderheavysnows,andsoroofraftersshouldbeboundtogethertoholdyour roof rigid. Innorthern zoneswhere there is agreat deal of snow,moreraftersshouldbeadded.Thefloor joistsshouldbeof two-inch-by-six-inchlumbersupportedinthemiddle,andtheroofraftersforthesizeofcabinheresuggestedcanbeoftwoinchesbysixinches,butpreferablyofsaplingsdressedandtrimmed—allaboutfourorfiveinchesindiameter.

NotchingYourLogs

NOTCHING logs is a craft one does not learn merely by reading books.Notchinglogssotheyfittogethersnuglyisanartallinitself.Itbelongstothepioneerskills,tothewoodsman,totheoneintimatelyacquaintedwithanaxe—morethanthis,withthebroadaxe,thepewee,thecanthook.

Ifyouwantacabintruetothepioneerbackground,itwillbeofthenotched-logconstructionandyouwillneed tofindabackwoodsmanwhohasmasteredtheartofdelicatelyswinginganaxe.Hewillteachyoumoreinadaythanyoucanlearnfromadozenbooks.Ashasbeensaidoften,“Theorywithoutpracticeisemptyandpracticewithouttheoryisdeadly.”Combinethetwoandyouwillacquireatechniquethatisworkable.Onlythenwillyoubeonyourown.

MAINE-WOODSMETHODOFBINDINGLOGSATCORNERSThe old-fashionedmethod of notching logs ismore costly as it requires at

least four additional feet on each log and, unless expertly done, will be adisappointmenttoyou.

TheMaine-WoodsMethod saves time, labor, and material, and gives youverysatisfactoryresults.Afterthefoundationlogsorsillshavebeenplacedandsquared,toenailadoubleor“V”studdingateachcorner—thatis,atwo-inch-by-six-inchstudspikedat rightangles toa two-inch-by-eight-inch, so the twoare“V”shaped.(Usesix-pennyspikes.)Theoutsidewillmeasureeightinches;theinside, six inches.Place this on the sill at the corner so themouthof the “V”facesoutside.(Atbaywindowintersections,themouthofthe“V”facesinside.)A“V”studdingnowplacedateverycornerofthecabinandcarefullytoenailed,shouldbetoppedwithadoubleplateortwotwo-inch-by-eight-inchrunningallaround,oralogoverlapping.Besurethetwo-inch-byeight-inchplatesbindoroverlapatallpoints.

Cutlogswithcaretofitexactlybetweenyour“V”studdingordoorjambandwindows, then spikewith six-penny spikes through the studwall and into theend of the log.Use at least three spikes for each end of the log. Pack spacesbetweentheendofthelogandstuddingwithoakum.Keeplogsspacedatleastoneinchaparttoprovideforgenerouschinking.

CabinDetail

HEREisacompletepicturestoryoftheMaine-woodscabinconstructionfromthefoundationtoroofrafters.

Concretefoundationdownbelowthefrostline;baselogsanchoredbyboltstothefoundation.

Next,wehave“V”studsatallcornerswithlogsspikedattheends;logplatesproperlynotched,bolted,andanchored;finally,rooflografterstocompletethelogframe.

Theinsertpresentsindetailthe“V”studconstruction.Studytheseplatesuntilyouarethoroughlyfamiliarwitheverydetail.Build

yourminiature from these plates.This type of log cabin construction is reallyveryeconomicalasagainstoverlappinglogs.Itwillgiveyouasturdybuilding“tightasadrum.”

Windows,Doors,andGables

ACCORDING to the thicknessofyour logs,buildyourownwindow framesout of two-inch-by-six-inch or two-inch-by-eight-inch lumber and placewindowsindouble,sotheyoverlapandslidepasteachother.Placestripsontheoutside and inside of the window, so they may slide back and forth. Thisremoveshingesandtheinconvenienceofhavingwindowsinsidearoomwhentheyareopen.Asyoubringyourlogsuptothedesiredheight,placeyourwholewindow frame on the log and build around it. Be sure your frame is exactlysquared.Dothisbykeepingitbracedbothwaysontheframe.Youcanpurchasefromyourwooddealeralmostanysizewindowsyouwish.Yourcabinislikelyto be dark unless you provide onewindow large enough to give ample light.Thereisnoneedforfeelingcoopedup.Itcostsalittlemore,butitisworthit.

BesuretoputasmallopeninginthegablesofYourCabinintheWoods—both ends.These are for ventilators.You can control theseby a shutter-string.Screenthemontheoutside.Leavethemslightlyopenwhenyouleaveyourcabinandyouwill find it sweet and fresh smellingwhenyou return.On thecoldestnight,youcansleepcomfortablywithplentyoffreshairbyopeningthesetwovents,andbythedeadairthatwillbedrawnoutbyyourfireplace.

Buildyourdoorframesoutoftwo-inch-by-six-inchortwo-inch-by-eight-inchlumberandplace strips inside thedoorjambagainstwhich to fit thedoor.Thedoorjambservesalsoasastud.Nailthroughittoholdyourlog.

DrainageandGrading

CERTAINLYyou shouldnot choose amarshy spot foryour cabin. It is self-evidenttherewouldbedampness,wetfloors,rheumatism,thedoctor.

Choosefirstaknollorhighgroundthatpitchesdownfromyourcabinsite.Rain,butespeciallymeltingsnow,willflowawayfromyourcabin.Thisisaruleyoumaynotchangeifyouwantadrycabin.

Of course, you want your cabin to nestle into its surroundings. Give it,however,atleasteighteenincheselevationabovethenaturalgroundandhaveitdraindownandawayfromyourbuildingonallsides.Thegrounddugoutfromthefoundation,orshouldyoudecidetodigacellar,shouldbethrownoutsidethefoundation.Youwon’thavetodigthefoundationsodeepifyouraisethelevelwithout.

Todoareallyfinejob,especiallyifyouuseaflagstonefloorwithin,istolayathree-inchtileatthebottomofthefoundationontheoutside.Besureitpitchesdownwardfromonesideofthebuildingallaroundtothepointwhereitdrainsdownthehillside.

UpperandLowerBunksConvertedintoCouches

BYbuildinginupperandlowerbunks,theupperbunkcanbehinged.Dropthefrontoftheupperbunktoformthebackrestofthecouchwiththelowerbunk.

PaintingandPreservatives

ASyoureadmoreintothissubject,youwillfindmanyrecommendations.Theoldpioneerhadnopaintorstainandhisbuildingstoodthetestoftime.Windowframes,windowsills,doorjambs,anddoorscanbepaintedor,better,stained.

Beautifuleffectscanbehadbyworkingoutaweather-staincolor.Afteryourlogshavethoroughlydried,itwillbeafarbettertimetostainwithpreservatives.

Chinking

CHINKINGbetweenlogswillmakeacabinwarm,clean,anddry.Itshouldbecarefullydone. Itpays in theend.Logsmustbedried thoroughly.Plasterwithsand,fourparts;lime,one-halftoonepart;whitecement,onepart.Ifspacesofoneinchormoreoccurbetweenlogs,fillinwithsmallbranchesnailedtothetopand bottom logs, inside and out. Don’t be too sparing with the plaster.Wideplasterspaceswillbrightentheroom,too.Plasterwellifyouwantawarmcabin.Theplasterontheoutsideshouldnottouchormeettheplasterontheinside,forthedeadairspacemakesthebestnonconductor.Tomakeplasterholdbetweenthe logs, drivenails as far in aspossible into logsbothup anddownnear themiddleofthecrack—manyofthem—sayeverythreeorfourinches—oldnails,crookednails.Anothergoodmethodistonailinwovenwireorhardwarecloth,one-quarter-inchmesh.Cutthehardwareclothinstripsaboutthreeincheswide;foldlengthwiseinaslight“V”shapeanddriveinbetweenthelogsandnailtothe upper or lower log. This is not absolutely necessary, but gives addedstrength.Deadairspacemakestheperfectnonconductor.

Bettertochinkwithmossiflogsarenotthoroughlydryorleaveunchinkeduntildry.Lime,onepart;sand, threeparts;woodashes, twenty-fiveparts;salt,two parts, all thoroughly mixed with dry moss will serve well for a hunter’slodge.Theashestendtokeepverminaway.

When chinking is complete, if any light spots show through a door orwindow jamb, caulk itwith tarred hemp, oakum, ormoss.The tar smell soondisappears.Beespeciallycarefultochinkbetweenthegroundorsill logabovebeforelayingafloor.

FireplaceMagic

ITisasimplethingtotalkaboutaglowingfireplace.Toachieveonetakesskill,plusafewtricksupyoursleeve.Theashbedisimportant.Thekindofwoodandtheplacingof the logsdetermineyour success.Theonly thermostat is the firebuilder himself. If he learns the secret of its magic, he can make of his firemakingafineart,shadingit,highlightingit,coloringitwithcraftsmanshipthatneednotdependonchemicalsfromapackageorbottle.

Let’slearntheartfromscratch.Thoseunacquaintedwithfireplacecraftwillclean out and scour the fire bed, leaving it empty, clean, naked. I havediscoveredthemainreason.Theydesireacleanandtidysetting.SodoI.Ashescanaddratherthandetractfromthebeautyandefficiencyofyourfire.Todaywedesecrate a fire by throwing into it cigar and cigarette butts, trash, and paper.These seldomburn in entirety, and, if theydo, leave ablack char that ismostunsightly.Itmightseemunnecessarytosayfoodwasteshouldneverenterintothis symbol of family life.A fireplace that is an incineratorwould have to becleaned.Afireplacethatcentersthewarmthandlightandfriendlinessofagroupoffireplaceloverswillneverbesodesecrated.

Afireplacewithoutadeepcushionofashesislikeabedwithoutamattress.Ashesformthesoftwarmbedforthenextfire.Withoutit,thelogswon’tburncorrectly.Thematofashesshouldbesix inchesdeepat thebackwallofyourfireplace.Theywillbewhiteandcleanifyoubecomeamasterofyourartandburnonlyhardwood.

So, first, as you build your fire, rake the ashes back so they slant upwardfromthehearth’sfronttothesix-inchdepthatthebackofthefirewall.Youneedno grate or andirons. A bed of ashes is the real need. In the center of yourfireplace,buildasmalltepeeofkindling,drytinderbits,preferablyfullofpitch.At right angles, one on either side, lay two three- or four-inch sticks ofwoodrunningfromfronttoback.Nowlayathickbacklog,sayteninches,wayinthe

backon the sticks;next, forward,a smaller log in thickness,butnot touching.Then,astillsmallerlogandsoontothehearth’sedge.Aircurrents,whichcreatecorrectdraft, travel along theoutsideor endsof these logs, flowingupand inbetweenthem.Adiagonallogplacedontopofthispilewillgiveaddedpulltotheflame.Yourfireisreadyforlighting.Asthecoals formand theunder-logsburnthroughandallowthefiretosettleintothecoalandashbed,theywillnotneedtobereplaced,as theflamesthemselvesgiveaddedimpetus.Ifyouwantyour fireplace full of lively flame—I don’tmean just a flickering glow, but aburst of light andwarmth—continue to add logs diagonally or thrust into thecrevices, upright smaller pieces—“ticklers” I call them. Abe Lincoln did hisstudyingbysuchalight.

Yourchoiceofwoodsdependsuponthepurposeandthemoodforwhichthefireisdesigned.Somewoodsmakeacracklingfire.Othersthrowoutshowersofsparks.Stillothersburn slowlyand leaveadeepbedofcoals.Hemlock,pine,andothersoftwoodsaregoodforkindling,butburnoutquicklyandleaveadarkash.Beech,maple,elm,ash,andhickoryaretops.Oakandpitchpinewillburnwelltogether.Theyleaveabedofglowingcoalsand,whenspent,awhiteash.Anyofthesehardwoodscanbeusedforbroilingsteaks.Adeepbedofcoalsisessentialtoanyfireplacecooking.

Trybirchwoodfora fireofwelcome. It sputters,crackles, seems tosay toyourfiveo’clockteaguest,“Comein.Warmupabit.Drawupachair.”Birchdoesn’t last long,but it issprightlywhile itburns. Ikeepasmallstockof thisrollicking,laughingwoodforsuchspecialoccasions.

Nowletme tellyouabout thechoicestofall fire logs, ifyouwantaquiet,colorful firefor the lateevening—for thedeeper,moresilentmoods. Itneitherspitsnorsparkles. It throwsblue, red,green,yellow,andpurpleflamesandalltheshadesandcolorsinbetween.Itinspiresclosecompanionship.Thisspecial,magicwoodis justyouroldappletreefromtheorchard.It isgnarled,coveredwithbuds,often sprouting twigs. It’sa toughold tree.Evenwhen its inside ishollow, it keeps right on growing—giving shade and apples. The veryhollownessadds toyour firemagic.Set itup,chimney fashion,andwatch theglowandconstantchangeofcolor.Watchthe“firefairies”climboutofitsheart

andsoarupwardwiththesmoke.Isometimesfancytheoldtreeisrememberingandsharingwithustheearliergloryofitspinkandcreamblossoms,thehumanromancesthatbloomedinitsdeepgreenshade,thefulfillmentofitsgreenandscarlet fruit. As a tree, the apple is a romantic, attracting young and old. Asfirewood,itisanartistofcolorthatwarmsthehands,theheart—thesoul.

Theovernightbacklogisindeedapartofyourfireplacecraft.Youcankeepyourlogburningallnight.Ifproperlyburieditwillgreetyouinthemorningasasolid logofglowingcoals. Justbeforegoing tobed takeyourshoveland rakeforwardfromthebackwallofyourfireplaceallcoalsandashes.Digdowndeepthroughthesixinchesofashesaplacetoholdaten-inchlog.Afterdroppingthelogintothishollow,coverallofitwiththerestofyourcoalsandashes.Buryituntilyoucanseenopartofthelogforcoalsandashes.Nowplaceyourscreeninfrontof thehearth forprotection fromsparks.Behold, tomorrowmorningyouwill find your log of red-hot coals. Our pioneer fathers did this always;especially in the days when there were no matches and fires were built byrubbing sticks, or with flint on steel. On themantle shelf stood a jar of longslender sticks about pencil thickness and of pitchy wood. These served asmatchesforgrandfather’spipe,orforlightingcandles.

InmyboyhooddaysIusedtowatch,fascinated,thesparksthatwouldigniteontheblackcharredfireplacewallwhenthecoalswerelow.Thesesparkswouldnotflameup,justcreepthroughthegatheredcreosote—buildingfantasticshapesoffloatingclouds,birds,animals,and,finally,asifbymagic,disappearing.

Therereallyismagicinafireplace.

FireplacesSuccessfullyBuiltbytheNovice

WORKINGwithbrickandmortar is fascinating. Itwillgiveyoua thoroughrespectforthiscraft.Fireplacebuildingishardwork,backbreaking,yetworthalltheeffortinthepleasureaglowinghearthwillgive.Diligentapplicationandany handyman with a few tools and the will to “stick” can succeed. Ourancestors had to rely on their own skill or develop it. It’s just a part of theAmericanspirit.

First,letusmakeitattractive—simplelines,stonesfromthefield,fittogetherlike patterns in a flagstone floor. Flat sandstones or limestoneswork up best.Fashioningstonesfromthefieldforyourfireplacewillpresentsomeproblemsandanoccasional“frustration.”Withalittlepracticeandperseverance,however,you will suddenly discover you can split a stone with precision. You willexperienceanewthrill.This,then,islearningbydoingandinthedoingyouwillfindyourself tired,musclesabitsore,handshardenedandrough,butyouwillsay over and over again, “I did it. I have it. I know it.” You will go to bedwholesomelytired,buteagertogetofftoanearlystartinthemorning,toworkagainonyourfireplace.

Usenaturalmaterial,ifavailable,beforeresortingtobrick.Besure,however,tolineyourfireplacewithfirebrick.

Do not attempt a large fireplace if it is your first experiment. The two

fireplacesshownareworkable.Oneisdifferent,raisedfourteeninchesabovethefloor,withashelfthatmakesanexcellentspaceforcookingandwillsaveyourback.Itwarmsthebodyandtheroom—notjusttheshins.

CROSSSECTIONOFRAISEDHEARTHFIREPLACE

IMPORTANTBuild your fireplace at the end of the room away from doors, to give

snugness and avoid drafts. Your fireplacewill givewarmth, awelcome glow,andthrowshadows.Donotexpectafireplacetokeepacabinwarminsub-zeroweather. Place a wood-burning stove at the opposite end of the room. Run asmokestackthroughtheroofwithametalcollar.Youwillthenbebetweentwofiresandwarmedboth“foreandaft.”

SMALLBRICKFIREPLACE

THE“WHY”OFFIREPLACESTHATBURNWELLIt is tragic to see somany lovely cabins spoiled by smoking fireplaces.A

good many fireplaces are built by people who do not understand the firstprinciplesof fireplace construction.Bookson the subject are available at yourlibrary;also,theUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureFarmers’BulletinNo.1649treatsthissubjectatlength.Ifmeasurementsheregivenarefollowed,yourfireplacewillnotsmoke,butwillburnperfectly,keepinglogsburningovernight,andwillbeajoyinyourcabin.

Afteryourfireplacehasdriedoutforafewdays,lightyourfirstreallygreatfire.Whatathrill!Itworks.Callinthefamily,yourfriends.Celebrate.

Ifitsmokes,sitaloneandstudyit.Watchtheaircurrents.Lightabundleofsticksornewspaperandhold itat theuppercornersof theopening. If thefluedoes not draw the flame and smoke, then there is somethingwrong about thethroat.Getyourchiselanddiginsideoneithersideofthethroatabovethelintel.Here is thegreatestpossibilityof trouble. Ifyouare sure the flue is incorrectmeasuredrelationshiptotheopening,youreallycan’tgoverywrong.Afteryouhaveadjustedhereandthereuntil thefireplacereallyburns,youwillapproach

thenextfireplacewithaddedconfidenceandwillhavegoodresults.

TOOLSLevel, plumb line,mixing box two by four feet and ten inches deep, hoe,

trowel,mason’shammer,chalkline,square,shovel.

MATERIALSStones or bricks, sand, gravel, cement, lime, nails, chalk, iron lintel arch

support,eightincheslongerthanthewidthoftheopening(angleironlintelwillnot sag), one hundred firebricks, twenty-five pounds of fireclay, pothooks,pothooksupports.

HOWTOPROCEEDBuildthefoundationthefullsizeofthefireplace,twofeettofourfeetandsix

inchesbelowgroundlevel,accordingtoyourfreezingline;fillinwithconcreteandstones.

Rest the floor joists on the fireplace’s foundation. Fill in with concretebetweenthejoiststofloorlevel,unlessyouplanaflagstonefloor.

Buildthefireplacebylevels—i.e.,donotbuilduponeside,thentheother.Ifyou add a four-inch stone on one corner, bring the rest of the fireplace uplikewise,thenaddthenexttier.

Makeitrough.Ifonestoneprotrudes,good,butbringtheoneaboveitbacktruewithyourplumbline.

Rake out themortar about one inch deep between joists.Thiswill give anagedorweatheredappearance.Keepyourmortarstiff,i.e.,nottoomuchwater.

Afalsehearthischeaper,butnotsosturdy.Buildyourhearththefullwidthofthefireplace.

If in a log cabin, the fireplace foundationmust be deeper front to back toallowforthethicknessofthelogs.

Bringthefoundationtowithinsixinchesofthefloorandmakeitlevel.Nowlay your fireplace out carefully, providing space for firebrick and keeping inmindsupportforthechimney,whichmustrestonthefoundationoutsideofthecabin.Useyourplumbline.

Donotbesparingwiththemortar.Mortarmustbefreefromgravel,nottoowet.Usesiftedsandmixedtoastiffpaste.Placefacestonesaboutthree-quartersofan inchapart; fill inbetween the joints.Tap thestoneswith thehandleofatrowel until all joints are cementedwell. Scrape off any surplus and throw itbackintothemortarbox.Mixmortarinsmallquantitiesandworkitwithyourtrowelfromtimetotimetokeepittempered.Atotalofthreetofiveshovelfuls.

MIXTUREThree sand, one cement, one and one-half lime or prepared commercial

mixturecalledbrickcement—directionsonthebag.

It is advisable to build the chimney of brick, enclosing the flue. Use fluelining,eightinchesbytwelveinches,forthefireplacewithanopeningofthirty-six inches by twenty-four inches. Lay the firebrick first and then build thestoneworkaroundit.Thiskeepstheworkopenandeasytogetat.

The inside of the raised hearth fireplace measures thirty-six inches wide,twenty to twenty-four inches in depth, and twenty-six inches high. The sidesdraw in slightly toward the back (about two inches each side). The backwallrises perpendicular for fourteen inches from the fireplace level, then slantsupward and forward until it reaches the throat, which is at least eight inchesabovethearch.Thethroatshouldbeatleasttenpercentinthesquareareaoftheopeningofthefireplace.Also,thefluemustbetenpercentinthesquareareaoftheopeningofthefireplaceorbetter.

ASIMPLEMETHODFORTHENOVICEFirst,buildawoodenboxorframe,theoutsideofwhichwillbethesameas

the inside space of your fireplace—throat and approach to the flue. This willsave you endless trouble. Build your fireplace and mason work around theframeworkwithreasonablecertainty.Alwayslaybrickorstonehorizontallyandbindoneontheother.Usecareinplacingthedamperandthetwoangleirons.A

damperisnotnecessary,butwillsaveyourhousefromdestructionbysquirrelsin the summer and fall; it also helps regulate draft. An old-fashioned dampersuchasusedinwoodstovepipecanbebuiltfromsheetironandfittedinthefluejust above the fireplacemantle shelf. The rest, then, is amatter of laying onestoneorbrickontheother,alwayslappingonestoneovertheother,keepingallworklevelandperpendicularlinestrue.

POTHOOKSWhenbuildingyourfireplacedonotforgettoincludeanironhookonwhich

to hang a kettle for hotwater.A swinging pothookhasmanyvaluable uses—keepingfoodhot,keepingcoffeehot,etcetera.

Ashes

IT’S time to turn in, for thehour is late.Thenight is still.Yet, somehow,welinger.Why?Nooneknows.There is always enchantment in the closinghourwhen the fadingcoals in the fire stir and“speak” their softgoodnight.Dyingembersfallapart; theglowfadesandisreplacedbyadelicatewhiteash,morebeautiful thanandas intriguingas thestillnessof thenight.Finally,werealizethe great sacrament of fire is completed. A downdraft of our chimney mayscatter these featherywhiteashesoverourhearthuntilonebecomesentrancedbythelacywhitefilament.“Ashestoashes”haveportrayedtheirfulfillment.

