My parents have spent the better part of the past decade building, by themselves, a new home – which I affectionally call Wilson Cabin due to its rustic nature and locale – and they were able to move in a few weeks ago.
It’s been a labor of love, and it’s a labor that required, well, a lot of labor. Often, it was just the two of them working on it, and that process included a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
My dad retired from the Brookhaven Police Department in 2008, and the preliminary process for a new home for the Wilsons started then. A master carpenter who can fix most anything, Dad used some of his retirement money to purchase a sawmill. He went to work transforming trees from our property to components for the new place, and he started construction with a plan sketched out on some simple notebook paper but fully developed in his mind. I have to admit, I didn’t know if it’d ever really happen. I think my mom shared that sentiment.
I’ve watched as a small corner of their yard became a new home, first with a simple wooden frame and then, over time, walls, floors and doors. My dad’s vision started to become clear to me, and his workaholic nature propelled a plan into reality. I was amazed at each step, but I can’t get over how beautiful the final product is.
Wilson Cabin isn’t a mansion, but it’s plenty of space for the two of them, and it’s something they can enjoy as they enter their retirement years.
Its beauty is something to behold, but what’s really astounding is the attention to detail. From the beautiful hardwood floors to the simple tin covering the kitchen cabinet doors, their new home has been lovingly crafted. It took a while to complete, but Rome wasn’t built overnight, either.
I’m incredibly happy for them, and I know you, dear reader, will enjoy the pictures from Wilson Cabin that are above. I
hope my parents have many, many happy years in their new home, and I look forward to the memories that will be made there over time.
I’m even more happy, however, that my dad is now free to turn his attention and his craftsmanship to my new pet project, which is a renovation of my 105-year-old house near Bay Street Presbyterian Church in downtown Hattiesburg.
The Home and Garden Issue has given me a lot of ideas for the renovation, and I hope it gives you inspiration, too.
I’ll keep you updated on my project, and I’ll see you in April with our spring fashion issue.
Joshua Wilson is editor of The Pine Belt News and Signature Magazine.
