A vision developed during a lifetime, but where's the mission statement?

After years of business consulting in both the public and private sector, you'd think I would know enough to plan our dream by the book.  I do but I didn't.

First came a dreamscape formulation of "the vision".  Childhood brought this destiny of mine first into focus.  My recurring dreams would always give way to a common theme.  There would be layers of dust over clutter in  rooms with floors that could give way with one wrong step, or a roof so sorely in need of repair that I would live a floor down to avoid exposure to the elements.

As I grew older, the dreams became more sophisticated.  At times, I would dream there was no money for the necessary repairs and so I would live in a partially completed but magically mine world of my creation.  I would lovingly layer construction with dreamy hues of paint, wall coverings, and .furnishings.

Adulthood brought familiarity to my dreams.  I would now stumble upon a house in disrepair but instantly see my future in its potential. I would look past the layers of cobwebs and dust to the treasures hidden beneath.  There I would find my destiny - always I would successfully complete my masterpiece.  Sparkling rooms with sunshine flooding onto treasures uncovered.  Rooms filled with activity and motion, people happily milling about in 'my home'.  The dream would always culminate in a bed and breakfast and/or dining fantasy land of satisfaction and achievement.

Clearly, the vision for our business plan was set years ago and refined throughout my lifetime.

Oddly enough, I am just now getting to the detail of a proper 'mission statement' for Raspberry Ridge Bed and Breakfast.  Yes, one would think it should have been completed years ago.

Before the hand clearing of our road, local logger harvesting and delivery of dead fall logs from what became officially known as the 4th of July, 1999 Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho or the "Boundary Waters Blowdown"..  

I didn't develop a mission statement before Jim and I started draw knifing those massive red pine logs.  The walls went up, the roof  completed, the interior floor hung, a room finished and still no mission statement.

So tonight I made my first pass at what may or may not be the final mission statement for Raspberry Ridge Bed and Breakfast.

"Raspberry Ridge Bed and Breakfast is a destination making a difference.

We provide a unique lodging experience by welcoming guests to our handcrafted, eco-friendly log home.

Guests experience a return to simple pleasures in Minnesota's majestic North Shore wilderness while being offered organic and local fare, chemically free and refreshing living quarters, and  the beauty and serenity of a sustainable, north woods retreat."

Never give up... Keep Trying! Keep Trying!

Sleigh riding at Camp Determination

My grandsons Ethan and Edison came to stay with Mamaw for 10 days last winter.  I said to my oldest daughter Dawn when their visit was confirmed, “Great!  Let’s teach the boys determination!!”  We definitely want them to be as stubborn and bull headed as we are.   Oh yes we do.  We definitely do.


You see I was disturbed by their level of follow through when the going gets tough so to speak.  At first, it was an unwillingness to ride a bike if it was physically demanding or there could be a fall of any kind.  Then, it seemed to be snowballing into reports of  ”The boys don’t like to be out in the cold.  They’d rather be snuggled up inside and warm with a cup of hot chocolate.”  and well, you get the idea…


So, hut two three four, to Mamaw's they came.  The boys arrived under the pretense of celebrating a late Christmas due to distance.  When at last we were all together again, little two year old Edison defiantly announced “Santa is fake!   …..  Santa is FAKE!!”  I had already been warned by my daughter Stephany that she felt it important that the boys not become confused about Jesus by believing in Santa.   My grandson “Older than five Ethan” knowingly looked on with approval at his little brothers’ assertion.  Jim and I later tried to present the snowshoes that Santa had left the boys but it was futile.  The bit about Santa being limited to the frigid, winter land of northern Minnesota would have made some inroads with little Edison but not older than five Ethan.   He took two steps back and lifted an eyebrow of disapproval that his grandparents would reach such lows as lie to him and his little brother.  My daughter Dawn and I looked exasperated at each other knowing it just wasn’t worth sliding further onto this thin ice we found ourselves on.


