Back in Paradise

The Floathouse May 2021

Well, it has been a minute!

I have been a little distracted by what is going on in the world right now. Working in mental health has been rewarding, and tiring, during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am grateful that I have a job, thankful that I can work from home, and that I have a home. This was not alway to case for me. I am also very grateful that I have had our completely off-grid paradise to escape to and haul big rocks around for my own mental health.

Ok, enough yammering about me 😉 I am posting an update on our little piece of Manitoulin paradise. It is a work in progress, which has been the best part, dreaming and scheming, trying to find the coolest ways to get our creature comforts out in the bush.

Greenhouse @ The Floathouse

I have always wanted a greenhouse, never really had a place for one. Meet my “Apocalypse Garden”! I set this up on one weekend and then next time we were up, it was upside down. Mother nature 1, Heather 0. Ok, I am now working with the wind, hence no roof at this time. Figuring that out so it doesn’t go all Dorothy on me again. Will keep you posted.

I am trying to recycle and reuse as much as possible and not buy more stuff. Here is a peak inside:

Love the Glow at Night!

The Gardens – Coming Soon!

Like any good Uke, I have planted MANY potatoes! and of course a bunch of other cool yummy plants, some started from seed. My awesome friend Karin gave me the coolest gift, “My Little Vegetable Garden”, a seed multipack designed for the bone chilling Canadian climate. Check out Oh! Canada Seeds, unbelievable seeds and cute packaging, which is always kryptonite for me.

Summer Projects

This year we are getting all hippie and harvesting rainwater for all kinds of good stuff like showers. I know, not so hippie, but there will be incense during in the outdoor shower! The soffits, facia and gutters will be installed soon. Robin has worked so hard to complete the roof of both breezeways, now we’ll have a massive roof to collect all kinds of water from the “west end drizzle”.

Because I am a bit of a moth to a Pinterest flame, I decided I needed (wanted) a wood fired hot tub. But, because I am a little bit Alberta/Manitoba prairie redneck still, it needs to be made from a farm stock tank and a clothes dryer drum. Here is the start, stay tuned for the progression this summer 🙂

Wood Fired Hot Tub – Waitin’ on the Copper Tubing

And this is how I got the stock tank to the Floathouse…yes, this Alberta gurl wishes she had a truck…someday my wish will come true #RamTrucks. Yes, the old farmer at Northland Agromart laughed at me hysterically…but a gurl’s gotta do what a gurl’s gotta do…ok, yes, it was embarrassing 🙂

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  PSYCNERD and Future Hot Tub

Moving on…

Just a quick little update for family and friends, ’cause this place is a little hard to explain sometimes, and I know it is not for everyone, but my husband is brilliant at designing, and building, what I love ❤

Over and out, with a few fun pics from the past couple weeks.

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  What I can do with a can of spray paint 😉

and it continues….Still Glorious, Still Beautiful, Still Worth the Drive

New Little Lake Huron dock!

Well, I haven’t posted in a while, probably still traumatized from -30C temperatures experienced at New Years 2017 😉 Yes, I know, we should insulate the pods but we really never planned for this property to be a winter get-away because we are slightly obsessed with snowboarding mountains. Usually we can stay in the pods to -10C with big comfy blankets, but not when the temperature keeps plummeting. Lessons learned! Despite the cold, we did get to saw down a few dead trees on our property, create a “real” Canadian hockey rink and had a great time with friends (those with insulation and heat).

The uniqueness of having two, very different lake fronts, has been an incredible experience. Do I want sand and sunsets or snakes and snapping turtles…hmmmmm. We let’s say I only swim in one and have docktails at both 😉

Robin and Jack bonded over dock building on our little lake front side. Despite floating cribs on the escape and curious turtles, with the supervision of Rukkus, a beautiful sunrise dock is now part of our paradise.

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Rukkus is great at curiosity, being under foot, demanding play time and jumping off finished docks. Not sure if this is enough to earn his keep.

Photo by Jack

Canada Day Weekend – The Breezeway Roof

Reuniting the main living bunkie and Jack’s domain was the main goal Robin had for this weekend. Mine was to drink wine and swim, but felt guilty and painted our kitchen rolly cabinet….and was his assistant.

Now we can cook outside with out being cooked by the sun or soaked by the rain. I know you think I must be a lazy bum as my wonderful husband slaves away building this oasis for me…but I help…I put fairy lights all over his creation once he was done 😉

Sunsets on the Big Lake (Huron)

The sunsets on this spectacular lake still amaze and do not disappoint.

