It’s almost mid February and there haven’t been any ice walking treks unless you count ice fishing that one day in January.The 9 days I spent volunteering in Saranac Lake recently on the annual ice palace project involved a bunch of ice walking while cutting ice blocks and doing some work up on the walls. That falls under IPW though. Ice palace worker.I suppose I am referring more to actual swamp, pond, and creek type adventures as true ice walking. I haven’t made them happen like some winters past. If you’re confused at this moment about what I am writing about, then I suggest you look up some of my older posts about ice walking. The ice palace also. They’re easy to find and contain plenty of details.
Volunteering for the IPW was pretty predictable again this year with one big exception. We were working with much thicker ice due to the cold weather we have consistently been getting. I worked on the ice cutting crew first thing in the morning just like I have my 5 previous years there. We started out on day 1 cutting 14” thick blocks and by last Monday they were close to 20”! Work started on January 21st and there were 3 days of cancelled work because of extreme cold. It was definitely good weather for working with ice.
The very first cuts of 2026.
I helped work on building the walls for a couple days again this year. Slushing in the blocks to hold them in place mostly but I also helped place blocks too. I call that wall walking. It’s not a bad job but it’s rather physically demanding and a person must really stay focused. Falling off the top of the wall would not be good. It doesn’t take too long for 14” blocks to add height to a wall when you start stacking them up. One of the towers ended up being just over 30’ tall. Much higher than I was comfortable working.
I teamed up with the ice carving team again this year and actually was given more complicated tasks to perform. No carving but I helped create larger pieces of the sculptures by using a chainsaw. I work with them mostly as a laborer actually. Slushing things in place so they freeze in well. Cleaning up debris and keeping the work site organized. A fun activity was working to help create the ice numbers 2026 and going up to place them on top of the wall.
Setting the numbers.
I was also tasked with cutting in access holes through several walls with a large chainsaw. Right up my alley actually so I volunteered for all the chainsaw work I could get. One of the volunteers saw me struggling with a smaller chainsaw and offered me his to try out. It’s a Stihl MS 500I with a 36” bar. A fuel injected monster! It’s powerful yet fairly light. Zane shot a video of me using it.
The Stihl MS 500I.
I really found my niche with the ice carvers this year and I hope to work more with them next year in 2027. They are a great bunch of guys who really seem to appreciate the help. Down on the ice field, working on the cutting crew this year was difficult for me at times. I won’t go into great depth or details about why. That’s not necessary. Let’s just say that it gets a little too intense and negative at times. It stops being fun then. It’s always taken some patience to work on the cutting crew but this year my patience was thin. Unlike the ice!🧊 Moving into next year I may reconsider my position as one of the volunteer cutters and put more time into assisting the ice carvers. Call it a gut feeling. A sixth sense revelation that maybe it’s time to branch out in a new direction.
My friend Patrick Bourcy showed up for 2 days to volunteer. Zane was there one of those days too. He joined the spudding crew on the ice field helping to free the ice blocks from the cut grid of the main mass. He had an incident down on the ice field also. I guess us Washburn boys from the valley are troublemakers! 😂 In the end everything worked out and we all had a great day. That’s what matters!
Patrick, me, and Zane working with the ice carvers.
So as you might imagine, some time has passed productively this winter despite the frigid weather. I have kept cutting wood but that’s recently gotten difficult as the snow continues to add up. Things slow down in winter. That’s a given. Everything gets a little more difficult when it comes to outdoor type work. But with some perseverance, a person can keep moving forward. Some days very little gets accomplished. Other days are better. I find it best not to take tasks too seriously these days. Keeping firewood coming in is always a good use of time in the winter when it’s possible. I actually use quite a bit of wood to heat the Homestead cabin when I stay there. I banked the cabin with snow last week to help keep it warmer. It seemed to help.
Winter firewood on the plowed off landing.
I’m watching the calendar closely now. It’s almost time to seriously consider maple syrup season again. So a couple of ice walking adventures need to be considered if they are going to even happen. The annual trip to the ice falls really needs to be given a date. Why the hesitation you might wonder? That’s a great question with a great answer! The thaws in December and January did not result in great ice if what I can see of the swamp from the road is a good indication. I can see some open spots still.
