The family cabin up Lamb’s Canyon in Utah was in use when we drove up for a look around last weekend; I was happy to see that almost everything is still maintained in the traditional way. That is, aside from the modern abominations of electricity (EE-LECK-TRICITAH!). One of my younger cousins had some guests “up” with her so we walked around, took photos, then drove back down. The pictures may not look like much, but that’s because the memories that crowd into the corners (along with the friendly ghosts) are not so easily digitized.
The horseshoes hang on the wall near the door to the sleeping porch, ready for a game out back. Near it, my cousin Bill’s old machete is ready to be used to cut back brush along the trail to the spring, if anybody feels ambitious (which rarely happens). The day’s necessary snacks, books, games, and cards are ready to hand on the big oak table. If it’s a warm day, the sleeping porch is more comfortable, and it has an old rocker for sitting and another table for playing cards. Wrens and chickadees and ground squirrels make harmony, with a background continuo of wind in the pine and aspen trees – all is audible through the big screened windows that line the porch and wrap around on 2 sides.
With the exception of the sofa, all the other jimcracks, doodads, and old-timey crap has been there for at least 50 years, in some cases much longer. I was very pleased to see all the stuff on the mantlepiece was just where I remembered it, and the funky old game-bird mugs are still in use in the kitchen.
When Pop was still alive, we went up to the cabin a few times in the summer – he would tinker around trying to get the old railroad lanterns working (this was pre-lecktricitah, so there was a noisy generator). Mom would fuss around cooking on the coal range, which reminded her of her mother. And I would help out with whatever project we had in mind – wiping logs, cleaning, painting chairs, putting up curtains.
It sounds like a lot of work, but it was fun. This is not a cabin for the faint of heart. This is a cabin for roughing it a little and looking like hell when you finally decide it’s time to go “down.”
One year when I was out of college, Mom was recuperating from her first heart surgery. After a few days, she urged me to get out of the house (I was in Salt Lake on an extended visit) and so I went up to the cabin with my nieces (they were all out of high school by then) for a few days. We spent 3 days hiking, eating, cleaning, playing cards, and sleeping.
It was great. Really great. That was about 20 years ago now – how the hell did that happen?
This image was sent from Flickr as a blog entry, email or cameraphone image.
Via: Flickr
Title: Typical Cabin Fare
By: GinnyRED57
Main room. Some of the furniture has been swapped out, but the important things remain. The table has 14 leaves and can seat about 25 when fully opened. It is one gorgeous hunk of oak.
Originally uploaded: 9 Sep ’05, 3.34am PST