Earning a Location-Free Living
How can you earn a good living in the country? That’s a question I get from time to time from people who have the desire to build a rural life for themselves, but don’t yet know how the money side…
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How to Choose a Great Wheelbarrow
Wheelbarrows are wonderful tools in lots of ways. Click to see which types of wheelbarrows Steve loves best and why.
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HELPLESSNESS, HUMILITY & THE FAMILY OF OTTERS
I’ve only felt deeply and undeniably helpless a few times in my life, but these experiences taught me valuable lessons. Perhaps my story here will help you, too. The recognition of our utter helplessness at times can bring some much-needed…
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PULLING THEIR WEIGHT: Three Tools That Can Move the Big Stuff
In this article you will learn about: You can always tell how self-reliant you are by looking at your tool kit. The further you move towards various capabilities, the better and more varied your collection of tools will become. The…
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An Outhouse, a Misunderstanding and Some Laughs
I’ve come to realize that the ability to laugh is the most valuable home improvement skill of all, especially when you’re laughing at yourself. I was reminded of this when I left the city in 1986 to create a home and…
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Vintage Cedar Rail Fences Tell the Story of Hope
Each spring since 1987, I’ve maintained a nearly forgotten part of Canadian heritage that’s still a working feature of the rural landscape where I live on Manitoulin Island. Nestled along the shore of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, you’ll find…
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How an Old-Time Builder Created a Hotel Icon And a Brave Clerk Kept It Alive
It goes without saying that being a professional contractor is about making money. Building and renovation is a business. The contractors you hire have families to feed and retirements to hope for, just like the rest of us. But I’ve…
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Dealing With Turbulence on The River of Life
We all face troubles in life, but an idea I call the “River of Life” is immensely worthwhile when trouble gets big. Perhaps you’ll find the concept worthwhile, too. It occurred to me as I lay in bed shortly after…
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Tips & Tricks for Building Great Outdoor Wood Projects
Got some outdoor building projects in mind? Heavy 6×6 and 8×8 timbers of the kind you can get at any building supply yard are a great material to use, and the tricks you’ll learn here will help make those timbers…
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OUTDOOR WOOD FINISH SUCCESS: 34 Years Experience With One Great Product
Back in 1990, I prepared my first outdoor wood finishing sample to see how a particular product actually performed in the sun, rain and weather over the long haul. Since then I’ve tested many other finishes in the same way,…
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DON’T FOLLOW YOUR PASSION: Career Advice for a Young Person Looking for Success
A while back I heard that one of my nephews, William, was having trouble determining what kind of work he’d like to do in his life. After sending the note below to William, I realized that the ideas I shared…
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STEEL PIPE LIGHT FIXTURES: See How We Build Them
In this week’s video episode, see how threaded steel pipes can be used to make excellent light fixtures; learn how specific sizes & types of steel pipe fittings make sense for light fixtures; discover an inexpensive light socket that works well with a specific size of steel fitting . . .