We got a bunch of snow before things froze up well after the thaws had made some high water in the gorge. I had hoped for a deep freeze ahead of the snow but it never happened. And I know that all that deep snow on that swamp will make for some tricky trekking with snowshoes. Thus the hesitation. But time is of the essence. And I am ready to take a chance out there on the right day!
The February Homestead.
One thing is for certain at this point. It’s going to take some energy wearing snowshoes to reach the ice falls and even more if we go up to the Black Ash Swamp above them. But I am hoping that we can make that happen very soon. There’s nothing like a trip down the gorge of Beaver Creek to charge up the spirit batteries. It’s always worth the effort. And it’s great if you can manage to stay dry! 😂✍️
Winter solstice is but a few days away but we’ve been having winter weather for some time now. Our first snow in Macomb was around November 16th. There’s been lots of snow up in Santa Clara and the Adirondacks in general this autumn. Now that it’s mid December, the snow doesn’t seem like anything but fairly normal. A cold snap brought some recent single digit weather and even some negative temperatures. -8 degrees in Santa Clara one night! Brrr!
Hunting season went by quicker than expected and we never saw any bucks during rifle season. I sat in the different tree stands we had built but not even any does ever came close. The deer seemed to move about a lot. Some nights there would be a couple in the meadow by the barn after dark. Zane hunted some during rifle season but didn’t see anything either. I still hunted some as well. Wandering around helped me try to figure out where the deer were staying.
From the “Metal Chair” tree stand.
We got a pop up hunting blind to use in areas where we had no tree stands. We used it some but I think it’s a little better suited to early season hunting. We never saw any deer while sitting in it. I sat in it one evening as we got hit by some heavy freezing rain. It was nice to be out of that! I later moved it to a new spot right before the season ended but never saw anything there either. We will experiment with it more next year. It’s got potential.
As we got closer to the end of rifle season, Zane and I did some deer drives. We pushed out a few deer but neither of us got a shot. Some fresh snow the final weekend of rifle made for some decent tracking conditions. That was fun! It was easy to identify where the deer were moving.
Deer activity in one of the meadows.
The weather turned pretty crappy the final weekend of rifle season and the snow was starting to add up. I wandered around some in the wind and snow hoping to get lucky. It was not to be. But we still had late muzzleloader season for one week to try and fill unused tags. It had turned rather cold and there were many flocks of geese suddenly moving south. You could easily spot several flocks at any given time for a couple days. It was obvious that things were moving closer to winter.
During all this time I was busy getting some wood cut and cleaning up some fallen die off maples that kept dropping limbs into the meadow below the Gap Ridge. They were a bit of an eyesore from the cabin windows and I was tired of looking at them. Not to mention that there was some nice dead red elm to cut in the same area. I decided to make a small landing on the edge of the meadow after cutting down the brush that had overtaken the old fence row. I built a large brush pile and added sections of rotten maple logs to it using the tractor. I had a great fire one night and kept it going for a couple days. Fire is the best way to ditch old logs and brush.
Operation Burn Clear returns!
I had done something similar once near that location and had called my work “Operation Burn Clear”. It’s a good title for some goals Zane and I have for reclaiming the meadow edges. It’s going to take some time that’s for sure.
Gathering firewood is never a wasted effort and we always end up needing it. I have gone through quite a bit of firewood in the cabin this fall actually. I have brought a few loads of wood to Amy’s this fall. There’s a wood stove and a wood boiler in the basement so it has been a nice complement to the 25 cord that came with the house back in September. I usually top off my supply in the cabin when I’m getting a truck load of wood cut up. I like the smaller pieces of super dry red elm for the small wood stove that heats it.
There’s no shortage of dead trees on the farm to attempt to get cleaned up. I don’t think we could get caught up unless we started using much more. So it’s pick and choose for the best ascetics. After the burn bans of the spring,summer, and early fall, it was nice to be able to burn.
Touched off!
I was lucky to get a load of wood cut and hauled before last week’s big snow storm that started Tuesday and went into Wednesday. By Thursday I needed to plow the driveway out at the farm for the first time this fall. There was so much snow that the Honda utv could barely plow through. Luckily I had some previous trails to follow in the prior snow that I managed to reopen. Good thing it has four wheel drive! I tooled around looking for deer sign but it was absent near the barn and up beyond the Gap Ridge. NP. I’d go try somewhere else.