Somehow, I just can’t bear to burn rubbish or wastepaper in a glowingfireplace.Theseproduceablackash.Whiteashesremindoneofthe“sacramentof fire,” of God’s gift, of warmth and light. The delicate loveliness of whitewoodashesseemsasymbolofpurityandconsecration.We,too,will“burnout”someday, but joyously by what we have created in our time for our ownhappiness and the good of the world.We, too, may contribute to life’s greatsacramentoffireforthegenerationstocome.

YOURHOTANDCOLDWATERSYSTEMANDSUPPLY

RunningHotandColdWater

ASUMMERcampisincompletewithoutashowerbath.Onedoesnotneedtothinkintermsoftilefloorsorgranitebathtubs.Ahotandcoldwatersystemcanbeinstalledforverylittlecost. Infact,webuiltone thatsuppliedhotandcoldwatertonotonlytheshower,butalsoforthekitchenandwashroom.Itwasfunto work with Stillson wrenches, valves, fittings, water pressure, air vents, etcetera.

A house-wrecking company supplied sinks, pipes, and valves at a veryreasonablecost.Athirty-gallonhotwatertanklaidflatwithafireholeunderitresultedinourhotwaterheatingsystem.Awoodfirebuiltinitinthemorningwould smolder all day and keep water hot. On sunny days, we had a solarheatingsystemwithnoeffortorexpense.Threeoakbarrelsconnectedbypipewillstoreonehundredandfiftygallonsofwater.

Careful study of your hot and cold water system and supply tells its ownstory.

Waste:JohnniesandIncinerators

TOILETS,attheirbest,arenonetoogood.Mosttoiletsinthewoodssmellandare a disturbance. If you insist on having a toilet inside your cabin, then youmustfollowcertainprecautions.

Thereare,generallyspeaking, threekindsof toilets—flush,septic,andold-fashionedprivies.

FLUSHTOILETSIf in Your Cabin in the Woods you can have running water and proper

drainage,and,ifyoucankeeprunningwaterfromfreezing,installaflushtoiletinsideyourcabin.Inthefarsouth,thismaybeinkeepingandsuccessful.Togotoyourcabinonweekendsinthewinterwheretemperaturesgetbelowfreezing,youhaveatonceadifferentproblem.Unlessyoucanproperlyshutoffallwaterbelowthefrostlineanddrainallreceptacles,youwillhavenoendoftroubleandinconvenience.This,then,isaproblemforyourplumber.

SEPTICSYSTEMSSeptic systems (bacteria action) canbe installed insideyour cabin,butyou

will not be pleased with the results. They give off an odor of some kind oranother.Onawarmstillnight,theyexudefumes(asweetsicklysmell)thatwillremindyouconstantlyofthepresenceofatoiletwithinyourcabin.Thiskindoftoiletismostsuccessfulfiftyoronehundredfeetormoreawayfromyourcabin.Observe local state health laws. You will, however, find them efficient andeconomical.

PRIVIES

Theold-fashionedprivyor“backhouse”isstillagoodtypeofoutdoortoiletifproperlybuilt.First,thepitmustbedeep(fiveorsixfeetatleast).Second,itmust be properly boxed—andwith a fly-proof seat and cover. The seat covershouldbesoconstructedthatitdropsinplaceautomatically.Thebuildingshouldbefly-proofandscreened.Thistoiletshouldbeatleastfiftyfeetfromthecabin—better, onehundredoronehundred and fifty feet away—and,by allmeans,awayfromanypossibledrainagetowardyourspringorwell.Consultyourlocalhealthauthorities.

YOUDECIDEIt is now for you to decidewhere youwant your toilet, according to your

desires andwithin yourmeans and health regulations.A “one-hole” backyardprivycanbebuiltforthecostofmaterialsifyoudothework.

Evenanoutdoor toilet canbebuilt alonggood lines.Paintor stain it to fitintothesurroundingcolorscheme.Plantyoungtreesorvinestoencloseit.

INCINERATORSThissubjectmayseemunimportant,exceptforthenecessityofasimpledaily

disposalandavoidanceofodorsaboutyourcabin. Ihave triedseveralkinds—wire frames, stone incinerators, et cetera.What ismost needed is an efficientmethod of getting rid of daily waste that naturally accumulates in a cabin—wastepaper,tincans,garbage.

Ihavefoundaplainopenpitthesimplestofall—apitthreefeetdeepbyfivefeetindiameter.Asyoudigthepit, throwupabankofdirt threefeetwideallaroundthepit.Thiswillraiseawallallaroundandwillprotectyouagainstgrassfires when you burn the refuse. Wrap garbage in paper, which helps in thecombustion.Throwinsmallbranchesofwastewood.Buildafireinthepitandburntherefuse.Ifdamp,spraywithcreosotesolution,whichwillkeepthefliesaway.Apitusedthiswaywillserveayearforsixpeople.Itthenneedscleaningout,ordiganewpitandcovertheoldone.

Onewordofcaution—placethepitsotheprevailingwindswillcarryodorsandsmokeawayfromyourcabin.

THEOILDRUMINCINERATORDigatrencheightinchesdeepbytenincheswideandtenfeetlong.Nowdig

anotheratrightanglestocrossthecenter—samelength.Placeanoildruminthecenter,opentopandwithlargetwo-inchholespunchedinthebottom.Youcando thiswithanoldaxe.The four trencheswillcarry theprevailingwind fromanyoffourdirectionsandtraveluptheoildrum.Throwwastepaperandgarbagein the drum and let it burn. If garbage is balanced with paper and otherinflammablematerial,your incineratorwillsmolderalldayandgraduallyburnout.Occasionallydumptheashes,bottles,glass,andothersolidmaterial.

OTHERWASTEMuch thatwe throwaway in the city iswellworth saving in thewoods—

string, twine,paperfromwrappings,smallboxes,andcartons.Youmayfinditmoredifficulttoruntothestoretoreplenishyourneeds.Youwillfullyrealizethis,onceyouare“caughtshort.”

ALTHOUGH I lay no claim to knowledge of interior decoration, there are afewessentials I feel Idaresuggest,whichcangive to the insideofyourcabinhomethecomfortable,simple,ruggedbeautyinkeepingwiththestructureandthesetting.

Ioncesawabeautiful,trulypioneer,logcabinruinedbythesuccessfulandlovely scheme of decoration for a city home transplanted to the primitivenaturalnessofthecountry.Itdidnotfit.

Acabinoflogssuggestsitsownmotifinbothlineandcolor.Wearegettingaway from the artificial. We are reviving the restful softness of the woods’coloring, the strength of straight lines and natural curves, with accents ofbrilliance forwarmthoncoldnightsand lightoncloudydays.Toachieve thisratherfiercecharmofruggednessblendedwithcozinesshasafascinationallitsown.Yourcabincanthrowaspelloveroneinitsroughwelcome,gentledbythenatural refinementofyourpersonal tastesandexpressions.Even the flickeringfireplaceflameswillenhanceyourcabincolorscheme.

Cedarlogsaretanincolorwithstreaksoflightertoneallthewayfromlightbrown to cream.Cedar has a beautiful grain, so does hemlockwhen properlydresseddown.Hemlocklogs,however,whenlefttodryforayeartonedowntoa fine silverygray.Cedar, thoroughlydry,maybedresseddownwith a draw-shave, reviving its natural color and releasing that sweet pungent smell of thecedarwoods.Dressedknottywhitepineblendsperfectlywithalogcabin.Youcan use it for doors,window frames, cupboards, and bookshelves. It does notneedadarkstain.Merelyrubitdownwithboiledlinseedoil,addingacoatofvarnish. The knotswill glisten, the lovely natural grain remains.Without thistreatment,whitepinedoesnotstaylightbutgetsdarkeranddarkerastimegoesonuntilitlooksdarkbrown.

Don’t miss the fun of having wrought iron hinges and latches. Plenty ofimagination and personal symbolism can go into the choice of design for thedoorknockertoannounceyourvisitors,theironfootscraper,eventhebootjack,thatareapartofyourporchdecoration,and,too,doorhingesandpothooks.Bynowyoumustbesaying,“Ihavenomoneytospendonwroughtiron.”Youneednotsay it.Go toyourhardwarestoreor,betterstill, to thegeneralstore in thecountry town. Ask for a pair of heavy barn hinges. You can get them fromtwenty-fourtothirtyincheslong.Nowhuntupthevillageblacksmith(orrealizethefunofsettingupasmallforgeofyourown).Havetheblacksmithreheatthemetal,thenpoundithardwithaball-peenhammer,roughenit,withorwithoutdesign, and it becomeswrought iron. From scraps of iron andwith ingenuity,many delightful articles may be added to your cabin, inside and out. Theirruggedindividualitysuitsyourcabinmotif.Anoldbuggywheelsuspendedfromtheraftersby logchainsof ironmayaffordoverhead lighting.Brackets foroillamps add to their charm. Of course, the tools for your fireplace and thepothooksbecomeessentials.

Speaking of indoor fireplaces, I am tempted to say here, “Don’t build thiscenterofyourhome,yourhearth,outofmanufacturedbricksifnaturalstoneisanywhere available.”Native stones belong to your setting; you can’t improveuponthem.Usethem.

Your choice of flooring may be determined by your budget—or theavailabilityofmaterial.Flagstone,ifavailable.Hardwood(i.e.,mapleoroak)ispreferable,butGeorgiapineorfir,sanded,oiled,andvarnisheddoverywell.

Foroldtimes’sake,andforeasycleaningandwear,remembertoincluderagrugs, thekindGrandmausedtomakeoutofoddsandendsofgarmentsoroldmaterial.Here is a chance to learn the knack of hooking rugs.The homespunmaterialsareinkeepingwithearlyAmericandesigns.Wefoundburlaphadthat

handmadelook.Burlapcanbepurchasedby theyardfromyourbagcompany.Weuseditforcabindrapes.Itblendedperfectlywiththewoodtones.Toenlivenitabitwestenciledtheborderswithconventionalfiguresinbrightcolors.Inacabin in themountains, two friends of ours have created designs that express,totem pole fashion, the episodes, the fun that have grown into the life of thecabin. These designs are repeated on dishes, cushions, bookends, evenhammeredintosomeoftheirironandcopperwork.

One other element that adds to the welcome in your cabin is, in homelyphrase,asweet,cleansmell.Onthispoint,thereisneedofprecaution.Atightlyclosed,poorlyventilatedcabinwillsoongrowmustyandwilldisappointyou.Inthegableends,andverynearthetop,Ihaveasmallwindowswungonhinges.Attached to its top is a latchstring long enough so I may open and shut thetwelve-inchopening atwill.The last thing I do,when leavingmycabin, is toopentheventilators.

Oneotherprecautionyoumusttaketopreservethisfreshcleansmell:Ifyouburn wood in a stove, you must guard against the drip of creosote from thestovepipe.Wood smoke builds up creosote in your chimney flue, and in thestovepipes leading to it.When the stoves are idle,moisture gathers.Rain alsomayenteranuncappedchimneyandcarrythecreosotealong.Itleavesapungentandoffensiveodor.

Ioncehadsuchastove.Thepiperanstraightupforfiveorsixfeetabovethestove.Thencametheelbowandtwolengthsofpipethatranhorizontallyintothemainchimney.Snowdriftedintothechimneyandsettledinthehorizontalpart

ofthepipe.Onarrival,westartedourfire.Thesnowmeltedanddrip,drip,drip,fromthejointsofthepinecametheblack,sticky,stinkingcreosote.Itsputteredoverthefloorandeventhesidewalls.Creosoteistheworststufftoscrubaway,andthesmellwillnotfade.

IhavesincelearnedIdonotalwaysneedtopipeintoabrickchimney.Irunthe stovepipe straightupand througha triple cylinder,metal smokestack rightthroughtheroof.Itisperfectlysafe—andcheaperthanthebrick.Ialsolearnedwhen the pipe sections are fitted one into the other it is wise to nest the topsectionintotheonebelow.Thisdoesawaywithanypossibleleakofsmokeormoisture.Thecreosoteisalsocontrolled.

Lamps,Lighting,andIllumination

KEROSENElampsarealmosta luxury in thisdayofelectricity.They throwlong flickering shadows—so do candles. Log cabins are intimately associatedwithcandlesandkerosenelamps.

Chain-pull kerosene lamps can still be bought from secondhand stores orantique shops. I wish I could find again the beautiful hanging lamp of myboyhooddays.Wayback in the1890s, as I remember, it seemed therewere a“thousand”crystalshangingaroundtheglobedome.Wepulleditdownoverthelivingroomtable,backonthefarmwhenthefamilygatheredaftersupperandtheday’sworkwasdone.Adishofapplessuppliedfromourcellar,alsoadishof

hickorynuts.Oneof theoldermembersof thefamilywouldcrack thenutsonthe bottom of the old-fashioned flatiron—the kind Mother used to heat byplacingitonthetopofthekitchenstoveonironingday.Therealfamilylifewasaroundthelivingroomtable,underthedomeofourchain-pullcrystal-decoratedlamp.Herewassecurity—thepeaceandquietcompanionshipofthefamily.

Thewagonwheel“chandelier” suspended from the roof-ridgewith loggingchainsisamoderninterpretation;yetitconformstothespiritoftheCabinintheWoods.Placeeither lampsorcandleson the rim.Here is room to followyourownfancy.

LANTERNMAGICWhat an important part the lantern has played in American pioneer life.

Withinthesquared-oaklogcabinbackonthefarminWisconsin,winternightsclosedinatfourorfiveo’clockintheafternoon.Asweapproachedthebarntodo thechores,our lanterncastgreatshadowsof thepersonaheadofuson thebarnwall—shadowsthatgrewlargerandlargerwitheachapproachingstep,untiltheybecamegiant-size.Insidethebarn,thelanternwashungonawoodenpeg.Eachpersonsatonamilkingstool,headpressedagainstthebellyofacow,pailgrippedbetweentheknees.Aseachpailbecamefull,wewouldcarrythewarmmilkneartothelantern,pouritscontentsthroughaclean-washedclothstrainerintothemilkcan,andreturntothenextcowforthesecondtenquarts.OnecowImilkedhadthehabitofswitchinghertail inmydirectionsoIwouldplacehertailbetweenmyheadandthesideofherbellyandpresshard.Thesmellofcowdung,animalodor, thewarmmoistureof thebarn, thesmellofsweethay,andthepungentodorofsilofeedwereapartofpioneerAmericanlife.

Thelantern,asitcastitsfeebleflickeringrays,wasanimportantpartofthemilkingceremony.Itwastheonlylightwehad.

Lanterns cast soft lights. Their “feeble” shadows teach you patience andcalm.Youfindinthemaslowing-downprocess.Theyhelptakeyoufromhightensionbacktoawholesomenormal.Tryit.You,too,willdiscovermagicintheold-fashionedlantern.

RusticFurniture

RUSTICfurniture,insideorout,willaddmorethananythingtotheartistryandhomelikenessofyourcamp.Itisbynomeansdifficultifbuiltofnaturalrusticmaterial because every piece of natural wood has graceful lines. Howeverroughlyfashioned,yourarticleswillbegood-looking.Rope,somebolts,afewnails,agoodsharpaxe,anexpansionbitforboringone-inchtoone-and-one-halfinch holes, a draw-shave, small timber from thewoods, two to four inches indiameter,andalittleingenuityareallthatareneeded.Theillustrationsmaybefollowedexactlyormakeyourownadaptationtosuityourfancy.

ADININGROOMSUITEHereisanoutdoordiningroomoutfitthatcostslittleornothing.Onmyown

place,Ibuiltthetableontopofasmalltreestump.Icutoffthestumptwenty-fiveinchesabovetheground—allowingforfourinchesofthicknessoftabletop.If you have no convenient stump, dig a holewhere youwant your table.Useyourpost-holediggerfortheneathole—aboutthirtyinchesdeep.Setinitasix-inch logaboutfivefeet long.Stampit infirmly.Withyourcrosscutsaw, levelthetopatthedesiredheight.

Ifyouhavesmallsoftwood treesorsaplingsfour tosix inches indiameter,cuttheseinfour-footlengthsandsplittheminhalf,smoothingonesideflatwithyouraxe.Next,laytheselogsflatsidetothegroundandanchorthemtogetherwithtwocleats.Nowplacethemonyourpostflatsideup.Putfouranglebracesbeneath.Coverthetopwithlinoleumandyourtableisreadyforuse.

Splittingsaplingsfortabletopscanbestbedonewithironwedges.Yourextraaxes can serve this purpose. Start at one end of the log by driving your axeslightly,butexactly,inthecenter.Drivethesecondaxeintothecrackyouhavestarted—abouttwelveinchesfartheralong.Bythetimethethirdaxeisinplace,thefirstaxewilldropasthesplitloggivesway.Ofcourse,ifyouhavelumber,youcanbuildatabletopwithmuchlesseffort!

Peg-legstoolsareapracticalandnaturalcompaniontoatreetoptable.They

are easy tomake andwill last a lifetime in theopen.For four stoolsyouwillneedtwosixteen-inch-longlogsabout twelve inches indiameter.Split these inhalf,againsmoothingtheflatsidewithyouraxe.Ontheroundundersideborethreeone-and-a-half-inchholesabout three inchesdeep.Theseshouldbeatananglesothelegswillspread.Next,cuttwelvetwo-inch-thickbranches,threeforeach stool. Taper each at one end to fit snugly into the bored holes.A three-leggedstoolfitsmoreeasilyonunevengroundthanonewithfourlegs.Withthehelpofafriend,yourcompletediningroomsetcanbebuiltinanhourortwo.

Perhapsyoumayhavenotwelve-inchsoftwoodonyourplace.Ifnot,gotoyour nearest telephoneor electric company.For a small fee theywill sell youused telephone poles. Often they have poles too short for their purposes butadequateforyours.

So,forthisprojectyouwillneed(1)afriendtosharethefun;(2)apost-holedigger;(3)acrosscutsaw;(4)anaugur;(5)anaxe;(6)carpentrytools;(7)woodfromyourwoodlot.Lastly,energyandimaginationifyoudon’twanttositontheground.

THEHALF-LOGBENCHCut six-foot logs from a fourteen- to eighteen-inch tree. Split through the

middle.Bore four holes one and one-half inches at an angle in the bottom orroundpartof thelogsothepeg-legswillprotrudefromtheseat“foreandaft”aboutfourinches.Thebackrestneedsoneandone-halfinchholeswithsupportrunning to the back legs. The seat part should be dressed, planed, andsandpapered.

THERUSTICHAMMOCKORGARDENSWINGSixfeetsixincheslong,itwillserveasabed.Canvasoverframewillserve

asa tentandmakeagoodextrabedwhentheunexpectedvisitorarrives.Startwiththeseatframe.Thetwoendpinsdoweledintolongends.Thenboreholes

every four inches all around and lace with one-quarter-inch rope. Homemadecushionswillservefor themattressandseat.Trycornshucksfor themattress.Justfillastrawtickwithhandpickedcornshucks.Theymakeaverycomfortablebed.Usethesoft,springy,innerpartofthecornhusk.Theouterleavesareharsh.

ROPEBUNKSThesemakegoodcabinbeds.Borethree-eighths-inchholeseveryfourinches

aroundtheframeoffour-inchsaplings.Lacewithone-quarter-inchrope.Bunkswithslatsonwhichtoplacespringsandmattressesmakegoodbeds.

CHESTUNDERBUNKSTheseservewellforstorageandutilityspace.Castersunderthechestmake

foreasyhandling.

StormDoors

ITwill help your heating problem in winter if you add storm doors to yourcabin.Ihaveseenacabinwithapicnictablewithfoldinglegsfittedasastormdoorinwinter,butinsummerunhingedandagainusedasapicnictable.

TrickDoorwithSecretLock

WHATcouldbemorediscouragingthantoarriveatyourwintercabinafteralonghike,coldandabitwet,tofindyouhaveforgottenthekey?Hereisacureforthathumanweakness,oratleastprotectionagainstit—atrickdoorlock.Pullaleatherthong,pushaslide,liftalatch,and—presto—thedooropens!Workoutyourowncombination.Makeitascomplicatedasyourimaginationsuggests,butdon’tforgetthecombination.

TrimPlateDecoration

ADECORATIVEeffectcanbegivenbydressingplateswithhalf-roundfour-inchorsplitlogs.

Wooden-PegCoatHangers

COAThangers can bemade ofwooden pegs three-quarters of an inch thick.Borethree-quarter-inchholesinalog.

Skylight

ASKYLIGHTintheroofofyourcabinwilladdlightondarkdays.Itisalsoagoodoutforhotair.

NaturalIceboxCooler

BUILDaniceboxcoolerinthesideofahill.Stonewallsonthesidesandback.Top,dome-shaped.Useatwo-inch-by-eight-inchframewithdoubledoorsinsideand out.Thiswill keep vegetables from freezing inwinter, and provide cellarcoolness insummer.Orbuildaneighteen-inch-by-eighteen-inchelevatorcellarwithinyourcabin, fivefeetdeep.This is raisedbyropeandpulley. Itmustbesuppliedwithoutsidedrainageonthedownsideofahill.

TheFrameHouse

THUS far,we have discussed log cabins along very simple lines. Somethingnow should be said for frame buildings for the person who loves the out ofdoors,butwhopreferstoerectabitmoreofamodernbuilding.Moderninthesense he prefers plastered walls inside and painted walls without. A whitecottagewithgreenblinds.Whynot?ImustadmitIcouldnot treat thissubjectwithanysuchwarmthandlengthasIwouldthelorethatsurroundslogcabins.Nor is itnecessary.There isunlimited sourcematerialon the subjectof framebuildings.

Thesedrawingsmayhelpyou.Alocalcarpentercanbeofrealhelp.Hewillhelpyoufiguretheamountoflumberwithaccuracyandwithoutwaste.Also,thelengthofplates, rafters, joists,windows,andboardfeetof lumber tocompletethejob.Morethanthis,hecanhelpyoubuilditandwithspeed.

ROOFPLATESATCORNERSHere we have plates at the top of studding fastened at corners, also sill

construction on foundation.To keep your cabinwarmunderfoot, it is good tobuildadoublefloorfilledinbetweenwithtarpaper.

Thefollowinggivesconstructionofroofraftersandmethodoffastening.

NOVELLOGEFFECTSIfyouwantyourhousetolookrusticyoucangetacleverlogeffectonyour

framebuildingby rippingone-inchboardsoff logs, going straight through thebark.Afteroneslabisremovedfromthelog,turnthelogovertorestflatonthetableofthesaw.Then,oneaftertheother,boardsarerippedoff.Thisgivesyouaroughedgewithastripofbarkandgivesyousomewhattheoutlineofalog.Usetheseasclapboardswiththebarkendtothebottom.Cuttheselogsinsummerorfallwhenthereisnosapinthetrees.

