The Cooper Cabin Weblog

Now for something different

2009-11-28T20:05:00.001-06:00

Take a look at this 1913 converted fire hall in San Francisco, it’s a restored fire hall make into a single family residence.

All over Saskatchewan there are these great looking garages in small dying towns that are just deteriorating. Wendy and I have always thought how great it would be to move and restore one and make it into a great summer home at the lake.

Zig Zag Cabin by Drew Heath Architects

2009-11-24T20:09:00.001-06:00

Zig Zag cabin by Drew Heath Architects.

Christmas Gift Guide: The Outdoorsman

2009-11-24T19:26:00.001-06:00

I posted this to my own weblog but I thought I would post it here as well as it has to do with the cabin, outdoorsman, and all of that. Along with this gift guide, I have posted several others over at my personal weblog in the Christmas gift ideas.

Straight from the Leftorium, the MEC Left Handed Slingpack. Wendy has had a slingpack for years and just about jumped for joy when I told her that there was a left handed version available. She may have actually wept a tear of joy.

Topeak Alien III Mini Folding Bicycle Tool :: 25 function folding tool with bag will keep you biking all day long, even if your body won’t want you to.

Pelican 1050 waterproof case :: These are great camera/GPS/iPod cases. They are water proof, padded, floatable, and strong enough to take a lot of abuse in the back of your trunk or any backpack. They are pretty much indestructible which means that of all of the things you have to worry about, this isn’t one of them.

While this cycling computer/GPS by Garmin may be out of your price range, the Cateye Wireless Bicycle Computer displays speed, max speed, average speed, trip distance, 2nd trip distance, total distance, elapsed time, and a clock for a very affordable price with a big screen for easy viewing.

Leatherman Wave Multitool with Leather Sheath :: The most popular full-size Leatherman tool has been upgraded with larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and all-locking blades. The pliers have been redesigned to withstand more than double the previous squeezing load.

Outdoor Coffee Press :: Now there is no reason to bring that horrible tasting Starbucks Via coffee with you when you go camping or hiking. Instead bring some fresh ground coffee or loose leaf tea with you and make some excellent coffee when ever you want with this outdoor coffee press. In case you have never made coffee with a coffee press, check out the definitive guide to making good coffee by Derek Powazek. Of course you won’t bring a bean grinder with you on most trips but it gives you an idea of what it takes to make a good cup of coffee while on the road. Of course you need something to drink it from. You may want to check out some excellent stainless steel coffee mugs/beer mugs to drink from.

Cammenga Lensatic Compass :: This is the Rolls Royce of compasses. It has been used by U.S. troops, foreign militaries, law enforcement, and special forces for years. A total of seven Tritium light sources provide readability in total darkness for 10 years without external power or the need to "recharge" using a flashlight.

Coleman Aluminum Cookset :: It’s a four piece cookset for under $9 on Amazon.com. They weigh almost nothing and have some good reviews. While they won’t replace your cookware at home. Coleman has a non-stick set as well. If you want something stainless steel, Texsport makes a set for under $14.

I already mentioned this Pathfinder watch from Casio. Is there anything this watch can’t do? It includes a digital compass, altimeter, barometer and thermometer. It’s altitude measurement up to 10,000 meters in the air and 100 meters under water. I am still a fan of Timex Atlantis 100 watches which you can give with the stainless steel or the more traditional polyurethane strap. For those of you who are Timex Ironman fans, don’t overlook their latest reincarnation.

All three seasons of Survivorman on DVD. You can order them from the Les Stroud Productions store. Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3. We have all three DVDs and they are a lot of fun to watch. You can also order them from Amazon as well. Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3. In case you just want to see how Les Stroud survives in the American wilderness, you can order this DVD as well.

Not only is Mark a big fan of the show but Wendy has become quite a fan as well which around here is the entire television viewing family.

In case you want to take some photos while you are out in the wild, you will want a Camera Pod. I recently ordered one and have come to love it. Despite being made in Canada, Amazon.com won’t ship them here and so you can order them from Les Stroud Productions or get them from The Pod.ca. If you are in the United States, you can get them from Amazon.com. You may also be interested in this Pedco Lightweight Camera Tripod.

While we are talking about Les Stroud and Survivorman, you may want to consider his book, Survive!. While it isn’t on Amazon.com, there is another edition with full color photographs and the ultimate edition comes with a DVD as well but the paperback can be picked up at Amazon.com.

