Dealing with a seasonal water system may be the least enjoyable part of owning a lakeside home or rural getaway, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The frustration and uncertainty endured draining water pipes in the fall and […]
Continue ReadingSTONE HOME FINALE: Watch Video of Last Stone Being Laid
In July 1987, I laid the first stone in what would be the basement of my homestead house on Manitoulin Island, Canada. On July 26, 2018 I laid the last stone in the last of four peaks in this stone […]
Continue ReadingHOUSE & HOME: Two Properties With Two Great Video Stories
When it comes to houses, there are two ways to look at things. You can see a house simply as shelter and a place to keep your stuff, or you can see it as an energizing, beautiful refuge of comfort […]
Continue ReadingSUCCESS & FAILURE: How “Personal RPM” Affects Your Life
When people ask me what I do for a living, the conversation usually goes like this . . . I explain that for 20+ years I’ve supported my wife and five kids family with a combination of digital work and […]
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OUTDOOR WOOD FINISHING: Favourite One-Time Treatment Now With Colour
The big problem with outdoor wood is that it’s more of a pain to keep finished than most people realize. This is especially true if you’re the kind of person who wants to minimize home maintenance but have never lived […]
Continue ReadingVIDEO: Homestead Wildlife – Endangered Turtle Rescue
Watch as Steve and Jake bring a rare Blanding’s turtle back to the lake.
Continue ReadingQ&A of the Week: What Replacement Skylight Do You Recommend?
Q: My current skylight is damaged and needs to be replaced. Can you recommend a reliable brand and installer? A: There are many brands of skylights out there, but I’ve never seen any that match the quality of VELUX. I’ve installed […]
Continue ReadingSOLAR GENERATORS: Build-It-Yourself Plans Beat Ready-Made
Have you ever heard about solar generators? They’re an up-and-coming portable energy technology that lets you make modest amounts of electricity without connection to the utility grid and without burning any fuel or making any noise.
Continue ReadingHOMESTEAD CATTLE PASTURE: Take an Aerial Tour of Our Forest Farm
UPDATED 15Jun2018: When settlers first came to Manitoulin Island, Canada, they had to be careful when they chose and cleared land for farming. Manitoulin has pockets of good soil but it’s surrounded by areas of thin soil over limestone bedrock. […]
Continue ReadingHOME STANDBY GENERATORS: How To Get Uninterrupted Electric Power at Your Home – No Matter What
More and more people are deciding to get proactive about maintaining electrical power supply at their home, cottage and businesses during an outage, and that’s why home standby generators are gaining in popularity. They provide a secondary source of electricity […]
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