Shavehead lake cottage oil 1993 by Abbey

This is our old cottage in Michigan. About 20 miles for south bend Indiana, (Notre dame university) on the lake called Shavehead lake in Cassopolis MI. Its probably torn down now. Originally a undeveloped area close to the "Underground railroad" stop) turned to expensive (30K per yard frontage) for county road, power and abatement improvements in early 2000's forced me to sell with lots of "disfuction" in the county there still. My parents bought it for $500 (3/4 acre) across from the lake, when I was born and my mom and I stayed there every summer since I was born may 17 1951. The whole family came up and stayed on a series of fold out couches and day beds, 12 & up at a time. This is a rare look at it in the winter after I stayed there for the 1st winter, with my then 2 yr old son Alvin after returning home as a single parent from Hollywood hills. I ended up winterizing it, blowing in foam insulation in the walls and plastic covered the windows. The red over the screened in porch all around was old rolls of rubber flooring, floor to ceiling, we put up each winter. It was never meant to be anything but a summer cottage. We used 2 space heaters (1 in the bathroom & living room) and the propane stove at night with only local tv and bottled water. We froze our ass off and it was a wonderful "re-connecting" experience living at the lake again in winter with the elements and the animals in the tall trees. I oil painted some 20 pieces & wrote and recorded many songs while raising my son 24/7 that year. This is a very special piece for me. Cheers Abz