Thank you Winton. (Cool name by the way). Happy to hear that our music helped you through the pandemic. You know I don’t know that we’ve played in Minnesota— maaaaybe once about 24 years ago in Minneapolis but honestly I’m not sure. Other than a few recent California tours, it’s been awhile since we’ve toured the US. Sadly we never really established a long relationship with an American agent and we have great relationships with boutique agencies in other parts of the world so that’s where our energy has been focused. A pity really being that we are so close! :) Thank you so much for supporting me on this platform. ❤️
Oh and send me the maple charcuterie board when it’s finished!
I wrote earlier today as a comment from the first Chronicle that I read about a place where you gather yourself and refresh. Well in this one, you talked about how fulfilling it is to build something. Yes, it certainly is!!
I mentioned my cottage in Haliburton in my first writing and it is there that I build buildings, sheds outhouses etc. My first attempt was a bath-house. It was a "test-build". I had not done anything like this before. I enjoyed myself so much doing this project in 1993 that I started planning a second building. I found myself planning a second cottage building with an intent to build whenever I had spare time or when I was driving or couldn't sleep. Given time, opportunity and a short summer building season, it wasn't until seven years later in 2000 that I finally got started with the foundation infrastructure (cement footings and 2x10s for a simple 16x20 structure with a loft) That was summer #1.
I found that I had to deconstruct my Plan in order to buy the the materials to frame and roof the building (I was delightfully learning as I went on). Did I mention that I have a water access place? Yes, I had to transport all of the materials across a three mile lake in May to get started. The season went by so fast that it was unbelievable. I did get the roof on just before the snow fell,
The rest... has been a challenge over 10 years but one of the most enthralling and exciting things I have ever done. And so different from what I had done in my everyday life and experience
So yes, Brenley, I loved every minute of it. It was like a ten year canoe trip where in the retelling, it is even better and more satisfying than the research and trial and error process that i went through to get it done.
Thank you for this opportunity to share this experience with you and this community.
Hey John! That sounds like an incredible journey—what an adventure to take on a build like that, learning as you go and working within the rhythms of the seasons. I can only imagine how satisfying it must be to look around and see what you’ve created, knowing every step it took to get there.
Building my own house is a huge dream of mine, too. I imagine a space with different wings—one for a wood shop, a central kitchen and living room for gathering, an art space, an office for my partner, two bedrooms, and plenty of storage for projects. It feels like a big vision, but right now, I’m trying to learn as much as I can through smaller builds, gaining skills bit by bit.
If you have any tips from your experience—things you wish you had known earlier, or little tricks that made a big difference—I’d love to hear them. And thank you so much for sharing your story here. I really enjoyed reading about your process, the challenges, and the deep satisfaction of seeing it all come together!
Thank you very much for responding to my comment about building various cabins and other out buildings at my cottage in Haliburton, I appreciated your comments.
Yes, it was a challenging adventure and journey as I was learning as i moved along year after seasonal year. Yes, it is VERY satisfying knowing that I actually build the whole thing myself from dream to reality. Actually, the only thing I did not do was the shingling (sounds like a word from a song) at the end of the second year trying to get inside in that particular summer.
I admire your courage at wanting to undertake your home building project. My advice: well I have several bits to share (actually hundreds but perhaps another time). Actually, here are a very few to consider: 1. Get good advice from an experienced builder (kind of a resident advisor), if he or she plays the guitar, all the better; 2. Make friends with your local lumber store (I use Timber-Mart) and the yard manager; ask them lots of questions. 3) Set-up an account and order in large lots; 4. Make many rough drawings and plans (your municipality may require a professional plan and a building permit ( I believe you can build 160 square feet without a building permit). I recommend doing a "trial build" of perhaps 10x12 square feet if you are going to do the work yourself. Mine was a bath house. I learned a lot from that effort. Finally, #5, always think "square" from the beginning. You will save yourself MANY headaches and complication if you ensure that every corner and joint is square.
So, those are my suggestions. If you are really committed to building this yourself, you will get HUGE pleasure doing it, but go slowly. You can always find a great contractor, but be willing to pay a severe ransom for the project you described.
OK, I will shut-up now. If I can be of any help at all, please let me know. It would be a very small price for all of the pleasure you music has given to me.
Thank you so much, John. This is all very very helpful advice. Yes, I must make good friends with the timber Mart nearby. I was told today by a woodworker that I should call this place nest Orillia but I can’t remember the name of it, and ask if they have skids of got off cuts of Douglas fir. Good tip there!
I love this image of riding through the moonless time of the month.
Just a note, that I found Madison Violet during the Pandemic through the East Coast Music Hour (as an American, I went looking for solace in far away places and have come to love the music of the Canadian East Coast. I'm so sorry that your tour doesn't bring you closer to Minnesota where I live. You'll be happy to know that you were my top artist of 2024 on Spotify, although I have also paid for your music.
Keep up the important work of singing and writing. Glad you found others to join with you on the holiday.
