DONE! FOR NOW...

We finished the 1cord of wood to complete the 12 cords today.  We placed them in a different configuration to hopefully help them dry for use next winter.  We found when we placed them all in front of each other, there was some "mold" on some of them so we shall see if this helps.  There is still a lot of wood left to split but they will have to wait until next spring.  Before the bugs!!!

The top two pictures are of a blind we set up along the trail on the mind side for the hunters.  As you can see, we have had a bit of snow.  Keeping my fingers crossed this will be a good year for them but we haven't seen a deer on the trail cams.   Just fat raccoons, Blue Jays, Ravens, wolf and a bear.  But no deer.  

But you never know...

CHIPS

 

We took advantage of a bad situation.  Usually when a truck overturns the spill is cleaned up quickly.  There have been logging trucks and lumber trucks that have overturned and the company doesn't leave much for the locals to scrounge.  We noticed that the chips were still piled high by the side of the road a few days after the accident so we made our move.  Took the trailer and two pitchforks and filled the trailer up.  We kept our eye on the highway in case another truck made the same mistake the first one had - we were right in the path.  But, nothing bad happened.  We got enough for my garden next spring and for the path between Stacey and Andrew's cottage and our place.  Hard work but worth it in the end.

We passed the site this morning and someone with a tractor and a truck and trailer were filling up their trailer with the chips and then this afternoon the piles were gone and it had been levelled out.  Just a few chips to mark the spot of the accident.  

All in a days work up here in the North...

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...

We had some snow yesterday morning and the highway was very slippery.  A chip truck heading south on highway 129 didn't make the turn at the bottom of the hill just before the Axe Lake Road.  Locals know this is a steep hill with a good turn at the bottom so we know to take it easy.  The driver of that big rig should have known better.  Instead of taking the turn, he just went straight onto the clearing beside the turnoff.  There has been a number of accidents over the years at this exact same site.  One was a fatality unfortunately.  Even when we are stopped on the Axe Lake Road and Highway 129 waiting to turn left towards home, if we see a truck coming down the hill, we back up just in case he doesn't make it.  Even in the good weather.  They get some speed on that hill.  

It took some major tow trucks to get the trailer righted.  They had to unload the chips and right now there is a big pile of chips on the clearing.  I don't know if they are going to try and load what they can onto another truck or just level the chips.  I wouldn't mind a trailer full of those for the trails and gardens around here.  I will just have to wait and see.

FOGGY MORNING

The weather looked like it would co-operate so we decided to head out on tunnel this morning.  It was 0 degrees and foggy when we launched at Hooverville.  We had the GPS going so we knew where we were headed.  The fish were very hungry and it was actually a very good morning of fishing.  We landed some bigger walleye and a couple of nice perch.  I also got a smaller pike and lost a big one.  It felt like a snag but I could feel a wobble and my leader was cut.  It would have been big!!!  The fog lasted until about 10:30 and it was a bit chilly but tolerable.  We finally headed back at about 12:30 and cleaned the fish.  It may be our last time out but it was a good day. 

BARRY'S INVENTION

Barry's invention has helped Rejean and I out tremendously in our wood splitting chores.  Some of the logs are way too heavy to pick up for any length of time so we use the tripod Barry made for deer hunting.  We use the quad's winch to pick up the log that we place the hook around and I back the tractor up to receive the log on the log splitter.  Rejean releases the hook and I pull ahead and voila!!  Makes it easy peasy!!

Thanks Barry!! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

It is all over but the soup making here on Cheney.  We had Stacey and Marilou and Sam in from Eliott and Andrew was already here.  The festivities started Friday and continued until about 10am this morning.  Our turkey dinner was on Saturday and a good meal was had by all.  Even Stacey had enough to eat!!  My brined unstuffed 15.9 pound turkey was done in 2 hours and 20 minutes at 325 so meal time was pushed up by about an hour and a bit.  After dinner we gathered by the dock and watched Marilou pull in her first two fish - two nice walleyes that Rejean cleaned for her to take home.  She caught another one and released it - that is the one she is kissing in one of the pictures.  She was thrilled.  Sam was right in there watching everything.  He loves it up here.  He tries to keep the lake shore free of sticks and stones.  

Sunday night was left over Turkey A'La King the way my Mom used to make it.  I always have it after our big turkey dinners.  After dinner we all had a few too many cocktails and spent the evening watching a Fleetwood Mac concert on the TV and then requesting our favourite song videos also on the TV.  It was a wild night.  I got to watch Thunderstruck by ACDC again.  Love seeing Angus in shorts skipping across the stage.  Thanks again to Mitch for introducing me to this great song/video.

Andrew left for Calgary this morning and Stacey and Marilou and Sam returned to Eliott.  It is very quiet around here...

HARD AT WORK BUT STILL TIME TO PLAY

I would say the leaves up here are way past the point of being at their peak.  There are still some amazing colours and the yellows are just starting as are the oaks.  The oaks are always the last leaves left on the trees and their colours are beautiful.  Shades of brown and gold among the other colours left.  

I am helping Rejean with the blinds and feeders.  We have some pumpkins that the deer love.  Also the racoons and ravens and blue jays!!

Also some pictures of the wood.  We have four cords done and will be working on it again tomorrow.  Rejean has McGuyver'd a contraption Barry made for the deer.  We use the quad's winch to lift the big logs onto the splitter with the hook.  I will take some better action photos tomorrow.  4 down and 20 more to go plus trying to get in some fishing and hunting.  

Thanksgiving weekend will be observed with Stacey and Andrew and Marilou and Sam.  Stacey and Marilou and Sam will be here one Friday and dinner will be on Saturday.  Andrew will be driving back to Calgary on Monday after being here all summer.  I am sure Stacey and Marilou and Sam will be visiting us this winter.  Nice to have them so close.