OTTAWA

Drove to Ottawa yesterday to order our new truck. Very excited to be getting new wheels that won't be in the repair shop every month; I hope.  Of course the technical improvements in the past 15 years will be appreciated as well. Prices have sure changed. My first vehicle cost $1,800 out the door. (1967) This truck set me back over $45,000 almost the price of our first house. Guess I'm getting old.

Got home just as it was getting dark. The drive was beautiful.

BUSY AFTERNOON

It was a perfect afternoon to be working outside. So that's what we did, worked........

worked ......................

and worked .......................

We both worked ..................

Mary looked after cleanup while I cut trees.

I was able to drop the trees right where I wanted, on the driveway. Easy to clean up once they were down.

Lots of firewood for next winter.

Sun is going down, time to pack up. We will finish this tomorrow.
How does Nathan cut 102 trees in a day and I'm exhausted after just two?
Must find out what I'm doing wrong. No trouble sleeping tonight.

Thanks for keeping an eye on us and safe travels everyone.

MUD CAKE

We are trying to eat less sugar and white flour these days but I still enjoy my desserts. Mary baked this high fat low carb cake today and it is decadent. 

One slice was my allotment so I went for the largest I could find.  It means tomorrow I will need to get outside and do some physical work. Yes, even though it's KETO it still has calories.

Outside our visitors are enjoying the seeds we put out. Glad my diet isn't so restrictive.

The latest storm has passed and the wind is again calm. Tomorrow will be a plowing day.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for stopping by.

SPLITTING WOOD

Up  here everyone is busy getting their wood in for next winter. Yesterday I was over helping Durl split wood. Durl did most of the splitting ................  I helped load the ATV.

When I split wood I use a gas powered splitter.

 Durl does it the way he did when he was a boy, with an axe, one swing at a time.


Now I won't reveal Durl's age but I will say when I was in high school Durl was out teaching. He's split a lot of wood.

You can order a truck load of fire logs for $800 to $1,000 dollars depending on the type of wood in the load. It is delivered and stacked where you want and then it's up to you to cut, split and stack it. The pile you see behind Durl will give him enough firewood for three years.

These little side-by-side ATVs are a versatile machine to have. They have four wheel drive and are essential for so many jobs around your property. Once we had the bed loaded we took it up to the storage area. I appreciated the opportunity to sit down for a few minutes.

Stacked and drying it will be ready to burn come October.

Looks like we are ready to get more wood.

Just another day back in the bush.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for stopping by. Time to throw another log on the fire.

IF YOU PLAN TO STAY

If you are going to stay here for the winter you might as well enjoy it and on a day like today the best place is outside on snowshoes.

We have at least four feet of snow in the bush and our trails are easy to follow. Of course after each new snowfall we have to "break trail" which is a great cardio workout and exhausting at the same time.

I'm always glad when we turn the corner and the house comes into view; I know refreshments and a warm fire await.

Did I mention we have lots of snow? Expecting another 15 cm this week.

Looks like there will be lots left when Owen visits in March.

Stay warm and dry everyone. Safe travels.

HIKE IN THE WOODS

Yesterday was a perfect day for snowshoeing; over 30 cm of fresh snow, warm temperatures (-12*C) and miles of trails to cover back in the bush.

Charlotte had been out earlier with her dogs so much of the trail was already packed when we got there; made for much easier snowshoeing.

Even in such a remote region people can still reach us on the phone.

Up here the ATV is just as essential as a car. We use it twelve months of the year for every outdoor job we do and yesterday everyone was busy clearing the driveways  with this versatile little machine.

Our road is still snow covered, the only tracks are those left by our snowshoes.

Almost home, just stepping onto our driveway.

We had such a good time I think today we will do it again.

Happy Valentine's Day; enjoy the chocolate!

DON'T COME HOME

A few days ago we had this.........

today ..................................

If you are down south, STAY. Don't even think about coming home.

So thankful to have the skid-steer. In an hour I had cleared our driveway. Road is still impassible so we will be staying put for the day and snowshoeing across the lake.

It has been a cold winter and we have gone through more wood than expected. Looks like it's time to start cutting down some trees. There's always a job, never unemployed.

Safe travels everyone and if you are are on the beach today send  the sunshine our way.

Thanks for stopping by.