"Cindy Ross is one of today's most eloquent and thoughtful writers on the connection between humans and the natural world."—Richard Louv, New York Times bestselling author The Log Cabin Years is the inspiring story of how award-winning author Cindy Ross and her husband, artist Todd Gladfelter—a young couple totally inexperienced in construction—built a log home using raw trees and without the use of power, how they recycled and used salvage to supplement their materials, and how the home went on to become a living, breathing part of their lives together. With a perfect mix of memoir and practical information, The Log Cabin Years explores the ways the couple not only developed their building skills but defined the values and virtues by which they would continue to live—self-confidence, freedom, and independence. As the cabin walls grew, so, too, did Cindy and Todd—as individuals and as partners. Building a home forced the couple to learn to argue constructively, communicate openly, and work within the parameters of each person’s unique personality. The Log Cabin Years is a great example of how two people can learn to work together through difficult times, both mental and physical. For their efforts, they were able to build, and then live in, a beautiful home—debt free. From hosting Appalachian Trail hikers to offering a sanctuary for recovering veterans, from providing a place to homeschool and teach their children to launching Todd’s very successful career as a chainsaw carving artist, the cabin has given back, fostering creativity, learning, and healing. Building your own home has long been an American dream. The desire and need to live more sustainably has seeped into all aspects of our lives. The Log Cabin Years will speak to all people who wish to live a more sustainable life, empower themselves, build relationships, learn skills, and perhaps create a hand-built home of their own.

This book should prove most helpful as a "how to" guide for a man working alone to build a strong, yet simple log cabin made to last. It can be a log cabin that a man can be proud to call his home or for a getaway home away from home on the weekend. I built the 13 by 41 foot cabin shell, including cutting down the trees and peeling off the bark, in three months while camping out in a tent. Cutting down the trees and pilling off the bark took more than half of the time in completing the shell of the cabin. It was hard work, but by using the trees on my property I saved money and it gave me a more satisfying feeling of accomplishment as I lived my dream. After about three months work the cabin was up and we moved from our tents into the cabin, however, the electrical wiring, well and plumbing, septic system, interior walls, chimney, and 8 by 28 foot add-on, which are covered in varying details (less on the wiring and plumbing) in this book, were worked on as I got the time and money. Overall, to complete the cabin, it took about four to five months time. The 757 square foot cabin was completed in about four months by working long hours, six days a week. The long camping experience was an ordeal for my wife, but my son and I enjoyed it. We thank God for His help and guidance through it all. The plans contained in this book are designed to allow a man working alone to build a cabin in a short time that will last a life time. I include an additional chapter about building a pergola type patio cover out of red cedar. 48 pictures are included in this book. Happy trails!

If you think quilting is too difficult or too complicated, you’re not alone. Cutting hundreds of pieces and joining angled seams can be tough work! But log cabin quilting—an artful and simple way to piece strips of fabric around a central square—is different. From the intuitive construction through the straight-line stitching, this style of quilting is simple as can be. In Modern Log Cabin Quilting, Susan Beal outlines the entire process from start to finish, including basic quilting how-to as well as extensive design, fabric, and embellishment information. Since all log cabin designs follow the same formula, once you master straight lines and right angles, any of the 25 projects in this book are possible. From stash-friendly designs like the Charming Camera Case to more ambitious undertakings like the Vintage Linens Quilt, there’s sure to be a project that will get you into (or bring you back to) quilting!

Recounts eleven-year-old Oliver Johnson's experiences living in the densely forested wilderness of nineteenth-century central Indiana.

If you're considering building your own log house, whether from your own logs or from a kit, this comprehensive guide has all the information you need. Roger Hard covers everything from choosing a site to planning the foundation and driveway, shaping logs, making corner joints, erecting walls, fitting joists, adding decks or porches, adding chimneys, and much more. Step-by-step illustrated instructions make the process clear and foolproof, whether you want a basic one-story structure or a more complex multi-level building.

Throughout history, many people have escaped to nature either permanently or temporarily to rest and recharge. Richard L. Proenneke, a modern-day Henry David Thoreau, is no exception. Proenneke built a cabin in Twin Lakes, Alaska in 1968 and began thirty years of personal growth, which he spent growing more connected to the wilderness in which he lived. This guide through Proenneke’s memories follows the journey that began with One Man’s Wilderness, which contains some of Proenneke’s journals. It continues the story and reflections of this mountain man and his time in Alaska. The editor, John Branson, was a longtime friend of Proenneke’s and a park historian. He takes care that Proenneke’s journals from 1974-1980 are kept exactly as the author wrote them. Branson’s footnotes give a background and a new understanding to the reader without detracting from Proenneke’s style. Anyone with an interest in conservation and genuine wilderness narratives will surely enjoy and treasure this book.