I got my muzzleloader out and fired a couple primers to temper the barrel before loading it. I didn’t fire it as I didn’t want to dirty the barrel. Something I would live to regret! I sat last that night up in the hunting blind after spinning the way up into the woods with the Honda to reach a place to park nearby. It was bitter cold and there were no fresh deer tracks anywhere near. It was time for a new strategy I decided. On Friday I would press hard for “The Mountain”. It would be difficult with almost knee deep snow but the deer had been hanging around in the meadows near the base of it. The plan was simple: wade the deep snow slowly and hit the high ledges for the view if nothing else. It’s something I like to do usually,minus the deep snow. It was the best idea that I could come up and what I had been trying hadn’t worked to date.Time was running out! Deer season closed at sunset on Sunday night!
Shadow Man sporting a chainsaw.
Friday dawned cold and clear with mostly clear, cerulean skies. As the sun climbed higher so did the temperature. It was a fine day for hunting! Much better than other recent ones of falling rain,snow, and blowing winds. The plan was simple. Carry a survival pack with food,water, fire starting kit, knife, etc. plus extra speed loaders for the gun. They are super handy as they contain everything you need to unload for one shot. I also would wear micro spikes for better traction after a test proved that they were fairly silent in the deep snow. I chose a mid morning start to give myself plenty of time before dark to complete my trek.
I walked the road until I reached the state land that would lead me to the Mountain. If you follow my writing then you know about the high rocky ridge that sits above Beaver Creek is what the Washburn family calls “The Mountain”. It is the highest place around and a great place to catch a view of the surrounding countryside. And sometimes there are deer to be found! Although I have never bagged one while hunting there.
It was difficult walking in the deep snow but I took my time. Falling with the gun would be bad anytime but worse in the snow. Luckily my muzzleloader has a nice sling so I put it over my neck so my hands were free. This helped me wade up to the first rocky outcropping that I had named “ The Low Point” many years ago. There’s a great view of the farm meadows there and even our big red barn is visible. I hung out for a bit to catch my breath and enjoyed the somewhat panoramic vista. Well worth the effort to get there!
View from the Low Point.
I left the Low Point and made my way towards my next destination the “Mid Point”. It’s another great viewing area also with mostly panoramic sights in all directions. It was the destination Zane and I chose last Xmas Eve for our celebration fire. We hope to return this Xmas Eve to continue our newest adventure tradition for year three. The first year we had our fire at the Low Point. These experiences may be in an old blog post. If not then I had better write one!
While walking towards the Mid Point I came across a single set of partially snowed in deer tracks. Not terribly exciting really. But encouraging to a degree. Up on the Mid Point I once again caught my breath and enjoyed the views. Off to the east of where I stood, I saw what looked like deer tracks so I went to investigate slowly and quietly in the deep powder snow. I moved almost ghostlike I felt. I held my muzzleloader in my hands when I reached the tracks and realized that they were very fresh! But where were the deer?
I moved towards the edge of a ledge to get a better look. I could see deer tracks below me. A flash of movement caught my eye and a deer came into sight from the left of me. Unbelievably close! A mere 30’ away! And I suddenly realized it was a buck! It stopped and turned towards me but it was like I was invisible. Time seemed to stand still as I stood unmoving from my high tactical advantage point.The buck turned and continued walked parallel a long a flat section of another ledge below me. I popped my scope lenses cover and pulled back my hammer just in time as the buck stopped for a second. He was in my crosshairs just 40’ from me when I pulled the trigger. What happened next played out in slow motion but not for long!
When I pulled the trigger my muzzleloader made a fizzling sound like a dud Roman candle instead of the loud bang I expected. There was a tiny puff of smoke and no recoil. The sound alerted the buck and he ran down the face of the ledge with mighty leaps and gave a couple warning snorts to his companions. Doe’s from his harem I believe but I never saw them.
I stood in shock and total disbelief! Disappointment washed over me like a wave. A misfire had happened apparently. But was my weapon clear? I quickly pulled my breach plug to find that my projectile had left the barrel. But with what velocity was the question. Had I wounded the buck after all? I made my way down to where I had last seen him but there was no blood anywhere. Not a drop. Now I was super disappointed. I had waited for this moment the entire season. Now it was gone because of equipment failure. Damp powder pellets were my best guess. Perhaps the result of condensation. I regretted not firing my gun that morning for a test shot. It would have dried the barrel and had it not fired properly I would have known. Damn the bad luck I thought as I trudged back to the cabin feeling rather defeated.
