Imagine wandering through a dense, misty forest when you spot a cozy little home carved into the base of a towering tree stump. It sounds like something straight out of a fairytale, but in the rugged 1800s, it was everyday reality for some of America’s earliest settlers on the West Coast. Back then, before the lumber industry toppled millions of ancient giants, the forests were filled with trees so massive their trunks could measure 20 feet across or more. Once felled (a task so intense it could take a month), these colossal stumps were too big, stubborn, and abundant to remove easily. Rather than blowing them up (though some tried with dynamite), the pioneers did what pioneers do best: They got scrappy. They turned the stumps into homes, post offices, barns, and even dance floors! Frontier Ingenuity at Its Finest HOW 1800s PIONEERS TURNED TREE STUMPS INTO COZY HOMES
MARGIE’S KITCHEN Classic Tuna Salad
by Darlene Parman
My Texan momma, Margie Trammell, shared her love by creating hearty feasts for family and friends. I share her recipes here with the hope that you, too, can fill your home with love and joy! This classic tuna salad is perfect for on-the-go meals (accompanied with a little lettuce or as a sandwich) or can be dressed up for a nice supper with a couple of sides (like Margie’s deviled eggs, baked beans, or sliced tomatoes) and pieces of crisp iceberg lettuce! Enjoy!
One of the most legendary stump homes was the Lennstrom Stump House in Edgecomb, Washington. Crafted from a cedar stump 22
Ingredients
feet wide, it sheltered three adults and three children, proving that creativity could turn leftover lumber into a home. Though the original Lennstrom house met its end in 1946, you can still marvel at an 18-foot stump house today at the Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum nearby. But stump houses weren’t just for surviving; they were for celebrating, too. In Calaveras, California, settlers turned a massive hollowed-out tree into a grand dance hall and hotel. Guests waltzed under twinkling candlelight and cedar boughs strung high above the forest floor. As one 1850s newspaper gushed, it was “romantic and beautiful beyond description” (although the ladies did wish the stump-turned-dance floor had a little more bounce)! In a time when luxury was a warm fire and a sturdy roof (or stump) over your head, these quirky homes captured the best of pioneer spirit: grit, resourcefulness, and a little bit of magic. Next time you pass an ancient stump on a hike, imagine what stories it might hold. In the right hands and with a bit of imagination, it might have been the coziest home on the frontier! The Lennstrom House ca. 1901
• 1 cup mayonnaise • 1 tbsp mustard • 1 tsp celery seed • 1–2 packages stevia or similar product, or 1–2 tbsp sugar, or to taste • 2 small cans or one large can of albacore
tuna packed in water, drained well • 4–5 stalks of celery, finely chopped • 4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, cooled, and chopped • 2–3 heaping tbsp sweet pickle relish
Directions 1. In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, celery seed, and sweetener of choice. 2. Add tuna, celery, hard-boiled egg, and pickle relish. Mix well and enjoy! If you want us to share a recipe in Margie’s Kitchen, please email it to Info@ParmanLaw.com. We’ll feature it in our newsletter or on our website!
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