Bushnell BackTrack GPS :: The Bushnell Backtrack- Never Get Lost Again with the easiest to use personal location finder for around $50. Just mark the location and BackTrack will help you get back. Use it at the mall and stadium parking lots, at the festival, the park, for travel or your next outdoor adventure.

For other Christmas Gift Guides keep checking out the Christmas gift idea category for other ideas as we keep creeping closer and closer to Christmas.

The (in progress) 2009 Christmas Gift Guides

2009-11-16T22:10:00.001-06:00

As I have written before, my awesome husband Jordon does most of the Christmas shopping at our house. He also has written some excellent Christmas gift guides that are being uploaded over the last several weeks. So if you are looking for the right gift for the special person, check out these links.

Apparently he still has some more to come and you can find them all listed in his Christmas Gift Ideas category. Best of luck with your Christmas shopping! You can also follow Jordon on Twitter.

Surviving in the Canadian Arctic (and other places)

2009-11-15T17:32:00.001-06:00

I cross posted this to my personal weblog but I thought I would post a version here.

Jordon posted about Survivorman and Les Stroud a couple of weeks ago and he got an email from Les Stroud Productions and an offer of some Survivorman DVDs. He accepted the offer and on Friday a signed copy of all three seasons of Survivorman came in the mail. Of course this is what I was going to get Jordon for Christmas but there is always Les Stroud’s book, Survive! to get Jordon.

Today we are sitting back and watching a couple of episodes of Survivorman as a family.

I really understand why Jordon, Mark, and even Tiger Woods really gets into the show. Les Stroud is pretty funny with a dry wit and you can’t help but be impressed that not only can he survive with no food and no water but he manages to do a fantastic job at filming it all. It’s a great show to watch as a family.

What is also pretty impressive is that by changing up the scenario and location, each episode has a much different feel to it while at the same time he manages to gross me out by what he eats (the above episode has him eating raw seal meat – although so did Canada’s Governor General and later a seal’s eye ball). The other great part of it is that not everything turns out as planned. “A crappy igloo” that falls apart, cutting himself while having monkey’s toss things at him in Costa Rico add a lot to the show.

Mark is pretty excited to try out what he learned next summer at the lake. He according to this post by Jordon (and confirmed several times by Mark), he plans to eat some grasshoppers this summer. I’ll let you know how that turns out. I have a feeling an emergency hospital trip could be in Mark’s future.

10 Reasons to Visit Powell River

2009-11-15T17:15:00.001-06:00

Margy has written a great post on why you should visit Powell River this winter and even rent on of those great floating cabins like the one she lives in. If you live in British Columbia or planning a trip there, it sounds like a great place to visit.

Family Thanksgiving at the Lake

2009-11-03T19:58:00.001-06:00

Jordon finally posted some of our Thanksgiving photos from the lake to Flickr. Despite being the middle of October, it was cold out. When we got to the cabin, inside was at freezing and with four heaters, it took around 5 hours to warm up to 20 degrees Celsius. Once night came the heat dropped down to about 18 degrees but that was find with us. We have a radiant heater that we direct towards Mark and Oliver at night and sleep as comfortable as they do at home. Jordon and I hunker down under a big pile of blankets and rely on the dogs for some extra heat as well.

Jordon and Mark went for a long walk along the beach and throughout Arlington Beach. Mark was walking along the beach and fell into the lake. We aren’t sure how that happened and even Mark was laughing at the idea that he fell into the lake. He got his feet wet but that was about it. Oliver and I stayed inside. It was too cold and I didn’t want him to get sick.

On Sunday, we drove to Regina and ran some errands. I am the world’s worst packer and had to run to Dollarama to get some stuff. The good news is that they had yoga pants for $2 and I found a pair there that fit me as I forgot to pack enough pants for me. As you can see the from the video, we ran into a train on a very, very quiet prairie highway on the way back to the cabin.

Later that Sunday, we headed over to Kinney Memorial Lodge for a wonderful Thanksgiving feast with about 200 of our closest friends. The meal cost us $16 per person but it was worth it as it was a great evening. There was turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, yams, turnip puff, and a lot of salads and desserts.

We sadly closed up the cabin that weekend for the winter and headed back to Saskatoon. We hope to be back in early April. Hopefully the weather agrees with us.

The World’s Best Pancake Recipe?

