TreeHouse Visit

View of the forest and Canopy 30-40 feet above the treehouse.

As I spent a good chunk of my days over the past week building a
treehouse, it was a celebration of sorts tonight with Matthew and I
sitting up there during dusk until after dark listening for animals
from this new forest platform. It is rare to actually get Matthew to
sit still (with no TV in front of him) so this was a great event! We
heard lots of animals scurrying about but didn't see any. I think
getting up there a bit earlier in the evening might be good and
perhaps towards the Fall we can bait the area with a few bales of
straw and bags of apples to attract the Deer and Bears.

August is Here

Well after a brief two day visit home, one of which I spent in bed
feeling like a Mac truck had run over me, we returned to the cottage
with Deb's parents!

I must admit a week with the in-laws is always challenging - but we
did manage to keep pretty civilized and have a good time. We took them canoeing, hiking and did a bit of touring around the area.
Not bad considering they are both in their eighties!

The projects continue.
Today we got the firewood rack completed and made some progress with the tree house, or as I like to think of it "the animal viewing platform" as that seems to make it a more permanent part of Our Magic Forest. One would think that a few boards nailed together as they used to do in the old days would suffice. But as I start researching online into methods of construction and various considerations regarding tree health and flexibility issues of using two trees things get increasingly complex. It will be a great platform to view the creek area behind the bunkie once it is completed.

I also had a delivery of materials so I can finish the bunkie - this
may not however happen this summer.

We topped our day off with a nice bike ride up the road!

So it seems the summer is running quickly by - I need to get through a
few more To-Do items, but also accept that a few simply won't happen this summer.
Also important is the time I promised myself to relax and spend listening, watching, photographing and relaxing.

Wildlife Sightings

There is a lot of wildlife around here... so far this summer we have seen:

Mink

Beaver

Whitetail Deer (many)

Fox

Rabbit

Bears

Birds (many)

Wild Turkey
Grouse
Ducks

Heron

Fish
Bass
Sunfish
Trout

Frogs / Toads
Snakes

Salamander

Butterflies
Damsel flies
Dragon flies
Deer flies
Horse flies

Weevils

Another Rainy Day In Paradise

Early to rise today as Matthew is at day camp this week at YMCA Wanakita and the bus stop is a half hour drive from the cottage.

Then off to Minden for a few chores - of course a mandatory stop at Home Hardware to look at deck preparation and staining supplies... I manage to get out on the cheap side with a gallon of "eco friendly" deck cleaner/prep solution and a colour chart for the stains we need to choose for the deck and house.

A stop at the Minden Hills municipal offices to talk about replacing the missing "Bacon Road" signs at the turnoff for our cottage proves unnecessary as someone has beat me to it and they are already on order! Then a drop off for Purolator to courier to Peterborough a well water test sample to see just how much if any metals are in the drinking water - I am concerned as there is much talk of Uranium in some of the Haliburton wells.

From there driving back to the cottage i find about a dozen Ford Model A's (circa 1928) parked all down main street Kinmount - a good photo opp.

Finally back to the cottage and I get going on the ongoing Bunkie reno project.
A mid afternoon bike ride up the road brings me face-to-face with two deer - well maybe the same one twice!

Finally a bit of R&R reading before driving back to the bus stop with deb to pick up Matt.

Another rainy day in Paradise...

Start of Summer Holidays

Our arrival on Sunday at the cottage was met with an auspicious viewing of a deer on the neighbors property and news that a big black bear was seen there Sunday Morning!

Bug season is still in full swing here with the mosquitos drinking
heartily!

Our first day was full of action. As usual I was up working way before the rest of the family even stirred. By the time they awoke, I had already done several hours work in the bunkie.

Greeted with sunshine instead of the promised rain, after breakfast we headed out and cut down several small trees in front of the house to tidy things up as we haven't really touched that part of the property much.... Then I got to work on the vegetable garden fence and more stones for the firepit.... as we just have to replace the cinder blocks the previous owner used.

We decided to go for a bike ride and found ourselves going straight up the road as it turns into a bush trail. This adventure took us deep into the woods through many muddy washouts in the road and we all got a good workout. I was particularly impressed with Matt as he was riding a pretty heavy BMX with no gears and managed to keep pace with Deb and I with nary a complaint - I think the muddy road engaged him as he got "skunked" really well!

After lunch and a short fishing expedition at Furnace Falls (where I caught two slightly larger than minnow sized rock bass) we headed into town.

Barely a day can go by here without a Kawartha Dairy ice cream. And of course the mandatory visit to Austin Lumber to get reno supplies for the next few days work!

Matthew has decided to audition for a local talent show in Kinmount doing a comedy routine. We started writing some of his jokes down and did a bit of research for more online. A bit of rehearsing and he may just be able to pull this off!

To top off a full day Matt and I decided to get in the car after dinner to explore the road and do some photography in the evening light - we did manage a few photos however the mosquitoes won and we retreated as the sun set.

All that in only our first day!

We have been here for 3 days now and we are wondering if it will ever stop raining for more than an hour at a time!

