KIDS OF AXE LAKE

Axe Lake gets all sorts of visitors and we met a couple of it's younger ones this week.  Christopher and Ty were out in their boat getting set up on the island for a sleep over.  They had their tarp all set up and their camp fire ready to go.  But a few more trips were needed, I am sure, to make sure that lots of treats were readily available to them.  How brave of them to camp out all by themselves - but if they did need any help it was just a stones throw away - I think everyone knew their plans so everyone had a eye out for them.  It did get a bit chilly that night but being as young as they are, it didn't make any difference to them.  Christopher has plans to join the army in the future - so this was just a walk in the park for him I am sure.  And Ty was having a ball.

SNAKE IN THE SLATE

The Sisters took off after brunch to the old slate mine to pick some anoukshuk pieces for Joanne.  You have to be careful on the slate because it is just small loose pieces.  Well I was up pretty high looking for arms for the anoukshuk when I picked up a rock and lo and behold there was a little snake.  After the initial shriek I yelled at Susan to throw me my camera and I got some good shots.  It was cool so he wasn't too active.  But when I got home I couldn't find him in any of my books so any ideas out there as to what he is?  As you can see by the leaf next to him, he was not very big but we did keep an eye out for the mother or father as I suspect they would have been much bigger.
In the final picture, you can see the finished products.  Not bad for an afternoon's work.

NOT THE TARGETED CONSUMER?

We all went to the Napa store in Blind River to pick up some equipment and this baby caught my eye.  It is quite the machine.  I asked the salesman, Neil, about it and he said that I really wasn't the targeted consumer for this particular machine.  I asked him what exactly he meant by that and he said that it is being shopped to the younger audience - specifically males - who like to go mudding on their quads.  I said I could go thru mud too.  It certainly has my little 250 Honda 4 Trax beat all to hell.
The bear was carved by a man with a chainsaw at their customer appreciation day a couple of weeks ago.  I think it would look good just inside my front door.  Wouldn't fit in the back of my car tho.

PROBLEM WITH THE BEAVERS

As I type this, Jack and Rejean are out breaking up a beaver dam on our stream for the 4th time.  There are 2 of them and they are becoming a nuisance.  The last time this happened, the beavers gave up after we broke it up 2 times but they seem to be determined to keep it this time.  It is amazing what they can do in a night.  They are taking out all our bull rushes by the roots and digging up all the logs we used to fill up the swamp area to build their dam.
There are trappers in the area that we can call to "help" with out problem but Rejean may take care of it himself soon - if they keep it up.
Hmmmm - I hear there is a lot of white meat on beavers....

A GOOD DAY ON THE RIVER

We all headed out to the river this morning - it wasn't going to be as hot and there was rain in the forecast - a good day to fish.  Rejean took Sandy under his wing and gave her a few lessons in casting - she caught the first 2 fish - bass - but let them go.  Joanne caught a nice bass and we kept it for dinner - to go along with the 4 walleye the girls caught last nite in Cheney!!.  Sandy filled her pockets with rocks - for her grandchildren she said but we know better!!
Fish dinner tonite!!!!

TRYING TO STAY COOL

If you look real close in the first picture, you can see Joanne and me in the jacuzzi.  What a great place to cool off. Sitting in the water at Snowshoe.  We mudded up and rinsed off then we were off to Pig Pen where a nice breeze made it bearable.  You can't swim there but just watching the water cools you off.  Joanne and Sandy are off to town for some supplies then we are going over to launch their boat, inflate her pool toy and laze about over there.  Hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill tonite.

What did you do today to stay cool?

MORE FUN

Picked Joanne up at the Sault airport on Saturday - I got there about 10:05am - the plane was expected at 10:17am but she was already there waiting form me.  Something about a head wind or something.  We went from there to do her grocery shopping - or should I say beverage shopping.  Priorities you know.  By the time we got to the Post to pick up the beer (and an ice cream cone for Joanne) the only room left was on her lap so that's where the beer went.
Joanne's friend Sandy came for a visit on Sunday and on Monday they came over to our place to spend the day floating in the pool - it was a scorcher!!  Rejean made blender drinks all afternoon long and I fed them ribs and potato salad for dinner.  Poor Mitch only had Krafty dinner - he missed out on the ribs.  Mitch is still in Calgary but he'll be here on Saturday to enjoy his 2 week stay.  We also played around with Jacques.  Jacques is my pet bass.  He got a good feeding of worms yesterday.  One thing with Jacques as opposed to Lucy (my other pet bass from a couple of years ago) he has no fear and no hesitation to take the worms right from my fingers.  He just wams it.  No fear at all.  We took a cruise around the lake after dinner.  The breeze made it very enjoyable.
It is supposed to be another hot one today.  We are planning on heading to the jacuzzi later on this afternoon.  Can't think of a better place to spend a lazy hazy hot sunny afternoon.  (oh yes I can...)
See Ya Bye

THE AXE WAY TO STAY COOL

This is one way to stay cool during our heat wave.  Smart!!