We had our first instruction the next day with the very un-controversial activity called sleigh riding down the icy, snow covered driveway.  We first versed them in wearing layers for comfort.  They learned the importance of  stuffing their gloves inside coat sleeve elastic, the importance of the northern ‘gator’ for their neck protection, and not just stocking hats but knit hats with tabs down to their collarbones to cover tender ears and cheeks.  Next, came “the hill”.    We focused on form and technique, placement of the rope and it’s use, the wisdom of ‘ditching’ if they slide out of control toward a tree, etc… etc…


They were frustrated at times, Ethan kept forgetting the placement of the rope both up and down hill.  Edison lost patience at all the effort it  took to maneuver uphill.  Once, he almost stormed away sure I had betrayed him by accelerating his fall to the ground in front of the sleigh. Ethan cut through the Dutch language barrier I was experiencing with Edison’s excited scorn,  “He thinks you did it on PURPOSE?!.”   That too became a lesson in “Never give up.”  I coaxed Edison back to the peak of that hill and with determination he once again committed to have fun on the sled.


But then, it all came together when we just wouldn’t accept a failure to have sleigh riding fun.   They were naturals.  Why they flew down the hill.  Older than five Ethan proudly announced his desire to go up and then down the hill again and  little Edison belly laughed all the way down sitting face first into the wind in front of his big brother for added weight and speed. We were pleased that they had completed their first day of Camp Determination.  I smiled to myself  knowing it was on to snowshoes tomorrow…

Kids and Dogs in motion

Surviving and Thriving in a Minnesota cold snap

As I'm writing, the temperature is flashing in the bottom right of my computer screen -18 F. The forecasters called for -35 but in these early morning hours, I think we're escaping that fate. This is cold, even for Minnesotans.

Loggers stay home and give their machines over to the frigid temperatures so they can survive to start another day, travelers don't travel to avoid the perilous dangers of extreme cold, parents make sure their children bundle up and wait for the bus inside their own mini Minnesota 'bus shelters', and dogs do their business in a mad dash before the cold penetrates their paws to the point they can't get back inside without help. Yes, it's darn, double darn cold this Minnesota January 2011.

These are the days when ski lift operators at Lutsen Ski Resort up the road will look incredulously at down hill and cross country skiers as they keep coming back for more. My husband Jim, worked at Lutsen Ski Resort making snow for a couple of years when we first arrived in northern Minnesota.

I had time to do quite a bit of sewing back then so I invested in some Polartec® Windbloc® for Jim's shell pants and pullover insulating layer. I also purchased water repellent material for mittens that came up to his elbows. Patterns in tow, I drove home to a very happy husband. The clothes he had been wearing just weren't keeping him warm.

The sewing machine was put to good use that winter. My husband could now comfortably work in night time temperatures of -20 and -30 F while the snow machine pelleted him with freezing water. His gear kept the water out, the warmth in, and my husband the envy of the ski hill. 

He came home with duplicate orders from his fellow snow makers for more gear like what Jim had please. A true testament to the materials and design of the outerwear. I never was a speedy seamstress so I had to pass on the revenue opportunity but every time we get frigid January temperatures, I remember that winter.

Jim couldn't have stayed warm without a well know Minnesota 'secret'.   What is this secret you ask?  Layers.  We have elevated the art of layering clothes to an exact science. It has literally transformed my winter outdoor experiences from misery to awe and wonder at the breathtaking beauty of a Minnesota winter wonderland. 

1. The wicking layer.  Generally a thin, synthetic material that wicks perspiration away from the skin and helps to protect from the dangers of hypothermia.
2. The insulating layer.  There is really only one material for our family - fleece.  The day fleece was invented was the day our wool went to the back of the closet.
3. The shell.  This is the windproof but not totally waterproof layer.  The shell stops most of the wind from penetrating your defenses and yet perspiration and moisture from your body is allowed to escape. In Jim's extreme snowmaking gear, an insulating layer of fleece pants was followed by pants of the Polartec® Windbloc®.
4. Gloves, neck gators, and fleece lined wool cap.  Gotta have mits that go up to your elbows for extreme cold.  Fleece neck gators (tubes) protect your neck and lower face while a fleece lined cap that ties under the chin can be worn under the hood of your shell layer.
5. Footwear.  Mukluks.  Will Steger's wife sent him to the North Pole with mukluks for a very good reason.    They wick away moisture, while keeping wind and cold out.  We can walk in and out from cold to heat in comfort and our feet stay comfortable.  For Jim's extreme snow making gear, he used rubberized, insulated winter boots.

We had so much fun sharing the well known Minnesota 'secret' with our young grandsons last winter.  They went from misery to awe and wonder at the breathtaking beauty of a Minnesota winter wonderland.  Ethan and Edison are now surviving and thriving in a Minnesota cold snap.

Progress and What a Happy Event!

