AS REQUESTED - A SIDE VIEW

For the person who wanted a side view - here you are. I went on line and I don't think it is a beaver skull and it is not an otter skull. It has been out in the elements for so long, the horn things are worn away smooth so I don't know if they had broken off or are that smooth naturally.

BOTTOM VIEW OF THE SKULL

Here's a view from the bottom of the skull - no idea what those "horn" things might be...part of the teeth???

ANY IDEAS?

Found this little skull - 3 inches from top to bottom - on the island today. I think those little "horn" things may be part of the eye socket and a part is missing from the bottom. I haven't a clue...

ALL SORTS OF NASTY BRANCHES

Not fun at all.
But we are going on a nice 4 wheeler ride tomorrow up behind Kynock. Ron and Mary will be in their Rhino. Barry and Sandy on their machine. And Rick, Rejean and myself will be following behind. You can bet that I will be wearing my helmut, no gloves and proceeding with caution.
It's like falling off your horse - you just have to get up, dust your self off and get right back on...

ACCIDENT SCENE

I went back today to check it out and perhaps find my bracelet. You can't see how steep it was but I ended up just to the right and behind that tree with the chunk out of it. Don't ask me how. Rejean had to get the chainsaw to free the bike and then use the winch and the bike's 4 wheel drive to get it up the hill. That could have been my head's final resting place in the fork of that tree if I had hit it head on. But my Guardian Angel was watching over me that morning. Thanks Mom.

REST IN PEACE

I liked this man.
I believe he would have done great things for this country if he was permitted the time.
Unfortunately, I can only imagine it now.

My friends, love is better than anger
Hope is better than fear
Optimism is better than despair
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic
And we will change the world...

THE JOB THAT ALMOST KILLED ME

No other way to describe it. A big oak tree had come down on the trail, taking with it about 6 other trees. It has been and will be a slow process to clean it up. Yesterday was one of those days we choose to work on it. Rick and Rejean were cutting up the trees and I was hauling them back down the trail to our wood area where we would split it in the fall. I took the bike and trailer back up the trail to reload. I took the trailer off the back of the bike then went further up the trail to turn the bike around. On one side was a flat area and the other side of the trail was a steep hill, trees at the bottom then rocks, a ditch then the road. I had turned around there a number of times that day. But, this one time...I had work gloves on that were a bit big on me so when I went to put on the brakes, I must have also squeezed on the throttle (we had put extensions on the throttle last year to make it easier on our long trips). Needless to say I was surprised when I found myself accellerating down this steep hill towards the trees at the bottom - without a helmut on. When your mind says you are supposed to be stopping and you are speeding down a hill - there is no time to react. I remember thinking Oh Oh. I don't remember anything else except being bashed around. I found myself sitting beside the still running bike - it was facing uphill and I was still alive and able to move everything and call out to the guys. I could move everything and there was no blood. I was lucky. The bike had hit a tree on the left back fender that caused the bike to swing around the other way and that was when I must have been thrown off the bike. The guys heard the crash and me calling - thank goodness they didn't have the chainsaws going because they never would have noticed me gone for a while. They came running. They couldn't see me because I was on the other side of the bike down the hill. I was very very lucky - I came away from it with only scratches and bruises - I am very sore and stiff today and the bruises will be spectacular. My left leg upper thigh is badly bruised and scratched, my right knee took a couple of hits, my right hand is very sore. My back is scratched and bruised and my right shoulder is also badly scratched. I lost my little silver bracelet - a small price to pay. But, it was an accident - I have been riding my four wheeler for years and this is the first time anything like this happened but it just goes to show you how easily it can happen. And to not be wearing a helmut...never again will I get on a bike without it on.

I am lucky to be alive.

HOME SWEET HOME

A great evening for fishing last nite. Not so much today...

AN EVENING AT HOME

Last nite the 3 of us, Rick, Rejean and myself, decided to fish our lake. And we caught quite a few. I got at least 3 or 4 big ones and Rick got the same. Rejean, who was driving the boat, ended up netting all of them. Mine were fun. The first one that I think was the biggest, jumped twice when I first got him. And he put up a grand fight. There is nothing like a bass to give you a good fight. And on our lake, it is always catch and release so they are there for the next time. Nice to be able to fish the big ones right in your own front yard.
See Ya Bye

HARD TO BELIEVE

...but it is Black Bear season right now. Opening day was Monday. So there are hunters in the bush hiding and waiting for an unsuspecting black bear to wander by so they can shoot it. There are still tourists around here. They could have waited until September when the majority of the tourists are gone. I guess I have to dig out my blaze orange stuff to go for a walk on the trails. I haven't seen any around lately - the berries are fabulous so they are feeding on them and leaving the garbage and people alone.
So be warned if you come up that hunting season has begun...

Also the leaves are starting to turn already. It is the middle of August and that's when it happens. There are some bushes that are red and the ferns are starting to brown. Won't be long now...

A GOOD EVENING FISHING

Rick, Rejean and I hit the river last nite - Rick hasn't had a chance to do a lot of fishing while he has been here so an opportunity presented itself yesterday so we took advantage of it. And the fishing Gods were smiling on Rick as he caught all the fish. 3 Walleye and 1 nice rainbow trout. Rejean had a couple on but lost them and I had a couple of hits. So it looks like anotgher fish dinner tonite. I hate when that happens...;o)

SILENT AUCTION

There were some neat things in the auction this year. I got a beautiful tray for the bar (I'll post a picture of it later). There was an antique drum that went for over $90 and an antique little accordian with real silver inlay. Our lawn chairs went for $55 - remember the previous post of the 5 colorful chairs we were donating? roger and Lori from Axe Lake bought them. And Rejean paid $15 for an old black rotary dial telephone - it wouldn't have been so much but his "friends" kept adding their bids after his bid so he had to outbid them. Thanks Guys!! And the weather was perfect, after the previous day had rained all day long plus they had a micro burst in Wharncliffe the night before and ruined our little green and white tent that the guys were going to sell beer tickets out of - they was quite a lot of damage done to several residences. Not quite a tornado but close. No injuries, only property damage.