FlagstoneFloors

IFyoureallywantawarm,snugcabin,freefromfloordrafts,freefromsweat,rich indesign,andcolorfulbeyondwhatevenan inlaidfloorwouldgive, thenbuildaflagstonefloorforyourcabin.Surprisingly,too,youwillfindthestonewarmerthanawoodfloor.

Did you ever warm up a cabin in severe winter weather and notice thepainted floor sweats great beads of moisture as the fires got under way? Aflagstonefloorproperlylaidwillnotdothis.Infact,itwillstartgettingwarmassoonasyoubuildafireand itwillstaywarm.This isbecause thefloor isdryanddoesnotabsorbmoisture.

A flagstone floor needs, first, a foundation built all around the cabin andbelowfrost line—four feetorbetter inNewYorkState, lessasyougo farthersouth.Anchor the first log or plate to the foundationwith bolts buried in thecementat leasteight inches.Drainageon theoutsideof thecabin—that is, thegroundpitchesdownandawayfromthebuildingat leasteighteen inches.Layfourtosixinchesofgravelwithinyourcabinandfourinchesbelowthetopoftheconcretefoundation.Uponthis,layyourflagstonefloor.Afteritislaidandleveled,pourasoupy,strongmixtureofcementinbetweentheflagstones.Thisiscommonlycalledgrouting.

Ifyoudonothaveflatstonesonyourproperty,youcangetpiecesofmarble,slate,etcetera,fromahouse-wreckingorconstructioncompany.Sincethefirstlogisanchoredtothefoundation,thereisnoneedofbindingwithfloorjoistsasinthecaseofawoodenfloor.

Steppingstones

MANUFACTUREDsteppingstonesmayseemabitincongruousandartificial;yetIknowofplaceswheretherearenoflatstonesforbuildingpaths,trails,orsteppingstones.IhadalotoffunoncewhenbuildingacabinsiteinwildcountrywhererockswereofthemoltenkindandIjustcouldnotgetaflatsurface.Thenwhyhaveflatstones?NowIwasdeterminedtohave them;so,havingenoughsand and cement, we made them.We learned some interesting things in thisexperiment.

First,webuiltpanstwoinchesdeepoutofscrapsheetiron.Wefinallyagreedonfivepatterns,eachdifferentsotheycouldbefittedtogetherinseveralways.Wehadsomeredsandstonechipsfromourfireplace,alsopiecesofblueandredmarble.Webroketheseinpiecesthesizeofhickorynutsandmixedtheminthecement, and thenpoured themixture into the forms.After thecementmixture“set,”wesmoothedthetopsurfacewithatrowel.After twodays,weremovedthe cement blocks and rubbed them down with a common brick. To ouramazement, thechipsof sandstoneandmarblegave thecementblocka reallynaturalappearance.Stillmore interesting,afteramonthor twotheyweatheredintosoftcolorsthatfitquitenaturallyintothesetting.

Besuretoruboilontheinsideofyourpansbeforepouringinthecementoryoumayhavedifficultyremovingtheblocks.

PUTpersonalityplusintoallyoucreate.Thestoryistoldofthreemasonswhoweredoingthesamekindofwork.Apasserbyinquiredofeachmason,“Whatareyoudoing?”“I’mlayingbrick,”saidthefirstmason.“I’mbuildingawall,”the second man answered. The third mason in answer to the same questionreplied,“I’mbuildingagreatcathedral.”Certainly,noonewillquestionwhichofthethreemasonslivedthefullerlife.

And so, Mr. Cabin-Builder, I challenge you to build a “cathedral”—yourgreatestdream,whenyoucreateYourCabin in theWoods.Be therewoodsorno, be it treeless as theKansas prairies or the highest peaks of theRockies—buildintoyourcabinspotyourloftiestthinking.You’vegotit.Thinkitthrough.Itwillblessyouandyours ifyouresortnot to just“layingbrickorbuildingawall.”Putpersonalityplusintoallyoucreate.

LandscapingYourCabinSetting

ALOGcabinneedsplentyofsunlight.Logsareafineinsulationagainstheat,buttheydoabsorbmoistureandneedtodryout.Acabinburiedamongtoomanyshade trees can be dark and damp on rainy days. Leave a bit of a grass spotroundthehouse.Itreallyaddstothecharm.OnecabinbuilderwhomIobservedwenttotheotherextreme.Hedecidedonatwo-acrelawn.Withbulldozersandothermachinery,heleveledhisgrounds—toreoutwildshrubs,bushes,andsmalltrees.Heplantedcloverandgrass.Theresultswerebeautifulbuthespentmuchofeachsummerthereafterbehindalawnmower.

Salvage those small trees and bushes. Leave the natural setting, opening avistahereandthere,apathortwo;butletNature,notthenursery,provideyoursetting. Chances are you will add a lot of extra work and expense withoutimprovingthingsifyougoforflowerbedsandlawnsinabigway.ACabininthe Woods should be so simple in its setup that, after unlocking the door,openingthewindows,bringingoutachairor two,youshouldbeable tosettledownandenjoyliving.Breathedeepandrelax.

Ifyouwantarockgarden,findit.Therewillbeaspotsomewherethat,withafewtouchesofrecognitionandencouragement,canbecomeone.Ifyouwouldlikealilypond,orevenafountain,seekyourhillsidespring.Withabitofpipingyoucanguidetheflowintoanearbysaucer-likedepression.Coveraspaceaboutten feet wide and twelve long with cobblestones, a bit of sand and gravel.Transplantafewwaterplantsintotherockcrevices.Thefountainmaybepipedfrombelow the stones.Theoverflowcanbecontrolledandguidedwitha fewclaytiles.Thecostneedbelittle.Theseareplaythings,notwork.Itissatisfyingtocreate.

Alwaysleavesomethingforthenextvisit, thenextsummer.Outdoorliving

with its relaxing, creative activitywill fulfill the true purpose, the dream thatwentintoourcabincraft.

YourFlagpole

NOcampiscompletewithoutaflagandflagpole.Wehoisttheflagwhenwearrive.Itsaystoourfriendsandneighbors,“Weareinandyouarewelcome.”

Were it not for themeaningwoven through the years into this Flag of ourNation,wemightnotbeenjoyingtheprivilegeofbuildingandowningacabininthewoods.

Thereareafewmechanicalproblemsinerectingaflagpole.Ifyoujustdigaholeinthegroundanddropthepolein,packingitwithstonesanddirt,besureitdoesnotleanabitoffcenter.Thiscanbeverydistressinglater!Aftersetting,itis hard to change. So, save yourself needless hard work and disappointment.Beforepackingtheeartharoundthepolebesureitstandsonehundredpercentperpendicular.Tieapebbletoapieceofstringabouttwofeetlong.Standaboutfiftyfeetawayfromthepoleandholdupthestring—thepebbleatthebottom,ofcourse.Hereisatruevertical.Haveyourhelpersmovethepolerightorleftuntilit is in line with your plumb line. Circle the pole so you have trued it fromseveralangles.Nowbraceitsecurely.Onlywhenyouaresatisfieditisactuallyperpendicular, fill in around the base with dirt and stones. Tamp it in firmly.Keepitbracedforaweekuntilitsettles.

I have taken for granted that before you raised the pole your pulley andhalyardwere inplace.It isawisemanwhowhips thehalyard linesorat leasttiesthemtogether.Ioncehadtheembarrassmentofhavingoneofthelinesslipoutofmyhand.Inlesstimethanittakestotellit,thehalyardhadrunoutofthepulleyfortyfeetabove.OldGlorydidnotflythatday.Itisnotaneasymattertogetuptothetopofagracefulpole—evenwithaladder.Sincelineswearoutordecay and have to be replaced, I now use a double post with the flag polebetween—a three-quarter-inch pivot or axle running between and through thetwopostsandthepole—aboutfivefeetabovetheground.Atthebottomofthepole, place an iron band attached firmly around the two posts. Fasten with a

largehaspandpadlock.Yourblacksmithwillmake this foryou.Byunlockingthehasp,youcannowlowerthepoletotheground.Itcanberepaired,painted,andsetupagainwithoutrisktolifeandlimb.

Useabitof imagination indressingup the flagpole’s top.Aweathervane,maybe,insteadofthetraditionalball.Manyquaintandindividualflagsymbolsmayaddtothefunandusefulnessofyourflagpoletradition.

SignPostsandTrailMarkers

DOES thenameyouhavechosen foryourcampsite—“CampElizabeth,”or“ShadyPines,”or,abitflippantly,“DewDropInn”—expressyourwelcometoyourfriendsandneighbors?Doesitsay,“Wewantyoutocomeandsharewithuswhatwehave.Wedelightinyourcoming”?

Expressyourpersonalityinsomesignorsymbol—perhapsapinetreecutoutofmetal,yournamefashionedinrusticwood,anovelwroughtironlantern.Yoursignorsymbolwillnotonlyrepresentthenameofyourplace,butthecharacterofthepeoplewithin.

LetMotherNatureBeYourGardener

ONE of the luxuries of a Cabin in the Woods is the abundance of nearbywildflowers. Wildflowers complete the personality of gentle slopes, ruggedsteeps, and lush flatlands. No need of “green fingers” or a knowledge ofgardeningprocessestohaveawildgardeninthecountry.Youhavethesoil,sun,andmoisturenecessarytotheflowersinyourneighborhood.

If you want a more formal garden than the changing patchwork of fieldsbeyondthewindows,startwithascrapoflawn,afieldstoneterrace,oraroughfence.

Toformabackdropinourgardenwehavetransplantedclumpsofgoldenrod,pepper plants from the fields, and built a loose framework of branches uponwhichwoodbine climbs thick andgreen.Before it, daisies, purplebellflowers,and brown-eyed Susans are happily grouped. Down the slope in a swampy

hollowarewild iris,butter-yellowcowslips, forget-me-nots, tallday lilies,andwoodsfern.Atricklefromaspringfurnishesapooltomirrorthewaterlilies.

Let your garden infringe upon the lawn without corners or edges or toocareful trimming.Tuck tinyplantsbetween thestonesofyourwalkor terrace.Leave thehillocksandhollows.Accentuate themwithyourplanting. It shouldlookasthoughitjusthappened.

Whenyouarestrolling,watchforanunusualplant.Digitupwithcare.Tieitinyourkerchieftoplantonyourreturn.Trytorecreatethemoodofitsnaturalsetting. Space your treasure hunts throughout the summer; your garden willfollow a natural sequence of bloom, for wildflowers are the hardiest ofperennials.

You can let your garden grow lazily or you can become a connoisseur—searching out rare specimens. Our “showpieces” are cardinal flowers, showylady-slippers, and a floweringdogwood.Manycultivatedplants slip in amongthewildoneswithease,fortheyaremerelywildflowerswithabitofeducation.Hollyhockswillspreadinafewyearstomakecharmingsplashesofcoloraboutthegarden.Goldenglow,delphinium,andphloxmakefriendswithwildflowersinbouquets,for,ofcourse,mostgardenspresupposeflowerswithinthehouse.

Flowerarrangingmaybea simplepartof themorning routine.Water liliesandtheirpadsinashallowpotterydishmakealovelycenterpiece.Tryasprayofgoldenrodandacurveofhalf-ripechokecherriesoverthefireplace.Packdaisiestightly in a small round bowl like an old-fashioned nosegay. Tall, orange daylilieswillpayacomplimenttoanoldbeanjug.

The variety of wildflowers and their abundance are a daily challenge toexpressingone’spersonalityandmood.Evenonrainymornings,somememberof the familywill always enjoy bundling into a slicker and rain hat, to trampthroughthetallgrassandgatherdrippingcolortomakedarkgraydaysfriendlywithinandfreshwiththewoods’smell.

Youmayaddallthisvarietyofcolortoyourcabinsitewithouthavingtobeastudent of flowers. Flowers add richness and joy and interest in living. Try awildflowergardenandletMotherNaturebeyourgardener.

Shrubs,Trees,andReforestation

RAISE your own forest. Plant tree seedlings andGodwill raise them. Plantthem now. Trees are comparatively cheap as one- or two-year-old seedlings.Plantfivehundredeachyearfortenyears.Youcanplantfivehundredseedlingswith thehelpofanotherperson in less thanaday.Carolinapoplarsgrowfast.Theywillbethirtyfeethighintenyears’timeandgivegenerousshade.Youwillreveleachyearintheiraddedgrowth.

Planttreesnativetoyourterritory—softwoodforfastgrowth.Youcandigupquakingorbigtoothaspensmostanywhere.Theywillgrowonthepoorestkindof land.Conifers canbe secured fromyour state forestry schools—white, red,andjackpines,spruce.Wouldyoulikeaskicourseonyourranch?Ifso,plantredpines to arrest the snowon thewindward side andadd toyour skiing and

tobogganing.Visualizetheshadeyouwillenjoyatthespotwhereyouwillhaveaperfect

vista.Whynot set out an orchard?Buy ten varieties of apple trees; include acherry tree, crabapple, andoneor twoplum trees.Youwon’thave towait tenyearsforthesetobearfruit.Addseveralnuttrees—hickory,walnut,oranytreessuitabletotheclimateyoulivein.

Perhapsyouwantawindingroad toyourcabinspot.Here,again,youmayneedtreessoateachturntheremaybeaddedcharm:firstpines,thenhemlocks,andbirch.Don’tfailtoplantsomeoaks—pinoaks,redoaks,sturdyoaks.Plantthemfromacorns.Nocostexceptalittleeffort.Iplantedanacorntwentyyearsago just for fun.Today it is theprideofallmyplanting. It isnowtwenty-fivefeethigh.Whoknows,youmaylivetoenjoythoseplantingsofyourearlierdaysandderivepeaceandjoyeachyearyoulivetogreetthem.Please,please,donotmaketheusualmistakeofsaying,“Iwon’tlivelongenoughtoenjoythefruitsofmylabors.”Plantthosetreesthisyear—today—whetheryouarethirty,fifty,orseventyyearsold.Theywillbringyoutherichestreturns.

YourCabinintheWoods,ifyouplanwithvision,willbecomeacabininthewoods,eventhoughyouhavestartedonabarehillside.Planttrees.Godwilldomostofthework.Butplantthemnow!

YourTreasureChest

“THERE’Sgoldinthemtharhills”maybesaidofyouracres.Youdon’thavetobeaForty-Niner,nortraveltotheendsoftheearthforyour“gold.”Itisonyourownland—ifyouknowwheretofindit.Onemanturnedhisgravelhillintoagravelpitthatpaidhimrichly.Hetooktollofeachload.Anotherdiscoveredaclaybank.Thebluegravel-freeclaywassuitableforfinepotteryandbroughtagoodprice—andanewcraftinterest.Athirdchapmadecapitaloutofamarshypondbusywithbullfrogs.HesuppliesaNewYorkmarketwithfrog’slegs.

Treesplantedasseedlingsyieldarichreturninabouttwentyyears.Plantthetypethatwillgrowbestonyourparticularacres.Iplantfivehundredevergreenseachspringonmyland.NowIhaveahundredormoreeight-andten-foottreesthatneedthinning.IcouldsellthemforChristmastrees—redpinewithitslongneedles, balsam, white pine, spruce, hemlock, jack pine, but we will have aChristmas tree party this year for our close friends. Theywill come out withtheirkiddiesandhavethefunofcuttingtheirownholidaytrees.

Plant clover—red andwhite. Itwill add color to your acres and fragrance,too.Goldenhoneyforwintersweetscanbeyoursifyouaddabeehiveortwo,whichremindsme,yourmapletreeswilladdambersyrup.Thisisyoursforthetaking—butthatisanotherstoryinthisbook.

Rocksneednotbealiability.Theyarewealthifusedforfences,fireplaces,orotherbuildingconstruction.Intheearthmayevenlienaturalgas—andoil.Idonotmean tobemercenary,but Idourgeyou toexploreall thepossibilitiesofyouracres.Ifwaterisavailable,asheep,asteer,oragoatthatgivesmilkcanbefed off the land—adding to your wealth with little of the routine care andhousingnecessaryforchickens,cows,etc.

Itisamazinghowmylittleranchblossomsandprosperseachyear.Assoonas pine, spruce, and balsam seedlings have developed a sound root base, theyseem to jumpeighteen to thirty incheseachyear, stretchingskywarda slenderspire that soon branches out. Even the forgotten trees and bushes along myfences show lush growth—and behold, the highway, the passing cars becomeobscured.Ourcabinisnotonlylandlocked,butalsotree-locked.

I’dliketosharewithyouadeviceIhaveusedtohelpmeintheknowledgeanduseofresourcesonmyland.Ihavemadeamastermap.Onit,Ihavenotedthelocationofhickory,butternut,andblackwalnuttrees.Here,too,arespottedadozenoldapple treesandwild thornapple.Upon thesemaybegraftedyoungapplebranches thatwill bear fruit in ayearor two.On the southhillside, justabove the early frost line, I have set out a small but varied orchard—apples,plums,andcherries.Rememberthelusciousrussets?Theyhavealmostgoneoutoffashion,butnotinmyorchard.Tochangeaweedfruittreeintoabearingfruitof good flavor and size means careful pruning and trimming and thenfertilization.I’veevenfussedwithathornappleuntilitsfruitistwicethesizeofitswildstate.Thornapplesgobacktomyboyhooddays,soImusthaveathornappletree.

Letmesharewithyouthesecretforfindinghidden“treasure”onyouracres,the technique of mapping so you may study your land; be it one acre or ahundred,youmustknowit.

Test thesoilvalue.Anycountyagriculturalagentwillhelpyoudo thisandshowyouhow to apply the treatment it needs. Study the substrata.A six-footpost-holediggermayrevealgravelorsprings.Rushes,too,mayindicatespringsof real value. Running water means you may have fresh spring greens,watercress,andmintforyourjulep,anddriedspices.

Studyeveryfootofyourlandandyouwilldiscoverhidden“gold”thatwillnotrequiretheminer’spickandshovel.Here’showtomakethemastermapofyourpossibleriches.

Let’ssayyouhaveasixteen-acreplot.Thismeansabout800feetby800feet.Start at the upper left corner. Pace off along the fence line a hundred feet.(Establishyourownstride.Youdon’tneeda tape line.Mine is just twoandahalf feet to each step.) Plant a stake each hundred feet and repeat the processacross the upper land and then down one side. You are designing an exactcheckerboardpictureofyourland.Fortruereliabilitytravelthelinesdownandupwitha compass soyour stakes—each four—will formperfecthundred-footsquaresthatmayberepresentedaccuratelyonascalemap.

Takewithyouanotebookandpencil.Observeandrecordeverythingyouseeto the left and right of your stake lines. Here—in square number ten, whichwouldbetwohundredfeeteastofthestartingpointanddownonehundredandfiftyfeet,isaboulderofrichredstonethatwillbeanexcellentcornerstoneforyourcabinfireplace.Or,twohundredandfiftyfeeteastbythirty-fivefeetsouth,is a trickling spring—or wintergreen berries—or a hickory tree for futurefurniture. You note that the little brook flowing down to the bottomland willassureyouwater foragarden regardlessof theweatherandcouldbedammedfor a natural pool, or piped across lots for power, craftshop machinery, or afountainfortyfeethigh.(Myhillsrunthreehundredfeethigh.)

Nowallthismaysoundabitcomplicated.IfyoulikewhatIhaveexplainedsofar,let’schartthischeckerboardintolarger,moreeasilyrecognizedzones.Asyouhavetraversedthelandforwardandback,youhavenotedlandmarksmoreeasily“pickedup” than thehundred-footstakes.Designate theseonyourmap.Thismapnowholdsaplaceofhonoronyourcabinwall.Toestablishmarkersyoumayevenliketoerectastonepileorcairnmarkeroneachtwo-hundred-footcorner,ifnooutstandinglandmarkisnearby.Thismayhaveanameoranumberonthemastermap.Now,whenyouwanttorelocatethehiddenboulder,orthespringwithitswatercress,itwillbeaneasymatter.Atallmapleorawindblown

elmmay be yourmarker.You do not knowone tree from another?Well, thatmakes it doubly interesting for nowyoumay step into a newworld—the treeworld. Your five-foot bookshelf will soon harbor the best book on how toidentify trees. As your respect grows, your understanding deepens, and yourealize,indeed,“onlyGodcanmakeatree.”Whenthishappens,youwillneedalongerbookshelf,foryouwillwanttoknowthenamesofthebirdsyousee,theinsectsthatharmandhelp,thehistoryoftherockstructure,themeaningofthecolor.Youwillcomealivetowildplantlifeandwonderifthesemushroomsandberriesareedible.Inshort,the“gold”willbetranslatedintogoldenlightofnewknowledge.Youwill findanewsourceofentertainment,of recreation.Withalightheart,agratefulheart,youwillfindthe“GoldenAgeofLife”—thetreasureofhappiness—allforthetakingonyourownacres.Thisismyideaofaparadiseonearth.

So,buildyourmastermapfromyourfieldnotes.Searchthetreetops.Searchtheshywoodlife.Searchthesubstrataofyourland.Yourmapmayleadyoutoa“buriedtreasure.”Whoknows?Inthishappyhealth-givingsearch,youwillfindmorethan“gold”—youwilldiscoverGodintheGreatOutDoors.

Sugarin’

IFyourcabinisreallyinthewoodsandifyoureallylivelifeinit,theurgeofearly spring, late February, earlyMarchwill stir us to action out of doors. Iffurther,itislocatedintheNorthCountrywheresugarmaplesgrow,you’llknowthesapisrunning.Whendaysarewarmandsunnyandnightsarestillfrostyandclear—sapwells up from the good earth.Wemay tap the abundance, extractsweetness,health,andwealth fromGod-givennature.Thereneverwasamoredelicate sugar flavor thanmaple syrup andmaple sugar boileddown from thesapofthesugarmapletree.

Ahealthytree,inanormalsapseason,producestwenty-fourtothirtygallonsofsap.Boileddown,thiswillproducenearlyagallonofrichmaplesyrup.Haveyouonetree,oragroveofthem?Withabitofeffort,youcan“sugaroff.”Justanironkettleonthekitchenstovewilldo.

Borea three-eighths-inchhole in the treeabout three feet from theground.

Boreitabouttwoinchesdeep,pointingyourbraceandbitstraightin.Nextdriveintightlyaspoutorspile,whichcanbepurchasedatthehardwarestore.Now,hang upon the spout a small pail and, at once, youwill see almost amiracle.Here is the proverbial “milk and honey” right in your own backyard. As thebucket fills, carry it inside to the iron kettle. Set it to boil as you would theteakettle.Asitboilsdownaddmoresap.Beforetoolongtheliquidwilltakeonabright,lightambercolor.First-runsyrupofthehighestgradeisjudgedonitsweight and color. The browner syrup color seems to depend on the seasonalvariation. To test for the right consistency, instruments have been invented tomeasure specific gravity. Do not let this disturb you. Our grandfathers had asimplermethodthatworked.Theyusedjustplain“horsesense.”Whenthesyrupbeginstothicken,putadropofitbetweenyourthumbandfirstfinger.Feelforstickiness.Itshouldfeellikelightmucilage.Anothertestistoliftaspoonfulofsyrupandwatchitflow.Ifitflowslikewater,boilitsomemore.Ifitflowslikeasaladoilor lighthoney, it is ready forbottling.Seal it in sterile jars.Youwilllookwithprideinthemonthsaheadonthisstored-uplife-givingenergy,whichcan serve to dress upmany ameal. Hot biscuits, fried cornmeal, hot cereals,French toast, ice cream, puddings, and all manner of pancakes, waffles, andfrittersareenhancedwiththissweetestofsweets.

