One year later

Our slow, cold spring has continued now into mid-April. Although we are anxious to get building, we know that we can't do much until the snow is gone and the frost comes out of the ground. So in a way we are thankful that we are not being distracted by any sort of mild spring weather, that would usually draw us outside this time of year. Instead, Rob can continue to be inside, working on house plans, scheduling and timetables. We do, from time to time, wander out into the woods and stand in the snow and contemplate and measure and calculate. Sometimes we just stand at the river's edge and try to imagine the views from the windows, or the placement of the screened in porch. It is hard to believe that in a short while we will be physically working on the new house. It seems like it has been just an idea, or a drawing on a screen, for quite a while.

This month marks the one year anniversary of closing the store and business. What a year it has been! When we look back we can't believe all the changes we have gone through. We celebrated with a nice dinner in the cabin and spent a bit of time reminiscing about some of the things we did in the last year. We took some time to think back and remember the day we closed the store for the last time, Rob taking two timber frame courses, preparing the cabin for our arrival, the day we moved up here, building the upper and lower roads, preparing the shed, selling the dome, and packing up all of our belongings. We talked about some of the adventures we've had here, and some of the places we have visited. It is no wonder we enjoyed our beautiful and quiet winter here in the cabin. It has been a very special time for us, and we both feel very fortunate that we were able to experience it.

 

 

I had promised myself that I would not commit to anything for one year, and for the most part, kept true to my promise. In early March we attended a "Feast of the Farms" event, that allowed us to taste a range of local and organic foods, and to meet some of the local producers, farmers, and restaurant owners. We spent a lovely couple of hours, sampling local herbal teas, soups, wood oven fired pizzas, and a variety of lamb, pork and beef dishes, followed by some lovely dessert dishes. It was organized by a local food co-op, and I was lucky enough to be seated next to one of the co-op volunteers who gave us a little bit of information about it. We were told that once a month members log on to the co-op website to choose from a huge variety of items, from a list of over 30 different producers, and then pick up their order at a convenient location nearby one week later. We signed up a few days later, and because it's a co-op, I also agreed to volunteer some time with them. On pick up day, I found myself at 8 o'clock in the morning, in a rented space in a large church, with a delightful group of volunteers, preparing for a busy morning. We spent the next few hours setting up, checking off all of the items that were being dropped off by the producers, sorting the orders, and preparing items for deliveries or pick-ups. The whole operation was very well organized with tables labelled by destination, and coolers available for any refrigerated or frozen items. Many of the volunteers were also the farmers, and their families, and there were lots of children helping out, and having a good time. Here's my first order ! I will be volunteering again this month, and am looking forward to it, as well as receiving my next package of delicious food.

 

 

Unfortunately, our one year anniversary also marks one year of not bringing in any income, and as Rob always likes to say "the party is about to be over". We both really loved our "down time" these past few months, although I feel like we only truly began to relax a little beginning in January. Before then we were still busy with all of the things I mentioned above. And Rob of course, has still been working long hours every day working on house plans, and all the details that are involved. As Rob will have his hands full here for the next year or more, I have started to send out some resumes, and to think about working again. In the meantime, I had the unexpected pleasure of being asked to work a few hours here and there in a wonderful funky shop attached to where I take yoga, so I put in a few hours there this week. It's a lovely way to gently get back into the swing of working, and I am thoroughly enjoying being there.

Heating with wood has been a bit of a challenge this spring. We ran out of good dry firewood, and had to resort to burning a combination of dry scraps and the wet firewood that we had purchased in the fall. When that ran out we started eyeing the furniture! There are two oak trees that recently died, but are still standing outside the cabin, so reluctantly, we took one down. We kept the larger pieces to possibly use as lumber, but used all the branches for firewood. The house looks bare without the oak tree, and the front garden will look quite different this summer. We will miss that lovely oak. 

 

 

While we were busy taking down the oak tree, our beaver neighbours were further along the river, cleaning up a large tree that blew down in the fall and landed in the river. We weren't sure if we could easily get into that area to remove it ourselves, so it looks like the beaver might take care of it for us.