We are currently in the middle of nesting in our 95% complete bedroom on the first floor.  There is very little to say about such a spectacular event really.  The fact that we're sleeping in a roomy, organized living space free of construction materials, the grinding and sanding dust,  and war zone like feel of living in a bombed out shelter.  Well.. you get the idea.

 All that is but a memory now as I collect my storage organizers and get ready to bring my wardrobe back from storage.  I've been living with a couple of outfits that I can go into public with.  The few clothes I've kept have been dedicated work clothes.


Jim is being a good sport about the nesting.  He came home tonight from work at Tettegouche State Park and found his junk drawer was no more, his night stand organized and socks, shirts and shorts folded neatly in his drawers.  It drives him crazy...


I am getting geared up for my next big push to finish grinding and sanding our future kitchen.  Jim is finishing up the chinking, trim work and electrical in the bedroom closet in between wood runs to stoke the home fires.  This La Niña winter in northern Minnesota has been more 'dramatic' than most we hardy types are used to.

I'll save the war stories of science experiments conducted on the logs for another post.  Let's just say, it was a learning experience and working with dead fall logs where no living tree was harmed is different than using newly felled trees used by most log home builders.  


It was a long, drawn out process but now I know the secrets to replicate the good results I finally achieved with the logs.  New green products ended up being the gold standard that WORKED when the  toxic or questionable chemicals I tried were useless.  But more about all that later...


Life is grand this week!  I'm getting ready for a long winter's nap in our warm, clean, newly finished bedroom.  Sweet dreams from Raspberry Ridge Bed and Breakfast.  Lights out.

The Bed and Breakfast of My Dreams

Dreams can come true.  I have had a recurring dream since I was a small girl growing up in northwestern Missouri.  In the dream I always see a home that I know has all kinds of potential but it is in some state of disrepair.  Sometimes I walk in and there is dust and dirt 6 inches thick on clutter everywhere I look.  Other dream versions have me fixing up old, historical homes as I uncover fascinating antiques and history of the people that had lived there before.  Always, I  transform the dirty, dusty, run down home into a sparkling bed and breakfast or restaurant.  You might say this bed and breakfast is truly my destiny and a very spiritual journey for me.  What will it really be like?  This home I am destined to create?

Raspberry Ridge will have a historic feeling.  There will be oiled log walls, handmade cabinetry and rock work using native rocks and pebbles from Lake Superior and our surrounding area.  There will be honed slate tile and warm red pine floors with handmade floorclothes throughout.  Some plaster walls with be painted with homemade milkpaint and stencils honoring our early colonial beginnings as a nation. 

Guests will have four bedrooms and two baths to choose from upstairs.  Three of the bedrooms will have fireplaces and all will have mature balsam, aspen and birch forest just outside their window.  In spring and early summer guests can hear the Beaver River rushing as it cascades in it's descent toward Lake Superior.  There will be handmade quilts on the beds, tea and homemade treats in the afternoon and evenings by the fire outdoors, in the living room or privately as guests retire. 

A Dining Room I Aspire To

Mornings at Raspberry Ridge will start by coming down a wooden staircase into the dining room to a community breakfast of local and seasonal, organic fare.  Guests will be seated at a long, hand made dining table modeled after a 17th century table used by our forefathers and an artisan made wooden chandelier fashioned of the same period will offer a warm glow.  The family style breakfast of hot coffee and tea, fresh and homemade fare will be served up as each guest passes to the next and we make sure there is enough for everyone.   

After breakfast, guests can hike down the path through towering old growth aspen and balsam forest to enjoy the peaceful solitude of the rushing river.  In the winter, guests can enjoy snowshoeing the mile trek down the Beaver River to Glenn Avon Falls.  The Superior Hiking Trail is across the river and Fault Line Ridge with it's blueberries and spectacular views of Lake Superior can be accessed  just two miles away.  Backpacker Magazine voted it as one of the ten best hikes in America and we're proud to live along some of the most beautiful vistas of the trail.

There is so much to do and see along scenic Highway 61 that stretches from Duluth, MN to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.  We've added links of "Local Attractions" on the blog so take a look around.  There is biking, kayaking, canoeing, snowmobiling, down hill and cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, shopping, unique restaurants, waterfalls, Lake Superior, abundant, clear lakes, rivers and the beautful seasons of the Sawtooth Mountains.  You can view some images of the North Shore at http://jndphotography.weebly.com/ .

