Log home enthusiasts more often than not are also interested in the natural environment around their homes, the changing of the seasons and the daily events around which one plans. From the most rustic log cabin in the woods to the modern log home, weather can become an interesting and meaningful framework for your daily life.
New Englanders seem to have an especially close relationship with the weather. Henry David Thoreau wrote passionately about the wind the skies and the temperature in his observations contained in Maine Woods and others. He wrote,” I have never known a genuine Yankee who did not start the day and finish it by glancing first at the thermometer, next at the sky and then making a prediction.”
Today our fates are less tied to the vagaries of the weather forecast, yet its appeal is certainly remarkable when one considers the place the Weather Channel has in our routines. And like real estate, all weather is local.
Adding a weather station to your log home can be as simple or as complex and scientific as you like. One of the simplest and well-proven means of weather prediction was developed by Native Americans who observed the mechanics of certain tree limbs in advance of weather. Thus was born the Weather Stick, typically a 12- to 16-inch piece of fir or birch which when affixed to an exterior sheltered wall will rise and fall with the relative humidity. Once acclimatized, the weather stick provides a whimsically accurate predictor for rain or snow.
Weather vanes were once a necessary part of looking into the near future to plan for storms, though now considered mostly decorative additions to a home. Unique handcrafted weather vanes can add a crowning touch to your log home. Weathervanes can be found with all shapes and sizes, with designs to reflect your interests. Moose, trout, sailing vessels, arrows and other objects can point the wind’s direction in cast iron, copper or other materials. Many weather vanes are aligned along the compass points and thus are useful indicators of wind direction. Weather vanes should be mounted to access all wind directions, preferably the topmost point of a house or garage. Sometimes a small cupola is used to elevate the vane above a roof line and to add visual interest. Downeast Maine is well known for its proximity to the sea and its reliance on weather prediction and is home to a well-known crafter of weather vanes and cupolas, Bar Harbor Weathervanes and Cupolas, where one can find just about any type of weathervane imaginable.
For more scientific study of the local climate, preparing a weather station near your home can provide an interesting diversion. You’ll want to include measurements for wind speed and direction, and barometric pressure. A simple rain gauge and snow yardstick can complete your weather station. Many manufacturers offer analog, digital and wireless instruments to monitor the weather at your home. Maximum, known for its nautical instruments, is one company that offers beautifully crafted instruments that would make a splendid addition to any log home. Individual instruments can be selected or a multiple instrument weather station mounted on a mahogany or oak panel is available. More high tech weather stations are available from online weather instrument retailers such as WeatherConnect.com that offer LED readouts, atomic clocks, weather warning alerts and other features such as UV index readouts. Many of these advanced weather instruments require placement of sensors or instruments on the high part of your home, so 
installing them during construction makes it easy to keep track of the weather outside.
Another interesting part of a weather station is a return to the observation element of weather. Once your weather instruments are installed, you may find that keeping a daily weather observation log will provide future generations with an insight into your quotidian routines.