On the Mid Point.
Back at the cabin I played the events over and over again in my mind. I discharged my muzzleloader and it worked perfectly. I decided to take the Honda up to retrieve the hunting blind while I decided my next strategy. I would take my gun of course. Just in case.
I got the hunting blind folded up and loaded into the Honda and started back down the trail. I had noticed some deer tracks on the way in so I slowed down to study them. There is a long valley that I could see down at one point on my way out. And suddenly I spotted a deer! It was lying down actually. Totally brown and visible on the bright,white snow. I didn’t stop the Honda but kept going down the trail to where a ridge hid the valley from view. I left the wheeler running, grabbed my gun, and creep up over the ridge. I spotted a second deer lying down but my angle was wrong. I stalked my way up the ridge a second time further down and suddenly spotted a third deer. I inched a little closer and decided that I could make the shot at the newest deer that I had spotted. A big doe but my tag was good for that. I might never get a better chance than this. I fired.
My gun performed flawlessly. The deer didn’t run and I knew right off that I had made a kill shot. For that I was grateful. And just like that my luck had changed. I still felt bad about missing the buck. ( did I really miss him in a sense?) I walked up on my fallen prey and thanked her for her sacrifice. I felt blessed for good eyesight and steady hands. And there was that moment of sadness that comes when killing a deer. But there was work to do and it was turning colder even though it was only 3 pm!
Thankful for a kill shot.
I had trouble loading the big doe even after field dressing her. With the help of a rope I got her into the back of the Honda finally. Back at the farm I hoisted her up in the warehouse and made ready to cut her up. It was getting late so I needed to set up the generator for lights. Zane came over to help and eventually the deer was skinned,trimmed, and quartered into our large cooler. The end to a day of ups and downs. But my deer hunting season was over just like that. And I took catch my breath again. My deer wouldn’t get the chance to freeze solid during the super cold night. I had made that mistake years ago once. Never again if I can help it!
So this week I have been cutting up the deer and packaging it. I made over 30 lbs of venison burger from my big doe. We are in good shape for the winter months to come. Venison, walleye, and some morel mushrooms in the freezer. Hunting deer was something that I had given up for quite a few years actually. But I am glad that Zane got me interested in taking it back up again. It’s been quite the fall! Lots of great memories and lessons to be learned. And we sure are enjoying all the wonderful lean meat that’s super healthy!
Hunting and gathering are a big part of my rural heritage lifestyle. I’m excited to be sharing this with Zane. We have big plans for next season already! Until then we wait for what comes next. Winter will bring new adventures and new opportunities. Challenges and fun times. And maple syrup season is never too far from my thoughts. I will sit by the wood stove and enjoy maple syrup infused coffee while pondering it all. I will listen and see where my spirit energy leads me. And we’ll enjoy meals from our successful harvests from the bounties of nature. We truly are connected. And for that we are forever grateful with most humble thanks! MOONTABS! ✍️
Lots of new activities since my last post. Autumn has advanced quickly and most of the leaves are gone or soon will be at this rate. The popple trees are holding theirs at the moment as well as the oaks. Some lower brush type shrubs are retaining leaves as well. Especially the invasive wild honeysuckles. They really show up now. A grim reminder of the areas they are overtaking. But I have ripped up quite a few recently as I cleared out trails ahead of hunting season. Yes! We are hunting deer this year!
Zane and I had been talking about hunting deer this fall but were seriously handicapped by a lack of firearms. We both needed muzzle loaders and deer rifles. My Remington model 700 deer rifle has a potentially defective trigger that I never got replaced under the recall years ago. I decided we should not use it for safety reasons. So it’s just a showpiece at the moment. I never cared for it anyway. Chambered in 30-06 with a bolt action it always seemed heavy to me. I have carried it around some since getting it as a gift after the house fire of 2012, but I never truly felt comfortable with it. It’s practically brand new still. Honestly I had never really recovered from the loss of my Remington model 760 Gamemaster 300 Savage that had once belonged to my Grandfather Alvin Washburn. Purchased sometime in the 1950’s near as I could tell. It had sold for $100.00 plus dollars . ( its original box was in our attic with the price written on it). Our dad inherited it and it was in our house for many years although my dad never deer hunted till later years after he retired. He had given it to me by then and I had a gun dealer put a scope on it. I loved that gun! Lightweight with a pump action and ammo clip, it was a great shooting gun! I killed quite a few deer with it once I began deer hunting in the late 1990’s. Losing it in the fire was rather tragic for me. We lost all our guns that day. A truly horrible experience.
