The Campfire Trail: January 11 - The Campfire Trail

January 11, 2024

Day 832 of the Adventure

www.thecampfiretrail.com

There's a temptation to believe that returning to a more "simple" life is also returning to a more easy life. People who reminisce about the "Good Old Days" are probably more inclined to think this way. Or maybe not, but I think so. Otherwise, why would they refer to them as the "Good Old Days?" To be certain, much of what we remember as "Good" in the old days, truly was good. Much of it was simpler, with simple pleasures we often do not take time for anymore. The attitude of life and living was, I believe, better. At mid 60's years old now, I do have some level of perspective on that now.

With all of that said, what we term as "simple" and "good" does not always translate into "easy". As we have taken a turn towards the cabin in the woods life, we face a continual reminder that while it is mostly more simple, it's not always easy. We knew that would be the case and were expecting it to be that way. After all, if firewood is the main source of heat, for example, firewood collecting is more work. If gardening is to be a main source of produce for the kitchen, gardening is more work than making a weekly trip to the grocery store. We knew that as well. Knowing these things was part of the bargain. The trade-off of the "Simple Life" will almost certainly come with the added work and inconvenience. I suppose we choose our level of difficulty or inconvenience in any sort of life we live.

We are currently in the middle of January and so the winter routine is upon us. That routine includes things like waking early to get the fire stoked up for the morning. Followed closely be the making of the coffee and sometimes, breakfast. Even though we have plenty of firewood, the main part of it is stored in a woodshed a hundred yards or so from the cabin. This is to reduce the possibility of rodents, snakes, or just pesky bugs from taking up residence close to the cabin. Every few days we need to bring a tractor bucket of wood from the stockpile to the cabin for easy access from the back door. Even though there's plenty, we do continue to cut and split more for storage for use into the future. Fall and winter is a better time for that kind of work. The bulk of the day is full of opportunities to work on the cabin, in the workshop, on the video channel, or the driveway to the cabin (which can always use a bit of grooming) Is it simple? I'd say for the most part it is, there's very little demand from outside forces adding stress or complexity to life. Is it easy? Not always but we've discovered it to be oddly fulfilling with the more organic "Hands-On" appeal of it. Working a chainsaw and wood splitter certainly provides an alternative physical workout for me. I despised the daily trips to the gym back in the day when that was part of my routine.

Buy on Amazon

In between the work, the necessities, the weather challenges, there are other moments. Sipping coffee by the warm wood fire in the cabin. Watching the wildlife come and go in the woods out back. Knowing that should the upcoming winter storm knock out the power in the area we'll not even notice it's absence due to our battery back-up system. Along with so many other simple things, that were work, but add to the comfort factor of living in the backwoods. It's a good life reminiscent in some ways of the Good Old Days. Whether simple, easy or both, returning to a more basic lifestyle of self-sufficiency has been a remarkable journey. The biggest challenge in all of it? I think possibly it's making choice in the first place.

Carry On

Adventure Quote: “...there are often many things we feel we should do that, in fact, we don't really have to do. Getting to the point where we can tell the difference is a major milestone in the simplification process.” ― Elaine St. James

Make sure to visit our website regularly to see new products and resources.

www.thecampfiretrail.com

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Woods (Colombia/Costa Rica blend)

Please Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page. AND........

Click any of the following Video links to start your own adventure with us on our YouTube Channel:

Creating a "Roadmap" Back to the Land