French Country Style from the Foot of the Rockies: June 2018

Friday, June 29, 2018

Is it Curtains for the Cabin?

No, I'm not giving up on my new mountain cabin already.

I really am talking about actual curtains.

Here's an overview of the main room in the 336 square-foot cabin.

I'm loving the skylight and all the windows and how cozy it's feeling.

Note the deer head? I've had it in storage for years and knew someday

I would find the perfect place for my Dad's first deer.

But first, I have to tell you about our unfortunate adventure with altitude sickness.

Have you ever experienced it? Yuk, it's no fun, believe me.

The first day we were at the cabin we felt fine as did our little dog, Roxy.

This was her first visit to 11,000 feet.

We celebrated my birthday with several glasses of wine, music on the CD player and watching the full moon rise eerily over the huge rocky mountain in front of our cabin. A lovely time.

The second day I decided to tackle an unsightly pile of logs, old roof shingles and weathered wood planks right in front of the cabin. It really made the place look untidy.

I noticed I was breathing quickly but figured it was because I was working strenuously.

Then, I started feeling nauseated and dizzy. But I kept going until the pile was cleaned up.

Type A I know.

After I finished that project, I sat down for a drink of water and a brief rest.

I thought I'd get right back at moving some white rocks with which the previous owner had outlined several paths. I wanted the area to look natural and neat paths just didn't work for me.

However, my symptoms got worse with a pounding headache and trips to the outhouse. Ugh.

I gulped down some more water, took two aspirin and laid down for a rest.

And spent most of the afternoon curled up on the bed as the room swirled around me.

How do mountain climbers do it? Guess their supplemental oxygen does the trick.

At least I had the new comforter I'd bought for the cabin.

Ron was a little short of breath but felt better than me and Roxy.

She was very lethargic, threw up a few times and took to her bed.

We thought we'd feel better in the morning but no such luck.

We decided we'd better pack up, leave right away and move down to a lower elevation.

As we drove downhill, we began to feel better almost immediately.

The next day back in Denver at 5,250 feet, we felt so much better

and Roxy slowly regained her energy.

I've since learned that we were supposed to take it easy and get acclimated to the altitude slowly,

not jumping right in to work on cabin projects as well as taking Roxy for a walk.

I also learned alcohol at altitude is a no-no.

However, we did do the right thing by getting back down to a reasonable 9,000 feet.

So, lesson learned. Probably the first of many.

This is a different world up here and we'll have to figure it all out.

Slowly, this time.

Meanwhile, back to curtains for the cabin.

At home, I sewed some curtains out of two T-towels to cover the open space

under the kitchen sink that worked perfectly and looked cute.

I also made two cafe curtains out of some old flour bags

to cover the back door window and the kitchen window.

You can see these in the first photo.

I used a fabric shower curtain, hanging it in the doorway into the bedroom.

I clipped it onto a tension rod so it would slide easily and provide privacy.

Lastly I brought four tabbed panels from home

to cover the three windows on the front of the cabin.

They look so much prettier than the 1980's wooden blind that had been there (Before below) . . .

. . . softening up the room and providing good security coverage when we're not there.

So, that's my latest tale. I think it had a happy ending.

More to come as we navigate this new environment so stay tuned.

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French Country Cottage

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Vintage Wood Cook Stove for Dummies

As you may know, I bought an old mining cabin

in the Colorado Rocky Mountains a couple of weeks ago.
(You can read about it HERE.)

We've been busy cleaning it out and doing a few repairs like putting good locks on the doors, removing a toilet tank from the kitchen wall (what were they thinking?)

and trimming some of the uneven boards on the decks.

We're making slow progress but it's been fun to see the shape of things to come.

One of the things that drew me to this cabin was the old wood cook stove.

The black and silver finishes are so beautiful. I can't wait to use it.
If only I knew how.

It's an oldie but goodie -- an Acorn made by Rathbone, Sard and Co. in Albany, New York.

The company made wood stoves from 1833 to 1925.

OK. So my first draft of this post was to ask all you smart readers out there how to use this stove.
BUT, my sister and nephew have been visiting me and we spent a couple of days at the cabin.
Turns out, they knew all about these wood-burners and were a huge help.
Here are my sister and I in our "front yard."

After a couple of trial runs, I think I now know how to start the fire.
I even took detailed notes to remind me after they leave.

My main concern was how to regulate the heat.

It's not like you can just turn a dial to lower the flame.
I have to admit I was a little afraid I might burn the cabin down!

So, I learned all about dampers and vents and the firebox and "ash tray."
Apparently, it's all about oxygen (providing it for more heat
and closing it off when it gets too hot).

We had so much fun lighting this stove, pulling our chairs up close for warmth,
and even heating water in my tea kettle and making chamomile tea.
The stove stayed warm for hours and
I can already imagine using it when the weather turns cold.
(We spent the night and the temp dropped to 34 degrees!)

Even though I'm not a complete wood-stove newbie anymore,
I'd still love to hear from you with any tips you might have.

Thanks so much!

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Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!!

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Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home,
Dweillings, The Dedicated House, Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Designthusiasm, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage

Friday, June 8, 2018

Sneak Peek of Mountain Cabin

Are you ready to see the inside of my new mountain cabin?

OK, here's a little sneak peek.

Closing went off without a hitch and the cabin is now all mine.

The previous owner left everything behind in the cabin but the generator
so we've had a lot to sort through and either donate, recycle, throw away or keep.

It's been quite a job but fun and exciting.

We met the owner and her friend who were real mountain women.

They seemed very happy that someone bought their cabin

who genuinely loved it and would take good care of it.

The first thing that happened when we arrived was a scary hoot.

I had the keys to the cabin in hand when I stepped on the deck

which has over an inch of space between the old boards.

That's when I dropped the keys and they fell right though the deck onto the ground underneath.

Not having anything to retrieve them, I got down on hands and knees

and slithered under the deck to grab the keys Won't do that again!

So here is the living space inside the 366 square-foot cabin.

It was jammed full of stuff including a table and chairs, cardboard boxes overflowing with newspapers and cereal boxes, and, of course, the ginormous generator.

Here's a before picture.