Yes, off we went. Buster was a bit sleepy. He'd caught a mouse, and we quite exhausted. He was camped out on our bed.
He brought it up to the deck to show off his prize. Duly tenderized, it has since disappeared!
I headed out back to check out the property with Felix. Our backyard is a bit of a spit, extending out into the wetland.
We have no worries about flooding, as the bog is in a gully below, with much clay underneath.
Brave Felix digs snow out from toe pads.
It is much like the larger lakes, and melts at the edges first, where meltwater has gathered.
And still we have people sledding at the speed of stupid!
Nothing more striking than the moss!
Felix hunts for mice friends!
Field mouse trails appear
They look a bit drunk, wobbly little path!
Much safety in the snow cover!
I shall miss the story that the snow tells.
He's happy with the green grass!
Can you spot them?!
You can see the path the deer follow in the bog.
Where they have compacted snow
it is slower to melt.
He walks with me like a dog!
You can see the melt starting!
He loves getting up off the snowy, wet ground!
House peeks through the forest!
Oops, watch that first step!
And still we had people go into Lake Simcoe!
Usually letting his brother do the meowing,
he howled for me to wait up!
The tree gather sun's rays and warms the forest edge, where snow melts and deer seek warmth.
We put in a generator, which we left behind. A seamless generator that ran off of our propane. It was lovely. We had a tankless water heater. I hope the new home owner appreciates it!
We lost power for 11 minutes the other day. It was a shock. At 8:56 - our lovely taped murder mystery went blank. In Muskoka the power went off regularly. In Lanark County not so much. We casually went to find our flashlights. We use them often, and they are nearby. Usually our granddaughter likes to look for the cats that hide under the bed!
Yesterday's disaster was finding our granddaughter with chicken pox! My poor visiting brother was shocked, as he planned on going back into Musselwhite mine camp in less than a week.
We all washed hands. And tried, politely, to bid farewell. I've had JK/SK students with chicken pox, my own 3 kids had it, and I figure I'm good!
There was a train derailment in Ontario last week. There are evacuations for fires, explosions, and all sorts of reasons.
Quickly select basic clothing, medication, toiletry supplies and other essentials for several days absence.
Take your pets with you.
Do not pick up family members from schools, daycares and institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. Plans are in place to protect them.
People currently outside this area are advised not to enter this area until further notice.
Do not call 911 for information about this emergency.
Remain tuned to this station for further information and instructions.
For a trip to the cottage:
Our old home. Ducks were happy the storm quit
Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day; three-day supply ideal)
Cash (ATMs and electronic cash registers may not work)
Cell phone (with nonelectrical charger)
Warm clothing, jammies and rain gear
Extra blankets/sleeping bags
Documents
driver’s license, passport, birth certificate
Contact information of friends and family (in a waterproof container)
Financial inventory (a list of bank and investment accounts, mortgages, and loans, including account numbers and location of original documents)
Spring Flooding
As the weather gets warmer, streams, rivers and creeks can become dangerous. Water levels can rise with the melting snow and falling rain. Keep a safe distance away from moving water and stay informed of flood conditions.
No April showers, especially not in our house. Our hot water tank has succumbed to old age - it leaks from an internal orifice, and from a week of only tepid water, showers are now 'manly', as hubby said. I did a great work out, and then leapt into the tub, only to find that our tepid water is now cool.
Our high speed has been wonky, too. I am so behind in my blogging world. My little link to the bigger world around me.
But I cannot complain. No earthquakes. Deep infrastructure. Many, many people who make this place a grand place to live, work and play. In ALL seasons! Dark clouds, with sunshine peeking through.
I love the melting water on the Precambrian Shield.
In Gravenhurst they are repairing culverts just in time for spring, and the Ontario Winter Games. Last year this spot flooded, as it does every year - right beside the Muskoka Wharf.
I went for a walkabout on the lake. Stepping gingerly, I could see a wet spot ahead.
The island looks so pretty in close up.
The darkness on top of the water is a bit disconcerting. I took a photo of my footsteps, you can see how they filled with water!
The sledders better be careful. You can see where THEIR tracks filled with water, in shallower parts of the lake, especially where it moves: between islands, or where it drains in and out of the body of water.
And in a close-up look what I spotted as a bit of foreshadowing of things to come! Here, let me get closer:
This video falls into the 'driving at the speed of stupid' category, my friend, Cindy Smith, likes to mention. If you watch it on YouTube, you'll find a LOT of related videos of those who like to celebrate this type of drive. Me, I'd be so embarrassed! Of course, it it were the family sled, the kid would be grounded till doomsday!
The warmth of the sun, nearing its spring solstice, heats the land and the rocks. The rocks radiate the heat to near-by ice.
The lake has been melting by day and freezing at night. The rain of a few days ago lay on top. The lake continues to drain as water melts. The ice cracks and heaves with glee.
In the morning the fog was thick. Our dead tree looked eerie. I love the morning fog, as the water evaporates it leaves dancing fog creatures.
It is too bad the tourists have to scream back and forth on high-powered machines. Some zip over open water. I blogged about it. I found a YouTube video demonstrating this stupidity! (he falls in about 1:26 into the video. After 5 minutes they pull it out. Mine, below, shows them our foggy morning and them zipping by our frontage in the afternoon.
The darkness on top of the water is a bit disconcerting. I took a photo of my footsteps, you can see how they filled with water!
