(Not) Trespassing: Bob Knob's Ole' Cabin

A cabin, so hidden in the woods, so far forgotten, so worn with time and weather - abandoned by humans but not the animals... this was the old cabin I went searching for that Bob Knob Jr. had told me was now a part of his father's land. This was my second attempt to find it.

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My first attempt (the day before) I got lost, the road forked, had seperate trails leading off to the right and left, I had found myself only deep into a forest with no sign of human ruins.

(This time) With my sister's kid & my mom breathing hard as we trecked up the trails...all I knew to go on was to "follow the dirt road the branches off from the gravel road at the sharp turn, and follow it till you see the cabin". I also knew this cabin had "no bathroom" and was "very old" and contained some "old dishes" that had been mostly taken out already by Mr. Bob Knob.

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We found it...

More broken, historical, beautiful and in ruins then I could have expected - the cabin sat hidden among brush, trees and it's own camo causing decay. Leaning to one side, I could see the collapse was well under way for this structure, "saving" it would never be an option for Bob Knob. Only way to save it was to let it be.

A grand chimney, built with stones surely gathered from around the cabin was now falling apart - which didn't take away from it's majectic quality, the hard work, the sweat and muscle it took to build.

I am drawn to the fact that, nobody went to Lowes or Home Depot to put this cabin together - somebody worked their fuckin' ass off to create every bit of wood, carry every stone, put together each door by hand - houses were not just thrown together with the ease of contractors and codes. These homes were crafted with blood, sweat and tears - with pride and respect for nature, because they knew exactly where the resources were coming from.

As frightening as it may look to some modern folks, it was quite common to build cabins on piles of stones like this (pic below) - rocks were stacked in such a way as to make pillars of support for the entire structure and everything it would hold. These foundations can last longer then we think...

Me and Cam took a look inside the doorless doorway. Cam standing back cause I am pretty sure he was creeped out by the rickety spookiness... what time can do.

Upon stepping inside into the main living room, I found the front door - on the ground...

I knew we were at the right place when I saw various dishes laying around - just like Bob Knob Jr. had described.

From the inside, it appeared the chimney was about to explode with a crash - it seemed to be the reason the house was shifting off the foundation - pushing the walls in, busting the side of the house clean open....

For me, I can not help but wonder - who sat in front that fire place during the cold winters, what did they think about, what was their life like, what was their relationship with the forest around them? I almost wish there could be a written diary waiting in a cupboard, a letter, a clue.

THE BEDROOM:::::::

creepy x's a thousand! There was a skanky old mattress on the floor too, but that disturbs me so much I didn't take a picture.

THE KITCHEN::::::::::::

of great interest to me, I loved this kitchen, it was bigger seeming then the bedroom and better then the living room, I could feel that this is where the energy of the house was at...

A grand iron sink! The big kind with full counter top - which probably weighed a bA-ZillIon pounds, but is the gem of the home! I wonder if there was a well, spring water, or who updated this cabin then left it to it's own devices? Someone in the 60's or 70's had lived here, because they covered up the old true wood paneling, with the faux shit of the time...

Adorable cabinets FULL of mouse, rat, critter nests!

AAaaaND...... WTF......

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I did not see it when I was standing there in the dark,

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but....

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WHAT tha' WHAT is down there at the bottom of the cupboard (where i have put a pink arrow pointing)???! ARE THOSE GIANT RATS!???! (click that actual photo for a larger view!)

TIME TO LEAVE ::::::

My sister's kid was so thoroughly freaked out, he didn't want to hang around. It made him have to take a shit. Seriously. So we moved along when I had got enough pictures.

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On our way out I saw this other structure only about 50-100 feet away from the Ole' Cabin.... eventually Bob Knob's Ole' Cabin will meet the same fate.

(OH and guess what? Walking away I again saw Bob Knob Jr. - and he told me if I keep on following that same road WAY past that ole' cabin, I will discover ANOTHER CABIN!)

Xoxoxo

PS - ya'll may have noticed my spelling on this blog has gone downhill fast, and it's cause the spell check function is totally broke! Welcome to 'Reality In Leslie's Louisiana Education 101" !!