Someofmyhappiestboyhoodrecollectionsgobackto“sugarin’.”Wehadathousandormoremaple trees.Thisrequiredasugarhousewithasappan,fourfeetbytenandaboutfiveinchesdeep.Thepanwasbuiltorsetuponbrickwallsthatservedtoholdthewoodfire.Achimneyrosefromtheendfarthestfromthedoor.Oursugarhousewasmadeoflogs,unchinked,toallowthesteamfromtheboilingtomakeitsescape.Acupolatopdirectlyoverthepanswasopenonallsidestoallowforadditionalsteamescape.Itwaslocatedonthesideofahillsothestoneboatwithitsfour-hundred-gallonbarrelforgatheringsapwasabletodeliver its load to the storage tank below the road but above the level of theboilingvats.Noonehadtocarrysapuphill.

Mybuddy,Nicki,andIhitchhikedonthetailendofthestoneboatwhiletwohiredmen, one on either side of the tank, trotted to the trees for the full sapbuckets, replaced themwith empty ones, running back and forth to the slow-movingstoneboattoemptytheirloads.Theyearsofloggingandsugaringhadworn rude trails through the trees. In a year of abundant flow, one thousandbucketshadtobeemptiedeachdayoftherun.ItwasUncleClaude’sjobtokeepupthefirestokeepthevatsandpansboiling,boiling,boiling.Thesteamwassothickone couldn’t see the lengthof the sugarhouse.Thesewereno eight-hourdays.Westayedwiththejobaslongasthesapran.Itwassatisfying.Wefeltrich

andprosperous,withlittleconcernabouttomorrow.Thegoodearthwasgivinggenerously.Thisfineflowmeantprofitsaswellasaddedhomecomforts.

Whendarknessfellandthelasttripthroughthetreeswashauledin,therealfunofsugarin’began.Usuallywewereearly-to-bedfolks,but,atsaptime,thelidwasoff.Neighborsdriftedinandouttotasteandchat.Asthesyrupbegantoforminthesyruppan,itwasladledoffjustforfun.Wedrippeditoverapanofcleanpackedsnow.Itcongealedinstickystrandsthatcouldbewoundonsmoothsticksorforksandmunchedlikesoft taffy.Eachwinterwerevive the thrillingmemorieswith sugar on snow—made in a kitchen.When themood suited, orwhenKenthoughttobringhismouthorgan,therewassinging—suchharmony—suchbarbershopminors—suchspirit.Sometimesitwasaplannedpartywithhomemade bread, and ham roasted in the coals. The sharp, salty flavorwas anice contrast to the rich sweetness. There were eggs hardboiled in the sap.Broiledbitsofsaltporkandbacon.

When thehappy crowd recalled theprogramof their own tomorrows, theyleftus.Themenfolk,whomust stay ’til the syrupwas run into thenewshinycans,settleddowntoacardgame.Thecardswereextractedfrombetweentwologs.Theystucktogetherabit,butwedidn’tmind.Itwasallpartofthegame.

Sowhen February comes along, let’s make syrup. If you haven’t amapletree,lookforthemistsrisingoverthemaplegrovesinthenearbycountry.Anyfarmerwill enjoy sharing the fun of his sugarin’with you. Just as the goldensyrupisyoursforthetaking,soisthefriendlinessofsharedexperience.Wecanstillusetodaythesesolidfriendlyvalues.

“TuneIn”ontheBirds

BIRDSwillcometoyourcabinandsingforyou,ifyouencouragethem.Feedandhouse themand their songswill gladdenyourheart. If youareunfamiliarwithbird life,youwillsoondiscoveranewinterestandhobby.Butmorethanthis,YourCabinintheWoodswillbecomeenchanted—arendezvousforbirds.

Buildarustic,simplefeedingstation.Buildaboxofhalf-inchwiremesh,fillitwithsuetoccasionally,andthenwatchthefun.

Besides giving us abounding pleasure in song and color, birds have a realeconomicvalue,andyourinterest inandconservationofbirdlifeis important.Birdsprotectvegetation,whichissonecessaryforman’sveryexistence.Somebirds“police”thegrounds,somethetreetrunks,othersthebranchesandleaves,and still others the air—all devouring the destructive grubs and insects thatwould despoil our vegetation.Without vegetation, our streams would dry up;withoutourwatersupply,thehumanracewouldnotexist.Asmalleffortonyourparttoattractthebirdswillbeacontributiontowardallhumankind.

Before winter is over, try to erect birdhouses for bluebirds, wrens, andmartins. Plant, if you can, thick clumps of bushes for catbirds and chirpingsparrows,atrumpetvineforthehummingbird,andamulberrytreeforthelaterjoyofmidsummerbirds.

The spring migration starts in late February and lasts until June. It is athrillingexperiencetokeepcountofthedifferentkindsofbirdsthatvisityou.A

goodbirdreferencebookandapairoffieldglasseswillhelpyouidentifyyourvisitorsfromotherclimatesandotherlands.

Inthefall,putoutfeedingstations.Whileourwinteringbirdsarerelativelyfew, thechickadee, thedownyandhairywoodpeckers,and thenuthatcheswillcome to feastnearyourwindows throughout thewintermonths.For theeffortmade toattractandbefriend thebirds thatcometoyour locality, Iknowofnootherrewardsogratifying.Ifyoumusthaveapethousecat,provideherwithacollar and small bell, so the birdswill have a fair chance to save themselveswhen thecat isabroad.This simple remedy tobirddestruction isonebigsteptowardsuccessinbeingthegoodneighbortoyourbirds.Thesoft tinkleofthebellwillalarmthebirdsnomatterhowcarefullypusscreepsuponthem.

Birdswillbringmusictoyourcabin.

Gateways,Guardrails,Fences,andFriendliness

ASwepassthroughthegatewayofourcamponcethegateisclosed,wearealone within. A closed gate implies privacy and the stranger will not intrudeincautiously.However,toomanypeoplelookuponagateasameansofshuttingout.Letusremembertheoldgateswingsinaswellasout,biddingyouwelcomeandinvitingyoutocomeagain.

As far ashistory records,gatewaysdepicted thepersonalityofpeoplesandmuch of the art of the age. In the Roman days when warriors returned fromtriumphantbattles,theywereformallymetbythegovernororhighpriestatthegateway of the city and, here,welcomed and honored. In ancient times, greatcitieswereenclosedwithhighstonewalls.Pretentiousgatewayswereprovidedfortheinhabitantstocomeandgoontheirpeacefulpursuits.Onstateoccasions,thegateway to a citywas the formalmeetingplace—theplace for salutations;the crossing of swords. Lords and ladies were dressed in their finest—deepcurtsies, sly flirtations, clicking of heels, salutes. In a word, the town wascelebratingandcametoitsgatewaytowelcomehonoredguestsandheroes.

Inmoremoderndays,gatewaysstillholdanimportantpartinourcommunallife.Whatathrillonarrivinginoneofourgreatcitiestostepoffatrainandintoabeautiful,yes,byitsverybigness,inspiringrailwaystation.Thisisamoderncity’sgatewayforitsfriendsandinhabitants.

Nowweareinsideyourgatewayandfollowingawindingroadwithchangingvistasateachturn.Thebankissteepononesidesoaguardrailisonthecurvetoguideourguestswhomaywalkordriveinthenight—white-washedbouldersorperhapsasignorsymboltogivethemdirection.

Asyouenterthecabindoor,thematmayhavetheword“WELCOME”wovenintoit.Oftenwroughtironlampsoneithersideofthedoorlightyourwayandaddwelcome.

Yourspot in thewoods,however largeor small, shouldbeenclosedwithafence—a fence that expresses the artistry and, indeed, the personality of theowner.Asformyself,Iwouldchoosetheoldrailfencebecauseofmychildhoodmemories.Inmyboyhooddays,weheldbasketpicnicsnexttotherailfenceandthe big elm tree. Those were sweet experiences. The spot was a sort ofplayground for neighborhood folks both young and old.We’dmeet at the bigelm next to the rail fence.And, so, rail fenceswarmme. They belong tomyyouth.Theybelongtomenow.Afterall,railfencesarejustasgoodasanyotherkindoffenceifyoucangetthem.Theyaresimpletobuild.Theyhaveasturdy,homely dignity. I must admit I bought nearly three-quarters of a mile of railfencefromafarmeronetime.Hewastearinghisfencedown.Iboughtitoutofsentimentmore thanactualneed. I’msurehemusthavesaidunderhisbreath,“Theyain’tworthcuttin’upforfirewood.”

FriendlyTrails

TRAILSareplainpathsorobscurewindingsamongtrees,rocks,orboulders.Theybecomemorepronouncedbyuse.Obscuretrailsaremoreintriguing.Stepover a log or rock. Make your trail interesting, especially if it leads to yourfavoritehidingspotwhereyoumaywanttobealone—awayfromtheworld.Oritmayleadtoyourbirdsanctuaryortoapetchipmunkwhowillcometoyouifyoucallandwilleatfromyourhand.

Youmay want your trail to lead to a one-man shack, tucked away out ofview.Putasmallfireplacein theshack,abunk,abookor two.Builditoutofnaturalresources.Don’tspendtoomuchmoney.Gotoitsomestarlitnight.Takea friend in tunewithyour thinking.Hereyouwill find the romanceof “night,God,andtheMilkyWay.”

Thismaysoundlikeathree-hundred-acretract.No,I’mthinkingofone,two,ortenacres.Ofcourse,ifyouareluckyenoughtohavemoreland,somuchthebetter. Do you still have a farm belonging to the family from your childhooddays?Don’t let itgetoutof thefamily.Divideit, ifneedbe,butholdonto it.Somedaywhenyoureachtheageofforty,youwillwishyoustillhadit,forjust

suchapurposeaswearediscussing.Ithastoomanyrichtreasuresandtraditionstoletitoutoffamilyhands.Youwill,atsometimeinlateryears,“revertbacktotheland.”

Togetbacktotrails,remembertrailsareundevelopedpaths,nottooobvious,not too clear cut.Leave something to the imagination. “Shallwe turn right orleft? Now let’s see… there are three stone markers, first a large one, then asmallerone,andastill smallerone taking theshapeof thepointofanarrow.”Thisisstalking.

Goalone.SitbyyourselfandsuddenlywithGod.Ifyouhaveneverdoneit,you will have a new experience. Birds will fly overhead. A chipmunk maychatter,akatydidmaysayitssay,andyouwillsuddenlyfindyourselfwithGodandatpeacewiththeworld.ThisisChristinthemountains.Youwillfindthisa

placeforclearthinkingontheeternalfitnessofthings.So, my friend, your trail has not only led you to a place, but to a new

opportunity—perhaps a challenge. Perhaps you will have really discoveredyourself.

Springs

PURE drinking water is as essential as pure air. There is something aboutspring water that is different from any other form of drinking water. It isrefreshinglycooland,yet,thoughonedrinksgreatdraftsofit,itisnotlikeicewaterinitseffectuponone’sstomach.

I have a favorite spring towhich I trudge amile just for a deep satisfyingdrink.Thespringformsadeeppoolsurroundedbymossandrocks.Watercressand fresh greens line the sides of the little stream below. Somehow, I growsentimentalandmakeaceremonyoftheapproach.Tolieflatonone’sstomachisnot at allundignified—prone,nestlingclose toMotherEarth—lips touchingthesparklingwater.Icannotstopthere.Facedeeperanddeeperintothespring,untilopeningmyimmersedeyesIbeholdanewworld.Thecrystalwaterservesasamagnifyingglass,showingthedelicateplantlife, thebubblingparticlesofwhitesanddancingplayfullyaboutthosesmallaperturesintheearthfromwhichflowsthisfrolickingstream.ThenupagainforabreathofGod’sfreshair.Andagainandagainadeepdraft.WhymustIreturntothekitchenfaucettodrawaglass of chlorinated, medicated fluid that is hopefully labeled “pure drinkingwater”?

Lifeintheoutdoorsmaytakethecreaseoutofone’strousers,butitwillleaveimpressions of things fundamental, values against which to judge theshallownessofmoderncivilization.Agreatcronyofmine,SamuelBogan,onceinvited me to his “hermit’s shack” in Connecticut for a weekend. He waxedwarmabouthis favoritespring,whichwasnearby.Webothwent tovisit it, todrinkdeeply from its coolwaters.Aswesat there,he toldmeof itshistory. Isaid,“Sam,writewhatyouhavejusttoldme.”Hedidandhereitis—aclassiclegendofanagelessspringinthewoods:

Isupposemostofusareamphibiansatheart.Weliketorestbesideaflowingstream.Wefeel,withSeneca,that“wherethespringrisesandtheriverflows,thereweshouldbuildouraltarsandofferoursacrifices.”Welikerain,andclear lakes,andmountainbrooks thatsing.We likewaterdoneupinglaciers,andthemagnificentundrinkablesea.WhenmyownspiritisbatteredandIampossessedofthatindefinable

thirstnotquenchedbyordinarywater,Iliketogotomyfavoritespring.Itliesintheforestatthefootofalongsweepinghill,andthewatercomesfromdeeprockcrevices.Itisapurespringanditsflowdoesnotchange

with theseasons. Its temperature is thesame thewholeyearround.Thepressureof thegreathillpushes thewateroutward,and thepressureofthewaterthrowsupasmallfountainofsand.Thelittlegrainsofclearandmilkyquartzformacascadeatthebottomofthetransparentbasin.Thewater isclear,but thespring isnotcolorless.Theadjacentearth

andskyhidenothingfromit.Theskyreststhereandthetreesarereflectedupside-down.Itisasthoughonecouldreachintothespringandtouchthesky,orwrapone’s finger inacloud,orplucka leaf from the tiny trees.Then,suddenly,likeNarcissus,youseeyourface.Yet,ifyoulookcloselyatyour face in thespring, it shutsout thesky. It isareminder that“hewholoveshimselfwillhavenorivals.”The spring, walled in by moss-covered rocks, is as old and as

permanentasthecontoursofthelandinwhichitlies.Itwas formedwhen the lastglacier receded fromNewEnglandsome

thirty thousand years ago. This is to realize, with awe, that prehistoricanimalshavedrunkfromit.Once, in cleaning it out,we found an arrowhead.What brave left it,

andinwhatyear?Thepioneerscame, too.Theylivednear,andplantedapples and maples. Where did they go and why? Westward, with theForty-Niners?Totheprairies?ThewidePacific?Yesterday,thatistosay,onlyfiftyyearsago,ahermitbuiltacabinon

theslopeandthespringwashisforawhileandtakesitsnamefromhim,Hermit’sSpring.

Thespringisindescribablebecause,beingperfect,itisnotsupposedtoexist. Have we not heard, many times, nothing is perfect? But I knowbetter. I have seen the leavesof autumnon this spring, and thepebble-tossing fountainon its floor. I have seenwithin it theblue inverted sky,andaflightofbirdsacrossthesky.Iknewtheleaveswereperfect,andthe

fountain,andthesky,butonce,whenonaclearwinternight,Idrankfromitandsuddenlyrealizedmyfacewasimmersedinacoolskyofstars,andmyspiritrestedforawhile.Iwasnotthirstyanymore.

Godhasprovideduswithrefreshmentforoursouls,withfreshairandgoodwater,butsomehowwearecarelessinouruseandcareofthem.Ifyouhaveaspring on your acres, be sure to protect it against contamination. If it is on ahillside,buildaditchabove it soseepagewaterwillbe turnedasideand therewillbenopossiblepollution.Ihaveaddedtotheditchaprotectingfencetokeepoutwanderinganimals,aneighbor’scow,orthoughtlessvisitorsunfamiliarwiththewaysofthewoodsandthevalueofnaturalresources.

ASSUMINGyouhaveanautomobile,assumingyouareanunluckydevilwhogetsbuttwoweeks’vacation—let’sputitinreverse.Atwo-weekvacationwithpay impliesyouhaveasteady job, thatyouarea luckydevilwitha jobandatwo-weekvacationwithpay.Youwanttomakethatvacationadelightandrealadventure for your growing family. If you use your wits, your initiative, andresourcefulness, you canmake these twoweeks rich, sparkling, and satisfyingeven ifyourwage isnot large.Workshouldgiveussomethingmore than justbread.Withskillfulplanning, thezest, thefun, thesharedgrowingexperiencesofayear’shardworkcanbeclimaxedwithalarkingadventuretogether,ifyouwouldlikeit,inagypsywagonoraFamilyCamponWheels.

AFamilyCamponWheels canbeyours for almost a song.YourcampsitemaybeanywhereinNorthAmerica—orpointsbeyond.IntheUnitedStates,wemay travel from state to state without having to show visa or passport.Innumerable camping grounds are open to the public.Many woodland spots,offeringmoreprivacy,arealsoavailabletothecarefulcamper.IliketothinkofWisconsinwith itsmyriad largeandsmall lakesas thecampingplaygroundofAmerica. Then, too, the hundreds of national parks, from the friendlyAdirondack peaks to the staggering grandeur of the Rockies, from Maine toMexico,offerusalltheirbeauty.Yourvacationneednotbeconfinedtosummermonths.“Junemaybehadbythepoorestcomer,”forthiscountryissolargeandvastonemayfindJuneweathereverymonthoftheyear.

Overthepasttwenty-fiveyears,wehaveownedthetrailerfromwhichtheseillustrations have been drawn. I have takenmy familywithme far andwide.Firstcametheheateddebate,“Whereshallwego?”Therewasnoneedtomakeresort reservations months in advance. We did study geography, interestingplaces,roadmaps.Thetimetableneednotdependonrailroads,conductedtouristschedules, nor taxis.Our coursewas tempered to the time allowed—amonth,twoweeks,aweekend,andthesizeofourpocketbook.Itdidn’tcostmuchmoretofeedthefamilyenroutethanitdidathome.Therewasonlyonethingtodo.Wepackedourlittlecoveredwagon,checkingandrecheckinglistsoffoodandfixingsforcomfort,fun,fellowship.Wehitcheditbehindourcar.Readyfortheroad,wewereofftoanewadventure.

Believe it or not, my Family Camp onWheels has spring beds and goodmattressesforfourpersons—yes,evensixwithabitmorecarefulpackingandan added small tent. It carries complete kitchen gear—pots, pans, and dishes,stove,icebox,toolsforrepairs,portabletoilet.Notonlythese,butacollapsibletable with a roll-up top and folding chairs and stools. We have, also, a realshower bath, with adequate privacy. Soap and water are far too cheap forcamperstotolerateuncleanbodies.

Partofourequipmentwasashovel,rake,broom,andpickaxe—allsmall.Wemustkeepcompactnessinmind.Whilewestartedoutwithpietinsforplates,tincups, etc., we finally improved our kitchen and saved space with nestingaluminum.Fourpotsnestedintooneanother—containingfoursoupbowls,cups,knives, forks, and spoons. This group rested on four plates nested into twoskillets.Theentireunitfitintoawaterproofcanvasbagandtooklessspacethanawater pail.Our stove and reflector oven collapsed into a flat package.Withfour pairs of busy hands, the whole camp could be set up in less than thirtyminutes.Wemadeagameofit—improvingoursetting-uprecordasyouwouldimproveyourgolfscore.

Ofcourse,packingfourpersonsintothislittle“hotel”wasabitintimate,butusually it was a family circle. Let’s not forget our living “room,” and play“room,” and (on pleasant days), our dining “room”were the whole outdoors.Evenonrainydayswhenourtablewassetbackunderthesmallcanvasporch,andweweredressedinboots,raincoats,andhats,therewasroomtostretchandplaybeyondandaroundourtent.

Whereshallwegothistime?Thatall-adventurousquestion!Supposeitwere

alovelyweekendinearlyfallorspring,whenanextraSaturdayorMondaywasavailable. We’d have studied the county geodetic maps, which revealed thecontour lines and pointed out rugged rolling country with large and smallstreams.We’d trail along the concrete highway and then choose an intriguingdirtcrossroadthatourmaphadshownledtosomesuchwildspot.Farmerswhohavesettledinthesesolitudesareusuallyfriendlyfolkwhoenjoythesurpriseofacontactwiththeoutsideworld.“Sure,youcancampinourorchard.Driverightdown the lane. Anything you want?” I have always preferred to pay for thisprivilege.Mostoftenadollarwouldbeample.Thefarmer,too,wouldgladlysellusvegetablesandeggs,andhiswifealoafofhomemadebread.Youareprettysure,too,tohaveareturninvitationifyouhavebeenagoodandtidycamper.

So we’d drive in, choose the apple orchard if there was one, strip thewaterproofcanvascover from the trailer top,openout thedoublebed-springs,erect thecanvastentoverthem,anchorthefly.Thestovewouldbesetupinasafespot,handytothedining“room”ofthemoment,yetwherethewindwouldnot carry the smoke into the trailer. Soon a bright firewould do itswork andsavory odors would whet the appetites of the rest of the workers, who weresettinguptheshowerbath.Itwasasimplecontraption,thisshowerbath.Afive-galloncollapsiblecanvasbucketintothebottomofwhichhadbeensetaspigot.(Youcansecurethisatanyhardwarestore—thekindtowhichyoucanattachabathroomhoseandsprinkler.)Aropewas tied to thebuckethandle.Theotherendof the ropewas slungover thebranchof a treeabout seven feet from theground.Astripofcanvas,sixfeethighandabouttenfeetlong,couldbestrungaround the bucket for privacy. A small box for a stool, soap, and towel; thebucketfilledfromthepailnowsteaminggentlyoverthefireand,“yourbathisready.”Thisisthelife,andnolargefeeforroomandbath.

Of course, I haven’t mentioned in my preoccupation with this refreshingfinale before dinner that the bedding had been tucked in over the mattresses(alwaysheldinplacefortravelingbystraps).Thattheiceboxhadbeensnuggledintoashadyhole,andthetoiletsetoutofsight;thelanternsfilledandhungtothwartthetwilight,andthetabletopsetontoitsframeandcenteredwithleaves,blossoms,andberries.

Oneyear,Ihadtherareprivilegeofatwo-monthvacation.Wedecidedtogosouth.We took our two daughters out of school for February andMarch andtraveled from our home in New York State to Florida and back. The schoolprincipal agreed with us that the youngsters could learn more of geography,history,life,andpeoplethaninayearofschooldays.