As for building, I'm taking some of the wood from a friend's Maple that had to be cut down and will craft a small charcuterie board:)
Thank you Winton. (Cool name by the way). Happy to hear that our music helped you through the pandemic. You know I don’t know that we’ve played in Minnesota— maaaaybe once about 24 years ago in Minneapolis but honestly I’m not sure. Other than a few recent California tours, it’s been awhile since we’ve toured the US. Sadly we never really established a long relationship with an American agent and we have great relationships with boutique agencies in other parts of the world so that’s where our energy has been focused. A pity really being that we are so close! :) Thank you so much for supporting me on this platform. ❤️
Oh and send me the maple charcuterie board when it’s finished!
Hi Brenley,
I wrote earlier today as a comment from the first Chronicle that I read about a place where you gather yourself and refresh. Well in this one, you talked about how fulfilling it is to build something. Yes, it certainly is!!
I mentioned my cottage in Haliburton in my first writing and it is there that I build buildings, sheds outhouses etc. My first attempt was a bath-house. It was a "test-build". I had not done anything like this before. I enjoyed myself so much doing this project in 1993 that I started planning a second building. I found myself planning a second cottage building with an intent to build whenever I had spare time or when I was driving or couldn't sleep. Given time, opportunity and a short summer building season, it wasn't until seven years later in 2000 that I finally got started with the foundation infrastructure (cement footings and 2x10s for a simple 16x20 structure with a loft) That was summer #1.
I found that I had to deconstruct my Plan in order to buy the the materials to frame and roof the building (I was delightfully learning as I went on). Did I mention that I have a water access place? Yes, I had to transport all of the materials across a three mile lake in May to get started. The season went by so fast that it was unbelievable. I did get the roof on just before the snow fell,
The rest... has been a challenge over 10 years but one of the most enthralling and exciting things I have ever done. And so different from what I had done in my everyday life and experience
So yes, Brenley, I loved every minute of it. It was like a ten year canoe trip where in the retelling, it is even better and more satisfying than the research and trial and error process that i went through to get it done.
Thank you for this opportunity to share this experience with you and this community.
John Fitzgerald
Hey John! That sounds like an incredible journey—what an adventure to take on a build like that, learning as you go and working within the rhythms of the seasons. I can only imagine how satisfying it must be to look around and see what you’ve created, knowing every step it took to get there.
Building my own house is a huge dream of mine, too. I imagine a space with different wings—one for a wood shop, a central kitchen and living room for gathering, an art space, an office for my partner, two bedrooms, and plenty of storage for projects. It feels like a big vision, but right now, I’m trying to learn as much as I can through smaller builds, gaining skills bit by bit.
If you have any tips from your experience—things you wish you had known earlier, or little tricks that made a big difference—I’d love to hear them. And thank you so much for sharing your story here. I really enjoyed reading about your process, the challenges, and the deep satisfaction of seeing it all come together!
Hi Brenley.
Thank you very much for responding to my comment about building various cabins and other out buildings at my cottage in Haliburton, I appreciated your comments.
Yes, it was a challenging adventure and journey as I was learning as i moved along year after seasonal year. Yes, it is VERY satisfying knowing that I actually build the whole thing myself from dream to reality. Actually, the only thing I did not do was the shingling (sounds like a word from a song) at the end of the second year trying to get inside in that particular summer.
I admire your courage at wanting to undertake your home building project. My advice: well I have several bits to share (actually hundreds but perhaps another time). Actually, here are a very few to consider: 1. Get good advice from an experienced builder (kind of a resident advisor), if he or she plays the guitar, all the better; 2. Make friends with your local lumber store (I use Timber-Mart) and the yard manager; ask them lots of questions. 3) Set-up an account and order in large lots; 4. Make many rough drawings and plans (your municipality may require a professional plan and a building permit ( I believe you can build 160 square feet without a building permit). I recommend doing a "trial build" of perhaps 10x12 square feet if you are going to do the work yourself. Mine was a bath house. I learned a lot from that effort. Finally, #5, always think "square" from the beginning. You will save yourself MANY headaches and complication if you ensure that every corner and joint is square.
So, those are my suggestions. If you are really committed to building this yourself, you will get HUGE pleasure doing it, but go slowly. You can always find a great contractor, but be willing to pay a severe ransom for the project you described.
OK, I will shut-up now. If I can be of any help at all, please let me know. It would be a very small price for all of the pleasure you music has given to me.
Regards, John
Thank you so much, John. This is all very very helpful advice. Yes, I must make good friends with the timber Mart nearby. I was told today by a woodworker that I should call this place nest Orillia but I can’t remember the name of it, and ask if they have skids of got off cuts of Douglas fir. Good tip there!
I love this image of riding through the moonless time of the month.
Just a note, that I found Madison Violet during the Pandemic through the East Coast Music Hour (as an American, I went looking for solace in far away places and have come to love the music of the Canadian East Coast. I'm so sorry that your tour doesn't bring you closer to Minnesota where I live. You'll be happy to know that you were my top artist of 2024 on Spotify, although I have also paid for your music.
Keep up the important work of singing and writing. Glad you found others to join with you on the holiday.
As for building, I'm taking some of the wood from a friend's Maple that had to be cut down and will craft a small charcuterie board:)