MOUNTAIN RETREAT

Just when you think you’ve seen darn near every beautiful place on earth, up pops another one. This time, the beautiful spot was at the south end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the area of the Sequoia National Forest, overlooking Kernsville (California), the Kern River, and Lake Isabella.

We spent the weekend at a cabin that my daughter-in-law’s family built with their bare hands, 18 months of sweat equity, and a jackhammer. Nestled into the side of a mountain overlooking Kernville is their weekend retreat, a cabin that gives you the feeling of floating somewhere up near the clouds.

In order to get there, we first did some seat time in the car. Colbie is not a car sleeper. She stayed awake every minute of the eight-hour ride to the cabin and the eight hours back. What a trooper, although Mickey Mouse on the video player helped a lot!!

My traveling companion, Colbie

Arriving at Lake Isabella

View from the Deck of the Cabin

View of the Inside of the Cabin (every board, every beam, every coat of finish has a story)

Walking in the Mountains

View of the Cabin from Above

Colbie and Grandpa Visiting the Kernville Museum

Since Tom and I are not handy-type people, I am always amazed at what other people can dream and build. This cabin was built with incredible skill and an equal amount of thought and love. The dream was to build a retreat where the family could be together, a place where the grandchildren would love to come and hide out in the fort or climb the rock wall, where there would always be something to do and somewhere to explore. And their dream was successful . . . a beautiful retreat at the top of the world.