Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Put Yourself In This Picture...!


Just a simple question for you today...

Could you be forced to live in a cabin like this? I mean, it's fairly cozy inside, being 14 by 16. It also has a sleeping loft which increases the downstairs walk around room quite a lot!



Just imagine this room with a wood burning stove, a nice rug, and an old dog asleep by your feet on a cold winter's day...



About the only thing I might change is to increase the size of the porch a little! Right now, it's only 6 feet and it needs to be at least double that! That would give you a lot of room for a big rocking chair or two, ya know?

I mean, take a look at the front yard...! Plenty of trees for a hammock, a horse shoe pit, bar-b-que grill, a fire pit...just about anything you could imagine! Another good feature is that it has a genuine, down home Texas style "Thunder Box" not far from the back of the cabin! You can just make it out to the right rear in the picture!



All the comforts of home, with the exception of not having any water or electricity. The good news is that it doesn't have any real close 2 legged neighbors, only the 4 legged kind! Plenty of peace and quiet as it sits in the middle of 40 acres in the Ozarks!

One more little bit of good news for ya! It's only 10 miles to the closest little town, just in case you needed to make a beer run or handle some other emergency!

I don't know about you, but I think I could manage to enjoy myself out here just fine, thank you very much! I'll bet that most of you would too!

Now, my friend, let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside for a bit, OK? OK!

23 comments:

Wyn Boniface said...

I could but it needs AC. I do not tolerate heat very well . . .

Anonymous said...

Morning Jim;

I can picture myself on that front porch, coffee & cig in hand watching the sun come up.

PERFECT

Water would be required, but could go without electricity.

When can I move in?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jim,
No elect, no internet and no coffee with the Hermit. Are you sure????

I'd have a hard time without water / indoor plumbing and some type of fuel, but one day it may not be my choice. Other than that, this looks lovely. Dream home for sure.

Baby Sis said...

I'll agree with the rest of the followers - need some water, and flushing, even if it's in the "little room". need lots of light for my reading, but I guess I could go to bed with the sun - I get up well before the sun anyway! Looks good - maybe we canb be far-apart neighbors, huh?

JoJo said...

Good morning Special One, I love it,with solor panels you can have light, with a little planing you can have water. Insulate the walls and roof and you have it all. So cozy. Are you planning on a differant place?

Stephanie in AR said...

I passed one of these set-ups (with water & electric though) every time I went to town for years. The owners spent the first few years setting up fences, building a small storage shed and other outside projects. Got a nice set-up now. The current project seems to be building a slightly bigger home - bigger by comparison to their small cabin but not by mainstream. Oh, they did add on to the porch right away & screen - their location is in the rice fields and the mosquitoes require good screening.

In my section of the Ozarks the evenings are very comfortable without air conditioning. Humidity isn't bad - we have some esp. after rain but daughter in Missouri sticks doesn't have any.

Are you considering a second location?

HermitJim said...

Hey Wyn...
Solar panels would offer up enough power to run a couple of fans. If neede3d, a small window unit could be rum off a generator part of the day...

Not as hot there as it is here!

Thanks for coming by!


Hey Tony...
You could always drill a well...or haul in enough water for the basics. Rain water collection would add quite a bit more...

That porch does look inviting, doesn't it?


Hey Kris...
Solar would take care of the electric...with a wind generator and gas generator as back up. Internet could be by Bluesky or some other satelitte service...or even a broadband card.

One thing you can always count on is that there will always be enough water available for coffee!

Fuel? It's in the middle of 40 acres of woods, so that won't be a problem, I think!

Hey, thanks for coming by!


Hey Sis...
A well could be had for about $3000 and rainwater collection in Missouri adds up fast!

Solar panels would give you lots of power to read by, as well as the oil lamps when everything else fails! I could even put one in the "thunder box" just for you!

Just a thought!


Hey JoJo...
I just ran across this place and a couple more with cabins that are for lease...and I thought they would be a good second location should the need arise, ya know? Sort of a back up!

Plenty of room for two just in case you want to come for a visit...!


Hey Stephanie...
I think any place would seem better after living in Houston for so many years! Especially lately with the heat index running at 107 or 108 almost daily!

You know, I could winter in the desert and do summer in the Ozarks! Works for me! But then I'm easy to please, ya know?

This one is about 12 miles from Cabool!

Thanks for the visit this morning!

Mayberry said...

"Forced"?!!! Wild horses couldn't keep me away! That's a beautiful place! As to water, put in a cistern. Get a tank to put in the back of your truck, and fill it when you go to town. Check out the book "Travel Trailer Homesteading Under $5,000" by Brian Kelling. It's full of great tips and info for off grid living. Of course, a well would be a definite "must have" item come SHTF, unless there's a lake or river nearby...

HermitJim said...

Hey Mayberry...
Just imagine, with 40 acres a family or two could chip in together and lease this place, and everyone would have room for their trailer!