Sighting in a muzzle loader using the 13 yard method.
Once I knew that Zane truly was ready to hunt, I decided to buy a muzzle loader from a gun dealer we have purchased others through. He had a nice new CVA Wolf 50 caliber in stock at a fair price. The spending began! We needed everything. Primers, powder,sabots, and more. Several hundred dollars later we were ready to sight in the gun. We used the 13 yard rule and advanced out from there. It took quite a few shots to get the scope dialed in. Then came the cleaning. These newer guns are much easier to clean with their break breeches. A fair cry from the CVA Apollo that I killed deer with prior to the fire. Years ago we weren’t allowed to use scopes on muzzle loaders but the state changed that law some time ago. Zane was quite comfortable after firing the gun and receiving safety training from me. Now I needed a muzzle loader!
The gun dealer had a nice used CVA V2 Optima 50 caliber with a nice scope and sling. It has a stainless barrel and was in great condition. I decided to buy it. Also more accessories for Zane and I. This hunting hobby involves some cash flow! Good thing Zane is working and has his own money!
Things were ramping up with muzzle loader season just days away. I took the time to build a couple crude tree stands in strategic locations at the farm for Zane and I to use. I outfitted them with old 16’ wooden ladder sections and used old repurposed pressure treated lumber from a salvage job. Our metal ladder stand behind the barn was on the ground as the tree it was attached to had blown over at some point. I managed to salvage it but spooked a couple deer in the process. A good sign! I also cleared out some invasive wild honeysuckle near the one tree stand using the tractor and loader. Not to mention the old trail up beyond the gap that had become impassable from berry bushes and fallen trees. What a mess! Way different than the pastures I had hunted in the late ‘90’s. I now have the trail system in much better condition so at least we can walk it. The fallow meadows on the hill are weedy and overgrown. Difficult to spot deer in that’s for sure.
One of the tree stands. Simple and effective.
While all this was going on I was busy locating some deer rifles. Zane found a nice 1954 Remington model 760 Gamemaster in 300 Savage at a gun shop in North Dakota on GunBroker. GunBroker is a great place to find guns but there’s a commission involved with any transaction. But we were able to find the gun I truly wanted. It was as close to my Grandfather’s rifle as I was likely to ever find. Not cheap but it’s a collectible piece. I took a chance and I bought it. I made arrangements for it to be shipped to my gun dealer. FFL regulations must be followed for gun purchases. There’s a background check for guns and ammo. At a cost of course.It has to be paid. The price of doing business in this modern society.
Shortly after we found a beautiful 1979 Remington model 760 Gamemaster that was located in Minnesota. Through GunBroker again at a good price. I bought it also. We picked it up at our gun dealer last Friday and went to the farm to sight in my muzzle loader and the two 760’s. Lots of shooting! My muzzle loader was pretty easy to zero in fortunately. And the day ended with us preparing to start the muzzle loading season the next morning. Talk about a photo finish!
Zane tries out one of the Gamemaster model 760 rifles.
And that’s about it for rifles. No knives to mention really. We still need to buy a couple nice ones. I borrowed the title from a song I like by the band “ The Asteroid No. 4”. Zane and I are heavily invested in hunting season but things paid off last weekend for both of us. Both of us got deer! And I have spent a bunch of time getting them cut up and frozen. But all that is another story perhaps.
It took me many years to get interested in deer hunting again but I am glad to be back at it! And my new used rifle feels comfortable in my grasp. Familiar and known to me. Perhaps it has been waiting for me all these years. Who can really say? One things for certain, my model 760 brings back many memories! And I am back on the trails and in the trees.Observing as I hunt for deer and engage with nature. Connected in a hunter/gatherer mindset of rural heritage self reliance. I have gone full circle in some ways but did I ever truly leave? I believe this moment in time that I am sharing with Zane was waiting for the fullness of time to arrive. It is time for new MOONTABS as old ones circulate in my memory as I tell my son stories of who I once was as a hunter. But I have not forgotten I realize. Saturday would reinforce that for me. It is enough.✍️
It seems like months instead of weeks since I was in Quebec. There’s been lots of catching up since getting back home. I returned with the Airstream on September 15th after a 6 hour trouble free trip. The trailer sure does tow nice behind the truck! What a nice pair up! I reached the Homestead late in the afternoon and decided to camp out next to the cabin. I was pretty beat from the fast trip home so it seemed like a logical choice.
