Hi, We’re Randy and Dana 🙂

In 2019, we left the city behind and returned to our small-town Wisconsin roots — a quiet lake in the Northwoods where the pace is slower and the evenings are better.

We both work from home full-time, which means our life revolves around this place: the garden, the lake, the house, and figuring out creative ways to make it all work on a modest budget.

Randy and Dee Kuznar on the pontoon, smiling headshots.
Randy Dana Dee Kuznar


Northwoods Oasis is where we share what that life actually looks like: the deer eating our hostas, the thrift store finds we clean up and resell, keeping a simple home without overthinking it, and building side hustles that’ll carry us into retirement right here at the lake.

On the blog, you’ll find:

  • Northwoods Gardening — deer-resistant plants, perennials, composting, birds, and coexisting with wildlife
  • Simple Homemaking — low-fuss cleaning, organizing, recipes, and making a lake house feel like home without spending a fortune
  • Lake Life — packing lists, boat snacks, gift guides, game nights, and all the good stuff about living on the water
  • Lake Side Hustles — working from home, vintage reselling, small-town business ideas, and planning for a side-hustle retirement

We’re not experts or influencers. We’re just two people figuring it out as we go and writing about what we learn along the way.

We’re so glad you found our little corner of the Northwoods. Stick around and say hello!

Welcome Home

Stay in the loop with your favorite new community!