2009-10-29T21:29:00.001-06:00

Jason Kottke has said that his wife has found the world’s best flapjacks recipe.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk, set aside:

2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Combine the wet ingredients in a second bowl, whisk:

2 cups buttermilk
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined. Fry in a pan with butter. Top with maple syrup and devour.

He has some more comments about the recipe on his blog but I thought I would post them here so I remember the recipe for when we are up at the lake.

Bland No More

2009-10-27T18:45:00.000-06:00

Michael Penny of House and Home redoes a bland apartment on a very tight budget.

Here are some of his ideas

1. Use psychedelic yet gorgeous vintage wallpaper to cover a sheet of plywood from The Home Depot and lean it against the wall. Most apartments won't let you wallpaper the walls, so this way you get the impact — and it’s portable! I created a pair of panels facing each other in the dining room and behind the writing desk in the living room.

11. Layer up your $120 Craigslist.org dining set with $1.50/yard burlap and an H&M pashmina.

Black Rock Powder Co. Crate from Cabelas

2009-10-25T18:36:00.001-06:00

Take a look at these dynamite shaped fire starters from Cabelas.

Invented in 1866 by Alfred Nobel, dynamite's cylindrical shape perfectly fit down the drilling holes used in mining operations. When the charges were set, the now-famous phrase "fire in the hole" was cried to warn miners of the coming blast. Though the contents of this sturdy wood crate will not move mountains, they will start your fireplace. One look at the realistic "dynamite" crate will have family and friends looking twice. Each cedar wood crate contains 20, 8"L x 1-1/4"W, fire-starter sticks. They are made of paraffin and sawdust for a long, hot burn. Each stick will burn approximately 30 minutes setting ablaze even the most stubborn wood.

Tabletop Radio for the Lake

2009-10-25T18:25:00.001-06:00

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a big part of summer at the cabin and all over Saskatchewan. We were at Arlington Beach several times this summer and missed out on the action because we don’t have a television at the lake and we realized that we don’t even have a radio as we generally just bring up a iPod along.

After missing out on several games, Jordon decided he wanted a radio up there to listen in on the action. He wanted a tabletop radio like the one above but he wasn’t willing to shell out almost $100 for a simple AM/FM radio. What ate away at him was Office Depot sold some for about $20 a couple of years ago and he never got one.

In the end we paid $25 for a small boom box that we can plug our iPod docking station into. It allows us to play some CDs, listen to our iPods, and of course catch some Saskatchewan Roughriders game on the radio. We took it out on Thanksgiving weekend and it worked well. It’s not as cool looking as a retro tabletop radio or have the sound quality of the Bose Wave but that’s okay since the price was a whole lot cheaper.

We thought our search was over but yesterday Jordon was at Wal-Mart when he saw a ONN Tabletop Radio for $22 that looks like the above Sangean but also includes an input for our iPods. He didn’t think twice before purchasing it and the summer of 2010 will have music, mindless football commentary, and some interesting stories on CBC Radio. I can’t wait.

Technorati Tags: Memorex,Sangean,audio,ONN,tabletop radio

Green Line Architects Tree House

2009-10-22T19:38:00.000-06:00

What a great series of images dug up by Kent at the Tiny House Blog. I had a great tree house as a kid but it pales compared to this. I think this thing has more square feet than our house.

Lake Union, Seattle Floating Home

2009-10-21T19:27:00.001-06:00

This is a spectacular floating home in Lake Union, Seattle and is by Vandeventer + Carlander Architects. The home has a private space downstairs and a float level has storefront windows. The private space is located on float level while public areas have taken the second one. The entry, guest rooms, master’s bath and bedroom are located one the float level. There is also a private terrace accessible only from the master bedroom. More photos can be found here. via

The Shake Shack Burger Recipe

2009-10-21T19:15:00.001-06:00

Serious Eats has re-created the famous New York City Shake Shack Burger recipe

There's nothing special about the burger—regular squishy bun, a 1/4-pound patty of griddled meat, lettuce, tomato, and sauce—but like all good burger experiences, the sandwich is far more than a sum of its parts. To recreate the experience at home, I had to eat it, dissect it, deconstruct it, research it, eat it some more, rebuild it, break it down again, reconfigure it, taste it, eat it one more time, and finally reconstruct it again. Here are the results of my labor, from the ground up.

I am so trying this up at the cabin this summer.

New coffee grinder

2009-10-12T20:11:00.001-06:00

We picked up coffee grinder for the cabin last week. I am not sure what the difference between a $30 coffee grinder and a $8 coffee grinder so we went with the $8 grinder. It isn’t going to get a lot of use and our other grinder has lasted a decade now and works as good as new.

