A quieter way to live — or step away — in North Alabama.
Author: Richard L. Fricks
Richard L. Fricks is a novelist, former attorney and CPA, Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, and creator of The Pencil-Driven Life. He lives in rural North Alabama near Boaz, where much of his fiction and reflection remain rooted. His work explores story, inherited purpose, faith and doubt, family pressure, moral contradiction, consciousness, ordinary life, and the practice of beginning again with a pencil.
Every person who comes to Oak Hollow is looking for something. Sometimes they know what it is. Often, they don’t — not at first.
Life moves fast, decisions stack up, expectations accumulate, and somewhere along the way many of us realize we’ve built a life that works on paper… but feels slightly out of tune with the quiet voice inside.
At Oak Hollow, we invite people to pause, to simplify on purpose, and to discover what becomes visible when noise, convenience, and autopilot are no longer in charge.
The Kayla Series is a year-long narrative following an imagined first tenant of our Threshold Cabin — a woman who chooses to step away from convenience-driven living and into a smaller, slower, more intentional way of inhabiting the world. Though fictional, Kayla’s story is built from real motivations, real doubts, and real longings that many people quietly carry.
This is not a novel, not a self-help manual, and not a sermon. It’s a story for reflection — published weekly — with the hope that somewhere inside Kayla’s questions, you may hear echoes of your own.
What to Expect
A new installment every week for one year
Approximately 1,000 words per episode
Told from Kayla’s perspective as she learns to live differently
No drama for drama’s sake, no sensationalism
Honest emotion, ordinary details, simple moments
Growth that comes slowly, quietly, and truthfully
There are no villains in this story. No one is here to be shamed, rescued, or converted.
Kayla is not chasing a version of success — she is learning how to live a version of herself.
Why It Matters
Because stillness is not passive. Simplicity is not a downgrade. And sometimes, the most important transformations happen a step outside the life that was expected.
You are invited to walk with her.
Welcome to The Kayla Series — Week 1.
If Kayla’s journey speaks to something stirring in you, I hope you’ll walk with her from week to week. You can follow each installment here on Simplify on Purpose — and if you’d like these stories delivered automatically, you’re invited to subscribe and come along for the full year.
Walking across the concrete pad behind the Threshold Cabin early this morning, I realized again why the Hearth matters. It isn’t just a small outbuilding we’re constructing. It’s not “the bathroom,” or “the outhouse,” or even “the composting room.” It is something quieter and more intentional than that.
It’s a place where a person steps out of her cabin and into a slower rhythm of living. A place built on purpose — not convenience, not speed, not habit.
It is, at its core, a daily ritual of simplicity.
Why Build a Hearth at All?
Most modern tiny homes tuck everything under one roof: a kitchenette, a bathroom, electrical wiring, plumbing, hot water, humidity control — all those things that make a building complicated and expensive.
Oak Hollow is about a different way of living.
Threshold Cabin — the first long-term rental in East Hollow — is deliberately simple, and the Hearth is a major part of that simplicity. Instead of squeezing a bathroom into a 12×16 structure, we chose to separate it completely:
A 4×6 structure
Steps away from the cabin’s northeast corner
Fully off-grid
No plumbing
No electricity
No septic system
No noise
Just a composting toilet, a hand-washing station, a shelf, and room to breathe.
We’re building something functional, yes — but also something deeply human.
This Week’s Progress
The Deck and Framing
Yesterday, Jonathan and I built the 4×6 deck floor using 4×4 posts, 2×4 framing, and 5/4 decking boards. That tiny platform already gives the structure a sense of presence, as though it knows what it’s going to become.
What we’ve decided for the Threshold Hearth is this:
The interior will be one unified 4×6 room, not divided into a 4×4 toilet area and a separate 2×4 firewood side as originally planned.
The full interior becomes the tenant’s private space — roomy enough for a composting toilet on the north wall (left side in photo) and a simple vanity shelf on the east wall (right rear in photo).
Firewood storage will be moved outside under an extended roof on the east or south side. This gives the tenant maximum comfort inside the Hearth.
Inside the Hearth: A Different Kind of Bathroom
Composting Toilet
Along the north wall (41 inches inside stud-to-stud), we’re installing a handcrafted composting toilet box built from plywood and 2×4 framing. It holds a standard 5-gallon bucket lined with compostable or heavy-duty bags. Next to it — built into the same box — is a smaller compartment filled with:
Pine shavings
Cedar shavings
Or peat moss
This is used as cover material after each use.
Simple. Clean. Odor-free.
No plumbing, no flushing, no wastewater — just a low-tech solution that reflects how our grandparents lived.