 

 

One night this week we heard some odd noises when we were in the living room, but Rob thought it was just the cats upstairs. I wasn't convinced, so out he went with a flashlight to see if he could see anything. He didn't find anything amiss, but a few days later we discovered the tracks of a beaver next to the cottage, and a telltale gully track through the snow that indicated some tree or branch had been pulled down towards the river. Sure enough, we discovered the beaver had been taking a small tree down that night, and pulled the branches over Jet's plastic kiddie pool and down to the river - and that's the sound we kept hearing! The beaver tracks were really interesting. They look like giant handprints in the snow.

 

 

I have no idea where the flip flop came from, or what the beaver plans on doing with it!

 

Rob released some preliminary house plans to my brother, my brother-in-law and some friends, and is almost ready to hand over the finished plans to the building inspector. What a lot of work that has been! It looks good though, and I am hoping to post a photo of the plans soon. As much as I have loved living in the log cabin for the winter, I must admit I long for just a tiny bit more space, a closet or two, and some of my familiar "stuff" that has been in storage the last several months. With most of our clothes in storage, even finding something decent to wear when I work in the store for a few hours has been a bit of a challenge! We are both looking forward to being in the new house, even though we know we are a long way away from that point.

This week I was very excited to learn that there is a Therapeutic Riding Program just 12 kms. away from us. It is a new riding program, and is looking for volunteers. I have contacted them and hope to be able to attend a training workshop in May. I volunteered at a similar program for 10 years, (although it was many, many years ago) and it was an amazing experience. This may give me an opportunity to donate some time to our new community, meet some new people, and spend some time with some lovely horses. I know that once Rob starts building I will have a lot to do here as well, but I am hoping I can fit in a little bit of volunteer work with this program this summer. Rob has been busy himself as he volunteers time with ACCESO International, and if he can manage to fit some volunteer time in during this building process, then I am sure that I certainly can too.

This afternoon the skies cleared and the sun finally came out. The temperature nudged up a bit, and may have actually hit the 10 degrees C mark! For a few minutes I cranked open one of the windows and let a little bit of that fresh spring air in. When Rob was outside last night the sound of the spring peepers was loud and clear, although when I stepped outside to listen, they immediately fell silent. We saw our first leopard frog yesterday so it appears the frogs are out and about.  I love the sound of the peepers so hope I hear them soon.

 

 

 

The skies these days are filled with geese flying overhead and the busy flapping of duck wings. Two sandhill cranes flew right over our heads and above the trees this week. I have seen the return of a Great Blue Heron, and can hear the Red Wing Blackbirds in the trees across the river. The Grouse are drumming their spring love songs, and the Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers have returned and are busy posturing out in the woods. The river is fully open, and it's flowing fast. The daffodils I planted at the entrance to our laneway have pushed up through the snow, and are just barely visible now above the soil. It has indeed been a long cold spring, but things are beginning to stir.  

 

 

It's time for us to stir as well, venture out of the cabin, re-engage somewhat with the world, and get that house built.

The Changes that Snow brings

We woke up this morning to an unusual brightness in the room, and it took a few moments to recognize what it could be.  The trees outside were covered with thick white snow! The overnight forecast had called for a few flurries, but this was obviously more than that.

Down in the kitchen Jet barked and barked at the window, and I don’t know if it was because of the brightness, or simply the anticipation of getting outside.  He paused at the doorway and I just knew he would have a case of the “zoomies”.  Sure enough he did – several times, but he’s learned to calm himself down a little so it doesn’t get out of hand like it used to !

It feels like I’ve been talking about and planning for the arrival of snow for ages, but in actual fact we were nowhere near ready. I had found my winter boots in a box the day before but had tucked them away so had to dig them out.  Coming back into the cabin with snowy feet I realized we hadn’t quite got our entrance reorganized so we still have to enter through the kitchen, and the carpet that covers the wooden floors will get wet which isn’t good for the wood. 

I also remembered that we always had a stash of windshield wiper anti-freeze, and lock de-icer at the dome, so will have to make sure I pick some up this week as we have none here. We found the snow brush, but it isn’t actually in the truck yet. We have seven – yes seven – snow shovels, but none of them are down here at the cabin where we need at least one.