There may be very few updates for the rest of the summer, Robin has been banned from building and encouraged to chill and enjoy this soul filling place ❤

The Giving of Thanks & Gratitude

We have spent yet another Thanksgiving at our lovely little Spirit Island oasis. We have camped once and slept in these little bunkies twice for Thanksgiving and this place has increasingly taken up residence in our hearts.

Night #1: Jack took this picture of the kick off to our Thanksgiving weekend celebration. We cooked the turkey, in true off grid style, with the help of our affectionally named “dragon” (propane element). Seriously, if you have not tried one of these little deep fried poultry sensations, try it. It is not greasy, it is juicy and tasty! “Thank-you turkey for giving up your life for us” (consistent state of gratitude in my head).

Night #2 was a “Camp Crawl” which involved food and libations at five of our island friend’s abodes. We were stop #3, the cocktail party. What an incredible night! I drank way too much and there seems to be no pictures of this night 😉

Little Lake Huron and Big Lake Huron have become synonymous with chillax for us. We have been very lucky to find this little piece of very affordable land. I am grateful that Robin and Jack love the trek to Manitoulin; it is not a short drive, but it is an adventure. Well worth the trek!

AHHHH

Lake Huron, You Are a Beauty!

 

We’ve Been Busy

We have spent the spring putting dirt back, building decks and making our little Float House cozy.

Progress on the Kitchen…

Dirt happily back from whence in came and all is happy sans rubber boots 🙂

Thanks fantastic Jim!

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And the deck begins…

The vision is coming together…literally 🙂

Boat Racks Up…

Thanks Andris for perfectly welded racks 🙂

The Most Expensive Hot Flash EVER!

Took 15 minutes to cool down in the crick…iPhone in pocket. Worth every bit of that phone replacement cost 😉

The Glow!

It is hard to capture the magic of this beautiful spot on Manitoulin; little lake with loons to the big lake with waves and the glow from our solar power.

A Work in Progress: Some Wee Challenges ;)

Well, this was our first spring on our land. There is a reason that this has been nicknamed “The Float House”! The rumours are flying around wondering what kind of people buy land like that?!?! Well, people who want an affordable piece of heaven, who have a vision and some pretty awesome rubber boots 😉 Don’t freak out…we have a plan to work with the water.

…sharing the “Before” (and hopefully the “after” later this season)

New Years 2016

#BestVacationEver …. with a rented Dodge Ram (a.k.a my dream vehicle)

April 2017

Built in water feature that, while trying to sleep, makes controlling the urge to pee a real challenge for me 😉 Swails (“ditches for streams” for all of us non-architects…), they are a comin’ soon 🙂

Land Clearing

We have been very lucky with clearing. We have taken down very few trees as most of the trees were dead or fallen that we cleared.

Robin’s Off-Grid Birthday

Eventually these two cabins will be joined by a breezeway roof. Manitoulin has very few bugs so the summer months will involve flinging open 8 doors, plus 2 screen doors,  and enjoying a full open air experience, with decks joining all 4 cabins.

Happy New Year from Manitoulin Island!

Our First New Years Eve!

Yes, it was cold, but sleeping off grid in our cozy new bed inside these amazing cabins was glorious. I realize this is not for everyone, but for us, this was an incredible way to bring in 2017.

Living Room & Kitchen Cabin

*This is what it looks like now. Pretty good since we just put them in place in September! With a few generous donations of a vintage chesterfield (“couch/sofa” for you non-Canadians) and a camping table, thanks Grand Mum & Grand Dad Snell, we created a pretty cozy space for 4 days after Christmas. The wood stove was a must in +5C to -10C weather 🙂

When the decks are done, in the spring, joining all the cabins, these doors flung open on all sides will be spectacular for space and flow. I am excited! From cozy in the winter to spacious in the summer months.

Our temporary sink. Even temporary to an architect is beautiful (in my opinion).

Our temporary kitchen counter / storage with a donut glazer that we found on Kijiji. Works very well for mixing cocktails 🙂

Sleeping Cabin #1

Our cozy sleeping cabin with new Ikea bed and our old pillow top mattress…simply glorious! When the screen door is open at the foot of the bed and the double doors at the end of the unit are wide open this summer…you will find me enjoying one amazing nap at some point.

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New Years Eve

A wonderful potluck spent with new friends, Glo & Robert, Stan & Connie (aka “Stonnie”), Jim & Jackie (Jim our construction hero) and Dina & Fred. What an incredible night of laughter, great company and super tasty food 🙂

New Years Day was spent with a Heather Ale beer tasting from Williams Brothers Brewing and some pretty yummy cheese 🙂 #MasonJarFlight

Yes, off-grid living can still be fancy, albeit in rubber boots at this time on our flooded land. Positive thinking…it is sorta like Venice ;)…minus the whole glamour of that St. Mark’s square thing.

