Chop wood, carry water. Chop wood, carry water. As much as I love living in a little cabin with no electricity and no running water, it can be a real pain in the ass. Chop wood, carry water. Trudging through the forest to the well, pumping out one gallon of water at a time, walking back to the cabin, heating it in a pot, being careful not to waste a drop. So much time and effort is given to providing yourself with basic comforts when living in a cabin. Jacob built this cabin from recycled materials in 2008. At times it is a nuisance to have to chop wood and carry water. However, when the fire is built I truly appreciate the heat, something that is easy to take for granted when living in an apartment. Built in the 1920s as a woodsy escape for vacationing New Yorkers and Bostonians, this cabin did have electricity and a wood stove, but no bathroom. This semi-dilapidated shack, despite being only 100 metres from my mother’s house, gave me a taste for cabin life. In each one I experienced the wonders and frustrations of cabin life. By happenstance, a friend of mine had just purchased a small piece of land in the forest nearby, so I proposed that in exchange for building her a cabin, she allow me the rights to access the property for three years. "When the fire is built I truly appreciate the heat, something that is easy to take for granted when living in an apartment. Just as cabin living can be difficult, cabin building also comes with a great many challenges. And the next time I go back to my comfortable apartment with all its amenities I’ll try to carry more of that with me. I’ll try to keep the cabin mentality of being intentional and appreciative, no matter where I am.