Reflections on 2007

2007 was a good year for us. We started a new business. You can learn all about it by visiting our web site: http://www.smallrusticcabins.com/. We hope you like what you see and will drop us a line with any comments you care to make.

It is tax time again and the drudgery of getting the papers together is trying. I favor a flat tax but the politicians aren't going to help us out.

The talk of taxes and other such things fill the airways these days. I think the pickings are slim to none this election year. The candidates all speak the same homogenized, pasteurized, sanitized rhetoric that says and means nothing. We need a plain spoken candidate, who will do right by the working folks. I sure hope one emerges before the general election. Where is Ross Perot ?

We are looking forward to the upcoming visit of our grandson (and his parents!) We will explore and marvel at the wonders this land has in store for us. Be well all....until that day.....Jim

Log Cabin Construction

Well it's near tax time again and the drudgery of getting all the papers together is our task for this weekend. We started a new business in 2007 (see our web site at: www.smallrusticcabins.com) and the paperwork is more difficult than the construction. We trust the coming year will provide opportunities to build more little cabins thereby improving our skill and the quality of our workmanship.

The outside activity is limited because of the weather. It has been cold, windy and wet here for the past month, but the woodshed still has a supply of dry wood, so we will enjoy the cosy warmth of our home with pleasure.

The airways are filled with political homogenized, pasteurized, standardized verbage, most of which signifies nothing. Pickings are slim in the political arena this time.

I hope you enjoy the web site and if you do drop me a line...more later...Jim

Christmas Day 2007

It is 4 A.M., Christmas morning, and the barking dog must surely signal the arrival of Santa Clause in the neighborhood. The neighborhood is otherwise quiet, save for that lone barking dog, and it is our dog “Tag”, (short for Tag-A-Long) that is doing all the barking.
Thanksgiving came and went, as will this Christmas. It will be the first Christmas for Jill and I, when no family was here to enjoy the day with us. It will be a good day for us. We have closed the front gate, brought in lots of dry firewood, fixed a roast, for just the two of us, and we will enjoy each others company, and the joyful memories, this day brings.
Jill and I were invited over to the neighbors last night for a Christmas eve supper of ham and all the fixings. A nice family with good values and we enjoyed the food and the visit. Life is always better, if you have good neighbors - and - we do.
Reading news reports from around the world on this Christmas morning informs us once again that there is still no “peace on earth.” Perhaps there never will be. Wars, killing, violence an hatred, seem to be the hallmark of the human race. Difficult to see the divinity that should exist. Difficult to see the positive influence of any of the worlds religions. Perhaps we should just look inward - to the divinity that should exist within ourselves - maybe this day we will find it. Perplexing problem for us all - to find the divinity.
Our rural way of life will bring peace and joy to our world here on the mountain top this Christmas day, and for Jill and I, that is joyful!

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Fall In The Mountain's

The leaves are rusty now and they crunch under your feet, as you walk through the woods. Squirrels are out, busily gathering up acorn's for their winters larder, and small grandchildren delight at the magic of the colors, textures and sounds of the woods, at this time of the year.
Our grandson Ethan is here for a 3 week visit from California. He and his mother arrived yesterday, and the fun has already begun. I watched tonight, as he watched in awe, at the sparks that rose skyward from our campfire, we had in the side yard..just plain magic to young Mr. Ethan.
The thrill of this day, for Ethan, was riding on the John Deere tractor. That boy loves to ride on that tractor. Lots to be learned fromt he seat of a tractor and lots to be seen, that is just not visible from any other spot. Got to keep the young man on the tractor so he can learn some of the things I know and learned from there.
His mother and I will cook a variety of ethnic foods tomorrow where the joy and learning will continue. I found a great web site, with vidio "how to's" for cooking ethnic foods...check it out: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-naan-bread
The adventure continues...