Raspberry Ridge is the place of my dreams - of our dreams.  Now, there is much work to be done as this dream has always been about the satisfaction of hard work and the fruits that come from our labor.

Interior Log Finishing Underway

It's all about the logs... for us.  The single most important investment for us as do-it-yourself log home builders is the logs.  The logs are why we've invested all the time, money, and labor to build our log dream as compared to stick home construction.  After all, we would have been done years ago if we would have hired a builder and constructed a stick frame home.  So it comes as no surprise that when it was time to finish our logs, we took it very seriously.

Our situation is somewhat unique in the fact we wanted to build green as much as possible so we sought out dead fall trees from a blow down that hit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in 1999.  The trees had been down two years by the time we contracted a local logger to harvest them.  My husband hand peeled the logs, removed areas of dry rot, sprayed the logs with PermaChinks' SHELL-GUARD, and erected the 18" red pine logs.  We used a corn cob blaster on the exterior, sealed the exterior surface and put the roof on the lodge.  Then Jim faced and overcame four major surgeries in three years.  The year is now 2010 and we are just now closing up the home and finishing the interior logs. 


We started working on the interior logs with a plan (we thought) and soon realized the logs had deteriorated significantly with the delay in sealing the interior from the elements.  We have read how to books, talked to log home builders, poured over Internet articles and blogs, talked to other log home owners and compared all the methods of log preservation and restoration.  It has been one of the most challenging parts of our project to date.  We are now executing our "new" plan and achieving the results we are after.


The method we chose to strip the interior logs is hand grinding and sanding.  This method allows us to remove the thick layer of gray and black covering the log and it's tempting to ignore the powdery cambian layer but off it comes as well.  If dry rot is encountered, a chisel and hammer or grinder is used.  We've become very good at shaping cats eyes in the logs when encountering pockets of soft wood.


We experimented with using a 50%/50% mixture of bleach and water applied to the logs to reduce the blue stain on some of the logs.  It also bleaches any mold that remains on the surface of the logs but does not KILL the mold.  It will damage the wood fibers even if you rinse, rinse, rinse so after doing one wall with toxic bleach I see it is not worth the fumes or damage to the wood to completely coat the logs. Bleach is a neurotoxin and studies have shown when a child is exposed to bleach, they lose focus and concentration while trying to study or play.  It is a dangerous chemical that is best eliminated from the home.  So once again, I tried it and found there are better, safer alternatives to household bleach.


We purchased 35% hydrogen peroxide which when diluted to 10% will do a nice job of not only bleaching problem areas but will also kill mold and mildew.  I rinse the logs after bleaching and I'm done.  As a cautionary tale, Jim kicked over the gallon of 35% hydrogen peroxide and got it on his hands during clean up.  His hands immediately turned white and hurt, he flooded them with water and always warns me to be careful when handling full strength.  As a point of reference, the drug store hydrogen peroxide is 3%.  Hydrogen peroxide is used in organic gardening, food and water sanitation, green household cleaning recipes and I'm so much more comfortable using it.  No neurotoxins for our family and our guests thank you!


I searched the web and found a recipe for protecting the wood long term from dry rot at http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/davecarnell/rot.html from Navy specs which inspired confidence in me.  However, it used "Ethylene glycol as a carrier for borates so I kept looking.  I found a recipe at "Bearfort Lodge" website http://www.bearfortlodge.com/ and found that the same recipe was being employed as the Navy spec based recipe with two exceptions: 1)  Used the environmentally responsible propylene glycol instead of the TOXIC ethylene glycol 2) Used water at time of application to thin the recipe for application instead of anti-freeze as the Navy specs called for.


We ended up incorporating both recipes into our version as follows:


Propylene Glycol Solution of Borates:

50% glycol antifreeze (1 gallon)
28% borax (4 pounds)
22% boric acid (3 1/2 pounds)

Mix the ingredients and heat till boiling gently,  continue to boil the water out of the propylene glycol mixture while stirring thoroughly. Use a candy thermometer and remove from heat when the mixture reaches 260°F. This removes most of the water and is stable at 40°F with a borate content of 26%.

Once cool, pour back into the empty propylene glycol containers and refrigerate.  When I'm ready to treat the dry rot areas, I use 25% of this mixture to 75% propylene glycol and apply with a brush or garden hose sprayer.  I wash with soapy water if the borate crystallizes on top of the logs after drying.  We allow the logs to dry before applying epoxy as needed or the final finish sealer.


