CREATURE PATH THRU THE SNOW

CANIS LUPIS - NIGHT TIME VISITOR

Dump day - so off I went with my 2 bags (we missed last week - we were in Amherstburg) and also stopped at the Post for some beer - one for us - Bud Light as Rejean likes the toques - and a case of Blue for Ron for blowing out out entrance last week. Got back home and prepared to work on the Nova Brick - Rejean went outside and noticed some rather large tracks around the house - a lot bigger than our fox's prints - so I got out my trusty tracking book and went to work in trying to identify the species. As far as I can tell they are wolf tracks. Big Wolf Tracks!!! It is not the first time we have had wolves around the house - I blogged a picture of a visitor we had a few years ago by the burn barrel. We know they are out there but they are very elusive. The people in Wharncliffe hear them howling all the time but we don't up here - I have no idea why they don't congregate around here. There were also tracks and a pathway made by the wolf at the side of the house by the garden - it went down into some bushes and came back out - he must have been after something. Or maybe he caught some shuteye in the area around the base of the trees - it is out of the cold in a little hollow. Who knows. I think it is exciting that they have been around - we have lots of birds and the occasional squirrel - I have seen snowshoe hare tracks around as well. I hope he doesn't go after my fox (I haven't seen him around for a while but that's because Axe Lake had lots of visitors over the holidays and he is well fed). I'll keep my eyes open for him from now on - I hope I have my camera ready - but they don't stick around for long and chances of seeing him out and about are pretty slim.
Cocktails this afternoon at Ron's. I saw him at the Post when I was getting my beer and he was getting his - also saw tons of people ice fishing on Cummings Lake - the season opened on January 1st and here it is the 3rd and they are out in droves - it is a nice sunny day but cold -15!! Bundle Up!!
See Ya By

NOT AS WE PLANNED

We went to bed last nite without anymore snow coming down but we woke up to about 4 more inches as predicted again. There went our plans to work on the novabrick - Rejean got the tractor going and started a fire in the garage for me to work on my pine - they just need to be lightly sanded and then the final coat of varathane can be applied the they will be done. We got a call from Bruce's son asking about the snowmobiles. We are selling them both to purchase another one that has reverse, an electric start and is a two-up (that means it can accommodate two people - one driving and the other as a passenger - guess which one I will be) That is really all we need for what we will be using the machine for. A friend on Axe Lake has offered his for sale to us so we will take him up on it. We put the machines in the other garage so that meant that we would have to bring them over here - we have not been up to that property since the snow has started falling. It is deep!!! After Rejean finished blowing snow at Ute's he got his snowshoes on and I dropped him off on the road at the other property so he could walk in - the truck or tractor would never have even made it onto the property from the road - the snow is over three feet deep where the road plow has pushed it. He would have to dig out the snow at the other garage to get the machines out. I would return to get him in a hour. I returned to the garage to work on my pine. About 1/2 hour later I hear a snow machine in the driveway - Rejean had got mine working and drove it over. We got back in the car and I drove him over again to work on the other one - again he got it going and rode his back over - one more time in the truck to get the covers. They guys showed up at about 4:30 and bought them on the spot. They had to flip to see who got what machine - mine is slower than Rejean's. We had spiffed them up last year and the guys were impressed how good they looked for machines that were 25 years old - they were almost vintage!!!

That was it for the day - I had finished sanding my pine and Rejean was beat. We made plans to work on the novabrick tomorrow - then we get a call from Ron - cocktails at 2pm at their place tomorrow- there goes Saturday - I was going to detox this weekend (only joking) - it will be a blast over there - they are good friends. Cal and Sal will be there also.

Dump day tomorrow - my favourite day - maybe we will get a little work done tomorrow...

See Ya By

Stacey - it worked this time.

ALL DRESSED UP AND READY TO PARTY

THE NEW YEAR'S BABY IN ALL HIS GLORY - SHRINKAGE?

THE MAIN COURSE

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Hope everyone got thru last nite in one piece and that it doesn't hurt too much. We had a great time over at Axe Lake - Ron and Mary couldn't make it as Ron was sick - they just had a quiet evening at home. We got on our layers - my turtleneck, new jacket, my winter running tights under my jeans, my wool sox, down coat, snowmobile gloves and my fur hat and Baffin boots that keep your feet warm up to minus some great number. I also took some hand warmers you stuff in your gloves to keep my hands warm. Rejean was dressed pretty much the same and he decided to wear his fur hat as well. We knew we would be outside almost all night. Got there about 6pm and managed to grab a drink before the food was served - I should say FEAST was served. There were two huge pans of ribs done on the open fire, chicken legs, sausages, haddock fish, perogis, salads, buns, dips, meat and cheese trays - you name it and it was there. As soon as we had eaten we headed out to the fire. And it was a big bon fire - you couldn't stand too close and you would burn your legs. But if you stayed close you were very comfortable - we were out there for at least 5 hours in -21C - it was cold - the beer in the coolers were freezing. I put my beer down on the picnic table to take some pictures and it froze before I could get back to it. But if you were dressed for it as we all were, you were fine.
At about 11:45pm the girls grabbed Mike and took him in the house - it was his first trip to the Lake and he was enjoying himself. At about one minute to midnight out came the New Year's Baby. they had stripped him down, put an adult diaper on him, a bra and draped him with some flowers - he had boots on and little else. But he was well fortified with alcohol so he could stand the cold. He did manage to stay out for about 1/2 hour - about 10 minutes in his bare feet!!! We had fireworks, and sparklers - I had bought some of those glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets so everyone had at least one of them on. I told them it was to find them if they fell in the snow but they had to fall with their arm up so we could see the bracelet. We got home at about 1:30 and the temperature was -21C - we had to get a fire going when we got home - it was 62 degrees in the house.
Today we are going over to visit Cal and Sal on Jobam but other than that we are taking it easy - we have some left over ribs from last night so I don't have to think about dinner.
Hope you had a good one - the best is yet to come...
See Ya By