The Cooper Cabin Weblog

The Opera Pop-Up Camper

2010-01-03T18:06:00.001-06:00

The Opera pop up camper has been raising eyebrows all across Europe and the first will be arriving in spring of 2010. It looks fantastic and you can find out some more at the Outfitters.

Looking back at 2009 | The cabin

2010-01-02T22:42:00.001-06:00

We added this gazebo to the cabin. It added a place to chill out in the evenings.

Wendy got the idea to add some interior lights and some candles. It’s nice at night.

We painted the inside of the cabin and added this rocking chair. It’s not that comfortable but it gets the job done.

Here is the painted kitchen area.

It took four or five coats of paint but I got the picnic table looking good. I used a ranch red barn paint which I hope fades rather than peels.

This is our beer can chicken cooker. As you can see we used some water in a Diet Coke can. We used to some alcohol free beer later in the summer and it tasted quite a bit better.

This is Mark’s new day bed all made up. Tucked in behind is his wakeboard.

We finally got rid of the 3/4 bed that we had endured and instead bought a queen sized bed to the lake. There is a lot more room both vertically and horizontally. It makes for a lot more comfortable nights.

Nuk Tessli is for sale?

2009-12-30T14:52:00.001-06:00

More information over at Jordon Cooper Outfitters.

Jordon Cooper Outfitters

2009-12-27T23:48:00.001-06:00

One of the things that I enjoyed this fall was creating the series of Christmas Gift Idea posts on my personal website. While there was some negative comments, the response was overwhelmingly positive from complete strangers who really enjoyed those features and said it made Christmas shopping a lot easier on them.

While creating the guides, for every cool item I posted, there was ten or so that didn’t make the cut. I didn’t really know what to do with it so I thought of creating a shopping section of the site but I didn’t want to clutter up the site that much for regular readers and at the same time, if you are looking for a great watch to buy, you probably don’t care about what I am doing at the lake here or what I think about the World Junior Hockey Championships. In the end I decided to split off another site to shop.jordoncooper.com. For a lack of a better title, here’s introducing Jordon Cooper Outfitters. It’s a weblog that I hope to update five days a week with products, links, and articles designed to inspire you to get out and do stuff, create stuff, or just change make the world better. If you want to follow the site, you can subscribe to the RSS feed or follow the site on Twitter.

We’ll see how it goes.

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

2009-12-16T22:30:00.001-06:00

In case you are looking for some last minutes Christmas gift ideas, the world’s best shopper (my hubby) has posted his Christmas Gift Guides for 2009.

Rustic Cabin in the Australian Outback

2009-12-11T20:49:00.000-06:00

By Casey Brown Architecture :: Within its walls are passive heating, cooling and water-collecting elements that make it self-sufficient and sustainable so deep in the Outback.

Shipping Container Housing

2009-12-10T20:32:00.001-06:00

I really like this. It is a shipping container set up as a home but uses ideas popular in RVs with sections able to slid in and out.

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.