How much do you think genetics play into our lifestyles? The more DIYish I get the more I see it around me. And this weekend my eyes were opened to just how creative my family is.
This is our cabin
It was built by my grandparents and their kids over the course of, well, the last 35 years.
To me the cabin is the happiest place on earth. When I was younger my family didn’t go on vacay to Disneyland we went to the cabin. There are so many wonderful memories that I have there, things like certain rocks and faces in the quakie trees throw me back to my eight year old self.
But back to the DIY aspect.
Every single log that make up the walls was a fallen tree that my grandpa found and was hauled in from the forest. Can you imagine the vision that they had? Literally everything in the cabin was DIYed.
When we were up there I saw things in a new light. The light of the creator.
Quite a few of you have asked about my moccasins that make an appearance now and then in my tutorials. When my Grandpa was alive he would make a pair for us every year for our birthdays. He was beyond talented and I am going to learn how to bead myself so that I can make some for my girls. When I announced that I was bringing Southwest back I told you a little about the love that my Grandpa created in us for all things Native American. This was my childhood.
And if you have ever come to the Rowland’s cabin you are guaranteed to spend an extra 15 minutes in the outhouse reading all of the thoughts and quotes on the walls.
I am so grateful that figuring things out along the way was instilled in me from my first memories. And my favorite quote written on the bathroom wall is from my Grandpa. It says “I may not be fast, but I am sloppy.” I think I might make that my new motto.
Love Your Guts, Mandi
I love this post Mandi. And, when I think about it, my own background explains so very much…Did you know that my mom was a wedding planner before I was born? LOL
xoxo, Tauni
This is amazing! To have something like this in your family, passed down from such a special person. I wouldn’t go to Disney either!
I love this post too. I also love the cabin and if I had a cabin, I would want one very much like it.
Best motto ever!
That’s awesome! Dumpster diving is in our genetics. My grandpa and great grandpa were trashmen and would call their wives to come pick up items they wanted. 🙂 My grandpa is still out and dumpster diving as is my mom, my sister and me. My husband finds it weird, but even he likes some of our freebies like our two kitchen tables.
The shoes! Finally!
What a lovely heritage! Amazing cabin, even for those of us who don’t have the ingrained memories there.
I love that the DIY gene runs deep in your family. What an inspiration your Grandpa is! And I can’t wait to see your version of the beaded moccasin. 🙂
Wonderful pictures! I love Native American art and grew up looking at a lot of the same things–and reading every book I could possibly get my hands on about the West. Looking forward to your moccasins as well!
Amazing! I need to remember where I came from.
Thanks for sharing this from your childhood. Such a rich history. I don’t know what photos I might find if/when I get my hands on the slides in storage from my dad’s camera as we grew up. We summered in Maine, visited mom’s relatives, they were farmers. We thought the outhouse was the coolest thing at Grandpa’s. Gotta see about getting those slides…..
Janet
This is amazing! and so are you, thanks for sharing this with all of us. i never read comments, just hang out in google reader, but when I saw this I had to go to your page to tell you how much this means to me. I’m so deeply touched by the beauty and love in your pictures that I’m nearly speechless. blessings to you, your amazing grandfather your parents and aunts and uncles for creating this and inspiring others to honor their culture also.