Week 15 - This Is December?

The page on our calendar is telling me it's December and not a day goes by without someone on the radio informing me that it's only 20,19,18....days till Christmas.

Emails pop up in my inbox announcing fabulous holiday deals enticing me to buy buy buy. The boxes of accumulated holiday decorations have been brought down from the attic, a Christmas crafts book, a cookbook of decantant desserts, another of appetizing appetizers plus several more of cookies, cakes and candies are stacked on the table beside my seat, to be thumbed through looking for new ideas and calories to consume. So all the telltale signs of it being the 12^th month are evident, all except for when I step outside. I won't go as far to say it's balmy but with temperatures of 7c at night and a high of 8c through the day, grabbing a jacket to run down to the crew shack, the basement or out on the deck to capture the fading light on the distant hills, isn't always necessary.

 

Into our 3^rd month here already, a daily routine has shaped up. It hasn't much varied from year 1 or 2 but we never get bored or feel confined. Mornings are coffee and computers, than lunch, tidy up, take a ride on the bike. Maybe a walk around the property, down the dock or along the beach if it isn't pouring and like last year there is wood to chop - unlike last year though we are doing it to stock the wood pile and not for our immediate use as a source of heat. Almost daily Mike will pick up the axe and split 3 or 4 rounds, I'll carry it to the basement to stack and cut some into kindling. I almost look forward the cold wintery day with the wind howling outside while we sit in front of a roaring fire.

This is the wood pile when we arrived. It’ll be interesting to see just how much we add.

Not a whisper of a ripple, nor a hint of wind gently sweeping across the surface – dead calm.

 

A walk down the dock reveals life wherever I look.

You may have to get on your knees and lean precariously over the edge of the dock while holding a camera but the view is worth the effort.

A solitary lion's mane jellyfish glides just beneath the water's surface offering an opportunity to marvel at it's gelatinous tanglement of arms.

Till next week,

Heather & Mike

Weeks 13,14 - Time To Buck Up

As the plane taxied out to the middle of the bay I was still waving good-bye....

and then we were airborne.

After 2 false starts Terry and Tim arrived late in the afternoon on November 20th. Terry's assortment of boxes and heavy duty canvas duffel bag contained not only tools of his trade as a mechanic but also the small ignition switch for the 35kw genny which we were happy to get up and running again. Chainsaws, ropes, a harness and climbing spurs were the working tools belonging to Tim who had flown in to take down a few trees.

The plane sitting higher in the water after disgorging several hundred pounds of gear I climbed aboard with a small overnight bag and computer. It had been a last minute idea for me to head into the big town of Masset for a couple of days to take care of some stuff that needed to be taken care of. The return flight was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon and the weather forecast promised fair skies so I had no worries leaving Mike as the head cook and bottle-washer for the next 48 hours.

So what does one do in Masset for a couple of days? Well for someone who doesn't often get the chance to shop at a grocery store I headed there first to buy some fruit, bananas precisely which I haven't tasted in several months, than dinner at a newly opened Japanese restaurant, lots of channel surfing ( TV yeah!) plus the joy of an internet connection that was twice as fast as I'm use to. I didn't spend all my time glued to the telly - I explored the town by way of a visit to the hospital ( nothing serious) the post office, the hardware store, and several other restaurants. The highlight was finding shelves of Christmas decorations in the local department store. It's been 5 years since I've been able to buy tinsel and bows, sparkly reams of garland and brightly coloured shiny balls.

Wednesday dawned with a clear sky and the assurance that my flight would be taking off which at this time of year is always a gamble. Mike was waiting on the heli pad as we touched down. I was glad to be home.

Another member of the welcoming committee.

   “So what did you guys get up to while I was gone?” was my first question after the plane took to the air and we started carting up the dozen or so boxes full of fresh produce and a few miscellaneous items that I had forgotten on our summer shopping trip. “Well the 35 is working again and there's enough wood to split to last several years”

Tim dropped about 6 trees, some were half toppled over and snagged, while others that were long dead and threatened to do damage to the lodge if they fell on their own.

Oops! Sometimes plans don't always go the exact way you expected.

It's not all so bad since the shed had been slated for a remodel this summer so it could accommodate more tanks. Hey guys it's already half down.

These picture was taken our first year here. The tree on the left fell the year before and the one I'm standing in front of toppled while we were sleeping and not a sound was heard.

This is what it looks like now. When Tim cut through the fallen trees the stumps settled almost right back into place.

No trucking through the forest with a wheelbarrow this time. This bucked up one is only feet to the basement where we stack our wood.

This one is going to be a bit more work.

Thursday arrived bringing with it our first real storm of the season. Hurricane force winds and slanting rain pelted the windows all day. I kept saying to myself “boy wasn't I lucky to have flown back in yesterday.”

As the storm continues the swells build yet you can see just how quiet it remains in our bay. When I say “it was a grey day” this is what I am seeing.

For the next 3 days the storm front lashed out. I kept thinking how I had just made it back into the OP in the nick of time. Mike was also counting his lucky stars for all the prepared meals would have only lasted for the 48 hours than he would really have been the cook.

By late Monday afternoon the sky had finally shaken off the last of the storm, replacing the slate coloured world with shades of blue and pink.

Till next week,
Heather & Mike

Week 12 - A Night Time Visitor

Things that go bump in the night as of late have been attributed to a shy nocturnal creature with a nose for garbage. We don't think it's Slick, our social bear from last year. I can't even offer a picture he is so stealth. Mike did catch a glimpse of him padding along the beach but took to the cover of low foliage when he sensed he had been spied.

Most of his night manoeuvres are only evident in the light of day.

