Margo and Russ got married March 4, 1972.  Russ became a teacher in the 1974-5 school year.  With summers off, the two stayed at his parents farm near Cushing, WI and helped on the farm. That was OK, but we wanted a place of our own.  "Can we build a little house in your cow pasture?" we asked Dad and Mom.  "Sure, just pick a spot."  And so we choose a hillside overlooking Orr Lake.  We cut out logs and sawed them into lumber on the Hanson sawmill (video at link).  The summer Margo was pregnant with Scott, we built it.  16x24 on penta treated posts in the ground with a nearby outhouse and a point driven into the spring by the lake for water.  

View from the lake cabin

The lake end of the cabin with the porch.  All from our own lumber, free used windows and doors.  After a few years of off grid living, we payed $1000 to have electricity connected.  The little shack on the lower right is the water pump that had a hose running down the hill and to the spring by the lake where a well point was driven to give us water.   

Hanson Sugarbush 2025.  The first year in 50 that Margo will not be part of making syrup.  She came to love the cabin, syruping and the lake and was more enthused to start each season than Scott and Russ.  

Maple syrup season includes time to visit.  Russ's brother Everett and Margo visit while nearby the sap is boiling.  This is in the first maple syrup building that was large and doubled as a garage.