A Return to Hand-Washing Rituals
On the east wall will sit a small vanity shelf. Instead of plumbing, we’re using an old-time basin and pitcher:
Fill the pitcher from The Watering Place (less than 100 feet away)
Pour into the basin
Wash face and hands
Pour greywater into a dedicated bucket beneath the shelf
It’s slower. It’s intentional.
It brings a sense of meaning to a task most people rush through.
And because this is Oak Hollow, we’ve kept the option open:
A simple bottle of hand sanitizer sits on the shelf as well — because sometimes practicality deserves a seat at the table.
Light From Above
One of the quiet joys of the Hearth will be the natural light. We plan to use a clear or lightly frosted polycarbonate roof panel over the vanity area to illuminate the interior during daylight hours.
It transforms the space:
No artificial lights
A soft glow over the basin
A sense of calm and openness
And zero compromise to privacy
This isn’t just a utility building — it’s a small sanctuary.
What This Means for the Tenant
When our first East Hollow tenant walks out of her cabin each morning — maybe a young professional woman working in town, or someone seeking stillness and a break from modern noise — she’ll find:
A clean, private composting toilet
A quiet space to wash up
Daylight filtering through the roof
Fresh air
The smell of pine
A sense of peace that comes from stepping outside, even briefly
The Hearth becomes part of her daily rhythm.
A grounding practice.
A reminder that life can be lived differently — slowly, simply, intentionally.
What’s Next?
Over the coming days, we’ll continue:
Building the walls
Installing the composting toilet box
Adding the vanity shelf and mirror
Framing the extended roof for firewood storage
Installing the clear roofing panel
Finishing the interior
And we’ll document it all here in this ongoing series.
Because building Oak Hollow isn’t just about construction.
It’s about meaning — and creating spaces where people rediscover what it feels like to live without hurry.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
The Threshold Cabin as viewed from the under-construction Watering Place.
It’s been a while since our last update — not because we’ve stopped building, but because we’ve been listening. To the land. To the rhythm of work. To the sound of what Oak Hollow is slowly becoming.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been shaping not just cabins and paths, but identity. The property has naturally divided itself into three unique spaces — what we now call the Hollows.
East Hollow has become our long-term community — quiet lots where people will build or lease their own off-grid cabins and stay for months or years.
West Hollow will host short-term retreats — places to rest, reflect, and reset for a few days before stepping back into the world.
South Hollow, the newest addition, offers something even simpler: primitive camping. Just a fire ring, a tent clearing, and the hush of the forest.
Each Hollow holds its own kind of stillness, and together they form a living map of what we value most — simplicity, self-reliance, and time.
While we haven’t opened yet, there’s quiet progress everywhere: Cabin 1’s finishing touches, plans for The Hub’s interior layout, and trail work leading toward the future campsites in South Hollow. Every decision — from where to place a window to how far a trail should curve — is guided by the same question that started all of this: What if life could be simpler again?
📷 (Include the new South Hollow dawn image here — full-width, centered.)
🧭 Why It Matters
Oak Hollow was never about building faster; it’s about building truer. Each Hollow represents a different way of living slowly — from full-time off-grid homes to weekend retreats to nights under the stars.
We’re shaping more than land; we’re shaping a rhythm of life that feels human again.
📬 Stay Connected
If you’ve been following our story, thank you. Your encouragement means more than you know. To receive each new post as Oak Hollow unfolds, subscribe to Simplify on Purpose — no noise, no ads, just the real story of a place being built one quiet decision at a time.
After flooring is finished, we’ll turn to the handmade door hardware, exterior steps, and all the small but essential details that make a place feel like home.
And once Cabin 1 is complete—inside and out—we’ll shift our full attention to the central hub and Cabin 2. Together, these will set the stage for our soft launch with volunteer guests in early 2026, followed by a full public opening in March 2026.
🧭 Why It Matters
When you book a stay at Oak Hollow, you’re not just reserving a room. You’re stepping into a space built by real hands, with real intention. Every board, every brush stroke, every fixture has a story—and we’re honored to share it with you.
📬 Stay Connected If you’re enjoying the journey as we build Oak Hollow Cabins, subscribe to Simplify on Purpose. Each post will come directly to your inbox—no algorithms, no noise, just the real story.
Today marks a new step in the journey of Oak Hollow Cabins. Until now, everything has lived in sketches, conversations, and the quiet work of clearing land and building Cabin 1. But this morning, Oak Hollow found its digital home. Our website is live.
If you’ve read earlier posts here on Simplify on Purpose, you already know the heart of this project: stepping away from noise, hurry, and clutter to remember what matters. Oak Hollow Cabins is about living at a slower rhythm—one our great-grandparents would have recognized.
