this past friday (which I'll go ahead and clarify was march 23, just in case i don't get around to writing anything else in the next few days/weeks), I went on a walk to stoddard peak (i'll post pictures tonight or tomorrow). it's a nice walk this time of year except for the ticks -- but I really wish i had gotten a picture of the cabin by the trailhead.

about a quarter mile off of the paved road, up the hill and across a couple of shallow creeks is a little cluster of strange little cabins. the one that fronts the road is a little structure made out of irregularly shaped pieces of wood and stone, with rough-hewn wooden shutters over the unusually large windows. the edges of the front wall are intricately carved with various images of animals, the roof is made out of a collection of brightly colored, oddly shaped shingles, and a maze of waist-high stone walls leads from the road to the front door. on the wall that fronts the road is a slab of granite, inscribed "GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES, BUT GOD HELP YOU IF YOU HELP YOURSELF HERE." (yes, i know that's a totally asinine thing to say, but i can give it a pass because it's at least cleverly asinine)

adding to the carnival fun-house aura is the fact that, on account of sitting on the side of a mountain, the entire structure sits at about a 5 degree angle to the ground. seriously, this could have been the model for a gingerbread house.

like i said, i wish i'd gotten a picture...