Yesterday we managed to get in a bit of fishing at the dam on Salerno lake with Deb, Matthew and his friend Alyssa and I. It was fun - the kids each caught a few small Rock Bass and one nice Bass got away from me right near shore! Of course as with any fishing outing with kids - most of my time is spent untangling line, dealing with snags in trees and replacing lost hooks and tackle.

As usual I've got lots of pokers in the fire - work continues on the bunkie renovation, garden twig fence, firepit stone gathering, wood splitting, building ladder for bunk beds, trimming trees around the front yard, bathroom reno, more coat racks, etc...... gee and it's only been three days! I did think about meditation - but that will have to wait for a nice dry day as my favorite spot in the woods is pretty wet and buggy!

Today we spent in Minden for the soggy Canada day festivities, there were a lot of people out considering the conditions - overcast to torrential rain followed by short stints of heat and sun!

The weather forecast is good and it looks like by the weekend we will be headed for some sunny hot days!

Anticipation of Summer

As we get closer to the end of Matthew's school year and the weather
warms I am thinking of the long To-Do list I have been compiling for
the cottage. We will be heading up for a good chunk of July and
hopefully August as well. Of course I am sure business will weave
itself into this and I'll need to return to the city to deal with it.

I have set the context for my time at the cottage as the "summer for
my soul" and I intend on working at it! Often in the need "to do" the
"being" gets lost - and this summer is about balance and ensuring that
I find time for the soulful endeavors the cottage offers. An early
morning paddle up the misty river, sitting quietly on my favorite
mossy hilltop behind the cottage in the sun meditating and being
still, a morning hike along a trail with my camera to capture the warm morning sunrise. Being in the moment, keeping focused on the now that is all we really have and working towards letting go of worries of tomorrow. This will be the focus of my summer up north.

I also look forward to sharing this special place with friends and
family and making memories of a great time at the cottage for Matthew.

Have a great summer and stay tuned as I'll be writing regularly from
Our Magic Forest!

And feel free to post some comments - I'd love to hear from any of you reading this! H'mmmm I'm assuming someone actually reads this stuff!!??

Just a June Weekend

Matthew seems to be in good company taking Friday afternoon off from class to head to the cottage!

Errrgh..... Traffic....... and it's not even a long weekend or really
summer yet.

Upon arrival we go for a nice walk to the river at sunset. Matthew of
course needed to burn more steam and went on a bike ride down the lane.

Up early to a beautiful day and got working in the bunky until
everyone else awoke for breakfast. I keep convincing myself that it will look good once it is all trimmed up - it's going to be one hell of a trim job to get it looking decent!

We dropped Matt off at his friend Alysa's up the road to "swim" in
their freezing little pool and play on the trampoline.

Deb and I were now free to go our own way for a few hours.... off to
Kinmount to visit the Saturday Farmers Market and of course Castle lumber yard!

On our way back from town we stop at the very small local Irondale
Garden Centre where Bob and Yuki offer their friendly advice on our
vegetable garden. We also get a bunch of really healthy looking plants; Tomato, cucumber, zuchini, peppers, basil, beans, peas, onions etc.... and many more bags of black earth!

They also provide a tip on where we might be able to get a used wheel barrow from a local up the road. Just ask the locals and you get all sorts of tips and advice!

We were inspired by the community greenhouse near home in Trinity
Bellwoods park to build a little fence of woven sticks around the
garden... so out comes the chainsaw Aaron generously gave us, the one originally bought for his wife Linda... (I guess that wasn't such a great gift... I'll stick to chocolate!).

Will our neighbour and handyman agreed to drop by and help get the
Kayak and Canoe down to the water from their winter resting place
under the deck, much easier in his flatbed trailer and ATV than
portaging! That accomplished we also manage to get the dock into the water.... so we are now ready for summer action at the waterfront!

After dinner Matthew and I suited up in our bug jackets take a hike
through the woods behind the cottage - up to the top of the hill where
there is a little clearing with very flat granite rocks and a lot of soft moss and lichens to sit on. I try to spend a few minutes meditating to the sound of mosquitos buzzing around my head while Matt heads for his favorite climbing tree nearby.

As if we haven't yet accomplished enough today I decide to carry down the hill a rather sizeable piece of very flat rock which will serve as a small table or bench near the cottage.
Originally I thought that we would do this in the winter on a sled, but there is little that beats brute strength for getting a task done.... did I mention I was wearing Crocks?

Now a few Robaxacets and I'll be good as new!

Sunday morning arrives overcast and threatening rain - but as the
canoe is by the river Matthew and I decide to grab a few granola bars
and see if we can canoe to Jacob's Ladder - a set of falls about 45 minutes downstream from our dock - we haven't seen them yet!
It starts to drizzle as soon as we head out - but if the beaver swimming along side us doesn't mind neither do we. Arriving above the falls we clearly see the portage marked with an orange stake and tie up. A nice hike to the bottom of the falls is rewarded by a fantastic view and we also come upon a piece of drift barn board which will make a nice shelf or bench... so we carry that back to the canoe. Fortunately as it starts to rain harder the way back always seems shorter!