Wedecidedthefunshouldbeginfromthemomentwelefthomebehindus.Sooftenitispossibletospoilthepresentbyrushingtoagivendestination,withnosenseofleisurelydiscoveringthefunandknowledgetobehadalongtheway.Thepersonat thewheel is sooften toblame for this rushingand fastdriving.Why will some people have such perverse notions! I’m really talking aboutmyself and some things I had to learn to provide riding comfort and trueenjoyment.Ifinallygotovertryingtopackamonth’stravelintotwoweeks.Alittlepaperandpencilworkwasneeded.Three thousandmilespackedinto tendayswouldrequiresevenhoursofsteadydrivingwithanaverageoffortymilesperhour.Thiswouldmeanholdingclose to fiftymilesperhour tomaintain aforty-mileaverage.Ifyouwanttomakealong,rushtrip,thenyouwon’tenjoyyourcoveredwagonortrailer.Ilearned,too,theFamilyCamponWheelsisbestat thirty-five mile per hour, which provides opportunity for all to enjoy thecountryside, historical markers, and an occasional stop for points of interest.Someoneinthecarremarksthereisasignpostahead,lookslikethemarkerofahistoric spot, but Father, having gotten his car to that fifty-five- or sixty-miletempoofspeed,swishesbyandthensaysapologetically,“Well,that’stoobad.Icouldn’t slowup in time.”Thenhe resumeshis same safe and sanedriving—fifty, fifty-five, sixty.Along at three o’clock in the afternoonMother remarkscasually,“Let’sstopatthenextfarmwherethereisavegetablestand.”Soonwecometoone,but,again,Father,whoseemsbynowtohavebutonefocuspoint,thedestinationthreethousandmilesaway,driveson.Thefamilyyellsinunison,“Herearevegetables!”but,alas,Father,withfootdeeponthegaspedal,swishesbyagain—andagainsaysheissorry.Wethendrivethenexthundredmileswithno vegetables offered for sale. True, we made another added hundred milestoday. It’s nownear seven o’clock.Kiddies,weary and hungry, andMother—

wellitjustisn’tfun.Wecompromisebyeatingata“dog”stand,findaplacetosetupourcamp—anyplace,anywhere—justsowecangotobed.Weareweary.So(rewardforhispressuredriving),thefamilyremainsinthecarasthechillofthe night comes. Father sets up his clever little Family Camp onWheels byhimselfinthedark.WheredidIleavetheflashlight?

AFamilyCamponWheelsshouldmeanmorethanaplacetosleep.It’swhatthe name implies and, so, I recommend this kind of trailer for longerencampments and shorter hauls. I have learned, too, formental happiness andmaximum of camping fun: stop driving at three in the afternoon and set upcamp. Take time to set up properly near a brook or stream. Enjoy the fun ofpreparinganoutdoormeal.Indeed,theplaceofyourchoosingmaybesoidealyoumaydecidetospendafewdays.Whynotbesufficientlymentallycarefreetoreacttothiskindofadjustment?

Aftermany trailer trips,weactuallyaddedasmall rowboatordinghy,ninefeet long, three and a half feet at the beam, a small outboard motor, and asurfboard. No, I’m not bragging. The surfboard was rigged from an oldwoodsheddoor,butitworkedwonderfully.Theboard,motor,andsurfboardideacameaboutwhenwehad the twomonths inFlorida.Weenvisionedourselveswithin thesoundof theoceansurfonasandybeach.Wedreamedof theearlymorning dip in the ocean, but no such luck. Choice sandy beach spots wereprivately owned and public beaches were controlled by local “city fathers.”Those with trailers were politely told of the city block set aside for trailercampers and the law forbade any other camp spots. The city lot for trailercampers is well set up—usually electric lights with central shower baths andwashrooms and other accommodations, but more congested than our closelypopulatedcityhomes.Wedidfindseclusionbyrentingatwo-acreorangegroveforalmostasong($15permonth)—justtwomilesfromtheocean.Andsowehadtheprivacywewantedandyetalltheoceanbathingandsurfboatriding.Noone aboard the swanky launches, nor atop the curved commercial surfboards,learnedmoreofbalanceandgrace,orhadmorefuninandoutofthewavesthandid my small daughters. It was satisfying to see them swaying, winging, ordiving into the wake, swimming strongly until I came around to take themaboard.Iwasmorethancontenttooperatetheboatandlaugh.

Youmaynowdecide,“Thismanistalkingaboutathousand-dollarventure.”Notsofast.I’mapoormanlikemostpeopleandIwouldn’ttradewithanymanof wealth whose only skill is to make money and buy luxuries. Would twohundreddollarsfortheoutfitIhavedescribedseemanorgyofwildspendingtogetstarted?Allrightthen.Letmesetoutthecostsinabitmoredetail.

The trailer of the illustration is a commercial product of early vintage. A

friendofminebuilthisownusingmineforamodel.Throughhismechanichesecuredaxles,threewheels(thethirdaspare),andsprings.Hebuiltaboxforit,fourfeetbysevenbyonefootdeep.Attachedtoeachsidewasabed-springfourfeet wide. These were hinged so they could fold over the box, one upon theother. To each he strapped a mattress. Under the floor of the box he built acupboard to hold gear and equipment. The canvas tent,which folded into thebox,wasanoddshape—twelvefeetwide,sevenfeetdeep,andsevenfeetfromtrailer floor to the peak.Attached to the frontwas a canvas porch twelve feetwide and seven feet deep. Being handywith tools, he bought the canvas andother material for the inner frame and fashioned his trailer camp during thewintermonthsinhisworkshop.SometimesIthinktheanticipationisasgreatastherealization.Theycertainlygohandinhand.Thefamilyshareintheplanningandinthework.Heevenrebuiltanoldoutboardmotor,watchedforbargainsinboats thatweresoundbutneedfulofpaintandpatching.His livingequipment,likeours,hasgrownthroughtheyears.Iamproudofhim.Ourfamiliesspentthenext summer vacationing together. He and I sat proudly watching our happyoffspring who were finding the fun of God’s Great Out Doors—enjoying thefruitsofourwinterworkshoplabors.“Well,”Billsaidtome,“Yougetoutofitjustwhatyouputin—yes,withrealinterest.”

“Ifyoudidn’thave it—thisFamilyCamponWheels,whatkindofacampwouldyoumostliketohave?”

Hegavemethatclassicanswer,“I’dhaveaFamilyCamponWheels.”AndsowouldI!

During these twenty-fiveyearswithourFamilyCamponWheels,wehavecampedonmanylovelycampingspots—besidebrooks,streams,lakes.Oftenthefamilywouldsayafteralongweekendinthewoods,“Canwebuyaplacelikethis?”Well the “miracle”happened—andallwithinourpocketbook.You, too,can find your dream spot—land for one, five, or ten dollars per acre. If toobarren,planttrees.Theywillgrowwithyourloveoftheplace.

WefoundourspotinthegreatZoarValleynearSpringville,NewYork.Itisbounded by the onrushing, swirling Cattaraugus on one side. On the other,encirclingwoodlandhillsextendtotheskies.Itisfartooroughforpasture,andwith justabitof river-bottomlandforgardening.Threebabblingbrookssloshand tumble down the wooded slopes. Hemlock aplenty for real log cabinssomeday.Therearewildgrapesandberriesforthetaking.Frogsandfrog’slegsfor dinner. Mint for juleps. Wild roots for salads. Springs for cool drinks.Hickoryandwalnuttreesfornutsandtheirwinterfun.Crabappleandappletreesplantedbypioneersofanearliergeneration.Herewewill trim,graftnew life,spray,andhaveperfectapplesagain.

Wehavestoppedbeingroamers.WehavetakenourbelovedFamilyCamponWheelsoffthehighway,recallingthedayswhenitsaidtous,“Comeon.Let’sgo!Ijustcan’tstayfoldedup,”andwedidn’ttalkback,wejustpackedupandwent—toMaine,toQuebec,toWisconsin,toCarolina.

Butwe have taken the trailer off the highway. Like the old fire horse,weturneditouttopasture.Itnowservesastheguestcamponourownlittleranchandseemscontent.Soonweshallbuildasmallcabin.Wewillbuilditourselves,aswebuiltupourtrailerequipment.

You, too, may have your Family Camp onWheels, or Your Cabin in theWoods,ifsuchastheseareyourdreams.

THISsimpleoutdoorfireplaceiseasilyconstructedifyouhavestones.Youdonotneedplasterorcement.Itcanbelaidupjustasastonewall is laid.Ifyouhaveclayonyourland,itwillserveperfectlyasabinder.Thecostinvolvedwillbe for a grate.With this typeof open fireplace, it is best to let your firewoodburnuntilyouhaveathickbedofcoalsbeforeplacingyourcookingutensilsonthegrate.Thiswillavoidalotofpot-blackonyourkettlesfromthesmoke.

The outdoor fireplace with the chimney is really the best for all-roundefficiency.Buildthechimneyatleastsixfeethigh.Itwillcarrythesmokeaboveyourhead,especiallyif thewind iscontrary.Standing in frontofanopenfire,your body somehowacts as a chimneywall and the smokewill travel towardyouandofcourse,getintoyoureyesandlungs.Sothechimneyonyouroutdoorfireplaceisworththetimeandeffortittakestobuildit.

Chimney construction in an outdoor fireplace is indeed simple. It does notcallforanyoftherulesrequiredinbuildingafireplaceinyourcabin.Aninsidefireplace is more or less draft controlled. It burns best when all doors and

windowsareclosed.Thereisusuallyenoughseepageofairfromcabinwindowsanddoorstosupplyaslightflowofairtothefireplace.Openingawindowjustahalf-inch will help the circulation and airflow. Then, too, the inside fireplacemust be correctly built; i.e., smoke shelf just inside and below the flue; alsosmokepockets.Thereisanexactrelationshipofthethroattotheopeningofyourfireplace.

In the outdoor fireplace, you need not be concerned with these buildingprecautions.Allyouneedisthefirepitandafluelargeenoughtocarryoffthesmoke.

Thegratecoveringyourashpit shouldbeeighteen incheswideby twenty-four inches deep. The front of the chimney should start at the far end of thegrate. Inmy own outdoor fireplace, I have added a three-sixteenths-inch steelplate, eighteen by twenty-four inches.Herewe have the same as the top of akitchenstovewithoutthepotholes.Withthissteelplatecover,thedrafttravelsinfromthefrontthroughthefirepitandupthechimney.Thesteelplatehastheaddedvalueofkeepingyourkettlesfreefromsmoke.Itwillgiveampleheatforall cooking except broiling steaks. To broil steaks or chops, remove the steelplate,andyourbedofhotcoalsunderthegrateshouldbeperfecttoroastyourmeat—rare,medium,orwelldone.

At this point, the coals in the fire pit no longer need any draft. Instead ofbuildingadamperwithinyourchimney,asimpledevicewilldojustaswell,and,again,withoutcost.Justapieceoftinorsheetironplacedontopofthechimneyflue will immediately shut off all draft. If there is still smoke from bits ofburningwood justslide the tindamperabit tooneside toallowthesmoke toescape.

Ifthereisdangeroffireduringdrysummerweatherwhensparksfromyourfireplacemaygiveyouconcern,youcancontrolthisbyplacingawirescreenontopofyourchimney flue.Weigh itdownwitha fewsmall stones. Ifyour fireburnstoowildlyinasituationlikethis,youcanquicklydisciplineitwithacuportwoofcoldwater.

MakeItAttractive

WHILEthemechanicsofoutdoorfireplaceconstructionareimportant, letusalsoput into thebuildingabit of simple artistry.There shouldbe ample shelfspace.Abigstoneslaboneithersideofthefirepit.Shelvesnearthechimney.Theywillservealsoaswarmingovens.Aftera littleexperience,youwill findthe right spots to keep your plates hot, another to keep the coffee simmering.Add to this a stone seat or two.Abit of rail fencewill invite birds and smallanimals.Thestoneslabsoneithersideofyour firepitwill,withconstantuse,becomecoveredwithgreaseandpot-blackandwillshowdiscoloration.Thisiseasilyremoved.Simplysprinkleathincoatofwoodashesoverthegreasypart.Thelyeintheasheswilltakeupthegrease.Brushoffandscrubasyouwouldyourkitchensink.Yourstonewillsparkleagainwithitsnaturalcolorandlookmostinviting.

Herewehaveadeluxeadaptationoftheoutdoorcookingplacewitharoof.Ihave seen some very elaborate housed-in cooking contraptions,which leftmewiththefeeling,“Whyafterallforsaketheefficientkitcheninthehouse?”Theonly advantage of a roof is in the event of a sudden rainstorm after you havegotten the meal underway. I’ve met this problem with an eight-foot-squarecanvasthatcanbequicklyplaced.

Maketheoutdoorstoveinyouryardaplacewherefriendswillgather.Placebenches and garden chairs around it. They will rediscover cooking is notdrudgery, but an art of creating delectables. Here is the place to create newdishesaccording toyourown ideas.Trycookingwitholiveoil—you’ll like it.Tryokraoreggplant;trydifferentspices.Yourfriendswillbeattracted.Recipesandnewdisheswillbeshared.

Whatmakesanout-of-doorsmeal is, firstofall, theoutofdoors.Theverysetting is important. Floating clouds, the call of wildlife, birds overhead—thesmellofpungentpineswaftingpastyouandthroughyou.Haveyoueverwokenup refreshed after a good night’s sleep out in the open and eaten sourdoughpancakes as only an old prospector in theRockies can bake them?Let’s havebreakfastwithoneoftheseoldsourdoughs.Thedelicatesizzlingnoiseoffryingbacon, sputtering eggs, the rich aroma of coffee simmering in its blackenedcoffee pot. It does something to you.An occasionalwhiff of smoke from thecampfire and a stack of golden brown sourdough cakes. I still thrill to thatmorning years ago camping on Cripple Creek in Colorado, when Harry E.Moreland,thatgrandoldcamper-prospector,yelled,“Theburntofferingisnowserved!”

Toprepare such ameal over the campfire,with a nicety,without smearingpot-blackoverone’sfaceandclothes,willaddtotheartoflivinghappilyintheoutofdoors.

OutdoorCookeryintheGardenFireplace

COOKINGinyourgardenfireplaceisnotonlyfun,it’sgettingbacktonature.It is a real art. For perfect family companionship and participation there isnothinginthisworldthatwillgiveyouandyoursmoresatisfaction,thesenseofaccomplishment, and satisfaction after it is done with, than a family-cookedroyalmealpreparedinyouroutdoorgardenfireplace.

Ifyouwantyour friends tocomeoften, try theout-of-doorscookingparty.They won’t come just to eat. You will have created a new and intriguingsituation. Your friends will say, “When do we have another?We’ll bring thesteaks—we’ll bring anything you say, but let’s have another garden dinnerparty.”

Afewsimplesuggestionsbeforeyoustartyourmeal:

1.Takewithyoutoyourcooking“den”allneededequipment.

2.Havesufficientwoodforthefire(threearms’fullormore).

3.Besuretoincludeagoodaxeandalowboxortablewithacover.

4. Be sure your fire burns long enough to build up a good bed of coals.Replenish your fire three timeswith hardwood if youwant hot coals—andreallyhotcoalsare thesecretofasuccessfullycookedoutdoormeal.Pleasedon’tmakethecommonerrorofcookingoverflames.Theyonlyblackenyourpots, give unsteady heat—first burning your food and often leaving it halfcooked,underdone—faugh!

5.Takewithyoua toweland, ifyoucan,abasinofwaterandsoap.Thiswillhelpmakeyouacleanoutdoorcookandkeepyourclothescleanthroughout.

6.Includeafewoldnewspapers,especiallyifyoumustputyoursteakgrillon

thegrass,aswellaskettlesofvegetablesandotherfoodstuffs.Whenthrough,burnthepaperanddestroyanyevidenceofuntidiness.

7.Besuretobringsaltandpeppershakers,a longfork,andnecessaryutensilsforyourmeal.Youwillspoilthedignityofyourattemptedculinaryartifyouhavetorunbacktothekitchenforthisorthat.

HOWDOYOULIKEYOURSTEAK?

RareMediumWellDoneRoasted

Nowlet’shaveaone-inchsteakforourpartytonight.Thiscallsforabitofargumentwiththebutcher.Youprefertenderloin,T-bone,sirloin?Youwantitsothick? How long has it been cured? Soon the butcher will meet yourrequirements.Itfindsitswayintoyouriceboxuntiltheappointedhour.Inallmy

experienceofbroilingsteakstomakethemjustreallyperfectwhenserved,thiscallsforonesureapproach.Nomatterhowbadlyyoucookyoursteak,nomatterhowmuch it isoverdoneorunderdone,youwon’tgofarwrongatany time ifyouaresureyourbutchergaveyoureallygoodsteaks.Ifitcomesoutrightandthesteakisdelicious,takefullcreditforit.Chancesare,youwon’tdeservethecredituntilyouhavelearnedtoselectagoodsteak.

Broiling steak is as old as time, yet many steaks could be better if a fewsimpleprecautionsweretaken.Ipreferaone-inchsteak.Thickersteaks,saytwoinches, are hard to broil in an outdoor fireplace unless you have had longexperience.

Whenwetalkofraresteak,dowemeanredinside?Drippinginblood?Notfor me. The rare steak, to my taste, should have had the effect of the coalsheatingittoathoroughhotthroughout.Ifyoulikeyoursteakraw,betterserveitrawandcallitsuch.

Placeyour steaks ina toastergrill.Putone-half-inchstripsofbaconacrossthe steak at three-inch intervals and at right angles to the wire of your grill.Baconenrichestheflavor.Placethegrillonyourbedofhotcoals.(Putahalf-brickatthefarsideofyourcoalsandafreshgreenlognearestyouonwhichtorestthegrill.)Thegrillshouldbeabouttwoinchesfromthecoals.Letitsizzlefortwominutes.Thenturnthesteaksover.Listentothegreasedripintothehotcoals.Watch it jump into the flames. Good! Let it burn. Let the flames playaroundthesteaksforaboutthreeminuteswildly!Turnthesteaksoverandrepeat.If flames do not start at once, throw in a shaving. (Have you a jackknife? Itcountsinbroilingagoodsteak.)Afterthreemoreminutesof“wild”burningofyoursteak,youwillhaveaperfectone—burntbrownontheoutside,juicyandrarewithin. For your guestswhowantwell-done steaks, just roast them a bitlonger.Addsaltandpepperandtopwithbutterbeforeserving.

Themealoverwith,youwillsoonstartsingingfolksongs,chatting,singingagain.Someonebringsaguitarorbanjo.Soonthereareblinkingstars.Againalovelynight.Inseason,wefindlovely,inspiringnightsinanypartofthisglobal

world.Let’susethem.Callinyourguests,yourfriends,forasupperaboutyouroutdoorgardenfireplace.

HAMBURGERSI’vegrownthoroughlydissatisfiedwiththemodernhamburgersasservedby

most food shops. To beginwith, they come paper-thin—almost as thin as theoilpaper sheets that separate them. They are then almost burned to a crisp,cooked through and through, and servedwith hot sauces to cover the lack ofnaturalflavor.Beef,tome,mustalwaysberareatitsheart.Tryrarehamburgers.Firstbuygoodbeefandhaveitchopped.Makeitintosmallballsorfatpattiestwoinchesthick.Putalittlebutterintothefryingpan.Besureyourfireishot.Fryvigorouslyfortwominutes.Flattenslightly.Turn,season,andrepeat.Yourhamburger is ready to serve. It is asgoodas a choice steak—costs less and ismostsimpletoprepare.It’sfun!

HUNTER’SSTEWIfyouwant to serveameal toa largegroupwithout spendinghalfofnext

month’searnings,tryKettle-HoleHunter’sStew.Itiseasilypreparedandmakesasatisfyingmeal.It’suniqueanddifferent.

Let’ssayyouaretohavetenorfifteenfolksforSundaysupper.Buybonelessmeat—beef, lamb,pork—orall three.Allowsixouncesperperson.Boneswilladd to the richness and flavorbut shouldnotbecountedonas fillers.Cut themeatintosmallpiecesanddropintohotsaltedwater.YouwillnothavetowatchyourKettle-HoleStew,butcanreturnaftertwohoursandfinditreadytoserve.Here’show.

Digaholeabouteighteeninchesdeepandsixincheswiderthanthediameterofyourcookingutensil.Weuseaten-quartpailwithalid.Besurethewallsofthepitarestraightupanddown.Nowsetacrotchedstickoneithersideofthehole.Acrosstheselayagreenpole.Hangthepailonthecrosspolesoitishalfwaydownintothehole.Beforeplacingthepail,buildagoodfireinthehole.Letit burn until a bed of live coals has accumulated.Now place your pail, filledthree-quarters full of water. Next, build a stockade fence of three-foot-longbranches (about one to three inches in thickness) around thepail.See that thelowerendsofthesebranchesarerestinginthecoalsbelow.Yourfireisnowself-feeding.

Whenthewaterboils,saltitandaddyourmeat.Coverthepailandthenleaveitalone.Bringoutthecampchairsandcushionsandsavorthefragranceofyourstew. Control your appetite. Just a half-hour before serving, add vegetables—potatoes,carrots,celery,onions,seasoning.Whenallisready,ladleoutacupofbroth,addacrispsalad,breadandbutter,a lightdessert,coffee.You’ll like it.Yourguestswillgohomewellfedandhappy,andwillbeeagertotrythiseasymealintheirownbackyards.

POTATOESBAKEDINAHOLETheearthmustbesandyandreasonablydry.Potatoeswillbakebrownand

mealyinfifty-fiveminutesinafirehole.Digtheholeeighteeninchesdeepbyfourteenincheswide.Buildafireofhardwood.Letitburnuntiltheholeishalf-full of coals. With a shovel push the coals aside, then throw in a layer ofpotatoes.Quickly release the shoveland thepotatoeswillbecoveredwithhotcoals.Now fill in the holewith the loose dirt that has been dug out from thehole.Thepotatoescannotchar,butwillcomeoutbrownandmealy.

Anotherwayistowrapthepotatoesinclayandbaketheminthecoalsofacampfire.About the same amount of time is required.A few experiments arenecessarytoprovethisskill.

NEWENGLANDBOILEDDINNERJustwhichof theNewEngland stateswouldclaimdiscoveryof this richly

flavoredmeal, I do not know. It came tome from ourVermont relatives andshared the honors with Boston Baked Beans and Brown Bread as a Saturdaynightrepast.