This new site is simply the next step. It’s a place where you can follow our progress, see how the cabins come together, and walk alongside us as we prepare for our opening in March 2026.
There is still much to do. But sometimes it’s worth pausing to notice the milestones. And today, this milestone feels worth celebrating.
So here’s the invitation: bookmark the site, visit often, and share it with someone you know who longs for simplicity. We’ll keep building—both cabins and stories. And in time, we hope Oak Hollow will be a place where you can come, sit by the stove, and let the quiet speak for itself.
Our future office
So here’s the invitation: bookmark the site, visit often, and share it with someone you know who longs for simplicity. We’ll keep building—both cabins and stories. And in time, we hope Oak Hollow will be a place where you can come, sit by the stove, and let the quiet speak for itself.
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Why We’re Building Oak Hollow—and Why I’m Sometimes Scared
There are days I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.
We’re building cabins on raw land. We’re pouring savings and sweat into off-grid systems, a hand-built hub, and a philosophy that runs counter to everything culture screams at us. And we’re doing it not because it’s easy—but because something inside won’t let us do anything else.
And if I’m honest? Sometimes I’m afraid.
When I stop and think about the monstrosity of the undertaking—the money, the time, the effort, the pressure to “make it work”—it can spin me out.
Are we crazy for trying this? Will anyone actually want to stay here? Can we really build something from scratch and convince people to come?
I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this:
This project didn’t come from ambition. It came from desperation. Not a desperation for attention, but for escape—from the noise, the pace, the digital flood that never lets up.
Where This All Started
For years, I’ve felt something unraveling—quietly but steadily—in the culture around me. Attention spans are disappearing. People can’t sit still. We scroll past our lives in search of something to scroll into.
And I started noticing it in myself, too.
I craved something slower, something quieter. Something real. Not just a vacation—but a place to think. A place to be. A place to remember what it feels like to live on purpose.
That’s where Oak Hollow was born. Not from a business plan—but from that ache.
Now, we’re building our first cabin. We’re restoring the land. We’re creating a place where guests can unplug, breathe, and come home to themselves—even if just for a weekend.
What We’re Really Offering
This isn’t a resort. It’s not luxury. And it’s not for everyone.
But if you’ve felt the pull I felt—if you’re craving quiet, or clarity, or just a damn break from your notifications—then you’ll understand what we’re trying to do.
We’re offering:
A simple place to rest
A quiet place to think
A reset from the algorithm
A return to the natural rhythm of days and nights, sun and moon
And yes—it’s still small. One cabin. One hub. A work in progress. But every board we place is intentional. Every decision rooted in the same question:
What helps people simplify? What helps them reconnect?
So… Is This Possible?
I think so. Not because we’ve cracked some marketing code. But because we’re building what we need ourselves—and we’re betting that other people need it too.
We’ll keep telling the story. We’ll keep inviting people into it. We’ll keep living this thing out in real time—mess and all.
And somewhere down the line, when a guest steps out onto the cabin porch, coffee in hand, silence in the air, no notifications buzzing—maybe they’ll whisper the same words I once did:
This is what I needed.
Want to Follow Along?
We’ll be sharing the build process, stories from the land, and reflections like this one right here on the blog. If you want to be part of the journey, sign up below.
If you’re already thinking I need this—well, that’s where it starts.
There’s a quiet spot tucked away in the hills of North Alabama—where the pine trees still whisper, the breeze still matters, and the noise of the world fades just enough for something deeper to rise.
We call it Oak Hollow. And this blog—Simplify on Purpose—is our way of inviting you in.
Why We’re Here
Oak Hollow Cabins is more than a getaway. It’s a return.
A return to intention. A return to the natural world. A return to what actually matters.
We’re building these cabins ourselves—one board, one nail, one intentional choice at a time. Right now, we’re just getting started: one off-grid cabin, a central hub, and a whole lot of beautiful land. But the vision is clear:
We’re creating a place where guests can unplug, breathe, and remember who they are beneath the noise.
And you’re invited to watch it unfold.
Why This Blog Exists
We could’ve called this just a “construction update” blog. Or a behind-the-scenes cabin build. Or even a travel prep guide.
But the truth is: this is all those things—and something more.
We named this blog Simplify on Purpose because that’s what Oak Hollow is all about.
Simplicity—not as a lack, but as a luxury. Purpose—not as pressure, but as presence.
Each post will invite you into our story—our mistakes and our milestones, our reflections and revelations. Along the way, you’ll learn about our cabins, our land, and our evolving approach to sustainable, off-grid living. But more than that, we hope you’ll begin to feel something stir.
That quiet nudge: I need this.A weekend here would reset everything.I want to sit on that porch. I want to sleep with the windows open. I want stillness again.