I have got a stash of soups and canned goods stocked up ready in case we can’t get out, but the fridge is a bit bare and I should make sure it doesn’t get too low for the next few months. I realized today I am out of bread, and getting low on a few other staples. (Not to mention we have run out of red wine!)

I think it’s the first time that I started to think that we are seriously living here now – it is no longer a cottage where we will just make do because we are going to leave and go home in another day or two. This is now for real!

Although it was just a little snowfall, it has stayed all day as the temperature is well below zero.  The roads look icy, and I doubt any plows or sanding trucks have been out on the main road.   We could have ventured out, but we have a line of soft stone in front of the cabin as we are getting some more work done to the road, and most of the rest of the road is full of stone and waiting to be graded. Unfortunately the grader got a flat tire and all work stopped temporarily until it can be repaired later in the day.

Ah yes, the road. It’s been a bit of a learning curve.  We had hoped that Brennan’s bulldozer would get repaired earlier in the fall so we could get the road finished, but it just wasn’t possible. When we called to get some grading done, (by the same person who will plow and sand our road this winter) and to see if he could maybe get the last sections finished, he and Rob agreed to meet up and walk the road to talk about potential problems, and possible fixes. Well, it was no surprise that he felt that some sections were too narrow, especially at the "steep curve" part, so we all agreed to add more stone, and to increase the width where needed. At the same time, the final part that approaches the cabin has never had any stone laid, and it will be a mess come spring when the snow melts, so a layer needs to be added to it as well.  They started the work on Friday, and would have finished up today but due to the flat tire, they will have to now return tomorrow.  By the time the tire was fixed, it was already dusk outside. All this to say that we couldn't drive our truck out today as there were big piles of soft stone blocking our way out!

The photo above shows the steep curved part is now a bit wider and I am feeling a lot better about driving on it. It will be graded again tomorrow, but I tried it out with the truck on Friday and was pretty pleased.  We shall see how it goes this winter, it may need grading again in the spring once things settle a bit.

They moved some rocks away and levelled out this section on Friday. They filled it with stone today. I was worried it would lose it's nice country laneway feeling, but it didn't, it still looks much the same thanks to all the evergreens. It was even prettier today with the snow!

We decided not to worry about being unable to get out of the driveway, and all the work being done on the road, and went out for a couple of good long walks in the glorious sunshine. It was cold and crisp out, but the sky was blue, the woods were beautiful and we stopped to admire the snow in the trees.

It was so lovely to be out in the sunshine. Where the sun had melted, the moss was a bright green, and the reflection off of the river was stunning. Rob noted how the snow had melted on our riverbank but on the other side of the river, the snow was still all there. I am glad we are on this side of the river!

We are both really looking forward to the next few months, as we have only once been here in the winter.  I love to head down to the river, and watch the changes that occur there. This week we noticed how the ice had formed around the vegetation at the edges, and then hung suspended out of the water when the river levels dropped.

And we saw our first owl last week! It flew out and landed high up in a branch of a tree and sat there while Jet and I admired it. (Well, Jet barked, but only once or twice, and then he sat and admired it) I took Jet home, grabbed my camera and went back, and was so pleased to see the owl still there. While I was taking photos, Rob arrived, so he was able to watch it for a while too! What a beautiful bird.

I think this winter we will learn that we need to be flexible. If the weather is bad, we will just have to curl up in the cabin and not worry about trying to go anywhere. I will make sure we have a few more staples always on hand, and we will get the snow shovels and all that other winter stuff organized and close at hand. It’s not like we didn’t already do this at the dome every year, so it’s really just all regular winter routine stuff. We just don't have a regular winter routine here yet. Of course at the dome we were a few minutes walk from a convenience store - here it is about 5 km. away! And the power does seem to go out here a lot more often, so we need to be prepared.

Later on in the winter, when the weather gets too nasty, well, we will just take our cue from Jet. Find a little spot of sunshine, curl up, and have a snooze. Clever boy.