Cabin Country: Playhouse inspired by grandfather's cabin

Not typical of the cabins and retreats you've featured to date, here is "The Lakeside Lounge" (so named by my daughter at age 5), which was inspired by my vague memories of a riverside cabin that my grandfather built in Winnipeg many years ago. I built this little playhouse, perched on a hill overlooking Lake Minnetonka, about 23 years ago — though it seems like it was yesterday. The playhouse has seen a lot of use by each of my three kids, all of whom grew up claiming it as their own "cabin" and spending hours of quiet time "playing house" in it. The kids are all out on their own now but, looking out our kitchen window, the sight of that little house brings back a lot of great memories of their growing up in Minnesota's wonderful theater of seasons.

Rob Sotirin, Shorewood