#logcabin #offgrid #dog

Relaxing at the cabin with Cali, my Golden Retriever. The weather was incredible, warm and sunny one day with deer coming out to dine on the acorns exposed by the melting snow, but the next day, rain ice pellets fell all night long before changing to snow the following day. It was not the worst ice storm Ive witnessed, not like the ice storm of several years ago that shut the northeast down for a few days, but it did some damage.

With our drone, my wife got some incredible aerial footage and photographs of raging rivers, pristine Canadian wilderness in the snow and the log cabin.
The rustic tiny house is extremely cozy right now, especially when my wife and dog are there and the fire in the woodstove is burning, the candles and lanterns are lit and the furs are piled high on the bed. Its extremely cozy now that the floor is insulated and the spaces between the logs have been filled. Woodworking and bushcrafting the structure was very rewarding, but the interior finishes are the icing on the cake. Whenever Im inside with the fire burning and I look out through the windows and the winter storms raging, Im inspired to finish the tiny log house as soon as possible so that I can get working on the front porch, the outdoor kitchen, the cellar, workshop, maple syrup shack and more.
Im particularly excited to live off the land, foraging for wild plants and edibles, growing my own vegetables and becoming self reliant. I can use this off grid cabin as a shelter and base where I can practice living off the land and use primitive technology, learn bushcraft skills, improve my survival skills and my self reliance.
Of course, no video would be complete without the meals that I prepare on the wood stove over the fire with cast iron cookware. In this episode, I make stewed venison spiced with garam masala, with leeks, onions and broccoli. For breakfast, I have fresh chicken eggs from the nearby rural homestead where they raise chickens and turkeys. I will be showing how I put the eggs in long term storage, preserving the food for the future.
My dog and I fall asleep to the hooting of barred owls, and the wind through the trees and the falling rain were a big ASMR triggers for me. Its deep winter outside, but in the cabin was cosy and warm. Sometimes I think living off grid in a tiny house seems much easier, away from the daily stress of life.
In fact, dealing with my high blood pressure and becoming much healthier is my motivation for building this cabin and living the simple life. Not my only motivation of course, Im also inspired by my wife and my parents, who are living long and happy lives. Inspiration is important in this crazy world, and of course Im not the only one who wants to escape from society and retreat to a cabin in the woods.
To accomplish my goal of living off grid with as little money as possible, living cheap and saving money wherever possible, I need to continue to hone my woodworking and bushcraft skills, along with tree identifications, foraging, making maple syrup, harvesting chaga, catching fish and game, preserving food for long term storage (dehydrating, salting, curing, smoking, freezing, drying).

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To relax…
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To see how I build things alone…
To see how I cook with no electricity or gas…
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To become more self-reliant.

Links to Products Used:

CABIN LIFE T-SHIRTS — teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance

Makers Mark Branding Iron — www.makersmarkbranding.com/product/electric-heated-branding-iron

Moka Pot — amzn.to/2ndmtw6
Braggs Organic Sprinkle — amzn.to/2EdouzK

Camera Equipment:
Canon 6D Mark ii — amzn.to/2EdaZjs
DJI Mavic Pro — amzn.to/2DHuJib

To see what I’m up to during the rest of the week, please follow me on my other online channels;

Website: myselfreliance.com/
Facebook – www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/
Personal Facebook Page (Shawn James) – www.facebook.com/shawn.james.msr
Instagram – www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 20042
Barrie, Ontario
L4M 6E9
Canada

#logcabin #offgrid #dog