Hammock-time
Giving thanks for slung fabric
I was recently stocking the new cabin with a couple of hammocks and it had me thinking about the outsized role hammocks play in our life.
Hammocks haven’t just been a fixture on our land—Molly and I installed hammock hooks in our living room, have a hammock in the front yard of the house, and keep one stowed in the truck. My backpacking preference is to sleep in a hammock, and even when using a tent I generally carry a pack hammock for relaxation emergencies.
But, our land is where hammocks have really shown maximum value. What with the lack of flat ground and all.
From Day One hammocks were the obvious solution to a lack of seating and sleeping options. They played well with our many trees, and—importantly—were more a complement than occupation, of what limited flat space we did create. That they imbued a certain chillaxed summer camp vibe was also much appreciated.
Pretty quickly we found that there were two ways to really elevate our hammock experience.
Having flat decking to step onto made things feel much more civilized, especially as a campsite. All the better if there was a bit of blanket to dial up the cozy factor for bare toes.
Permanent hammock hooks meant that we, and others, were not constantly fiddling with strap lengths and continually girdling our trees.
These two indisputable facts from on-high became guiding principles, informing the size and spacing of structures, where in the trees to build a platform, and which trees might remain when thinning a section of forest. Always, the question was “Can we put a hammock here? Two?”
That’s it. That’s the post. Happy Thanksgiving. This year I’m giving thanks for all the hammock memories.
Gift Guide
This time of year everyone with a site or newsletter posts a holiday gift guide. I don’t have one. But I’ve previously written some relevant posts, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Also, I wrote a book about tools. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it over, say, YouTube, but it’s a perfectly functional gift that effectively communicates “I’ve noticed your interests and this is proof of my thoughtfulness.”
Lastly, I’ve always felt like experiences are a better gift than stuff. Research workshops in your area, and feel free to drop me a line if you need some pointers on classes or novel experiences… I’ve explored a lot of them.
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Lovely! Happy Thanksgiving! You got me looking at permanent hammock mounts for the trees on our property.