Sunday 6 December 2015

Closer To the Land

Driveway repair
We have been busy this year with working the acreage as nature tries to move back in to reclaim the area. This is when the realization of living in the country means more physical labour to exist comfortably. Our beaver colony was extending their dams in the creek and there was little water running there. This creek drains the upper areas of the fields and now this pond was becoming a small lake. We had a trapper in for the spring and he took out two of them, and destroyed the dam with an axe. However it was obvious in no time that there were more and working industriously with rebuilding. We had also had some washouts on our driveway in heavy melts and rain. If this lake continued to grow, then our drive in the lower area and the road next to the land would suffer. We had a few people to come and take down the dams even digging under theml. A few times we saw the rush of water go under the culvert in the drive. But we were soon calling in the licensed trapper these last weeks and three more beaver were removed. The water is flowing and we hope that is a sign that there are no more in the lodge. The trapper may be waiting to go back in at night to check for any more. We wait the results.

Meanwhile we have just gotten the driveway resurfaced to a smooth run of 1500 feet up the hill. There is to be a culvert put in below still, to combat any over flow on to the drive as was in the past. 

We bought a large shelter tent to house some items from the garage so that we can work more in the garage and the tent. The wind last month took the tent and we had it replaced more securely and waited out two more wind storms watching with anxiety. It’s a guessing game if it lasts this winter.


Our Deer
We have tried to live with the animals and the elements but have found nature is powerful and determined and the best we can hope for is to hold our ground. But there are the days when I’m out on the deck with my morning coffee viewing the early fog or sun. There is the delight of watching the deer in our yard near the house. Recently we have viewed a stag a couple of times. Usually they don't show up like the doe. We have snow shoes ready for this winter. I plan to photograph the land more and even get a plein air painting or two done as the subject matter is endless .In our battles we still claim joy in living on our 49 acres.



Fog Over Greenhill