From the Editor: The Pioneering Spirit

Cabin owners are special people. Oh sure, you can accuse me of being biased (which is probably true), but please hear me out. One characteristic that differentiates cabiners is their pioneering spirit. And I don’t need to go back in history for examples of famous, rugged cabiners like Abraham Lincoln or Laura Ingalls Wilder to make my point. I can simply cite examples from the pages of the April 2015 issue.

A pioneer is a brave visionary. In “Diamond in the Rough” (p. 24), read about a visionary couple that buys a beautiful piece of Wisconsin lake property and bravely transforms a timeworn shack into a rustic, but elegant timber-frame cabin.

A pioneer possesses dogged perseverance. “Hillside Heaven” (p. 32) is the story of a couple who works with their builder to build a dream retreat in North Carolina that they’ll retire to someday. But first, they had to endure the financial calamity of 2008, overcome a problem with unsuitable soil and conquer a steep slope.

A pioneer is a hearty soul who embraces nature. In “Cabinology 101” (p. 22), architect Dale Mulfinger shares tips for building an outdoor shower. And in “Gather ?Round” (p. 56), you’ll find advice and recipes for preparing a shore lunch, a very pioneer-like way of dining!

And a pioneer is self-sufficient and not afraid of getting his or her hands dirty. That explains the popularity of do-it-yourself articles in Cabin Life. In the April 2015 issue, you’ll find DIY projects and tips in “An Outdoor Room at Last” (p. 45), “Bag Toss Boards” (p. 52) and “Tooling Around” (p. 60).