This recipe uses propylene glycol as the carrier to seek out and displace any water in the logs.  The propylene glycol pulls the borates deep into the wood and then the borates will crystallize creating a long term barrier against insects and fungi.



We had thought about using propylene glycol or RV antifreeze (not to be confused with it highly toxic cousin ethylene glycol antifreeze) to all the logs as an added measure to kill any mold spores that were embedded in the wood.  I wrote to Bearfort Lodge since it's such a wonderful resource and the owner promptly replied to me.  We talked on the phone and he steered me away from using such large quantities of propylene glycol on the logs.  Instead, I chose to use a great tip he shared of using 1 cup Cascade Dishwasher Detergent to 1 gallon water to brighten the logs.  The detergent has oxylic acid which is a bleaching agent for wood.  It will also restore the wood to the proper pH prior to staining or sealing the wood.  The wood should be slightly below neutral (acidic).  Mold does not thrive in acidic environments, so this is further insurance against leaving any spores in the wood.  Perfect!  Thank you Bearfort Lodge for the perfect solution.


We're working against the clock to chink before winter sets in so the next step is to apply our "green" Brazilian rosewood oil product from Penefin called 'Verde'. We chose the clear oil which has been harvested from fallen nuts of the brazilian rosewood tree.  This was important to us that no rain forests were harmed in the making of the product.  It's a renewable and sustainable product.  We will only be applying one layer of the brazilian rosewood oil in order to allow the logs to breath.  Mold and mildew can bloom under oil products so as an extra precaution, we are choosing not to wetsand the logs with the oil which would seal the pores while giving a warm glow to the logs.  Our test logs looked great without the extra work and mess that wetsanding with oil would create.  If we ever run into problems with mold or rot again, propylene glycol can be applied right over the oil and it will penetrate into the logs while not harming or discoloring the finish.  It will not penetrate plastic based sealers however.


We'll be applying the oil in the next couple of days to the bedroom walls and I can't wait to see the finish after all the 'not so fun' prep work.  We'll definitely post some pictures to document our first interior log room finish.

A Fall Day in the Sawtooth Mountains of Northern Minnesota

The magic of fall on Raspberry Ridge is in full splendor. The days have been in the 60's and we've had several nights hovering in the 30's. Our sugar maples are dripping with delicious reds, warm pumpkin and bright yellows of the season. The aspen on the mountain across the Beaver River are gearing up for their annual dusk display of brilliance as the waning autumn sun grants passage to the moon and stars.

A first year black bear cub with an empty stomach visited our garbage can early in the afternoon. It left behind evidence strewn into the woods. I cleaned up the smelly leftovers and went inside to make dinner. As we were eating, I heard a sound and ran out to interrupt our return guest. There it was looking at me looking at it. We sized each other up for a minute and then I greeted it with "Hey bear... Hey bear" as I lifted my arms high to let it know I'm a human and it should stop this misadventure. It hesitated while it tried to pull the bag it had almost freed and then bolted into the woods a short distance from the easy meal.

It's hungry or it wouldn't risk coming this close to humans. An early spring brought abundant berries and nuts but now the bears find little food and it's too early to hibernate. Garbage is not the answer for this little one though. It will only lead to problems for the bear and us so in go the garbage cans for the rest of the season.

We are watching patiently as our first year garden reluctantly yields ripe, organic tomatoes after some encouragement with floating row covers. We had an early spring but then a cold snap brought the garden to a stand still. Now, it seems these portable greenhouses will have to extend our growing season a bit to bring in the bounty. We had a successful first year organic garden and plans for many more to come.

I just harvested the sweet corn this week and put it in the freezer. We've enjoyed lettuce, green beans, new potatoes, peas, zucchini, summer squash, Thai, Serrano, and jalapeno peppers, cilantro, cucumbers, dill, garlic, chamomile, spearmint, and chives. I also planted high bush blueberries, bush cherries and rhubarb for harvesting over the years to come.

You may wonder why I haven't mentioned planting raspberries since our bed and breakfast will be known as Raspberry Ridge. Well, we have the good fortune to have an abundance of wild, red raspberry bushes along with saskatoon, pin cherry, thimble berry and strawberry.

Jim completed the exterior trim around the french doors off the dining room today. I finished the final sanding of the log walls in the first floor bedroom. We couldn't ask for a more perfect fall day at Raspberry Ridge.