This garbage can sits at the back door and only contained an old empty plastic bag but must obviously retain an enticing aroma of meals past. A game of hide and seek has been played out this week – he the hider, I the seeker. The first round was easy as I could spot it from the back door although the lid was rather well hidden. The next 2 nights he put a bit more effort into it. Why don't I just put the can in the basement? I could but what fun would that be?

Moving on to bigger and better things his travels have taken him to sorting through the scape pile ( all the large items that get put on the barge in the spring) and striking out on finding any edible morsels of food his endeavours focused on what I call the burning barrel. Our incinerator bit the dust on the day the summer crew left so I have improvised with an old tank of some sort that Mike and I dug out of the scrap heap. It does the trick since our amount of burnables is pretty small and only requires me to fire it up once a month. I occasionally will toss a can of grease into the barrel, might as well use it as a accelerant and this must have attracted him like the smell of honey in a hive. Lucky for Mr. bear most of the bottom has rotted out so his prize was easily had.

Last week I commented on how I always feel so fortunate to be at the right place at the right time to witness the beauty of nature or a battle for survival. I was riding my bike, going nowhere fast as it is stationary, listening to the radio and gazing out our big picture windows when an eagle caught my attention. We don't see eagles as often as one might think living where we do so I tend to follow them with interest as they soar overhead.

These bikes were brought in this summer for those who had any extra energy that they might need to work off after a 14 hour day. Mike and I totally enjoy them, pedalling several times a day. I really should start keeping track of my kms to see how far across Canada I get or even better... head south!

Sorry for the rear view but I wanted you to see what I see.

I watched for several minutes as this eagle continually swooped down on a bird, who would dive beneath the surface only seconds before lethal talons skimmed the water.

Poised for attack.

The final approach.

Did the target get away?

Mike and I, passing the binoculars between us, kept watch as the scene played out.

As the eagle floundered around for several minutes we speculated that he must have hurt himself and could not take to the air. It saddened us to watch as he appeared to struggle trying to stay afloat and than to our amazement he began propelling himself towards one of the islands. A distant of at least 200 yards didn't take him all that long and we rejoiced when solid ground was beneath his deadly claws. I wouldn't like to have seen an eagle die right out front in our bay.

Mike headed back to his computer but I kept vigil to witness the outcome. “There's feathers flying through the air” I stated with a tone of disbelieve. This was confirmed by Mike, cause really he didn't take my word for it. What we had thought was a struggle of live and death was actually a predator dragging his victim ashore to savour the spoils.

We felt bad about the smaller feathered fellow but after all...he was a sitting duck.

Till next week,
Heather & Mike

Week 11 - Que Sera Sera

I had no sooner packed away the spiders, mice, bats and a skull, dismantled dummies and cleared away the cobwebs than my agenda turned to less exciting endeavours. Neglecting my routine of general cleaning and maintenance in favour of paper mache, cardboard cutouts, foraging for dead foliage and sorting through 100's of pictures - 300 snapped in total - I now had to do double time to get ready for the arrival of company.

Having 2 guys fly in for acouple days for Mike meant male conversation, for me it meant baking! The bread box and cookie jar have been sadly devoid of product this year as we are trying to cut down on the carbs and calories for awhile, so when I heard I was going to be able to break out the sugar, flour and chocolate I started to salivate. Oh what to bake, what do I crave, so much I want, so few meals to make.

In a frenzy, well maybe not exactly a frenzy more like a steady march, I found myself on my knees, up a ladder, inside, outside, upstairs and in the basement. Jobs that I had put off for another time found time. There's nothing like having strangers come into your home that spurs you to apply a bit more spit and polish than usual.

Two cookies jars now held my favorites, a plate of chocolate iced walnut topped brownies lay in wait. I had just put a carrot cake in the oven and was sampling, one must always sample for quality control, a rich cream cheese frosting when an email popped up titled... %4#? weather! This didn't bode well. In a nutshell gale force winds for the next couple of days – groceries delayed due to weather – faller had to change dates to come in. Don't they refer to this as “Murphy's Law”?

You can't fight mother nature so we'll try again another day - new date November 17^th. Till than the goodies, minus a big piece of cake :) , will have to be relegated to the freezer and for me time to sit back and catch up on some reading, maybe do some writing, walk the beach or just watch the world go by.

It just so happened that as I was watching the world go by a pod of killer whales swam into our bay. It's the first sighting for us. I always consider myself so lucky to be at the right place looking out the window at the right time to witness such a sight but than I asked myself “how much do we miss?” 

Another visitor of the feathered kind has been hanging around. 

Three pictures, one day.

                                                              10 am

                                                                             2 pm

4 pm

Till next week,

Heather & Mike

Week 10 - Trick or Treat

Halloween is upon us once again and as every year it's a day I look forward too. Didn't plan much this year just a nice quiet dinner and some friends over for an evening of blood curdling screams, mad men running around with axes, birds pecking eyes out and just some good old fashion dismembering.

The day started out like any other with Sammy at the back door first thing in the morning waiting for any scraps that might be tossed his way.

The fall of dusk was hard to ignore when our batty friends where beating at the door.

                                      Just a typical dinner for Mike and I.

.

               Always one to make a dramatic appearance, Jack never disappoints.

              .......not to be outdone Handy Hank snuck in while we were eating.

'Shorty' managed to keep his head as Casper suddenly appeared, trying to spook him.

             Ever get that feeling as if someone is standing right behind you?

                  Now that Hot Tub Tony is here, it's time for a game of Krud!

It's MOVIE TIME! Tonight's features are The Birds, Cabin in the Woods and of course the caretaker's classic...The Shining.

As the last of our guests drifted away, Mike and I sat to back to enjoy a nightcap and decide whether this evening had been a trick or treat?

 

                         Happy Halloween !!!

Till next week,

Heather & Mike