After several years of camping in the woods, my family decided to build this small cabin deep in the Catskill woods. It was constructed without the use of power tools, and with all materials carried in on our backs. The strength of its construction was proven when a full sized tree fell on it, the effect of which was only the breaking of 2 shingles. Although I was only 5 at the time, working on the house and staying in it subsequently proved to be a pivotal experience in my life.

In 2000, a dramatic storm swept through the Northeast, leaving many felled trees in its wake. One of these was a large cherry tree that sliced through the roof of our rudimentary shed/workshop, splitting the structure in two. We decided to build a replacement shed, a structure that at its conception was quite simple, but gradually took on the added roles of woodshop, music studio, sewing room and attic storage. Over the next three years, my family devoted countless weekends and vacations to this project.