?The Woods? I awoke the the smell of smoke filling the room and a orange glow appeared in front of me. The heat was increasing in my small log home as the logs provided the flames with fuel. I realized something had to be done. I rose from the bed and placed my flannel cap and leather boots on. I ran to the main door and outside where I was met with a chilly burst of winter air. Running to the well I noticed the line bringing the bucket up was frozen solid. I was furious. I contemplated my next move but nothing was coming to me. The numbing of the cold winter air was now traveling throughout my body. I stood in awe and watched my house of beauty slowly burn away. There was nothing I could do.
I first built this house back in 1963 when me and my family of 3 separated.
English: Baby pine trees under snow in Boreal, Cal...
Pine needles abstract
Pine Valley UniversityMy wife got custody of my only child Jacob. At the time Jacob was 3, just barely the age to remember anything. His mother, Mary took him from me when I was 43 all for the reason that she thought I was sleeping with other women. I was alone.
I ran to Joe?s barn, a good friend who was now dead. I enjoyed my time alone and eventually came to the idea to build my own house using my own gifts from god. I was now a single man with nothing. I had all the time in the world. I sat day after day month after month trying to devise a sketch of what I wanted my small house to look like. I would build it in a place where no one could find me. Finally after 4 months I had found it. My plans for the house were as follows. I would build it out of the huge pine trees that encircled this 70 acre woodlot. I knew winter was coming so I had to begin getting the main shelter area built. But first I needed to cut the trees. I began on Sept 6, 1963.
I rummaged around Joes small garage to search for the tools I would need. I found most of what I would need, An old rusty hand saw, hammer, nails, and huge roles of rope. I also found some old barbed wire which he used to place out to fence in his cattle. I grabbed it and began my journey back to the woods to where I knew the biggest trees were located. My first tree was a huge white pine with a trunk that was a big round as I was. This would provide for a perfect base, I thought. I began the tedious task with the small hand saw. I could feel the aches of my shoulder mussels. I still continued without any feeling of pain. It took me about 2 hours to cut through the pine but I knew it was worth my time. I figured on about 4 trees per day. The first day I got exactly that. Four large pines. Now I had to get them into a square formation to form my base. I ended up cutting about 4 feet of the 70 foot pines. Each were placed perfectly in their spot. Night was now falling on my first day out and I was exhausted. I laid down with my head on a log and slowly dazed off into a deep sleep.
The next day was hot with temperatures in the 90?s. I awoke and walked down to find a creek that I knew was fed by a natural spring. The smell of the pine sap that coated my clothes followed me through the woods. I found the creek and sure enough it was fed bye a natural spring. I filled my canteen which I carried in from the few things I was left with. I took off my clothes and plunged into the chilly water. I washed myself and quickly jumped out to dry off. My stomach was telling me that I was hungry. But what was I to eat? I searched around and eventually making circles trying to find something. Soon I spotted a small patch of morel mushrooms. I ran over and picked them and carefully placed them in my pockets. I knew that these were all I had for a few days until I could make my own weapons to kill. I walked back to my building grounds and sat down on a cool log. I pulled the mushrooms from my pocket and began to examine their rough texture. By now I was so hungry that I didn?t care what they had on them. All I cared about was eating them. I took the first bite out of one that had a ring of dirt around the bottom. It didn?t seem to bother me since my hunger overtook my body. I ate one bye one. Eventually I found myself dozing off and taking a nap.
I awoke around mid afternoon that day after taking a revitalizing nap. I examined all my work that I had done thus far and realized how much more I needed. I began gathering long Indian grasses that I could use as a roof. I wove them together in tight patterns along with long braches. I set it aside and began to work more on the main structure. My base was set with four large pines and all that I need now were smaller logs to make up the sides of the walls. I ventured out again into the woods to search for what I needed. I picked up logs along the way and eventually had my arms full of wood. I dragged them back and began to assemble them with rope and nails. Soon I had accomplished two of the four walls I had needed. I could feel the pain coming to my back as if their were a log pushing on it. My hands were dry and callused from the hard work. I could feel the callused areas begin to break open and ooze. I knew I had to find a bandage for my hands so I could continue my work. I found a couple of large green oak tree leaves that I could wrap around my hands to provide protection. I used a small amount of the water from my canteen to try and subdue the stinging pain. My fingers began to curl up with arthritis. I knew I had to keep going. I pushed myself day after day from dawn to dusk trying to build something. My small rations of mushrooms were running low. I knew that without food I wasn?t going to be able to finish building. I knew I would need this energy. On nights when I had the energy to walk back to the barn I would do so and search for some type of weapon I could use. In searching I came across a family of mice which to me looked much more appetizing than a soggy mushroom. I placed the mice in my pockets and walked back to the site. I slowly cooked them over small fire I had built out of pine needles and wood shavings. They tasted so good. Their tiny skeletons crunched in my mouth like a potato chip. My stomach was now full and It was time for some rest.
The next day I began digging for my well and eventually I hit water. I placed a stone ring around the hole and tied a rope from a branch with a bucket on the end. I used the water for washing my face and boiling for drinking.
It was now November and I knew it would soon become very cold. I had managed to get four walls standing with mud and pine needles in-between. I placed a large hole in the roof where the smoke from the fire could escape. I was proud of what I had built. My bed consisted of three hay bails with a old horse blanket thrown over the top. The hut kept me warm throughout the cold Wisconsin winter nights. Until one night when I awoke to smoke and flames. A pair of pants had fell off my bed and into the fire which ignited the blaze. I was forced to start over again.
Pine trees on the horizon
English: Pine trees at Newlands Forest. Image of t...
English: Normanshill Wood, Pine Trees. A plantatio...