Theunitisaleanrumpoffreshlycornedbeef.Itiscoveredwithcoldwaterandset tosimmerina largecoveredkettle.Afteranhourorso(depending,ofcourse,ontheweightofthepiece),thevegetablesareadded.First(becausetheytakemost time), addgolden slicesof turnipor rutabaga.Then addquarters ofyoungcabbage,aboutthreelargeonions,andasmanywholepotatoesasdesired.Nofurthersaltorseasoningisnecessary.Now,inaseparatekettlesettosimmeruntil tender,cookplentyoffreshredbeets.Cookthemwiththeir jacketsontopreservetheirdeep-redcolor.Servetheseseparately.(Don’tpeelthebeetswithaknife.As soon as they are cool enough to handle, their jackets can be gentlysqueezedoff.)

“REDFLANNEL”HASH

AfteryourNewEnglanddinner,drainallvegetablesthoroughly.Removethecornedbeef.Addtothedrainedvegetablesthepeeledbeets.Placeinawoodenchoppingbowl.Chopfineandmixthoroughly.Letstandovernightandserveforbreakfast.Justheatthoroughlyinabutteredfryingpanorskillet.ThismealhasbecomeastandardSundaymorningbreakfastwithus.

CHILIThereisonemealweliketoserveonanyoccasion,wherefoodandsimple

preparationare the twopointsmostof focus. It is thekindofameal, too, thatcanbestretchedalmost indefinitely. It iseasilycarried,easily salvaged. It isaone-dish meal with all the needed food elements. Its preparation need take ameretwentyminutesand,yet,whatisoftenmoreimportantinamixedgroupofvariedplansandinterests,itneverspoilsbyadelayinserving.

Theunitingredientsservefive.Intoaniron-coveredkettle,placeonepoundofhamburger.Cover itand let it sear rather thanbrown.Addone largecanoftomatoes,onejarofpreparedkidneybeans,onecanofspaghettiinspicysauce.Add a heaping teaspoon of salt. Stir well and let it heat through. Just beforeserving,addtwotablespoonsofchilipowder.

Ifthegroupnumberhasnotbeendeterminedbeforethepurchaseofsupplies,double the amount of hamburger, triple the number of cans, and all is set formost any contingency, provided the kettle space is adequate. Add a quarter-poundofhamburger andone canof anyof the ingredients for each additionalguest. Somehow, though the flavormay be varied slightly in one direction oranother, itwon’truinthenourishingandappetizingresult.Theunopenedcans,eventheunusedhamburger,canbeutilizedforothermealswithoutwaste.

BAKEDBEANSHere is a bit of outdoor bean cookery that works. Beans are put to soak

overnightandthenboileduntiltender.Theyarethenplacedinastonejarwithacover. The jar is then filledwith chunks of salt pork, syrup, and spice to suitone’s taste. For an oven, use a five-gallon tin canwith the top removed, or apieceofsheetirontheheightofthestonejarandaboutthreefeetlong,bentintoa circle to fit around the jar. Cover the top with a piece of flat tin. A slow-burningfirebuiltaroundthetincoveristhelaststep,excepttodipintothejarfrom time to time to taste and to keep enoughwater on the beans to preventburning.But“whatameal”whentheporkandbeansareserved!

THE“HOTDOG,BACON,ANDMELTEDCHEESEDREAM”Forasimplepicnicmealatlittlecostbutbigreturns,trya“HotDog,Bacon,

andMeltedCheeseDream.”Wienersorhotdogs,oneormoreforeachmemberin the party, split in half lengthwise. Place within a thin slice of Americancheese.Nowslitastripofbacon lengthwiseandroll thehalfpiecearound thewiener like a barber’s pole.Place it in a reflector oven and roast.After a fewminutes of broiling, turn the wieners around to roast on the other side. Afteranothereightminutes,yourmeatandcheese“dreams”areready—cheesemeltedandoozingout.Havethebunsorbreadtoastedandhot,addapotofcoffeeortea,andhereyouhaveatastypicnicmeal.Addradishes,celery,orolives.(Helpswiththeroughage.)Nowabitoffruitortheaddedhomemadepie.Yum,yum.

Burn up the paper plates and cups and go home with no worry aboutdishwashing.Reflectonaperfectdayandyouhaven’truinedyourpocketbook.Everymealneednotbeabanquet.The funofeating includescompanionship,workingtogether,thesparkleofthefireplace,coolingembers,andconfidences.

CHEESEANDCRACKERSBrownthecrackersinthefireplacereflectoroven.Whenslightlybrown,put

athinsliceofcheesebetweentwocrackers.Roastforafewminutes.Thecheesewillrunover,under,andaroundthecrackers.Servehotandboast,“Itcan’tbebeat!”Good for late afternoonwitha cupof tea—orperhapsabit “wild,”butmild,hotbutteredrum—butthat’sanotherstory.

FIREPLACECINNAMONTOASTFora fouro’clock tidbit, there isnothingequal to toastedwhitebreadwith

cinnamonandsugar.First, toast thebread.Then,spreaditwithbutter,sprinkle

withcinnamon,andspreadwithsugar.Setitbackagainstthefire’til thesugargetshotandsizzlesandthecinnamonspreads—yourtoastisready.Addacupofteaorcoffee.It’saperfectfouro’clocktreat.Yourguestswilllikeit.

ROLLEDROASTOFBEEFBefore the fireplace or open fire… roast beef, either rib or rolled, needs

constantturningbeforeareflectorfire.Bindtheroastwithstovepipewire,bothways, toholdit tightlytogether.Haveoneleadwirerunningupfromtheroastandfastentoapieceoftwineorcord.Thisistoprovidefortwisting.Fastenthetwinetothetopofthefireplaceshelforonapoleinfrontofyouropenfire.Onthetwineabovethewire,placeacross-stick,endsofwhichrunthroughthecordstrand. These rest against the fireplace wall. Turn this stick every five or tenminutes so the roast is exposed on all sides. With an outdoor fire, a longerbranch,saythreefeetlong,canbeappliedtoregulatetheturningoftheroast.

I forgot tomention thedrippan.Placea fryingpanbelow the roast just infrontof the reflectoroven. (See sketch.)Place in thisdrippanabitof lemon,orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, butter, sugar, and water enough to keep itwatery.Soontheroastwillbegintosizzleanddripintothedrippanbelow.Withalong-handledspoon(fastenathree-footwoodenhandletoalargetureenspoon)dip up the juice from the drip pan and baste the hot roast every fewminutes.Flameswillflareup.Keepahotfire.Don’tworry.Thisisasitshouldbe.Keepthe fire very hot. An eight-pound roast will require about two hours. Gatheraround the fireplace—cushions, chairs, perhaps a bridge game—butwatch theroast.Keepbastingoften.

Whenis itdone?Ifyouwantarareroast insideandburntandcrispon theoutside,theprecedingwillshowyoutheway.Thebestwaytoreallyknowistocook a few roasts of your own.Youwill finally find your own answer—rare,medium,welldone,burnt—orallatthesametime.

THESHOREDINNERDoyoureallywantagreatmeal fullofanticipation?Ameal thatwillkeep

youdroolingforforty-fiveminutesasyouwatchitsprogress?Ameal,which,inits stages of development, will make you forget business, problems, worries,and, when finished and eaten, will leave you relaxed and in a happy daze ofcomfortable calm? Ameal fit for kings, but which todaymay be enjoyed byvagabonds?

Areyou reallyhungry, and areyouprepared to intrigueyourpalatewith areal rare experience, which, after eating, will leave your satiated, contented,satisfied? Then try the Lobster Pot—lobsters, clams, clam broth, chicken,

vegetables—all in one cooker the size of the family wash boiler. Indeed, thehomewashboilerisjustaboutrightsizetocookforapartyofuptotenpeople.

It is obvious being four to five hundredmiles from the seashore (Buffalo,NewYork),wemust secure the best and freshest lobsters and clams possible.ThroughanarrangementIhavewithaBostonshipper,wegetlobstersdeliveredhereinBuffalowithinfifteenhoursafterbeingcaught.

Themealisaperfectlysimpleone,oritcanbemadeelaborate.Itisnotanexpensivemeal.Mostofallitneedsalittledramatics—theout-of-doorsetting,the group near enough to the outdoor cooking to watch it casually asconversationleadstowesterncivilization,war,peace,andhumdrumgossip.Butobserveallofthefooditemsthatareincluded—thestunningofthelobstersbyablowon the head andpuncturing the brainwith an ice pick—not pleasant buthumane—green,fresh,livelobstersthatcomeoutofthepotabrilliantred.

Thespigotonthelobsterpotisnotessential,butveryconvenient,forthefirstcourse is the servingof a cupof broth togetherwith a bigbowl of clams anddrawn butter. Serve each person wherever they are sitting—on the grass, ingardenchairs,etc.Ifthebrothisreallyasitshouldbe—thatis,madeupofallthedrippings from the foodwithin thecooker,yourguestswillwant a secondhelping.So theygoover to thecookeranddraw from the spigot the steamingbroth,withouthaving todipdowndeep into thecookerandrisk thedangerofburnsfromthesteam.

BecauseIcouldnotfindthekindofequipmentIwantedformyshoredinner,Ihadmyowntankorlobsterpotcookermade.Itisnothingmorethanatintank,16inchesby16inchesby16inches,withasomewhatsnug-fittingcover.Withinare fourwirebasket trays that fitoneon topof theother.Theycontainall theingredientsexceptbread,butter,salad,coffee,anddessert.

Hereiswhattoinclude—clams,lobsters,chicken(ifyouwanttobelavish),celery,carrots,potatoes,sweetcorn,greenorwaxbeans,oranycombinationoffreshvegetables,andseaweed.Thebroth,clams,andlobstersaretheimportantpartofthemeal.Youwon’twanttoeatmanyvegetables—theirimportanceistoflavorthebroth.

Butlet’sgetonwiththepreparation—

1.Pouragallonandahalfofwaterintothecooker.Bringtoawildboilingstate—thatis,theremustberealsteamgeneratedinthecookertothepointwherethecoverwillbobupanddownandmayneedasmallstoneontoptokeepitinplace.

2. Place the lobsters (preferably two-pound ones) in the second tray from thebottom;coverwithseaweed.

3. Wrap each piece of chicken in cheesecloth. When the dinner is done, thechickenshouldbewhiteandmealyandwillneedtobepan-brownedinbutter.The cheesecloth will keep the meat from falling apart. Place the cut-upchicken(broilersarepreferable)inthenexttrayabove.Ifthereisanyroominthetray,addvegetables.Note:Thechickenisanextraandcanbeomitted.

4.Inthenexttrayabove,puttherestofthevegetables.Sweetcornonthecobismostdesirableandwilldomuchtoenrichthebroth.(Note:Speakingofthesetrays,Ihaveattachedtothebottomtrayalongwirehandlerunningupontheinsideofeithersideofthecookersoalltrayscanbeliftedoutatonetime.Agoodpairofcanvasgloveswithcuffsisnecessarytoprotectyourhandsandarmsfromthesteam.)

5.Putthesefourtraysinthecookerandletthemsteamforfortyminutes.And,Imeansteam!

6.Attheendofthefortyminutes,liftoutalltraysandfillthebottomtraywithclams.Putalltraysbackandsteamfortenminuteslonger.Yourshoredinnerwillthenbeready.

7.Removethecookerfromthefire.Drawoffthebroth.Serveabowlofclamstoyourguestswithdishesofdrawnbutter.Eattheclamswithyourfingersandhaveplentyoftowelsorpapernapkinsonhand.Bepreparedtodecorateyourfacefromeartoear.Onejustmaynotbefastidiousatthisstageofthegame.

8.Inthemeantime,placethetraysonatableorbenchandletyourguestshelpthemselves. It will be necessary, however, for someone to split the lobstersinto halves after you have removed the seaweed. This is best done with asmallhand-axeorcleaver,ifyouhaveone.One-halflobstertoeachpersonisample.

9.Nowaddachef’ssalad,bread,butter,coffee,andthoseotherthingsyoumaywantforyourmeal.Fordessert,thereisnothingIhavefoundthatgoesbetterthanjusthalfagrapefruit.Itcutsthroughandbringsonebacktonormal.

If you go to a cottagewhere you have tables, dishes, and all of the other

equipment,then,ofcourse, it isnicetoservethisshoredinnerwithabitmoreformality.As I said in thebeginning, there isnothingunusualabout thismeal.Besuretogetseaweedwhenyoubuyyourlobsters.Donotsaltthechickenoryouwillspoilthetangoftheseaweed.Seaweedwillseasonitsufficiently.Thechickenshouldbesaltedtotastewhenbrowned.

Another tip.Besuretowatchyourbrothsoitdoesnotboilaway.Youwillhavetodeterminetheamountofwaterbythesizeofthecookeryouhaveatyourdisposal.Tome, thebest part of themeal is the clambroth.Save the leftoverbrothforlunchtomorrow.

REFLECTOR-OVENBISCUITSDoyouknowhowtomixbakingpowderbiscuitswithoutusingutensilsand

measuringtools?No?Letmegiveyouanoutdoor1-4-3-2-1method.Takeahandfulofflour(asmuchasyourcuppedhandwillhold).Putitina

dish,orsmallpail,ifyoudothisathome.Ifonahike,putitinawashedfive-pound salt bag. Now dip your fingers and thumb, drawn to a point, into thebaking powder can and drawout asmuch baking powder as your fingers andthumbwillhold.Itwon’tbemuch,butitwillbeenough.Nextpickupasmuchsalt as you can pick upwith three fingers and your thumb and throw into the“kitty”(bag).Yournextmoveistopickupallthesugaryoucanwithtwofingersandthethumb.Addthistothebag.Finally,stickyourindexfingerintoajarofshorteningandwithdrawasmuchasyoucanup to thefirstknuckle.Younowhave the ingredients foronebigbiscuit. Ifyouwant twoormore, increase theprocesstothesizeandnumberofbiscuitsyouwant.Addmilkor,ifmilkisnotavailable,water andmix to a stiff paste. Sprinkle a bit of flour on a piece ofpaper, flatten your biscuit, and cut into inch-and-a-half squares. Place them inthereflectorovenpanandplacethereflectorovenclosetothehotfire.Afterafewminutes,turnthebiscuitsaroundtobakeonbothsides.Nowgetarealtasteofthesunnysouth.Servewithbutterandjam.

PERPETUALPANCAKESIngredients:3cupsofbuckwheatflour,½teaspoonsalt,1yeastcake(infirst

mixing),2cupsbuttermilk,sourmilk,orwater,1teaspoonbakingsoda.Thisunitcanbevariedaccordingtothenumberofpancakesdesired.There

shouldbeatleastacupfulofbatterleftasastartingunitforthenextday.Again,addmilk,flour,orcornmeal.

CORNPONES(FOREIGHTPEOPLE)Ingredients:3cupsyellowcornmeal,1cupflour,1teaspoonsalt,8teaspoons

bakingpowder,2teaspoonssugar,4cupswater.Combine thedry ingredientsand theshortening.Stir inenoughwater tobe

abletodropthemixturefromaspoon.Tobake:(1)Fillapan½-inchdeepandplaceitinthereflectoroven;or,(2)putthebatterinafryingpan,¼-inchthick,andholdoverthefiretobake

thebottom.Then,bakethetopbyreflectorheat—proppingthepanagainst thefire;or(3)dropspoonfulsonaveryhotrock.

YOURCOMPLETEDINNERONTWOSTICKSOFWOODAdeliciousmealcanbecookedontwosticksofwood.Beef,mutton,orlamb

—onion,bacon,biscuits,pluspotatoesbakedinthecoals,acupofcocoa,andanapple—arealmeal,withoutanycookingutensils—justacupforthecocoa.Doyouwant to try it in yourgarden?Well, I have explained the importanceof agoodbedofcoals,whichisvitalinanyoutdoorpioneer-cookingventure.

Thismealissimple.Cutastraightbranchofdrywood,preferablywhitepine,thethicknessofyourthumbandabouttwofeetlong.Somewoodisbitter(likeoak), some sweet. The way to find out is to taste it. If it tastes bitter, thencertainly it isn’t sweet—so avoid it. With your jackknife, whittle your sticksmoothandcutasharppointatoneend.

Now,cutyourmeatintoone-and-one-half-inchsquares.Cutthebaconslicesto thesamesize.Cut theonionscrosswisesoyouwillhavemanyrings.Next,pushthepointedendofthestickthroughapieceofmeat,thenapieceofbacon,thenaringofonion.Dothisagainandagainuntilyouhaveat leastaquarter-poundofmeatormore,accordingtoyourappetite—firstmeat,thenbacon,thenonionuntilthestickisfilled.Leaveaneighth-inchofspacebetweeneachpiece.Saltandpepper.(Ifyoureallywantapioneersaltandpeppershaker,takeapieceofyouroldbamboofishingpole.Cutofftwoinchesoneithersideofthejoint.Filloneendwithsalt,theotherwithpepper.Putacorkineachendandputitinyourpocketuntilneeded.)

Nowwecometotherealfun.Preparethebiscuitusingthe1-4-3-2-1methodaspreviouslyexplained.Secureanotherstickliketheoneforyourmeat.Flattenyour biscuit batter into a long ribbon about two inches wide and about eightinches longandone-half inch thick.Wind thisaround thesecondstick,barberpolefashion,andpinchtightateitherendofthesticktosealitinplace.

Starttobakeyourpotatoesfirst,becausetheytakelonger.Putthemdeepintothe coals or use the reflector oven.They take about fortyminutes and time isimportantifyouwanttoserveeverythinghot.

Cuttwobranchesabouttwofeetlongwithsmallbranchesstickingoutattheside and tip to hold your two sticks. (See illustration.) Force these into thegroundon either side of the hot coals. Place themeat stick on the top crotch.Give it a quarter turn every fiveminutes.Soon itwill begin to sizzle.The fat

from the baconwill run into the beef and the onionwill curl and brown andflavor your meat. Now place your biscuit stick on the crotch below and,likewise,giveitaquarterturneveryfewminutes.Soonitwillbegintoswellandthenbrown.(Stopdrooling!Waitabitlonger.)Next,thejuicefromthemeatandbacon abovewill drip down on your biscuit and youwill have a buttered hotbiscuit.

Setyourcupofcocoanearthefire,unwraptheceleryandradishes,shineuptheappleforyourdessert,and—presto—youhavepreparedaroyalmeal.

Throwallthewasteintothefire,TakehomethecupandnowaspireTosimplerlifeandgreatergiving.You,too,willgrowbysimpleliving.

Picnicala“Cart”

TRYoutyourguestsonapartypicnicala“cart.”Thisisasmall,two-wheeledcartwithanicebox,storageroomforfood,fixings,andcookinggear.Allspacesarearrangedforthepicnicfeed.Makeityourself.Imademineanditworks.Itisdifferent.

Twodrop-leaf tables that foldon topwhenopengiveampleservingspace.Youdon’thavetogotoyourbackyardfireplaceeverytimeyouwantanoutdoormeal. If on a stream or lake, or at the seashore, have a shore dinner—clams,lobsters.Startwithclambrothorsoup.TryhotdogsoraNewEnglanddinnerwithvegetables.

Ifyouhaveafavoritespot,aviewfromahilltop,asunset—perhapsaswim—thenloadyourpicnicala“cart”withfood,drinks,andgearandhaveahilltopmealwithaninspirationalview.Itwillgiveyouadifferentsetting.Yourfriendswilllikeitandbegtocomeagain.

Picnicala“cart”isacountryhomevarietytoyourplaceinthewoods.It’s

justastunt,butdifferent.Itisthe“teatray”inyourlivingroom,abitroughedup.It’sfun.It’snovel.Addafewcushions,acampfire,songs,stunts,themoon,twinklingstars…aperfectparty.

OURpioneer fathers learned the art of living happily together inGod’sOutDoors. No running water. No electric lights. No radios. No automobiles. Noservants. They lived simply—clear in thinking, clean in relationships, hardfighting,but friendly toa fault toaneighbor indistress.They livedbysimplestandards, asked little of life, were willing to work hard, and contented withmeagerreturns.Occasionallytheyrelaxed.Whentheywereplayfulthey“playedhard,andwhentheyworkedtheydidn’tplayatall.”

Life is different today. It’s easier inmanyways, but it is tense and highlygeared. It plays on our nervous system. It does not contribute to wholesomefatigueattheendofadayasthefatigueofadayofsimplehardlabor—sweat,wholesometoil,physicalthings—accomplished.

Weoftodayhavenotchangedmuch.Ourenvironmenthaschanged.Westillhave it in our blood to “revert to the land,” to the out of doors.And just so,becauseof thepatternofcity lifeweneedagain to learn,asourancestorsdid,theartoflivinghappilytogetherinthewoods.Inaword,goingbacksomewhatto primitive thinking and living, simple pleasures, homely tasks. It calls for areleasefromtheurgeofgoingtothemovies,nightclubs—latehours,continuousexcitement as a steady diet—all of which is the result of restlessness, andrestlessnessisoftentheresultofoverexcitementandtoomuchstimulation.

InourCabinintheWoods,contentmentmaycomefromthequietoffriendsaround our fireside, neighborhood news, storytelling, companionship, theenjoymentofagoodbook,or,unashamed,wecrawlintobedatthe“ridiculous”hourofhalfpasteightornineo’clock.

Letusgetstillclosertotheoutdoorsbylivingforaspell inatent.Perhapswe can clarify a bit how we can come to better understand and enjoy theoutdoorsbyamereintimateknowledgeandunderstandingofoutdoorlife,oftherelationshipofourselves to theelements, towildlife, to thosefolksaboutus—simpleliving.

Tolivesuccessfullyoutofdoors,nomatterifoneisthirty,fifty,ormore,oneneeds a reasonable feeling of security. Added to this, we need experience inoutdoorlivingthatwillproveordisprovethethingswehavelearnedoftheoutofdoors.Next, theurgentneedoffriendlinessandunderstanding—friendlinesswiththoseaboutus,ofwildanimallifeaboutusthatbringshappinesstousandsecurityto them.Finally,weallneedapprovalandsatisfaction.Approvalfromthose about us. Satisfaction in a jobwell done. To do sowe need an outdoorsetting.Willyouandyourfamily,therefore,gowithmeandminetoourfavoritecampspotandcampintentsforafewdays?Let’sbeprimitive.ItisJune.NewYorkState.Tents,duffel,andequipmentareallpacked.Ashortthirty-miletripandweareoutinthewoods—aloneandawayfromtheworld.Wehavechosenthespot.Soontentsareup.Theoutdoorkitchenwithpots,pans,andimprovisedstoveisallset.Weareawayforalongweekendonourown.

Nowwemust change fromcity togs to those of the out of doors.Let’s becomfortable.A redshirt, colorfulcorduroy trousersor slacks, shirtopenat theneck.

