Category
Entire Home

“We Are Loggies”

For years, Sam and Gale Easter of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, dreamed of building a log home for their retirement. Though some well-meaning friends tried to discourage them from buying a log home—saying they were too expensive or required too much upkeep—the Easters couldn’t suppress their dream.  Four years after purchasing a waterfront lot on Smith Mountain Lake in 1999, the couple moved into their custom-designed log home in Union Hall, Virginia. “We are loggies,” say Sam and Gale, who also o…

Coming Full Circle

“I quite literally have it in my blood,” says Peter Spanos. “My mother and father bought their first hotel in 1952, before I came along. So I was born and raised in the hospitality business.” The historic hotel his folks had purchased was called the Winnecoette and was perched on a hill above the Weirs Beach area of Lake Winnipesaukee. They renamed it The Shangri-La and branded it as a luxury resort. “It really was something in its time,” recalls Peter. “People came from all over, and many returned year…

Easy Living

Retirement means different things to different people. Some want to spend their time with family and friends, enjoying their free time away from a job. Others have retired from a full-time job but still want to have their hands in a project or two. To some, retirement means having the opportunity to travel the world but returning to a comfortable home base. Still others want to pursue their love for outdoor sports such as golf, skiing, or boating. Many retirees have hobbie…

Saint-Sauveur Beauty

Well known for its proximity to Montreal, its snow-capped ski slopes, and assortment of activities and establishments, Saint-Sauveur is an outdoor paradise that log home owners Normand and Françoise Arsenault can enjoy every day. Situated about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Montreal, Saint-Sauveur is home to Mont Saint-Sauveur, the region’s largest ski area, as well as a group of ski areas that market themselves jointly as “Valley of Saint-Sauveur.” Situated on top of a mountain in Saint-Sauveur is …

A Home for All Seasons

When Jim and Sue Alexander built their log home at Crescent Lake in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, 10 years ago, the couple had a few key objectives in mind. For starters, they wanted a beautiful, waterfront retirement home that would allow them to enjoy 626-acre Crescent Lake and all of its surroundings. They also wanted a home that would serve as the perfect gathering place for their three grown, married daughters and their own families. Finally, the Alexanders wanted to tear down an existing cabin and repla…

Hitting the Target

Nestled between two rivers at the base of the Uwharrie Mountains, the town of Norwood, North Carolina, seems like just another small town along a highway that is dotted with small towns. But this town includes a sanctuary of sorts, a place to find solace and surround oneself with nature’s beauty. Lucky Clays Farm began as a place to relax on the weekends and maybe shoot a few rounds of clay targets, a favorite pastime of the farm’s owner, Judith Carpenter, who won the North Carolina women’s state champi…

A Perfect Cast

With more than 2,600 miles of streams winding their way through Yellowstone National Park, the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River  is but one waterway that creates the perfect conditions for some of the best fly fishing in the world. A fly fishing aficionado would easily jump at the chance to visit such a place, but one man took it a step farther. He created his own little piece of fly-fishing heaven, along the Henry’s Fork, thereby ensuring he can be streamside within minutes.   “…

All About the Details

Timber frame homes represent stunning structure and form. They showcase individuality through their details and craftsmanship, inviting everyone who arrives to explore all the nooks and crannies inside. Brian and Cindi Crowe’s home in Huntington County, Pennsylvania, is no different. The details and the craftsmanship are evident upon first glance, encouraging further exploration. “The craftsmanship in this home is amazing and has drawn a lot of people here,” says Brian. “A lot of time and care went into…

A Celebration of the West

When the Jodie Thompson family wanted a weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of their Dallas, Texas-based business operations, they chose the nearby town of Edom and began to consider a spacious log home with plenty of room for entertaining, hosting extended family, and offering the look of a bygone era along with modern conveniences. With more than 2,000 acres in picturesque East Texas, the Thompsons fulfilled their vision of a 6,450-square-foot main dwelling that captures the look and feel of th…

A Welcome Change of Pace

Consider the roots of log home construction: Wikipedia cites the first were built in heavily forested northern Europe, during the Bronze Age, about 3500 bc. Reflect on the use of raw logs, wind fallen or otherwise crudely harvested throughout the centuries, for tipis, lean-tos, temporary nomadic shelters. We, ourselves, as kids, may have built these primitive fortifications in our backyard woods (my brothers and I did), or on hiking expeditions in the wildernes…

Mountain Life

Many people dream about a relaxing getaway, and for log home enthusiasts, a home in the mountains may be the ideal choice. Not only do the mountains offer breathtaking views, but often they offer exciting glimpses of wildlife and proximity to outdoor activities such as skiing or hiking.  “A mountain home is a place that’s laid back and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life,” says Sarah Smith, marketing coordinator at Blue Ridge Log Cabins in C…

Give Me a Home

Don and Carrie Mann are in love with life, and it’s a good life indeed. Their menagerie of dogs, ducks, and horses keeps them happily occupied on the home front.  A rewarding veterinary practice, airplane for spontaneous getaways, and log home on 12 acres of bucolic central Ohio countryside don’t leave much to want for. “Then there’s Carrie’s goat,” jokes Don, “which tempers the goodness of it all with a little bit of an evil element.”  It’s about a 10-minute drive from the center of Moun…