It snowed again, and this time I was ready! Just last weekend we put the finishing touches on the cabin. My brother had helped us get the roof on just in time.
I call it my cabin, but everyone else seems to have a different name for it, referring to it as “your studio,” “your writing cabin,” “your meditation cabin,” your man cave,” or “your retreat.” Whatever you want to call it, it’s all of those things to me and more (well, not sure “man cave” applies) but, above all, a sanctuary.
I find myself going down there just to “check on it for a few minutes” only to find myself waking up down there hours later after falling asleep in front of the cozy fire.
The hearth – this lovely little stove, a bit beaten up but sturdy, was destined for the landfill. I’m pleased to have rescued it. The door is the old kitchen door from our house – we saved that too; and the tile platform for the stove was a generous gift a few years ago from one of my husband’s customers who made these by hand
The writing cabin. Leftover bamboo from a counter top job years ago made a perfect desk and some shelving too. I henceforth shall not complain about my husband’s pack rat tendencies
The tea cabin
the meditation cabin
View from writing desk through my favourite window .
What a pleasure to be surrounded by trees! This massive window was saved from a renovation job at a BC Liquor Store; I had to scrape the “We accept Visa and Mastercard” stickers off the window. The stained glass another garage sale find
No electricity here – just candlelight. I found this lantern years ago at a garage sale and squirreled it away until I created just the right place for it. It casts kaleidoscopic patterns of light across the ceiling on dark nights.
cabin interior
Books, tea, a place to hang one’s hat , and a cozy spot to fall asleep in front of the fire – what more does one need?
The Forest Garden 
Laurel, your cabin looks wonderful in every way: simple with everything you need (I assume there’s an outhouse?) and surrounded by trees. I hope you get as much pleasure from it as I’ve gotten from mine.
Thanks Kathy. I thought of you and your cabin often while we were building this.
Oh, that’s so lovely, and the stove is simply awesome. My toes are warming up just looking at it.
Dear Solitary Walker: It warms my heart when an English person uses the word “awesome.” You made my day. I have taken it one step further, to noun-hood, and sprinkle the truly great word “awesomeness” throughout conversation.
That’s just so awesome, Laurel! Just simply… incredibly… awesome.
Oh so jealous! That cabin looks amazing and cozy. One of my goals in life is to have a place like that! Laurel, you are such a lucky girl!