This particular spot runs $195 a month for a one year renewable lease! Makes it cheap enough to consider for an alternative hideaway, huh?

Thanks for the visit!

JoJo said...

This place is soooooo pretty. green stuff, if I remember correctly those are trees. And at that price you almost can't say no. Beats this desert heat. We seem to be in the same heat and humidty pattern right now.

Kyddryn said...

Good afternoon, Mister Hermit, sir.

When I lived on the Vineyard in the summer with my Dad, I lived in a space about half that size...about six by eight feet, just enough room for a twin-sized mattress on a platform (it folded up when not in use), a small piece of plywood on a brace for a desk (it also folded up), and the exposed frame of the structure was useful for placing candles on for light. I loved it.

I agree...more porch! I like a minimum of twelve feet - enough for some chairs, maybe a table or swing.

Add in solar panels and an air-card for Internet access, a little fridge for chilling water (or beer, if that's your bent), and a small stove for heating/cooking when the weather is foul, and it's a nifty hideaway...good find!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
Certainly would beat the heat! The average highest temp in this area is seldom over 85...and lately that's a cold front here !

You're right about us being close to the same humidity and heat right now...


Hey K...
I so want to be there! I'm having to really fight myself to keep from going right now!

All it needs is a creek running through it to be ideal!

Hey, thanks for the visit, K...!

Anonymous said...

I'd hate to give up the floor space, but I'd almost have to put in some insulation. Insulate it well and you'd need a lot less wood for that stove you mentioned.

Lots of ways to generate electricity, solar seems unlikely given the tree cover, but it depends on which way is South, right?

The water thing would have to be dealt with, but there are options, many of which have already been discussed in comments.

I'd be happy there, I'd just have to figure out where to put my (soon to be) 4 kids and my wife...

HermitJim said...

Hey Ranger...
Some problems would have to be worked out over time, but so they do no matter where you go!

As a retreat, I think it would be ideal! Even with the wife and kids...

Hey, I appreciate the visit, Ranger!

Stephanie in AR said...

Hermit that is the town where all my Missouri relatives go when they need a *real* Dr. Oldest dd the one in the sticks is pretty close too. Less than an hour to West Plains (well the younger relatives say) so you would be able to shop Aldi's and several other reasonable stores for stocking up. You will loooove it, including the cool evenings on the porch listening to the whip-poor-wills. And you saw the creek pictures...

Stephanie in AR said...

Oh and Dad said that all the families had cisterns for drinking water if they didn't have a spring. Filter was a 4 X 4 box with layers of corse rocks up to the top layer of sand. Every few years poorer families just took out most of the sand and replaced it while richer families took some gravel too. He now lives in IL and just got a rain barrel for his shop. Had a good discussion about filtering water & use as the step-mom likes concrete under her feet & didn't think the water could possibly be fit to drink. lol Good discussion with Dad. (He grew up in that area as did Mom.)

It can get hotter than 85 but it usually tops out 95ish. The off summers the past few years makes that a usual. Winter isn't bad but since you are way southern it might be for you. Keep thinking about it.

Anonymous said...

looks like heaven to me..

HermitJim said...

Hey Stephanie...
We could learn so much about so many different things if we would only listen! Sometimes older is better...

Water storage, gardening, food storage and preserving...such a wealth of information to be had!

Thanks so much for all the information about the area! Always handy to have some first hand information!

Thanks also for the visit!


Hey FM...
I know exactly what you mean, my friend!

Thanks for coming by today...

TEAM HALL said...

Morning Jim! Sign me up...that little place is cute as a button! Oh and btw, I've never heard it called a "thunder box" before. We all had a big laugh over that one!
Have a fabulous day!
Cath

Maitreya said...

Looks perfect to me! Bigger porch and screened....when can you move in?

I don't think I want to live in a house more than 200 square feet. Less to clean!

HermitJim said...

Hey Cath...
Glad you got a kick out of the "little house" nick name!

The cabin is one that I've been researching. I like it but haven't made my mind up yet!

Thanks for coming by!


Hey Maitrea...
Believe me, when I find a place I want to get for sure, I'll be there in a heartbeat!

The improvements you mention will be first on the list of where ever I decide is home!

Thanks for the visit, girl!

riverwalker said...

Nice looking place. Looks like a castle compared to my tarp and hammock. LOL

RW

Anonymous said...

Screen that porch, insulate those walls and install some type of A/C and I'd definitely be able to live there, I don't need a lot of room to be happy. Be easier to take care of.

Well, except for maybe woodpeckers, they do a real job on plywood deer blinds, and I imagine the same would be done on this one. On second thought, lets make those walls masonry and get er done!

I used to stay at a cabin without a toilet, and having to 'go' at 3am in the drizzle / rain ain't much fun. A 5 gallon bucket with liner is a godsend in such circumstances.