Thisislovelycountryside.Nothingmajestic,justrollinghills,valleys,trees,farms,fences—asmalllake.Wecansee,asourhillsideslopesdowntothesmalllake below, scattered stately trees, elms, maples—especially one that standsaloneandhasspreaditsgreatbranches,massive,proud,commanding.Therearemeadows about, bushes, young trees growing strong. Bushy trees shade ourtents.Thetreestumpnearbywillserveasafeedingstationforthesquirrelandchipmunk playing hide-and-seek among the rocks and trees. See, they arelookingusover.Thespring-fedstreamjustbesideourcampflowsquietly.From

thedugoutpoolcomesaconstantsupplyofsweet,freshdrinkingwaterforourneeds.

Thesmalllakebelowusisfringedwithtrees.Afewtentsonthefarsideaddcontentment, for we know there, too, are lovers of the out of doors. Out ofhearingdistance, theyaddto thesetting.Abright-greenupturnedcanoeon thesandybeachisclearlyvisible.Thedayissunnyandwarm.Still.Serene.

Beyondthelake,thelandrisesupwardforseveralmilesuntil itreachesthegreat skyline,dottedwith trees, farms, forests.Thehillside is laidout ingreatpatches of farmlands, each surrounded by fences, some still with picturesqueold-fashionedrailfences.Eachplotisfringedwithbushes,trees.Totherightisthecowpasture—green—wherecontentedcattlespendlazylongdays.Fartotherightisthegreatbalsamswamp.Wemustmakeatriptheresomeday.Itisreallyabirdsanctuary.

In themiddle of all this setting are our neighboring farmer’s house, barns,silos,gardenspots,andorchards.TheMooresarehardworkingfolks.Theylivesimply.Theyhavenoneedtoenvycityfolks.Theyarethesaltoftheearthandthebackboneofourdemocracy.

SoIwelcomeyoutoenjoywithmethislovelycountryside.

Security:TheNorthWoods

NOWthatourcampisallset,let’ssitdownforaheart-to-hearttalk.Let’stalkabouttheartoflivinghappilytogetherinthewoods.

Whatdowemeanby“securityintheoutofdoors”?Isitself-preservation?Or,isitacceptingnaturehappilyandlivingwithoutmentalreservations?

MydaughterandIoncemadeacanoetripintoCanadianwaters.Onarrivalata waystation, we loaded our duffel into our canoe and paddled several milesdown Pickerel River, stopping for breakfast with friends. It was raining hard.Theywantedustostaywiththembecauseofthewetweather.Mydaughter,afterthankingthem, turnedtomeandsaid,“Daddy, let’scamp.Wecan take it.”Sowepaddledon.Wefoundanislandtosetupourcampanditbecameourisland.

Wetookone-ortwo-daytripsfromourislandcamp.Onedayonreturning,wepaddlednearlytwentymiles.Itwasastormyrainyday.Itwasahardpullagainstthestrongheadwind.Lateintheafternoon,Iaskedmydaughterwhethershewasgettingtired.“No,”shesaidandpaddledon.Iwasgratefulshedidn’taskme.Atlast, we found our island and our tent camp. We unloaded our duffel and,drippingwet,hurriedtoourtent.Wequicklystartedacheeryreflectorfirefromdrywoodstoredwithinourtent.Achangetodrylinen,agoodsupper,andmydaughtersatbackandsaid,“Daddy,isn’tthissnug?”Shewasreallysayingsheenjoyedthesecurityofacompanionwhocould“takeit.”SecurityinthatGreatOut Doors—miles from the nearest supply station and, yet, there we were,happy, comfortable,with the feelingwe could take care of ourselves in thosefarawayprimitiveconditionsandenjoyit.Thatisabitofrealsecurity.

Allofuswho live in thewoodsneedmental security. Iwish I could,byamiracle, relieve all folks who, through their childhood days, had their livesspoiledbysuperstition, inhibitions, fears—those things thathavegripped themand distorted their thinking because of misinformation. Do you still hesitatewhenablackcatcrossesyourpath?

FEARIhavebeeninmany“tight”placesintheRockies,theCanadianwoods,and

streams when fear gripped me to the point where mental processes ceasedsuddenly to be rational. Environmental influence can play tricks with one’sthinking.

Oncewhile“shooting”swiftrapids,mycanoeshippedwater.Thegoingwastough—“can’t make it”—fear—fright—then panic gripped me. “Help! Help!”Buttherewasnoonewithinmiles.Ipicturedmyselfdead—stiffandcoldatthebottom of the fallsmiles below. I hatewater inmy nose.…My lastwill andtestament—whatwillhappentomynewcampingequipment?

Thiskindofthingcomeswithlightningspeed.Feargripsyouandstranglestheability to think sanely.Do something—attackandyour fearbegins togiveway.Takeafirmgriponyourpaddleandsayoverandoveragain,“Iwon’tgiveup.Iwon’tgiveup.Icanmakeit.Iwill.”

I’vebeen loston the trail.“Thecompass is ‘cockeyed.’ Itpoints thewrongway.” I started to run. Crazy? Of course. You’re really not lost. You’re justconfused.Getaholdonyourself.Sitdownonalog.Takeadeepbreathandlookaround.Gradually, your tension lessens and normal thinking brings a returned

faithinyourcompassand,eventually,thewaybacktothetrail.Fear keeps close companionship with doubt, flirts with misinformation,

encourages lack of self-confidence, welcomes superstition, inconsistency, andgoes hand in handwithworry. Fear is the hobgoblin of confused thinking. Itcomes from within. Grandmother used to say, “It’s in you what ails you.” Ibelieveshe’sright.Whatailsyouandwhatcuresyouarewithinyou.Evennightnoises,stealthyfootfalls, thepanicofseeingasnake toosuddenly—allmetbythoughtorbuiltinto“mountains”byworry.“It’sinyouwhatailsyou.”

ATHOMEINTHEFORESTDidyoueverhave thatemptyfeelingwhenbyyourself in thedeepwoods,

wheneerienoisesfromthewildlife,themovementoftreesandbushesgaveyoua bit of jitters and the sense of utter aloneness? I have lived through thatexperiencebuthaveoutgrownit.Nowthewoodsarefulloffriendliness.Ihavelearned toknow thewildlife byname, andnature andnoises that have simplehomelymeanings. The squirrel scolds. The chipmunk chirps. The crow calls,“caw,caw,caw,”arallyorawarning.

Lookaboutyou.Youwilldiscoverthreeworldsteemingwithabundantlife.Beneath you—the underground world—small holes in the earth, home andsecuritytohundredsofsmallanimals.Aworldfromwhichmanisbarred.Backdoorsandfrontdoors,storageroomsandcommunicationtunnels.Thenthereisaworld for the long-legs that depend on speed for their livelihood. They stepnoiselessly,creepstealthily,orcrashboldlythroughthetrailsorbrush,accordingto their natures. The fox, the wolf, the deer—not often seen by onewho hasnever learned the art of stalking, who cannot avoid snapping twigs, who“telegraphs”aheadofhisapproachashebrushesandstirsdryleavesinpassing.

The thirdworld is that of the treetops and the sky.Here, squirrels use theinterwoven branches as their natural thoroughfare. Songbirds flit from tree totree, hawks circle and swoop,wild geese in patterned flight thread seeminglychartedpathsacrossthedarkblueoceanofthesky.

Manisneveraloneinthewoods.Evenatnight,youcanseethegleamoftinyeyeswatchingyou,fearful,everalert.Thesatisfyingtriumphoftheirconfidenceinyouisworththetimeandpatienceittakestowinit.

LOSTANDFOUNDBeing lost ineither thewoodsor thecity,oranywhereelse for thatmatter,

canbe largely attributed to just plain ignorance.Theuninformedget lost.Thewould-besailorwhotakesasailboatoutinalightbreezebecomes“lost”whenthefogdescendsandherealizesheisnotwiseinthewaysofthewater.

Beinglostiscloselyalliedtobeingconfused.Confusioncomesfromlackofpertinentinformation.Howoftenwemeetpeoplewhojoinindiscussions“overtheirheads”and find themselvesutterly“lost”because theyweremisinformedoruninformed.

But let’s talk of being lost in the woods. When one loses one’s sense ofdirection, one becomes confused, then frantic and apt to do silly things. Tocringe in thepresenceof ablack snake is tobe “lost” in thewoods.Toknowgoodsnakesfrombadistoknowablacksnakeisastameandplayfulasakitten.Itisanunwisemanwhotamperswithwildmushrooms.Manyhavepaidthefullpriceforignorance.

Whenindoubt,sitdownonalog,taketime,andbringyourbestreasoningtobear.Youwillsoongetyourbearing.Agoodwoodsmanenteringathickwoodsstopsoccasionallytolookback,realizingthewayinandthewayoutwillhavedifferentlandmarks.Hebreaksabranchhereandthere.Leavesastoneortwoata turning point in the trail; watches the treetops and notes each out-of-the-ordinarylandmark.

ANIMALSANDINSECTSLetustrysleepingoutonthegrassintheopen.Alongabouttwoo’clockin

themorning, couldyou lie therepeacefully, realizing suddenlyyouhadavisitfroma skunkwhosniffledall aroundyou?Askunk is reallyoneof thenicest

littlepetsandhasbeenunfairlyaccusedovertheseyears.Hewillcometoyourbed because he is just a curious fellow. He is getting acquainted and has thecutest little sniffle. After looking you over, he will quietly amble off withoutharmingyou.Iwarnyou,however,ifyoureachforagunoranaxe,thepolecatwill“shoot”first.Gotosleep,myfriend,andfeelsecureinthethoughtthatthepolecatisyourfriend,too.

Howmanyofussteponaspiderashecrossesourpath?DowedoitbecausewehaveaddedtoGod’sgreatschemeofthingsandreducedtheseveralbillionsofspidersbyone?Orarewesteppingonittorelievesomeinnatefearofours—thefearthatsomethingmightbiteus?That’smentalinsecurity.Ihaveknownamotherwhoselittleboyproudlyshowedheragreatbigtoad,whichhecarriedinhis hand. She stiffened, withdrew, tensed—and gave him as his reward theassurancehewouldhaveahandfulofwarts.

WhatIdowanttosayisrealsecuritycomesintheknowledgethatGodisinhisheavenandhasorganizedhisgreatuniverseforourgood.Hehasgivenyouandmetheprivilegeofbeingonittoenjoyit.

Years ago, Imet amanwhohad an uncannydislike formosquitoes, bugs,beetles,andallcreepyandcrawlingthings.Itwasmorethanadislike.Hewasfraughtwithfear.Hetermedthemallinsects—thingsunnecessaryintheworld,things tobedespised.Hewas theproductofmisinformation inhisearlydays.Thensomeonebroughtachangeinhislife.Hemetanaturalistinwhomhehadconfidence. They sat on the grass on a dark night with several others. Thenaturalistlitasmallcandleandplaceditinthedampgrass,andsaidtothegroupaswecircledabout,“I’mgoingtoshowyouanewworldofinsectlifeinwhicheachhasapurposeinthegreatschemeoftheuniverse.”Wewerefascinated.Weforgot ourselves.With a long, thin, stick the naturalist pointed to each of thestrangecreaturesasitcrawledtowardthelight.Asmallbugcrawledlaboriouslytothetopofabladeofgrassonlytodroptothegroundandthencrawlupthenext—always toward the light. Long spindly leggedmosquitoes hovered overthe flame. Junebugsharmlessly jumpedand flewwitha forcepast thecandleandwouldstopwithathudagainstoneofus.Millersmothswouldflitabout.Itwaslikegoingtoaminiaturecircusorzoo.Weweresodeeplyinterestedwedidnotevennoticethehumofanoccasionalmosquito.Well,neitherdidourpioneerfathers.

Myfriendwiththefearsandinhibitionshadarebirthandanunderstandinginwhich he became a part and accepted, at least in part, this wildlife of theoutdoors.Hesaidfinally,“It’sallinthewayyoulookatit.”Itgavehimamental

readjustment,anewevaluation,releasedhimfrommanyfoolishfears,gavehiman added security, and, finally,made him a decidedly better camping partner.Thisisnotsoeasytoachieveinlaterlife.Unlessyou,too,learntoacceptthiswildlife,youwillconstantlybeinconflictwithyourself.

Thereareasquirrelandchipmunkflittingaboutourcamp.Theywonderwhowe are. Let’s get acquainted. Put a bit of food on the nearby tree stump.Thechipmunkwillsneakupcautiouslyonthefarsideofthestump,blinkoneeye,and seem to say, “Well, I’m going to try you out.” The squirrelwill grab hismorsel and retire to amore secure spot, sit on his haunches and eat greedilywhilewatchingus.Theyaregoingtobeourgoodfriendsbeforewegetthroughwiththiscamp;sowillthebirdsandotherwildlife.

Experience

SOmuchforsecurity.Letusnowdiscussthevalueofexperienceinwhichwecanprovetheinformationwehavebeengivenastrue,orpossiblydisprovethemisinformationfrompeoplewhojustdonotknowGod’sOutDoors.Truethatexperience is awonderful teacher, yetwemust remember in dealingwith theoutdoors,natureisrelentlessandexactsacostlypriceforignorance.

CAUTIONIfcampingonourown,obviouslywemustbeourown“doctor,baker,and

candlestickmaker.”Wemustlookafterourownbodilyneedsandsafety.Ifwearetoenjoyourexperiencetothefullest,wemustdoallthingsbasedoncorrectinformation—butbetterstill,onplain“horsesense,”soundjudgment.

Should we unwittingly drink from a stagnant pool of polluted water anddiscoverduringthenightabitofastomachacheorevenworseasthedittygoes:“Ifinheavenyouawakenandfindyouweremistaken,”wewillneverlivetotelltherestoftheworldofouradventure.Ifyoulovetoswimandswimoutbeyondyourdepthandenduranceandfindyougounder thewater twiceandcanonlycomeuponce,yourcampingexperiencewillnotbeinlinewithyourplansandanticipation.Soundjudgmentmustcomeintoplayinoureveryexperience.

FORESTFIRESForest fires caused by natural forces can be easily controlled. It is fires

causedbyindividualcarelessnessandignorancethatplayhavoc.Dryleavesandpine needles, inches deep, need but the slightest spark to launch a forestconflagration. Surely a personmust be lostmentally andmorally if hewoulddeliberately start such destruction. He has never seen the results of fire in aforest—theflightofwildlifetowardwater.Waterthatshrinkswiththeheat—so

their haven becomes a death trap. He has never seen beautiful proud treesdenudedofbranches,theirtrunkslivingredcoals,turningatlasttogauntghostsinabarrenhellofcharreddeath.

The cigarette smokerwho carelessly flips his still-glowing butt from a carwindow,ordropsitashehikes,isadestroyeroflife.Helovesnonebuthimself.Hecanbeclassedwith thehunterwhose inaccurateaimleaveshisprey torunwounded, todieof feverandhelplessnessand starvation.LeoKing, thatgreatAdirondackwoodsman,shockedmeoncewhenwewereinthewoodstogether.Ashefinishedhiscigarettedowntothelasthalfinch,hespitinthepalmofhishandanddippedthestillglowingstubintothespittle,rubbingitintonothingnessbeforehewascontenttothrowitaway.Notatidyprocedurethis?Thismanhadoncebeendrivenbeforeaforestfire.Hehadbeenburnedinfightingforestfires.He knew andwas protecting the life and forests he loved.God give usmorepeopleasthoughtful.

Thecasualcamperisanothermenacetoourforests.Besuretoputoutyourfire! If you cannot find a rock for a base, or an open spot away from deepvegetation,thendoabitofdiggingandhaveonhandbucketsofwatertosoakthegroundunderneath.Betterstill,ifyouarenotwoodswise,buildnofireinthewoods,butresorttopublicparkswhereoutdoorfireplacesareprovided.

BADJUDGMENTSupposeyouchoosea lovelygrassyspotdownneara littlebabblingbrook

foryourcamp—aspotthatlookslikeaperfectsettingonasunnyday.Yousetup camp, pitch your tent, make up your bed, enjoy your campfire, retire and“wrapthedraperiesofyourcouchaboutyouandliedowntopleasantdreams.”Havinggonetosleep,aquiet,slowdrizzlyrainstartstorefreshtheearth.Buttheoverflowhasbeenrunningdownthehillsideandintoyourlittlebabblingbrook.Thewatershaverisenhigherandhigher—“stealinginonyoulikeathiefinthenight.”Suddenlyyouhavethatembarrassingawakeningtofindtheheaviestpart

ofyouranatomyquietlybathedbylappingwatersfromunderyourbed.Soyougrab your searchlight from under your pillow and have the added chagrin offindingyourshoes,yourcoffee,cannedgoods,andunderwearplayinghide-and-seekwith eachother as they float aboutwithinyour tent.PrayGod tomorrowwillbeasunnydaybecauseyouwillneedspendallofitdryingout.Iamsure,nexttime,youwillsetupyourtentonhigherground.Thisknowledgeonedoesnotgetoutofbooks.Ittakesexperience.Thisisappliededucation.

Then there is thecamperwhogoesout to rough it.Hewants tobeable to“takeit.”So,withalittlecottonblanketandminimumequipmentherollsoutonthegrassandgoesblissfullytosleep.Alongabouttwoo’clockinthemorninghefindsheisproppedupontwo“piers”—onenicelittlestoneunderhisshoulderandoneunderhiships,andhespendsthenextdaynursingwhathethinksmaybelumbago.Sohe,too,willfindthevalueofcarefullypreparingagoodbedifhewantsagoodnight’ssleep.Experienceisagreatteacher.

WeatherWise

“IT’S going to rain,” says my farmer friend. My own mind, at this point,reverts to the upper left-hand corner of the newspaper, or to the on-the-hourbroadcast of weather reports. These weather observers do our thinking andinterpretingforus.Thanks—butitisnotenough.Wehavegrowndependentonclocks,bells,whistles—mechanicaldevices.Wehavelosttheabilitytoreadtheskiesandtheearth.Naturehasalwaysbeenfullofadvanceinformation,wouldwebutheed it.Thecityhasdulledourperceptions.Weidleatstreetcrossingsuntiladummygreenlightflashes“SAFECROSSING.”Anoonsirentellsusitistimeforlunch.Wehaveforgottentonotethesunatthezenith.Wenolongerwaitforthat nice empty feeling in the pit of our stomachs. School bells regulate ourchildren’slives.Timeclocksandofficehoursorbusschedulesdetermineforusagoodday’swork.Whatautomatonswehavepermittedourselvestobecome!

“It’sgoingtorain!”Ofcourse.Butyoucan’tseethisfromyourofficechair.Ihope you need not always feel tied to factory or office, because, if so, youroutdoormindwillgrowdull.Soonbirds,wildanimals,trees,andtheskiesthatdome over you will lose their meaning. Let us heed the call of the outdoorsbeforewebecomehothouseplantsandhavetosay,“Ican’ttakeit.”

The grandest life in theworld is in the out of doors—nature in the rough.Elementallife—wherestormsplaysymphoniesthatinterweavethemesfromthegurglingbrooksandrushingcreeks,variedbystaccatosleetandrain increasedintothedemonicsplendorofthewind;returningtothereposefultriumphasthesun bursts through the clouds. Storm or sunshine, it’s God’s weather and allweatherisgood.

When you build a roof over Your Cabin in the Woods for warmth andsecurity,andstaywithinthatcabin,youshutoutthesky.Instead,thinkofyourlivingroomastheoutofdoors.

MyfriendJohnA.Stileswrote,“Thereisnosuchthingasbadweather,onlyimproper clothing. Who cares whether it is raining or not, as long as he ispreparedfor it?Haveyoueveraskedyourself ifyou likerain?I love tostridealongwiththerainbeatinginmyface.Howwonderfultocomehomewithyourfeetgoing squash, squash inyourboots—then to takeahotbath, a rubdown,andsitbeforethefirereadingabook,yourbodyallaglowwiththeexercise,thebath,andtheincreasedcirculation.”

How grand to have a friend to share this enthusiasm. I, too, like to hikethroughastorm,tuckedintoalongraincoat.Tryspendinghalfanhoursittingonalogwatchingtheanimallifebeforeorafterastorm.Stormyweatherwillbringyou closer together. Squirrel and I seem to be buddies, drawn closer throughdelight,perhapsfear,ofthestorm.Welikethefiercewildweather.

But let’sgetback toweathersigns.“It’sgoing torain.”Howdoweknow?First,ashiftofthewind.Theloweringcloudceilingannouncedbytheswallowscircling low.Graynimbuscloudsgather.Thunderheadspileupon thehorizon.The robins’ rain song.The small animals scurry for shelter.Theherdof cattlehuddledtogether.You,witheyestoseeandwittointerpret,neednobarometertoforecastastorm.Therearesigns,too,fortheweatherwisethatguidespringplanting,thatwarnofalonghardwinter.“Deepsnowthisyear,”saysthefarmer.“Heavylushfoliageandthebeesarehivinghigh.Beesalwaysstorehoneyhighin the treeswhen snowbankswill be high.”So,whenyou see themmaking abeeline for the treetops, mark it down there will be heavy snow that winter.“Earlywinter,”saysLeo,“rabbitsalreadyhavetheirwinterfur.Birdmigrationsare twoweeks aheadof last year. Scarcely a berry or nut left to pick up.Thecreaturesaretakingnochances.”

Whenyou livewith theweather,when your livelihood depends upon yourawareness,youlearntowatchthetremblingoftheaspens,theturningtotherainof willow and poplar leaves. You pay attention to all the simple signs ofchanging weather—even the sweat on your water bucket—the sounds—thesilences.

Fruittreesbudbythefirstwarmthofspringsun—sometimetoanearly,falsewarmthinApril.Fruitgrowersfighttokeeptheirorchardswarmforjustthosefewfrostynights.Theybuildsmudgefires.Theycover their treeswithcanvasandbuildfiresamongthetrees.Sometimestheysucceed.Sometimesnot.Onlytheoakcanbecountedonasaweatherprophet.InWisconsin,weplantedcornwhentheoakleaveswerethesizeofsquirrels’ears.Theoakwillnotrespondtowarm weather until it has really come and frosty weather is really gone.Grandma King said, “Never plant cucumbers (in New York State) until Junethirteenth.Ifyoudotheywillbescrawny.”

So here you have an introduction to signs and weather signals. An oddmixtureoffactandoldwives’tales—fromringsaroundthemoontoGrandpa’s“rhumatiz”orachingcorns.Itisfuntocultivatetheskilltobeabletostickyourfingerdramaticallyintoyourmouth,thenupaboveyourheadandannouncewithaccuracy,“Thewindisfromthenorth”asyoufeelthesharplineofcoolnessonthatsideofyourfinger.Wereallyneedthistrickwhensailinginasmallcraft.

Funnyhowwehumansthinkwecancommandnature.Webuildcitiesalongthe riverbanks,andspendmillionsofdollars tobuild leveesanddikes tokeepouthighwater.Engineersthinktheyhavecontrolbut,eachyear,somewhere,thefloods break through, inundating houses, farms, villages, and bridges. Natureshowsherpower.

