How did I become a Cabin Mama? It all started when I was young. I grew up loving the woods. About an hour from where we lived stood the "cabin" my grandpa built. Over time, it became more of a lodge. Grandpa worked in the city, but loved the woods. So, in 1937 he bought 40 acres in Upstate New York, pitched an Army tent for the family to live in, then cleared white pines and hemlock trees for a cabin. We called it Camp — Camp Pinehurst. Camp was made of formed concrete, cement block and …
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Cabin Mama™ Articles
Save the Plants!
Throw out a plant? Never! In our family, we do everything in our power to save them: repot, fertilize, move it to another window, take it outdoors or bring it in. We take a cutting and put it in water hoping it will grow roots. Then we can start a new plant all over again! My brother has it bad. He collected a jungle of plants over the years, some of which grew up to be taller than most in my family. He fusses over his plants more than I fuss over my writing. Then he moved in with my …
What Went Thump in the Night at Camp
One of the best parts of going to Camp was sleeping in the big bunkbeds Grandpa built into the walls of the cabin. But one night we had more excitement than we bargained for! There were two big beds downstairs and two upstairs, along with a couple of twin sized. Those beds were so big you could have one heckuva slumber party in them. At the very least, we fit four of us kids in each one. They also made great trampolines! One night we girls decided to sleep in the upstairs bunkbed together. …
My Battling the Bulge Weight Loss Story
Who here has ever had a weight problem? I suspect some raised hands out there. I’ll bet, like me, you’ve tried different diets, exercises, affirmations and other methods to trim those extra pounds. We all have our own weight loss story. I’ve struggled with weight since I was a kid, although I weighed less than my siblings when I was born. (Ha! I caught up with them.) Early on, I sucked on baby bottles of watered down karo syrup. That got me off to a really bad start. And I was born with an …
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Camping with Hubby at Flaming Gorge
We visited Flaming Gorge. There’s nothing like a camping trip to strengthen the bonds between husband and wife. Thankfully Doug did all the preliminary research, made reservations, and got us safely to the campground after we visited Dinosaur National Monument. He’s great with logistics. All I had to do was sit in the truck and let him do all the driving. He also packed the truck, unloaded the truck, set up the tent and the canopy too. Then he carried both kayaks 98.367 yards down to the …
The Bigger the Fur Balls the Better
Animals are funny. Never thought I’d say this, but they seem like they’re almost human. We are step-parents to my daughter’s dog, Penny, a lovely chocolate lab. She’s won our hearts, but that doesn’t mean she’s got us wrapped around her finger (or paw). Take feeding time for example. We have a routine where we let her out for her morning relief before filling her food dish. She’s barely finished her business outside when she makes a mad dash up onto the deck, through the door and over …
Colorado Dinosaur Bones
We got the heck outta town a few weeks ago and drove up to see the Dinosaur National Monument. We spent a few hours (and $25.00 entrance fee) cozying up to a collection of dinosaur bones embedded in the side of a rock face. The National Monument and the Dinosaur Quarry is located near Vernal, Utah at the border of Colorado and Utah. Both me and my Mom have always been fascinated by geology and what can be found within the rocks that cover our earth. Mom jokes that she’s almost as old as the …
Cooking With Pearls
My siblings and I have a talented Mom who turns tuna, noodles and mushroom soup into a feast fit for a king. Our memories are filled with bubbling pots of savory stews, creamy casseroles and mouth-watering desserts. Mom made liver look good. She dedicated her time and creativity to keep six stomachs full while my Dad worked non-stop to feed his happy horde. My brothers watch the Food Network. For fun. They glory in barbecue, brisket, spices and sauce. If you want their attention, just …
Are you a Cabin Mama too?
Whether you grew up in a cabin, adopted one as you got older or relish the lifestyle that comes with cabin living, you can be a Cabin Mama too! You'll know you're a Cabin Mama too if you... relish living in the woods, enjoy wood smoke and campfire smells on your clothes, have a love/hate relationship with squirrels, love the looks of knotty pine, use pine cone fire starters, jealously guard your stacks of firewood, can cook over an open fire, love the smell of …
Gnome Road Elf Lane Colorado
We recently visited a friend who was camped near Red Feather Lakes Village, about 50 miles from Fort Collins, Colorado. We took a hike around the lakes, but never expected to wrap up the day with a visit to Gnome Road or, as some call it, Elf Lane. It was the ultimate magical mystery tour! This place is populated with gnomes, elves, fairies and other creatures that frolic in the forest. You’ll see them everywhere — in the underbrush, peeking from behind trees and perched on boulders. It’s a …
Lollypop Farm
In Rochester NY where I grew up, the local branch of the Humane Society was affectionately known as Lollypop Farm. We kids loved to visit there because it had a barnyard with goats and sheep we could feed and pet. It was where you went to adopt an animal. It was also where you took the pets you could not keep. We always wondered about Lollypop Farm. Did all the pets there get adopted? Mom and Dad said they did. There were six of us kids. At one point, Mom and Dad had five under five. We …