Made it!
I soon learned after arriving at the Homestead that there had been a small forest fire on the mountain near the farm. It was contained to about an acre thanks to fire fighters getting there and getting it under control. It’s unclear what exactly caused the fire as there was no storm activity or lightning that night I was told. Fortunately the fire didn’t travel too fast or do much damage. It’s ironic that a fire occurred on the mountain as many years ago fire had destroyed the pine forest that once grew there. Charred stumps of large pine trees have survived over many decades lying on the bare rocks. The pine resin acts as a preservative of sorts and prevents rot.
I walked around the forest fire site but could not find any clues as to the origins of the fire. A very strange situation and there may never be any answers to the mystery. The small burned area provides an interesting study and it’s easy to imagine what the landscape might have resembled after the last fire event over hundred plus years ago.
The remains of the forest fire .
Things had remained very dry during my absence but some rain finally came recently. The trees are shedding leaves a little ahead of time this fall it appears. No doubt due to the dry conditions of the past several months. The garden ended up producing some decent cucumbers and tomatoes. The squash did produce some but frost arrived before some were fully developed. I will see what I can salvage soon.
The big activity since getting home has been helping Amy prepare to move from Saranac Lake to the Santa Clara area. We began moving truck and car loads shortly after the closing. There were things that needed to be in the house ahead of the movers arriving last Friday for the main and final move. We camped out at the new house for a couple nights and tried out the wood stove prior to that. The wood stove is a beautiful unit with sandstone heat sink inserts. There’s an abundant supply of dry,split firewood that came with the house so that was a nice bonus!
Nothing like a nice fire on a cool morning!
I have managed to do a few things around the Homestead as well. I got the wood splitter going and split up some wood for the tiny cabin. There were only a few pieces left in the back wood storage lean-to that’s attached to the cabin. It holds about a cord or so. The tiny wood stove in the cabin takes really short firewood. 8”-10” works best in it. I got the wood from the rather messy warehouse log landing. It really needs cleaning up. There’s all sorts of loose blocks of various lengths stacked up in random criss cross fashion. There are full length logs lying on top as well and in the bottom are partially rotten pieces that have been there for years. I am hoping to focus my attention on getting it cleaned up before heading afield for new logs. I would like to start out fresh there eventually.
Camp Edith is home still for the moment when I am not up in Santa Clara. It will need to be closed up and winterized sometime soon as today is October 1st. We won’t be trying to break last year’s record of staying there until well into November. That was fun though! And I was working at the time as well.It was a handy base camp!
There has been some unusual bird activity on the lake in front of the camp recently. Ducks and geese weren’t anything out of the ordinary but the big group of gulls and cormorants one day were. They were all over the place and highly energized in their activities. I caught them on video actually. Last week a large group of vultures were circling around over Bigge Island. I counted 60 at one point before they began to disperse. Very strange! Is all this attached to autumn and the annual migration season? I believe that must be the case.
The vultures over Black Lake.
Autumn seems to be ramping up quite quickly now. Nighttime frosts are becoming more common. Last year the frosts didn’t come until almost mid October. Many leaves have already dropped and we will soon pass peak leaf viewing in the Adirondacks. The St. Lawrence Valley is a little behind but the color is well underway here as well. Soon the lawn at camp will be covered with thousands of leaves but the two big maples beside the camp are still retaining them at the moment.
We have begun to explore some of the Santa Clara area in the past few weeks. We hiked a small mountain known as “ The Pinnacle” early in September and hope to return there soon. It offers nice views of the surrounding lower lands. We also paddled up the St. Regis River exploring the lake like sections near Route 458. It’s the remains of a former reservoir I was told but much shallower with the dam mostly gone now.There’s much more water to explore upriver. Downriver is a different story as there are a series of waterfalls and rapids. Those can be reached on foot.
The upper St. Regis River.