ThisIknow:Godhasanordereduniverse.Theanswersaretheretoberead.TounderstandnatureisasteptowardunderstandingGod.ThegoodgreenearthbelongstoHim.Hemadetheweathersigns.

NightEnchantment

SUPPERoverandthecampfire.Eyesfocusedupontheflames.Wearedrawnclosertogether.Confidencesareshared,andfriendsareintune.Coolingembers.The moon overhead. Enchantment. A longing. “Time to retire,” somethingwithinsays.Letuspause.Drinkdeepof thenightaswelookat thestars—thegreat beyond.Haveyou ever really looked searchingly at the stars?Haveyoureallygazedandstudiedlongenoughtoseenotonlyonemillion,buttwo,three,andmoremillionsoftwinklingstars—somany,somyriadthatfinallythereisnoroomintheskybecauseofthem?Dothis.Doitlonganddoitsearchinglyandyouwillrealize,againandagain,that“GodisinHisheaven.”

TheBurstingSplendorofSunrise

AFTER a night’s refreshing sleep, there is no sweeter awakener than themorning sunriseofmanycolors. I love sunrisebecause it brings anewday, anew opportunity, a newworld. Rising early, youwill feel refreshed andwideawake.Youwilldiscover apeaceofmind, relaxedmuscles, and, suddenly, anurge to get up and about and do things. You warm yourself twice—first bycuttingyourfirewood,whichloosensmusclesandstirstheblood.Then,again,infront of your fireplace, campfire, or kitchen stove. The sweet smell of fryingbacon,thericharomaofcoffee,and,finally,a“royal”breakfast.

Where is the morning paper full of stock markets, murders, war, births,deaths?Well,sitback,Mr.Cabin-Builder,andenjoybreakfast.Lettheworldgoby.Noradio?Tuneyourearstothesongofthebirdsandwildlifeaboutyou.Acricketmaychirponyourhearth.Youwillfindthestillnessmostrestful.

Thesunisnowoverthehorizon—manybrilliantcolors—shiftingshadows.Itismorning—earlymorningandanewday.Thisindeedisadifferentworld.

WoodlandSounds

There is no place in the whole wide world where one may find sweetermelodiesthanintheGreatOutDoors.Godcomposedthesongsfornatureandmade themvocal.Away, far away from themanmade noises,woodland songsare recorded on the delicate auditory nerve—always rhythmic, satisfying,stirring—ifwewillonlytrainourselvestolisten.

Theclangofstreetcars,theblareofautomobilehornsandsirens,thescreechofbrakesandtires—citynoiseshavebecomesonaturaltouswescarcelyrealizehow they tighten our nerves and dull our ears to the delicate sounds of theoutdoors. Indeed, thepoignantstillnessofone’s firstday in thewoodsmaybeoppressive and lonely. An afternoon is not long enough to establish thecloseness, thedesirenecessary foramoodof receptiveness towhatGod’sOutDoors has to give. People in the busy whirl of city life may not retreat longenoughintheoutdoorstofindthisgreatmusicalsecret—indeed,phenomenon.Ittakesalmostsolitudeforafewdays—orawaynesswithacompanionwithwhomyouareintune.Tunenotonlyyourear,butalsoyourself,tothequiet.Turnthe

dialsofyourhumanradiodown,downtothewavelengthofthewind’swhisper.Ittakespatience,relaxation,time,buttheinspiration,therefreshment,isworthit—andmore!Anewsongworldisyoursforthetaking.Zephyrsflowingthroughthetrees,causingidleleavestolaughinglybrushoneanother.Breezesandwindssigh or roar. It is a singing world we live in—from the trickling stream, thegurgling water as it falls over rocks, to mating songs of birdland, and thewailing,warning,andwooingcallsofwildcreatures.Eventhegrandersoundsoftherhythmicpatternofpoundingoceanwavesanddrivingstormshavemusic.

Wind,initsmanymoods,isalwaysmusical.Thevariednamesforthewindinitsever-changingtempoare,inthemselves,musical.Zephyr,breeze,wind—ringintheear.Tempest,hurricane,cyclone,typhoon—dangerousintheirimport—yet sounds that are strong, vibrant, resonant.As a youngster, I used to callacrossthesmallvalleyonourfarm,“Heigh-ho!”and“Heigh-ho”camebacktomefromthe rockycliff in thatmysticalechoof tempered tones. Icalledmoresoftly,andthewordscamebacktomenolongerraucous,butquiet,reassuring,andsoothing.Grownup,Istilltrekbacktothefarm(longsinceinotherhands),buttheechoisstillmineandreturns“Heigh-ho”whenIcall.Oursisasinging

world!

Idespairtodayofthebrashradio’scannednoise.Isay“noise,”becausewhensounds are jumbled, discordant, meaningless, they are no longer sounds, butnoises.Thomp-thomp—thomp—bassnotes; croonings and commercial jingles,squeaksanddronings;screamsandshotstoadd“color”toabitofluridmysteryanddrama.Thesearenoises—notmusic.

Music had its beginning in the sounds of Nature’s Great Out Doors—whisperingwinds, laughing springs, babbling brooks, and rustling leaves. Thedeepnotesofthecroakingbullfrog,thehumofthebee,thehigh-pitchedcallofthegoldfinchonthewing—therumbleandcrashofthunder,thescreamandroarof the windstorm. Wagner, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and the otherimmortals, through their magnificent symphonic music, have portrayedwoodlandsoundsforman.

Butweneednotalwaysgotomanmadeconcertsforourinspiration.Sitonatreestumpandrelax,without“fussorfeather,”orthepriceofafront-rowseat.Tuneyoureartothesongofthebrook.Harktothemeadowlarkasshewelcomesspringfromthefieldsstillbrownanddull.Listen to thecatbird’smimicry, thecardinal’smellowwhistle,theplaintivemourningdoveandhermitthrushastheygreetthetwilight.Movetotheedgeofyourlilypond,tothecheeryassuranceofthepeepers.Drinkdeepthevibrantmelodiesofanawakeningworld.Sitonyourcabin veranda and enjoy themajestic sounds of the StormKing, the gusts ofwind singing as they rush through the trees. Note the homey sounds a stormbringstolife—theoldhangingsawonthewoodshedhums,thetautclotheslinewhines,alooseshingleoranoverhangingbranchbeatsrhythmically.

Asaboy,Iwasoncetoldofthe“MasterViolinBuilder”whocreatedagiantviolin by stretchingwires across a great valley and pulling them taut.Nary asoundfromthemuntilthegentlebreezeincreasedtogalevelocity.Asharderandharder it blew, there came from the strings a heavenly harmony of sound andsong,mildanddeeptonesmingledwiththoseonhigh,untilheavensangforthagreatsymphonyandthosewhohearditwereliftedandinspired.

Sotuneyoureartothesimpleandbeautifulmusicofwoodlandsounds.Godcomposedthesesongstoliftourhearts—ifwewillbutlisten.

WhentheSnowIsDeep

IT iswintertime.The snow isdeep.Cold frostynight settles.Snowbegins todrift.Thenfromearthandheaven,abillowingstormofcrystalflakesbitesyourface.Toestingleandlegstwingewiththein-and-outpullagainstthedrifts.Timeforsnowshoesandskis.Coveryourears.Pullupyourcollar.Tuckyourchinintoyourmufflerandkeepgoing.Agoodsteadygaitwill stir thebloodandwarmyouasyoucarryyourpackonyourback.

Justwherearewegoingonthisbleak,frosty,stormynight?Wehaveleftthecityfarbehind.Thecarisparkedontopofthehill inthebarnofaneighborlyfarmer.We(mywifeandI)hearacallfromthewildaswetrudgetoourcabin.Is itadog,acoyote,awolf?Thedarkshadowofourcabinloomsthroughthestorm—black, cold, forbidding.The trick latch quickly opens the door.Tinderandkindlingpreparedonthelasttripliereadyforthematch.Shadowsyieldtotheglowing,sparklingfiresinstoveandfireplace.Coldchangestowarmthandwepeeloffoursnowyoutergarments.Withinthehour,ourcabinwillbereadyto reward our four expected guests with its warm radiance, fragrant withsteamingcoffee.

Theycome.Eachladenwithpacksacksofduffel,woolens,food,andfixingsfortheweekend.(Nogoingbacktothegrocerystoreforaddedsupplies.)Suchan adventure calls for careful planning. On snowshoes or skis, they trudgebreathlesslyupthelastslope.IgoouttomeetthemasIheartheirmerryshoutsand laughter, and help pull the toboggan, now ladenwith duffel. Tomorrow itwill be ready to give fun and excitement. Packs are lowered onto the piles ofcordwood shelteredon theporch.We stompour feet andpantourgreetings—breathingdeep.Thekitchenbroomcomesintoplayaswesweepeachotherfreeofclingingsnow.Finally,allareinside,toasting“foreandaft”beforetheblazingwarmth.Weneedtodryoutabit.

Doyou,now,myreader, feel“goosepimples”andshiverat the thoughtofsleepinginacabinonazero-degreenight?Readonabit.Youaremissingoneofthegrandestofwinteradventures,awinterweekendinthewoods.

If you have sleeping bags or plenty of blankets (four woolen ones areessential),youcannestleinandletthefiresgoout.Ifyouhaveless,oneofthepartymustkeepwatchandrebuild thefireseverythreehours.Eitherway,youwillsleepwellanddreamsweetwinterdreams.Ikeepahalf-dozenquiltsinthecabinforthoseguestswhomaybeinexperiencedandsoarecaughtabitshort.

Clothesforwinterfunshouldincludetwopairsofwoolensocks,goodshoes,an extra pair if you have no overshoes. (I prefer galoshes.)Awoolen shirt, asweatshirt, and, of course, warm underwear. Better get out Grandfather’s redwoolenundershirtanddrawers.Nowonderourpioneerfathers“couldtakeit”inthe woods—good or bad weather. Theywere prepared to take nature in theirstride.Socanwe.

Thegroup relaxes. In for theweekend!No cares.Noworries.No janglingtelephones.Thewindhowlsincreasingly,packsthetiniestcrackswithinsulationofsnowthatmakesthecabinevenmoresecure.Supperisunderway.Twokettlesofsteamingvegetables;fireplacebiscuitsinthereflectoroven.Thearomataxesourpatience.Butwaitnolonger.Abowlofsavorysoupisservedtoeachaswesit about watching the fire’s flames and the last act… the smoking grill. Thecoalsleapintomomentaryflameastherichsteakgreasedrips.“Readywiththeraresteaks,”andthediscriminatingarefed.Amomentmoreandeventhechefadmitsdinnerisafeastforkings.

Cooking over a glowing open fire can be done with a nicety, and to theentertainmentoftheguests.Slyremarkswillbepassed.Interestingqueries,too,from the cook who knows only the kitchen stove, wood, gas, or electrictechnique. Fireplace cooking requires a bit of a different skill. Onions andpotatoesintheir“jackets”aredroppeddeepintothefireplaceandcoveredwithfour inchesofcoals.Leave themforanhour.Dig themout,brushoff theash.Younevertastedthelike.

The fire dies down a bit. The candles on the table flicker softly. Deepcontented sighs and easy conversation rise. Someone draws the last deliciousdrops from the copper coffee kettle. The movement breaks the spell and thegroupisinactiononceagain.Allthelampsarelighted.Thekitchencrewcleansup, for we’ve found half the fun comes from sharing all of the living in theCabin in theWoods.The smoldering logs are set ablazewith a smallpieceortwoofwood.Woodforthenight,kindlingforthemorningarebroughtin.Bedsmadesnugandtighttoclimbinto.Foodispreparedagainstspoilingorfreezing.Theiceboxwillkeepthecoldoutinwinterifthetemperatureiszero.Anaddedhotbrickwillkeepitwarm.Wearereadyfortheeveningfun.

Outcomestheboxofgames.Bridge?Anagramsforthewordsters?Jigsaws?Monopoly?Sometimeswe justyarn,crackinghickoryandwalnutsgathered inthe fall.Sometimeswevie at toastingmarshmallowsor tryour skill at candledipping.Whateverthebeginningofawinterevening,theendisalwaysthesame—the magic of the quiet—of the leaping flames—inspiring security, and ourdeeper thoughtswellupin that lasthalf-hourbeforegoingtobed.Thechillofnight is held back by the gleamof fire on the hearth. The curling flames andsmokeareincontrol.WhenFebruarywindsaremostpersistentatthewindows,whendriftingsnowgathersatthecornerofeachpane,ourfireplaceisaglowing,yes,alivingsymbolofthewarmthandsecurityofhomeandfamilyandfriends.Itwarmsthefeet,hands,andbody,butitalsowarmstheheart.Theslow,steadyglowof thebacklog, thespitandsparkleof thedeep lingeringcoalsstirwarmcompanionship,inviteimagination,philosophies,closeconfidence.

Friendliness

WHATissweeter in life than friendliness? If there isanyplace in theworldthatwillproducefriendlinessandkindliness,itistheoutofdoors.Didyoueverhavethatrichexperienceofsleepinginatentwithafriendwhogotupquietlyinthemorningwithoutdisturbingyou,rebuiltthecampfireofthenightbefore,andstartedtheday’sprogram?Afterreheatingthedoubleboilerofporridgethathadbeensteamingallnight,insteadofsayingtoyou,“Getup,oldman,don’texpectme todoall thework,”hewaitsuntil the aromaof cookingbaconandcoffeewaft their way toward you. Suddenly you arouse, stretch your arms, and say,“WhyIhaveonlyslepttenminutes.”Youhavereallysleptlikeachildandhereyourfriendhasaddedtoyourhappinessingettingthebreakfast.Sodowntothecreektomakeyourtoilet;backrefreshedandthentodojusticetoanunrationedappetite.Describeanddoitjustice?Whocan?Youmustlivethroughit.

Thechipmunkonthenearbystumpwhereyouplacedfoodcautiouslystealsup, blinks one of his little bright eyes at you, and seems to say, “I like yourfriendliness.”Birdscomedowntoyourfeedingstation—perhapsabitcautiousat first, but they come.Having been served a “royal” breakfast, you nowwillwant to take your share of the load by cleaning up camp. If on a hike yourpartnerdevelopsasoretoeorblister,yousaywithnonchalance,“Givemeyourpack.I’llcarryit.”That’sfriendliness.

Thetrailinthewoodsisfriendly.Onedoesnotstalkwithheavyfeetthroughthewoods,butwiththelithetreadsoasnottodisturbthewildlife.Gothroughthewoodslightlyandwithmusicinyourheart.Asyoutrailthroughthewoods,youwillbeamazedtofindnaturefullof“signs,signals,andsymbols.”These,too, are friendly signs if you can read them. True you will find no highwaymarked “ROUTE 20,” but every trail is marked equally effective by MotherNature. There are signs that tell you a spring is near, where to find food, ofapproachingstorms.Weneedonlytolearnthem,tofindthatnatureisfriendlyand eager to tell us through her method of signs and symbols how to enjoywildlife.Sheguardshersecretsfromthosewhotreat themlightly,butgivesofthemwillinglytothosewhostudyherways.

Approval

NOWwecome to themost importantpartofourdiscussion—theneed for arightattitudetowardlife;abalancedunderstandingofwhatbringssecuritytous.Out of that friendliness built through experience one with another comes theveryfoundationof thegoodlife.Nofourpeoplecouldgoup into thewildsofCanadaandliveforaweekormoretogetherandhaveoneofthefoura“drone.”Eachmustcarryhisshareoftheload.Nationalwealthcomesoutofhonesthardlabor and effort of the individual “to earn a little and to spend a little less.”Somehow,inourcitiestherecreepsintoourcommunallifepoachers,parasites,peoplewholiveoffotherpeople.Theycontributelittletotheworld,but,intheGreatOutDoors, in thiswhole field of friendliness, comes this conception ofbuildingademocracy.Thedesireofonetodoalittlemorethanhissharetoaddtothehappinessofthegroup.

Ihaveseenoverandoverwhenagroupofsixoreightcamptogether,onewillbeselfish,self-centered,stingy,greedy.Afteraperiodofaweekortwointhewoodswithfriends,hecomesbackachangedperson.Itmaymeanabloodynose.Thetreatmentmaybeabitseverefromhispeers,buthewillfinallycarryhisshareoftheloadifhehasthefortitudeto“takeit”andstandby.Then,someday,oneoftheboyswillmakeuphisbedandhewillcomeinandsay,“Whohasbeen monkeying with my bed?” The next lad will say, “Well, you carried inwoodtodayandIsortofthoughtIwouldhelpyouout.”Somethingtremendousis happening to this selfish lad. It will take a day or two before hewill do akindnessinreturn,but,beforethecampisover,hewillgiveagoodaccountofhimself.Whenhereturnshome,hemaysaytohisfather,“DoyoumindifIcutthelawntoday?”No,hehasjustlearnedtocarryhisshareoftheload.

Ifyouweretosaytome,“Youcanbroilthebeststeaksintheworld,”I’djustswellwithprideandloveit,andI’dtryhardertojustifythatapprovalyouhavegivenme.YouknowwhatImeanbytheglowthatcomestoyouwhensomeone

slaps you on the back and says, “You did the job well. You conducted aninspiringcampfire.”Recognitioncomesfromourfriendswhonotonlyapproveofus,but,intheapproving,alsoindicatetheythinkwellofus.Inslangwehear,“Heisagoodegg.Heisthekindwhocantakeitonthechin.Aregularfellow.”

Tobeintunewiththeoutdoorsyoumusthaveasonginyourheartandthesonggivesitsownapproval.Perhapsthemostmaterialproofyouarea“regularfellow”comes from the littlechipmunkon the stumpwhono longerpaysanyattention to you—has taken you in as a part of the woods. And the squirreloverheadnolongerscolds,butacceptsyou.Thebirdsthatcometoyourfeedingstationsandpaynoattention;whenyourfriendsliketobewithyou,notbecauseof your money, not because of your influence, or any possible superioradvantageorabilities,but justbecauseyouareyou—abalanced individual—aregularfellow.

When youmerit all these theworldwill salute you as amaster camper, apartner,afriend.Youhavelearnedtheartoflivinghappilytogetherwithfolks,with nature,withwildlife in thewoods.Most of all, you have learned to livecomfortablywithyourself.

TheLatchstringIsOut

ANDnowwemustpart.AsIsaidinthefirstchapter,Ipicturedyousittingona logwhile I nestled against a notch in a big tree, talking over the project ofbuildingaCabinintheWoods.SoIsayfarewellwitharealtwingeofregret.

ConradE.Meinecke

AbouttheAuthor

BORNof sturdy pioneer parents in a northernWisconsin log cabin in 1883,ConradMeinecke’s youthwas spent ruggedly outdoors.Heworked on a farmwith his family, roamed the woods with Native Americans, hiked across theprairies, climbed the Rockies, fished in Canada, and traveled in Europe, AsiaMinor,andNorthAfrica.Duringthattimehelearnedhowtomakehimselfandhis companions comfortable under all kinds of conditions. These experiencesalsotaughthimtounderstandandlovemankind.Helivedbythemotto“Weallwalkthisroadtogether,nonegoeshiswayalone.Allthatwegiveintothelivesofothers…comesbacktoourown.”

ThiswasreflectedinMeinecke’scareerasasocialworker,includingtimeasthedirectorofmenandboy’sworkfortheWestminsterHouseSocialSettlementinBuffalo.He then ran theboyshomefor theBuffaloChildren’sAidSociety.From1923 to 1948, hewas the chief executive of theBuffaloNYBoyScoutCouncil,duringwhichtimehedevelopedanumberofcamps,includinga1,200-acrecomplexinSchoellkopf,NewYork.

As a hobby,Meineckewas a cabin andwood craft builder.He constructedscoresofcabinsscatteredthroughouttheUnitedStatesandCanada.Hereceivedmany requests to put all of his accumulated wisdom on the subject of cabinbuildingintobookform.

In 1944, Meinecke wrote his first book, titled Your Cabin in the Woods,whichwas filledwith cabin lore andhis own simplephilosophyof living.Heprintedthefirsteditiononasmallpressinhishomeandbounditinclothlacedtogether with cord. In 1945 the book was published by Foster & StewartPublishing.In1947,hewrotehissecondbook,titledCabinCraftandOutdoorLiving,alsopublishedbyFoster&Stewart.

Wishingtomaintainclosercontactwithhisreaders,heformedtheDarnockCabin Craft Guild for the interchange of ideas between cabin builders.

Membership was free and thousands of members were scattered all over theworld.

MeineckediedinMarch1971inhislogcabininSpringville,NewYork.

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Contents

CoverTitlePageWelcomeDedicationForewordLiftingtheLatch

YourCabinintheWoodsStartMakingNotesPlanWiselyandYouPlanfortheFutureWhoKnows?ThisMayBeYourFutureHomeACureforRestlessness

OneRoomorSeven?TheFamilyCamp—SummerandWinterTheGuestTentforTwoOurWindowPictureFrame

CabinCompositionOne-RoomCabinTwo-RoomCabin(withStormPorchandToiletRoom)Four-RoomCabin(withKitchenandStoreroom)TheAmateurArchitect

Let’sGotoWork

CabinTools—Keep’emSharpNailsBuildingRulesYouMayNotViolateLandCostCabinCostLogsforYourCabinTieYourCabinTogetherNotchingYourLogsCabinDetailWindows,Doors,andGablesDrainageandGradingUpperandLowerBunksConvertedintoCouchesPaintingandPreservativesChinking

IndoorFireFireplaceMagicFireplacesSuccessfullyBuiltbytheNovice

TricksoftheTradeRunningHotandColdWaterWaste:JohnniesandIncinerators

BeautifyingYourCabinLamps,Lighting,andIlluminationRusticFurnitureStormDoorsTrickDoorwithSecretLockTrimPlateDecorationWooden-PegCoatHangers

SkylightNaturalIceboxCoolerTheFrameHouseFlagstoneFloorsSteppingstones

PersonalityPlusLandscapingYourCabinSettingYourFlagpoleSignPostsandTrailMarkersLetMotherNatureBeYourGardenerShrubs,Trees,andReforestationYourTreasureChestSugarin’“TuneIn”ontheBirdsGateways,Guardrails,Fences,andFriendlinessFriendlyTrailsSprings

YourFamilyCamponWheels

OutdoorFiresandCookingMakeItAttractiveOutdoorCookeryintheGardenFireplacePicnicala“Cart”

GreatOutDoorsSecurity:TheNorthWoodsExperienceWeatherWise

NightEnchantmentTheBurstingSplendorofSunriseWoodlandSoundsWhentheSnowIsDeepFriendlinessApproval

TheLatchstringIsOutAbouttheAuthorNewslettersCopyright

Copyright

YourCabinintheWoodswasoriginallypublishedin1945andCabinCraftandOutdoorLivingin1947.

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