ALL MY BAGS ARE PACKED AND I'M READY TO GO...

See Ya Bye...

THE BEAVERS ARE BUSY AGAIN

We just noticed this tree down this afternoon and the tree next to it in the process of going down - and they are cedars!!  Some trees are down across the lake as well so we know that at least one beaver is active.  The beaver dam has had recent maintenance done to it - new mud and a few new sticks. This is a good thing as the lake levels are very high this fall - as high as I have ever seen it.  If it is a good winter i.e. high snow levels - we may have trouble in the spring.
The next picture is one of our blinds all set up and ready to go next week for the start of deer season.  The hunters come in on Thursday to get ready for Monday November 4th.  We have seen them around so I hope it is a good year for them.  Time will tell...

EENIE, MEENIE, MINY AND MOE

Look who's been eating at our stump.

JUST SOME UPDATES...

...got my flu shot yesterday - I was not looking forward to it as last year my arm was extremely sore for days after.  But, I am happy to say, that my arm is ok and I even slept on it last nite.
We picked up the trailer from Hinkler and got it winterized and it is now wintering on the other property.  I will clean it up in the spring.
Bird season (altho not yet over) was great this year since we have been heading up to Hinkler.  We were never "skunked" and we have our winter supply of birds in the freezer.  They are great cut into strips, coated in bread crumbs, cooked in butter and dipped in maple syrup.  Yum Yum.
We all have our moose tags - calf only - but so far no luck.  Ron has only seen the bulls and cows but no calves and we hear that no one is having any better luck.  But the season ends in December so there is still time.
That leaves deer season.  As I announced to the world a few weeks ago, I got a doe tag this year (happy happy happy) as did a couple of other people so we are good for whatever moves.  Our blinds are all set up and the hunters are coming in next Thursday, early enough to get theirs all set up and ready to go on November 4th.
I am getting ready to go to Florida with my sisters and Deb - who passed our rigorous tests last year to become an honorary "Scott Sister".  I have all my clothes ready, all my necessary documentation for our flight, hotel and transportation.  Itinerary is subject to change but we pretty well know what we will be doing but not necessarily in any order.  It is a time I look forward to with a great deal of pleasure - spending time with my sisters doing something we all like to do.

Can't wait!!!!

SMOKIN' BOOTS

These are my new "smoking"boots I picked up this afternoon in Blind River at the Napa dealership.  We had to take our new leaf blower in for some adjustments and I saw these babies in a 50% off pile.  I tried them on and they fit.  My other steel toed boots were soooooo heavy I couldn't walk in them for very long.  These are as light as my runners.  But, there was a sticker on the box that said 25% off but they were in the 50% off pile so I asked the salesman what was the correct discount.  I said I would take them if they were 50% off and he said sold.  Then I asked if I could add the 50 and 25% to be 75% off but I think I was pushing my luck - I got them for 50% off.
The "smoking" refers to whenever I buy Rejean a carton of cigarettes (yes he still smokes) I spend some $$ on myself - hence the "smokin' boots - I have smoking jackets, smoking sweaters, smoking jeans etc.

Life Is Fair :o)

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Our neighbours at Hinkler installed a new outhouse last weekend - I guess to keep up with us.  As you remember, we are using Ron's old ice hut for ours so I guess they had to upgrade theirs.  And what a beauty is is.  All Camo on the outside and a beautiful pink Camo on the inside to match the lovely pink rug.  There is even art work on the walls.  I have commissioned Ema to produce some art for ours.
And it even has pink styrofoam for the seat!!  Nothing keeps the bum warmer than pink styrofoam!!
They have a sauna on their site - I have some talking to do to the guys...

MY POOR BOOTS

We hadn't seen Boots in a few weeks - we had been up at Hinkler so maybe he thought we had abandoned him.  Well he came around the other day and what a sight he was.  He must have been in a big fight with another creature that pretty much tore his face to bits.  His poor little eyes were practically sealed shut.  He had big scratch marks across his face and his little ears were all scabbed up.  And he was limping.  He was hungry probably because he couldn't hunt due to his condition.  When he took food from my hand he had to move his head around before he zeroed in on the food and he ate very slow.  After his fill he slowly limped away.  He was back the next day and he looked a bit better - his limp wasn't as pronounced and then today he had his old trot back.  But his poor face was still scabbed and torn up.  He is considered a senior - he has been coming around for at least 4 years and the life expectancy of a wild fox is about 5 years.  But he knows I will take care of him and he knows he is safe here.
There is left over turkey waiting for him...

NO, THEY ARE NOT POISONOUS

Actually they help the gardeners by eating snails, slugs and other pests and if bitten, they have very small ineffective fangs.  But I don't get close enough for them to bite me.  I was out of range of that snake as fast as humanly possible - even on that rock pile.  Back in my younger days, I used to "collect" garter snakes in my neighbourhood and take them home, much to the chagrin of my mother.  But those days are long gone.  But I do feed them worms when I find them around the property.  I am fascinated by their abilities to hunt and swallow things.  In one of my earlier posts, I did put a picture of a snake eating a toad and a later picture of the big "bump" in the body of the snake.  Weird I know but that is just the way I am.

THANK YOU!!

Thank you to "Anonymous" who identified my snake as an Ontario Red Bellied snake.  He/she even included a link which verified the identification.

Once again my loyal readers have stepped up to the plate and provided valuable information not only to me but to all my other readers.  I am in awe.

RICK'S NEW RIDE

Rick picked up his new 2010 Yamaha Grizzly in Windsor and couldn't wait til he got it up here to try out on the trails.  And he was successful in his hunt for birds as well, as evidenced by the second picture.
There's not a lot of places to ride in Windsor but up here, there is no limit to where you can go.  Easy trails and hard trails - he did them all and his bike handled very well.  Even Joan got a chance to ride it all by herself - she even has a blinged up helmet to boot.
It is all winterized and put away until next year.
Hurry up Spring...

BLURRED LINES

Rick and Rejean went up to Hinkler last week for a few days to get in some hunting so the girls decided to do a little hunting (sorry - shopping) of our own.  We hit the Sault on Thursday and took in the buffet at the Sinton on Friday nite.  But in our travels on Thursday, we discovered that the guys had forgotten to take bread with them so we decided to take a quick trip up there to bring them some.  Joan  hasn't seen a lot of wildlife up here but on that trip we saw a mother bear and her cub, 3 partridge and a big wolf.  Then on the way home from Thessalon after dinner, we saw first one deer, then 3 further down the highway (the first picture is of a small buck).  I them commented that the only thing left to see was a moose.  Then further down the highway, there he was.  A huge bull moose just standing at the side of the highway.  You can just see him heading back down into the ditch.  We continued up the highway to see what else we could see and saw another small bear.
So in a span of 2 days we saw 3 bear, 4 deer, a wolf, 3 partridge and a bull moose.  Not too bad.

I will try and perfect my picture taking abilities but it's pretty hard when you are shooting thru a windshield and you have a tremor...