The big advantage is that we can enjoy and serve fresh ground Starbucks coffee beans now. Even as a non coffee fan, there is something nice about some fresh ground coffee, a coffee press, and a good book on a cool fall day. While I can’t promise perfect weather, I can put together a good cup of coffee anytime I want (even if I don’t like to drink it).

I know as Canadians we should be drinking Tim Horton’s coffee but their coffee doesn’t generate anywhere the same amount of passion as Starbucks does around here.

Home Office in a Shed

2009-10-08T08:39:00.000-06:00

I love the way this home office is designed and constructed. Called the Woodman Log Cabin, this shed isn't available in Canada. It's made by British manufacturer BillyOh, but it’s a pretty standing looking shed with some great architectural details. I still keep thinking of adding a bunkhouse/shed for Mark in a couple of years and this is great example of how to make one.

Rustic Outdoor Bed in the Woods

2009-10-07T20:29:00.001-06:00

How much fun would this be to have a summer nap in? Of course you have to think about the ticks, the mosquitoes, and the bees… It is a great idea though and pretty easy to put together.

Rustic Table

2009-10-07T20:23:00.001-06:00

Does anyone else really like this old rustic table and bench? I think it would look spectacular at the cabin or anywhere else now that I think about it.

Two Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

2009-10-06T22:13:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Recycled Office Spaces

2009-10-06T21:50:00.001-06:00

I love this collection of photographs of recycled furniture being re-used in offices. While I was on the website I found some fun photos of chalkboards being used.

100 DIY Upgrades for Under $100

2009-10-06T19:30:00.001-06:00

100 Upgrades for $100 from This Old House

Here are a couple of ideas that Wendy and I have talked about.

Doorway shelving
Tearing out old carpet (we are doing this at the cabin)
Create some instant open shelving
Brighten up kitchen cabinets
Add LED battery powered lights under counters :: We have done this at home and at the lake. Giant Tiger has six LED stick up lights for $3.
Fix up an old ladder and use it as a towel rack or as a plant stand.
Build a wall mounted table side shelf
Paint your front door a bright, vibrant color
Install new house numbers
Add a door knocker to your front door
Conceal your air conditioner
Create an instant collection

This weekend

2009-10-06T19:15:00.001-06:00

The Huskies are hosting the UBC Thunderbirds this Friday at Griffiths Stadium. Unless the weather is beyond horrible, I will be attending with Mark and my brother. Let me know if you want to join us at the game.

Despite being a big football fan and a fan of the Huskies since I was a kid, I think this is only my second game ever at Griffiths Stadium.

It’s a nice way to kick off the Thanksgiving Weekend. After we take in the game, we plan to head to Arlington Beach for a quiet weekend at the cabin. The weather is supposed to be questionable and the high for the weekend is only 2 degrees Celsius with a low of –6.

The coldest we have been up there for is about –12 degrees Celsius and it wasn’t that bad. You just need a lot of blankets and it is a pretty cold run to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

As Wendy wrote a while ago about the kitchen, we don’t have a full sized stove up there so cooking a turkey dinner will be a challenge. We looked at a stand alone electric turkey roasters (someone had them on sale) which is a good idea but I wonder what kind of market they have. How many tiny cabin owners are there that don’t have a full sized oven? How many times a year would you use one if you had a full sized oven?

The plan is to either make Wendy’s excellent version of Turkey a la King or have a more traditional dinner and just cook the turkey in the city and reheat it. As long as I get my turnips, I am happy (speaking of turnips, Wendy always offers to make something to “change them up” because she can’t believe I like mashed turnips with butter).

Great tips for entertaining guests from HGTV

2009-10-06T09:45:00.000-06:00

Here are some excellent tips from HGTV on making guests comfortable when they come over to stay.

Since a lot of people aren’t in touch with their inner body clocks, a clock/radio is essential in the guest room. A telephone and calling card are also nice, thoughtful touches.
Provide your guests with a set of fresh, fluffy towels and their very own robe to make sprints from the bathroom shower to the bedroom a little less nerve wracking. Slippers make walking around the house a comfortable trek. An iron and ironing board make it easy to keep clothes wrinkle-free without feeling like a bother.
There isn’t anything worst than opening your suitcase or overnight bag and discovering you forgot your toothbrush. Put frazzled guests at ease by picking up a few extra toothbrushes as well as toothpaste, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers and deodorants. If you want, you can even pick up travel-sized toiletries at the drug store so that your guests can take them along when they leave.
Who doesn’t love a midnight snack—or a midmorning snack for that matter? A stash of yummy, non-perishable treats will make you a much loved host. Halloween is a great time to stock up on mini chocolate bars, candy and nuts. Bottled water, gum and mints are also essentials guests would appreciate having on the nightstand table.
Reading material is always a great idea. Stock the room with the local paper, as well as books and magazines you think your guests might enjoy.

