Here's a guide to asking the right people the right questions...

This weekend I went to the Nashville Home Decorating & Remodeling Show. No, it's not a log home show, but those are geared more for people who are just beginning to consider building a log home anyway. And we're way beyond that... We're at the actual design and building phase now. So we are more interested in the nitty gritty details that separate one roof company or window company from the other at this point.

Okay, so I've gone to this annual event at the Nashville Convention Center for the past 3 or 4 years now. But never have I gotten SO much out of a show like this before!

For starters, I spent 5 hours there ... the first day! And another 3 hours the second day! By myself, too. (Jim's out of town... again.)

Breaking news!...

Following is the 2008 schedule for Log & Timber Frame Expos in the U.S.

We've been to a few different log home shows now, and the consensus is this:

Log home shows are primarily for the homeowner who is just beginning the process of deciding whether or not to build or buy a log home.

That's not a bad thing... it's just to say that if you're farther along in the process (like us), you will find fewer things of interest to you.

Here's what I mean...

This is where we will be February 16th thru 18th...

At the Log & Timber Home Show in Nashville, Tennessee!

It's taking place at the Convention Center on Commerce Street, downtown Nashville .

See who's going to be there, and what you can expect...

Another log home event that we attended was a "log raising" at the sawmill & corporate headquarters for Honest Abe Log Homes in Moss, Tennessee.

This was pretty early in our process of looking for land (...in all the wrong places).

At the time, we weren't exactly sure what to expect at a log raising.

If you're wondering, too... then read on.

On Saturday, October 14, 2006 we participated in the Honest Abe Log Homes Fall Tour of Homes. (It's one of those builder events that I was talking about.)

This is a great opportunity to look inside some of our log homes and have question & answer time with the homeowners. Along the way, we are sure you will get plenty of good ideas for designing your own log home.

How true...

Last weekend, we went to the Log Home and Timber Frame Show in Pigeon Forge, TN.

We weren't sure what to expect, and when we got there, we were surprised that all of the vendors fit into that tiny "convention center". (It's actually more like a showroom than a convention center, but word is they're building a new convention center in Pigeon Forge, and next year's show will likely take place there.)

The good news: It's actually bigger than it appears. Once you get inside, it goes back a long ways. It held 100 or so vendors at this log home show.

The best news: All of the exhibitors were log home related!