Mountain Man Mondays
- March 16, 2009
- Category: Daily Diary
- (23) Comments
I can’t say anything about Mountain Man without it being LONG so be prepared.
If it were not for my Mountain Man, I would not be able to live my dream on Red Pine Mountain for it is he who keeps everything running. From the time he awakens in the morning until he comes in to cook dinner, he is busy working on the farm.
For those of you who just started reading this blog, here’s a little background. We live on a 300 acre farm which is heavily forested. Mountain Man makes his living by creating beautiful timber framed houses and barns from start to finish; meaning he does his own logging, saws his own timbers, all of it. You can see some of his creations by clicking HERE.
One of the things I admire most about Mountain Man is his respect for the land. He never cuts a tree without a specific use for it and he never touches ancient trees. He does not use big equipment designed to tear up and destroy the land and he is always respectful of the fact that we are just stewards for this moment in time. And, because of Mountain Man’s philosophy, our woods appear as they did many years ago. That fact in itself is unique in this day and age of clear cut logging.
Last spring, Mountain Man started building a barn for me. It has been a long process and it will take quite some more time as the project gets put on the back burner for paying jobs. If you want to see some of the earlier photos, click HERE.
What better way to start Mountain Man Mondays than to show you the work he’s done recently on the barn.
This is the tack room he is creating for me. The ground heaved this winter so he had to rake all the gravel and get it level again.
My favorite wood has “blue stain” in it. This stain is created when fresh pine lumber is going through a drying process during warm, humid weather because the high moisture content of the lumber can’t evaporate quickly enough. It’s almost a mold effect and if it is confined in a building while it is drying, it will create mold instead of the beautiful blue stain. It is considered a flaw in the wood but I think it is beautiful so Mountain Man created blue stain wood especially for me. Here’s an example.
We’ve been going back and forth about the flooring for the barn but we decided to go with wood flooring instead of concrete. Once the decision was made, Mountain Man headed into the woods in search of the perfect Red Pine logs. Here they are at the log landing.
(I wanted to follow him in the woods to watch him actually cut the trees but he said no.) Anyway, he had to cut 5 trees for the flooring for the barn.
Next, he takes the logs down to his sawmill where he starts to cut them into the boards for the floor.
So you can get an idea of how huge these logs actually are:
And, then finally, just some videos of the logs going through the sawmill.
And, one last picture of the sawed logs set out to dry.
Okay, after all that, he still did MORE chores and then came in and cooked me a feast. That’s why I love my Mountain Man!
Oh you are very blessed. He is talented, a hard worker and obviously loves you very much too.
I am blessed too. My man comes in off of the road and the first thing he does is call from town to see what I need from the store.
Then he always comes home and cooks out for me. There’s no greater gift than a true and loving relationship.
Tell Mountain Man I am very impressed that he does this all by himself. My sister-in-law and family run a small mill so I know how hard this work is!!
Happy day!!:-)))
Date: March 16, 2009
Thank you for sharing some of your Mountain Man with us today, you are a lucky gal (I know you know that, though!).
Date: March 16, 2009
Wow – I’m really impressed!
Date: March 16, 2009
What a neat sawmill. We used to have one on our farm but that lot and the mill have been sold. Mountain Man = Keeper.
Date: March 16, 2009
I have enjoyed visiting with you all this time.
You and I are so very lucky to be married to men who are not afraid of work and treat us like Queens.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/
Date: March 16, 2009
What a lovely Post, devoted to a generous and talented man~ Yours!
I am dreaming of a made by mountain man home on some property…but relocation may be tough. Oh, I am dreaming!
Kac
Date: March 16, 2009
Mountain man is soooo talented, you and he are very blessed to have each other
Tracey
Date: March 16, 2009
Wow, wow, and WOW….. I’m even more amazed to have this birdhouse by him because I have NO IDEA how he had time to make it! Oh, you have no idea…..if I had extra money, what the heck? If I had ANY money I would buy one of his camping cabins in a heartbeat. It has ALWAYS been our dream to have something just like this. I SO enjoyed looking at the photos and going back and reading his history that you wrote about.
Wow again. What a man. Married to an amazing woman. Did God know what he was doing or WHAT?!!
Date: March 16, 2009
Duh. Senior moment. As soon as I had two seconds to think my brain remembered (with lots of grinding and smoke) that PAM’s husband made my birdhouse. And to think they leave me alone to to raise and school children……!
Date: March 16, 2009
That is fabulous! Impressive and cool! Mountain Man is truly a guy after my own heart. Conserving when possible, managing for long term forests, just being a sound land manager is the best. Thanks for sharing!
Date: March 16, 2009
I like the blue stained wood also, we have one accent wall, that is log siding and it is all blue stained..a few years ago no one wanted it in their homes..now it is quite popular..I think it has character! Your Mountain Man is very talented!
Date: March 17, 2009
What talent and craft and skill and respect for the enviroment! Can’t wait to see the finished tack room.
Bet you know how lucky you are, right. My hubby is not talented at all.
Date: March 17, 2009
My Dad was like your Mountain Man. Cut down trees on our 40-acre property, Built his own sawmill, barn, shop, and house! He lived to be 90! Didn’t know men like him still existed! You are one very blessed woman!
Date: March 17, 2009
What an interesting post about your wonderful Mountain Man. He sounds like a super guy, better hold on to him!
Date: March 17, 2009
You are very blessed. What a wonderful place to live and spend your lives together doing the things he loves to do.
Date: March 17, 2009
Shinade, Yes, I am blessed. Your husband sounds absolutely fantastic too!
He’s a pretty neat guy. And, I have senior moments daily.
Carole, Glad you enjoyed it.
Neas, thanks for stopping by!
Cedar, thanks. Our sawmill gets used ALOT.
Linda, I’m so glad your husband is good to you because you are a special lady.
All Horse, thank you. We love our farm. It’s very special to us.
Tracey, thank you. You are blessed with a fantastic son.
Robynn, thanks for visiting. If it makes you feel better, although our house was built by him, we don’t have a cabin
Julia, the most important thing to us is to be good stewards of the land. There are hardly any forests left that haven’t been clear cut at least once. We are so honored to be able to protect this spot.
Far Side, Oh, you know about blue stain!!! Mountain Man did flooring for one woman and she saw a piece of blue stain in it and had him rip it out because she thought it was horrid and didn’t match. To each there own but there is so much beauty in nature.
Karen, I am lucky. I bet your husband has many talents.
Homestay, I hope Mountain Man lives until 90. He does have the blood pressure of a kid. I do think he is the last of a dying breed and he would have really enjoyed knowing your Dad.
Karen, He is super.
Thanks everyone so much for taking the time to comment. They mean the world to me.
Date: March 17, 2009
Mountain Man rocks. Seems like a bunch of us are lucky enough to have husbands who support our dreams.
Date: March 17, 2009
Nice to get to know you more. Very nice post and pix.
Date: March 17, 2009
What enjoyment he gets from his work! I enjoyed reading and viewing the pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Date: March 17, 2009
My uncle had a sawmill business, I guess something like mountain man’s.
But don’t ask me anything about wood or woodworking……..nor cooking for that matter.
I made a giant dog house once…or something??
Date: March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Your Mountain Man is quite a talented guy! There is nothing more special someone can give than that which is handmade – that barn is going to be one amazing work of art! My dream would be to have my own barn!
Date: March 18, 2009
Made me tired just watching him work!
Date: March 18, 2009
Please check out the rules for the award I gave you,I forgot to post them,sorry!
Date: March 20, 2009