THE SPREAD

This is a view from the start of the buffet line. You can go from either side - it just speeds things up a bit when you have 2 lines. That's Phyllis, our leader, putting chips in the Taco salad. It was good!!!

OUR GUESTS

I think this was the first sitting and we had 3 - at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30. And we fed them all with food to spare. As a matter of fact, I am going to be eating some leftovers tonite for dinner. Pork, potatoe salad and jello. Yum Yum.

BEAUTIFUL VICKI

...one of the locals from Wharncliffe who always comes out to help. Thank you Vicki!!!

GUEST OF HONOR

I bet a few people were surprised to see this guy at the end of the buffet table. Just to remind them of what they are eating...and it was a Pig Roast by the way...

WHARNCLIFFE PIG ROAST - BROUGHT TO YOU BY...

...volunteers like us plus a ton of other selfless people who gave their personal time to help make this year's Pig Roast a success. It was a five day event - first you have to shop for all the groceries, get the liquor license and the special occassion permit, pick up the beer and wine, prepare all the food like 40 pounds of potatoe salad, 15 dozen deviled eggs (my specialty), tons of bean, jello, pasta, macaroni, cole slaw salads, peel, cook and mash 150 pounds of potatoes, buy, pick up and cook, slice and serve tons of beef and pork roasts, plus not to mention prepare and cook the pig. We fed 211 people. We had a silent auction and bake sale manned by more volunteers. Then, when it was all over, cleaning up the mess. Washing every dish, fork knife and spoon, slow cooker, roast, platter etc in the hall. But it is all for a good cause - the Wharncliffe Fire Hall. Same time, same place next year.

FORE!!!

Rick, Andy, Rejean and I got in our annual golf game the other day - Thursday I think. It was the best day of the week as far as weather goes. I got a 67 and, if you know me, that is not for 18. I never said I was a good golfer. But we all had a great time and we had our celebratory beer and hotdog after we finished.

BIG BAD WOLF

On my way to the Hall Friday morning at 8:30 am, what do I see walking down the middle of the road but this wolf. I had my camera with me and I quickly got it into my hands. But when I am excited, as when you see a wolf walking down the middle of the highway, my tremor kicks into high gear so I apologize if the picture is not as what I wanted it to be. I stopped the car in the middle of the road after checking that it was safe to do so. I watched him/her walk to the side of the highway and walk past me to the back of the car, where he stopped and watched me. He sniffed the road a few times, then walked into the bush. Mark on Axe Lake saw the same one later in the day - we knew it was the same because he showed little fear. I realized as I was taking the picture that my car window was rolled right down and at any time he could have lunged at me but he didn't and I lived to provide you with this first hand account of a encounter with a beautiful wolf.

BUSY AS BEAVERS

They started at 7am and were finshed at 11am - and the Fire Hall never looked so good. That roof will outlive us all.

COST OF ROOFING SUPPLIES $1372.00 COST TO FEED GUYS $50.00 HAVING ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO FINISH THE JOB IN 4 HOURS PRICELESS

These guys gave their time and skills to put a new steel roof on the Wharncliffe Fire Hall - in 4 hours!!!!  They worked like bees!!
Everyone had a job to do and they got it done before the rain.  They are my heros!!!

WHAT WOULD YOU BID???

August 14th, 2011 is the Wharncliffe Pig Roast and Silent Auction and Bake Sale and these beauties will be going up for bid. They were originally mine but certain people (who shall remain nameless) didn't like them - they were uncomfortable - but not to me. I loved them - they looked good on my veranda. Then I gave them to Jen and Steve who were going to use them at the bunkie but then they found chairs that were in the colors that they were looking for so these became homeless. Thank goodness we didn't take them to the dump store where people could pick them up for free!!! Now, they can pay and the $$ can go to the Wharncliffe Fire Hall. Along with the bow and arrows I picked up at the last year's auction - I prefer guns. Plus any other treasures I can find around here.

So, if you are in the neighbourhood next Sunday and are looking for some excitment, stop by - meals are at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 - the Silent Auction will be on in the afternoon as well as the bake sale. $12 for the meal, beer and wine will be available as well as pop.

Who knows, these chairs could be going home with you...for a price...

RON IS HAPPY

The guys fished early this morning and this was the only one caught - another nice walleye. Someone is going to have a nice fish dinner soon. Want some company????

TINY TOADS

Take a look at the size of this baby. Actually, it is one of the "bigger" tiny toads that we find around here. You have to be careful about where you walk - all you can see is just a movement out of the corner of your eye. Those are Linda's hands that it is in - you have to watch out for her nails...just some of the wildlife around here.  (and by wildlife, I am referring to the toads, not Linda...;o)

CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE DRAGON FLY KIND

This is a picture of James with a dragon fly on the end of his finger. The same one landed on my finger for about 5 minutes - and I let him - I must have looked real funny holding my finger up with a dragon fly on the end of it. Neat looking bugs...