An Evening Canoe Outing

Matthew and I went on an after dinner canoe ride up the river Monday evening. While I paddled quietly, Matthew fished. As Matt is getting older, each year I see his patience grow and we can now spend a few hours quietly focused on being in nature.

Accompanied by two beavers for much of the paddle at one point the beavers were on shore grooming eachother - A sight I've never seen before.

Matthew caught a few small Rock Bass before landing a Brook Trout which gave him a nice fight! The dusk light created a wonderful backdrop for our time on the river and this outing really made me connect with the reason we have the cottage and the experiences we are creating for our family and friends.

Building the Shed (week 1&2)

During the first two weeks of our cottage stay I endured the extreme heat and accomplished building my first complete structure - a shed. This will be used to store firewood, bikes, lawn mower and tiller liberating the workshop area in the bunkie for.... well a workshop!

Plan as I may, my lack of experience seems to collide with my best intentions and to a master craftsman this shed would be less than perfection. I however am really pleased with the outcome! The real test will be how in endures a winter storm! (the tree house is still solid!!)

Have you ever seem a builder in PJs? Ahhh the cottage life.

The heat is killing me, good thing I got that outdoor shower going!

Getting closer!

All the walls are framed!

Roof rafters in place

Almost complete -

we have ordered the steel roof and then a couple of doors and some trim and we will be done.

Fishing on The Gull River in Minden

We became welcome subjects for a photo class from Haliburton School of the Arts while

fishing one morning last week. Here are a few of the images sent to us.

Success - Matt hasn't been shut out yet!

Although we were hoping for Trout - Rock Bass gets similar smiles!

There goes Matt's Croc down the river....

we do manage to find it WAY down the river.

First Day

Arrived at the cottage yesterday to a beautiful cool sunny day! Our
first day and the wildlife viewing list is starting with an
extraordinary sighting of a bear cub in the woods on a property next
door. Matthew and his friend spotted the cute little fellow while
walking along the road. I managed to get one photo as the cub ran
across the road. Where there is a cub..... Then on a walk with
neighbours Lili and John we see another cub - this time a fox cub
playing on the road. It came towards us seemingly unaware of us...
until it looked up and scooted off into the woods - again I managed to
get a few snaps. I need a longer lens for this type of photography. We
also saw a grouse and very clear tracks in the mud along the road near
the cottage from what I have identified as a "cat" but not a house cat
- the size of these tracks seem that they may be from a cougar - now
confirmed to be prospering in this part of Ontario - http://www.ontariopuma.ca