Better looking cabin numbers

2009-10-05T20:30:00.001-06:00

Check out these great looking house numbers by Pewabic Pottery. Here are the prices.

2-digit plaque - $95 - (size 7” x 9 ½”)
3-digit plaque - $110 - (size 7” x 12 ¼”)
4-digit plaque - $125 - (size 7” x 15 ½”)
5-digit plaque - $140 - (size 7” x 18 ¼”)
House Numbers - $14 each - (size 2 ¾” x 3 ¾”)

2009 Summer Play List

2009-10-04T16:28:00.001-06:00

While we are a family of iPod users, we decided we needed a playlist to be on our iPods for the summer at the lake. Here is the 100 songs of the summer of 2009 around here. You can see more of what we are listening to at Last.fm.

Black Velvet by Alannah Myles
Superman (It's Not Easy) by Five for Fighting
Not Too Late by Norah Jones
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
Me and Julio Down By the School Yard by Paul Simon
With Arms Wide Open by Creed
My Dear Country by Norah Jones
Video Bargainville by Moxy Früvous
(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
All I Can Do by Chantal Kreviazuk
Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2
Before You Accuse Me by Eric Clapton
Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega
Stuck In The 90's by Moxy Früvous
You're Still the One by Shania Twain
Not My Friend by Norah Jones
Winter Games by David Foster
Narrow Daylight by Diana Krall
My Baby Loves A Bunch Of Authors by Moxy Früvous
Losing My Religion by R.E.M.
Sinkin' Soon by Norah Jones
Beautiful Day by U2
We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel
Those Sweet Words by Norah Jones
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Charmed Life by Diana Krall
A Case Of You by Diana Krall
Layla by Eric Clapton
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You by Bryan Adams
Dark Horse by Amanda Marshall
Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan
Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin
The Girl In The Other Room by Diana Krall
Feelin' The Same Way by Norah Jones
Fly Me To The Moon by Diana Krall
The Lazy Boy by Moxy Früvous
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by The Band
King Of Spain by Moxy Früvous
Alberta by Eric Clapton
Let's Fall In Love by Diana Krall
Devil May Care by Diana Krall
Big League by Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
Never Surrender by Corey Hart
More Than a Feeling by Boston
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
Live and Let Die by Guns N' Roses
Survivor by Destiny's Child
Don't Know Why by Norah Jones
All Summer Long by Kid Rock
Fell In Love by Moxy Früvous
Dead In The Water by David Gray
What Am I To You? by Norah Jones
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Free Fallin' by Tom Petty
Spiderman by Moxy Früvous
Songbird by Kenny G
Prayer '94 by Bon Jovi
Life Is a Highway by Tom Cochrane
Gulf War Song by Moxy Früvous
Angel Eyes by Theresa Sokyrka
Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman
Freedom Reigns by Rita Springer
Victory Days by Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen
Tubthumping by Chumbawamba
Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas
Kokomo by The Beach Boys
I've Got To See You Again by Norah Jones
When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down) by Great Big Sea
Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something
Bang The Drum All Day by Todd Rundgren
Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Eric Clapton
Let It Rain by Amanda Marshall
River Valley by Moxy Früvous
I Am a Wild Party by Kim Mitchell
Sleep by Riley Armstrong
Patio Lanterns by Kim Mitchell
Home by Michael Bublé
Celebration by Kool & The Gang
Closing Time by Semisonic
She Ain't Pretty by The Northern Pikes
Up! (Red) by Shania Twain
The Drinking Song by Moxy Früvous
Bad Day by Daniel Powter
Faith by George Michael
Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams
New Orleans Is Sinking by The Tragically Hip
Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz
Only Time by Enya
Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen
The First Cut Is The Deepest by Sheryl Crow
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of by U2
Bittersweet by Moxy Früvous
While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Jeff Healey Band
Believe by Lenny Kravitz
Low by Flo Rida
Right Round by Flo Rida