The tornado that started a cabin

In 1976 Bill and Marlee Brice of Shoreview bought 18 acres of lakefront property near Siren, Wis., on Big Doctor Lake. Before construction began in 1977, a tornado blew down many of the trees on the property. The decision about the type of lake home was made for them: It would be a log cabin. They sent 65 tree logs from their property and a neighbor's to a local drying facility and purchased 20 more. The Brices built the cabin themselves, mostly by hand.

Buying land within 100 miles of the Twin Cities at the peak of the 1970s energy crisis made sense, since the Brices figured that gas prices would skyrocket. "It took a long time for our prediction to come true," said Bill. "We're not gloating. It's not a good thing."

Best part: Raising the family there. Now it's part of their kids' adult lives. "They appreciate it like we do," Marlee said.

Worst part: They had no idea how hard it was to build a log cabin -- construction took three years. The first summer in the building process, it rained nearly every weekend.

Family tradition: Going every year for Thanksgiving.

Wildlife encounters: Eagles, herons, loons, swans and ospreys at the end of the dock. Crex Meadows Wildlife Area is nearby in Grantsburg. The rivers in the area are good for canoeing.

Fall and winter fun: Family members put on rubber boots and wade into the wild cranberry bog to pick berries for Thanksgiving. In deep snow, they park 500 feet away from the house and haul supplies on a sled.