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For Perspective…

The design started at the end of June 2016, construction started in late August 2016 and the four cabins were shipped up to Manitoulin on September 23, 2016. We were able to spend some very cold and cozy nights in two cabins. This is a great start and the design will continue to unfold as garage sales are visited, decks are constructed and the off-grid sewing (on my old treadle Singer sewing machine) has started.

 

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Won’t be showing the pictures of the water rushing under all four cabins until we can show you a “before” AND “after” shot. I hope there is an “after” shot moment 🙂

More to come on the “Rubber Boot” saga…

 

A Home for the Solar Panels

Wild Welder Extraordinaire, a.k.a Andris created this amazing adjustable rack for our solar panels. The precision and passion was incredible to watch. I drank wine and ate cheese during this part but I look forward to painting this contraption in the spring and hoisting it atop our utility bunky. He also created a kayak and canoe rack that will be fastened to the side of the same building. Super slick and organized is what I will look like, all because of this generous man. Thank you so much Andris for creating a this work of art 🙂

Robin and Andris have been partners in crime, literally ;), since the 80’s. Moral of the story, pick good friends, they make great stuff for you later. Thanks so much Andris!

 

Arrival!

Just got back into cell phone range. Ahhhh off grid living!

So, here is how it went, with some major anxiety, minor heart attacks, no one was injured and a few….

…well, you will have to wait and see!

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Step #1: Loading and Transporting

The two Edmundson Transportation Services trucks left Acton, Ontario at 4:30am Friday September 23rd after all four modules were loaded by crane. We had to leave the night before to get the site ready on Manitoulin so I missed this spectacle. D’oh!

Craning

Loaded and Ready

Wagons Ho!

Step #2: The Race

We booked it up to Manitoulin to be ready for the delivery and were met by our new wonderful and generous lake friends, Connie and Stan. They made us dinner and spared us from having to set up camp in the rain by giving us cozy beds for the night. The generosity from these two incredible folks was simply amazing and heartwarming. Thanks Connie and Stan!!!

The two trucks drove through the night and arrived around 12pm on the 23rd. It was Jack’s very important job to get out to the highway on the quad, meet the trucks and guide them down the 8km rugged road. All four modules made it through to what we call the “moonscape”, for unloading and re-loading, with some dents. We will now call these dents “character” and story fodder 😉 One piece of devastating news is that a teenagers phone was killed. Yeah, I know! How will he survive?!? Apparently Jack’s Samsung phone was no match for 22 truck wheels 😉 Thump-Thump…Thump-Thump…Thump-Thump…

Step #3: The Moonscape Changeover

The final kilometer needed a one-by-one transport in because there was no place for two 18 wheelers to get in and turn around, so the moonscape became the staging ground. From Edmundson Transportation to Jim Stack’s crew, there was no insurance to cover this changeover, thus the anxiety began…

Modules were insured in transport and once they were on the piers. Where are my fingernails?!?!

Quad Sherpa Jack

From one set of trucks to the other.

Five year old truck obsessed Jack would have passed out by now. Mighty Machines, you have nothin’ on this day!

One final wilderness squeeze.

The Resting Place…Down One Bumpy Road…Slowly

All Moved in ONE DAY!

Now a deck that will join this little group of cabins and a special outhouse. Coming very soon!

No More Camping on Thanksgiving for the Snells!

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Before

After

What a wild 24 hrs!!!

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Best Birthday EVER!!!!

Robin had bows put on all modules for me prior to their arrival on the moonscape, where I was waiting. What an incredible and wonderful husband I have! I am very grateful for the life I have with him ❤ Teary day, teary day 🙂

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Later this week, major Thank-Yous, Shout Outs and Video will be posted!

Wow!

This is what the building site looks like when we roll in to check on the progress. These will be rolling out this Thursday and onto Manitoulin!

Inside the Pods

We are very glad that we were not approved for shipping containers! Love the spacious feel the roof line gives the living space.

 

…and the paint goes on…

First coat. We wanted the feel of an old updated cabin with a little touch of modern. I so looking forward to the first rainy night with the “tin roof” 🙂

Imagine three of these, facing inward, large deck, doors open and roof connecting all on the backside. This is the kitchen/living room that is winterized with a wood stove.

I will be lounging in the middle of this deck with cocktails in hand!

#happy #tinycabin #awesome #goodtimes

Bring on the Flooding! Piers are in Place!

Denis McCann is saving us from the flooding by doing a fab job of creating concrete piers that our four pods (currently in Acton) will sit on. I look forward to the tearful meeting of pods and piers next weekend. Ok, yes the tears will be mine because I am so happy and excited about this wonderful tiny cabin project.