ANOTHER GET-A-WAY

Another couple of free days and we headed to Hinkler again - this time we took the kayaks and Rejean's quad with the passenger seat attached for exploring opportunities.  It was a very hot day and Rejean and Ron hit the pool after dinner to cool off.  I showered instead.  The next day was a chore day and Rejean got right to it.  This is him after he made a shoe tree out of the solar panel board - our water shoes dry out just fine on them.  They put a roof over top of our wood pile plus a  few other chores left over from our first visit.  We found a few good lakes in our travels to be fished on our next visit (we found the stashed boat).  The next picture is of little Lucas on his dirt bike with training wheels - yes you read right.  We saw him go by with his dad on the back but Lucas was steering the bike and working the throttle.  I just had to get a picture.  they teach them young up here.  The next picture is of a large toad checking out the darkness under my kayak.  I had to be careful when I moved it the next day - he quickly got out of harm's way.  It was Ron and Mary's anniversary on one of our days at Hinkler so Ron picked a nice flower for Mary on one of our explorations.  Hows romantic.  Mary and I got out on the kayaks on the last nite just in time to get a picture of Ron hauling in a nice bass.  We didn't get too close as we didn't want to spook the rest of the fish.  It is a beautiful lake to kayak on and I am sure we will explore the whole lake on our next visits.  I will be trolling behind my kayak...

HMMMMM

Tis the time of year that all the wildflowers are in bloom up here - including some other species of plants.  Came across this beauty in my travels.  I will provide updates from time to time on it's progress and harvesting - if it ever reaches that state.  I have seen the chipmunk eyeing it...now that would be funny to see.

ROAD TRIP

Finally made it to Elliot Lake today with Ron and Rejean to pick up some walleye fry on behalf of the North Shore Fisheries.  They raise the fish in ponds, which they then drain into smaller holding pens where they are scooped out and distributed to various lakes in the region.  There was a big snapper in the drained pond and I got a pretty good picture of him from a safe distance.  I don't think he was very hungry as I am sure he fed well on the fish and polliwogs in the pond.  I got to meet some of the other members of the organization as well.  I got my hours in as this is my new volunteer organization - later in the year we will be checking out some lakes for future stocking.  And I will be checking out the lakes for future fishing...just saying.

WHAT IS THIS?

This item is made out of wood - the tube on the right has small holes in it and it turns.  I think it must be a knitting machine or crocheting devise.
I will get some better pictures of it if it will help.

JUST STUFF

First off I apologize for the delay in posting anything since last Saturday - I promised when I started this blog that I wouldn't be a "once-a-week" blogger but sometime shit happens.  I can swear now because my "filters" Mr and Mrs Barr unfortunately no longer have access to a computer to see my posts.  So I will probably swear a little bit more often...but not too much.
We had company - Rick and Joan and Steve and Jenn.  There was a lot of work plus a lot of fun had during their visits.  Steve got his skull collection out and put some to good use as you can see.  He put the steer skull on his shed and Rick put some others on his outhouse.  I think they look great!!  Hope his grand kids think the same when they see it.
Jenn was busy raking out her little cove.  She borrowed my hip waders to help her get right into the thick of things plus I think they gave her a sense of security from the dock spiders living in the rocks next to her.  I guess they were rather big - but then again so was the snake that lives over there too as you can see in the next picture.  I spied him coiled up catching some sun - getting ready to eat those big dock spiders.  See - snakes are our friends.
I also got a shot of a dragon fly resting on the rocks.  The bugs have been horrible this year but just when you can't stand them, the dragon flies come out in droves.  They are everywhere.  There are so many different species and each one is beautiful.  They are also our friends.  They eat bugs!!!
Busy times right now.  Getting ready for Joanne to come next Saturday then Mitch the week after.  Sue and Jack will be up for the middle week.  There never seems to be enough time to do everything I want to do. But in the end, it will all work out.  It always does.
See Ya Bye