It only seems like yesterday when my best friend, Dave Power, drowned crossing Fox Island River. A river he had crossed hundreds of times tragically claimed his life at the tender age of forty. For some years before that fatal day, my good buddy and I had talked about building a lodge to become part of the growing “snowmobile” tourist industry. Looking back at it now, it was a time of complete change in my life. Totally dispirited over the loss of my closest pal, I foundered around for a couple of months pondering the fragility of life, wondering what the next forty years would bring to me and my family. The Great Spirit has been kind to my wife Linda, and I. With three businesses under my belt and life marching on, I knew I had to get refocused. On reflection it was as if Dave was urging me to do something big and grand. As quick as that it came to me, Dave and I were still going to have our lodge and a magnificent one it would be. As if inspired from a greater power, I put pencil to paper little realizing at the time the tremendous adventure I was embarking on. Ever since a little boy, at my father’s side, I learned the art of creating things of beauty and precision. I decided that I would build everything from scratch, from the massive beams that now support Stump Lodge to the tiniest moldings, from the windows to the doors, ceilings to the hardwood floors our chalet is genuine Newfoundlandia. Initially cut from the living stump, the logs were sawed, stacked, kiln dried, planed and routed by yours truly. Everything you see when you come for you visit has been handcrafted by me. The massive logs, convex outside, flat inside, hardwood floors, window boxes, cabinets, tables, stairs, rails, bunk beds, the whole shebang carefully handcrafted to the minutest detail. Totally absorbed, it was as if Dave’s beneficent smile was and is with me all the way. Initially what started of as a 3 year project, slipped into the 4th, 5th and now part way through the 6th I can finally stand back and confidently invite you to a one of a kind, totally hand crafted, 6000 sq ft tourist lodge. My next problem was the name. Linda and I searched the caverns of our minds to no avail. Then one day while cutting even more logs I sat on a stump to take a break. “What am I gonna call her Dave by'?” flowed of the vocal cords of my mind. “What yer sittin on my son” was the immediate return. It made perfect sense. To say I did it all myself would be misleading. In the Newfoundland way of helping your neighbor, friends aided my project. In the end several thousand inhabitants of Mother Nature’s forest make up “STUMP LODGE”. From the hardy white spruce and balsam fir to the more exotic Tamarack and yellow birch the Lodge, as a good friend on seeing it remarked, “is built with the same attention to detail as a set of fine kitchen cabinets.” To give you some idea of the scope of the our project, there’s over 3500 lbs of nails, all driven by hand, over 1,500 lbs of deck screws, air nails and staples and 133 bundles of shingles combine to give you luxurious country living at its very finest. When you come for your stay you will have your choice of 9 bedrooms, 2 bunk rooms, a conference room, recreation room, pool table / board games, living room, dining room, balcony overlooking the living room, two large decks, right down to the dining room table, all from the bounty of our Newfoundland forest, right off the stump! You will never be short taken at STUMP LODGE with our 9 full bathrooms. The view of George’s Lake from our 1,200 sq ft of patio space, almost half of it enclosed, is a sight to behold. The lake with its 42 miles of shoreline is the headwaters for the renowned Harry’s River, famous world wide for the aggressive Atlantic Salmon. Also, Stump Lodge boasts a 2000 sq ft, second level fully equipped heated garage. Built again with loving care and attention to detail. With over 1,200 logs on the exterior and 85,000 ft of lumber to fill her in, 25,000 man hours of labour (attention to detail) and more hammered thumbs than I care to remember, Linda and I extend our invitation. Oh Yes, let’s not forget my good friend Dave, who’s dream in the beginning has now come to fruition, it's time for the most important person in the world, You! to come and share the dream of the magnificent STUMP LODGE.