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An Idea Hatches

In 2004 my husband and I bought six acres of land in Central California’s Sierra National Forest. At an elevation of 3800 ft, it's accessed by a narrow, windy road that used to lead to a logging mill, operating in the late 1800’s. There are pine trees, oak trees and huge moss covered rocks. It's a magical place, like something from a fairy tale.

My uncle and I would eventually build four small structures here. Always a work in progress, there are two cabins, a bathroom and a screened lounge. I’ll share those stories here of how we built these tiny cabins, practically for free, using mostly reclaimed materials and of course a lot of hard work.

The story really begins in 2009, a day before my 51st birthday, when I drove alone to the property to say goodbye. I had finally come to terms with it. I needed to sell this land. Five years had passed and I never came up with the money needed to dig a well, much less build the cabin of my dreams.

One of the things I love about this place is the abundance of wild blackberries and on this day I picked a lot of them. My intention was to bake a blackberry cobbler for my birthday. I sat on the picnic table that my husband and I built the previous winter, the only structure on the weed covered pad. It was quiet except for the birds. I heard a rustle in the bush and a family of deer appeared. They stayed for a long time, nibbling on the bear clover and watching me, not too concerned that I was there.

It was such a beautiful experience, I took it as an omen. There was no way I could part with this place. I didn’t know exactly how all the pieces would come together but in that moment I knew two things, I would not sell my land and I would build a cabin.

Back at home the next day, I baked the cobbler then headed to my Mom’s house. Her Brother, my Uncle Ed was there. He’d been coming around a lot since my Dad died, helping with projects around the house. He’d recently divorced, retired and he was bored. I told them of my failed effort to part with the mountain and he said “Why don’t we build a cabin, the two of us?” Is he serious? We start tossing ideas around. Do we really need water and electricity? Maybe it will just be upscale camping. Simple, small, cheap. An idea has hatched, this would prove to be my happiest birthday ever.

That night I go to the internet and begin researching. I find that I can build a structure of 120 square feet. No permit required. The wheels are spinning. I don’t sleep much that night.



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