Near the house we have found a neat place for a short hike on a very nice trail that leads to the river. Apparently it was an old road once. We found some beaver activity nearby around an old beaver lodge that was once housing for a much larger group I believe. The beaver has done a little winterizing on the lodge with fresh mud and sticks but only halfheartedly in my opinion. Out front of the lodge there is a small pile of fresh sticks that the beaver has begun to assemble for its winter feed pile that will eventually freeze into the river. There is no need for a dam here as the river is wide and deep. I am speculating that a solo beaver is living here. A hermit beaver they are sometimes called. Maybe a retired one as well. One that no longer has to maintain dams and cut enormous brush piles to support a big family group. But I am only guessing.
The beaver lodge by the river.
I have been leaving some small brush for the beaver on the edge of the river and it has been cleaning it up for food. Yesterday I placed some in the afternoon and returned just before dark to try for a glimpse of the beaver. And to test my theory about the actual number of them living in the old lodge.
It was a beautiful evening as the sun set through the woods behind me. Fish made ripples on the surface of the river but remained out of sight. The afternoon’s offering of some fresh popple ( aspen) had not yet been touched. My timing was perfect I believed! I saw nothing for a few minutes from my high vantage point on the old bridge foundation and I remained perfectly still. My patience was soon rewarded as I saw ripples form in front of the beaver lodge as a beaver suddenly surfaced. I waited for it to swim my way but it was on an upstream mission. I watched it fade off into the distance intent on some sort of beaver business beyond my comprehension perhaps. I could surmise that it might be touring its territory in a show of force. Not uncommon behavior for these big rodents. I had seen a territorial mud scent mound upriver just the other day. But I was only guessing.Who knows what drives a beaver’s motivations?
It soon became obvious that the beaver was not going to return before dark but I waited in case a second one was around. And I suddenly saw some more ripples near the lodge! But it was only a muskrat. The muskrat disappeared under the water and I presumed it went inside the beaver lodge after. Maybe it lives there with the beaver! A natural odd couple possibly! But who knows for sure?
The beaver headed upriver.
Off to my left,the water flowing down the rapids echoed up the valley surrounding the river as the evening traffic quieted down. I could hear birds and a larger animal in the forest directly across the river but no living creature showed itself. And the light of the setting sun cast a golden glow in the forest behind me as a beautiful reflection revealed itself in the river before me. One that a photo can capture but never truly gift the viewer what the photographer experienced. It was one of those rare moments when everything was perfect. The light, the sounds, and the smells that only autumn can bring. Soft mossy ground below my feet and slowly flowing water carrying fallen leaves downstream. And the passage of time became so vividly apparent to me in that moment. For the time that was the now past summer had sped by in a flash , was being slowed for a moment it seemed. But I knew that time was not slowing down. I was, for just a moment. Perhaps a person needed to be there to capture some of that spirit energy.One of invisible flow attached to the air and water. Earth and sky. And all living things there engaged in harmonious synchronicity. It truly was a special moment.
The reflections.
This short post will bring you , the reader, up to date on current events. But I have not forgotten the story that is to be part 2 of the Quebec camping trip post titled “The Damnation Of The Beaver”. I need to tell that one properly, for a great discovery was made on that trip. There are a great many stories that I have not told it seems. And might a post titled “ The Salvation Of The Beaver” someday become a reality? Who can say for sure? Beaver sticks yet hold their charm for me as I hold them as my trusty hiking poles. And I continue to seek to add them to my collection. Are there not stories attached to each beaver stick I collect? Remembering them all may prove to be a mental exercise of mega proportions but time yet remains to get those stories down. And revel in the afterglow that radiates from the MOONTABS.✍️
May 1st already! Wow! Things have really started to green up recently that’s for sure! There are lots of spring ephemerals all over the woods here right now. Some showed up while we were still sugaring. We call the one species,May flowers but they actually have a different name. My Picture This app called them Roundlobe Hepatica. They are beautiful whatever name they go by. Some are actually violet and there are mixed ones also. Next came the leeks with a burst of sprouting energy. We picked a few for our spaghetti sauce one day. Potent stuff! The trout lilies are in full bloom at the moment as well as Early Saxifrage. I also learned a new plant that’s always a green of early spring. It’s called Ebony Spleenwort. It grows around the sugarbush in numerous locations. The trilliums are also beginning to bloom as well. The meadows are sprouting green well ahead of the woods and pastures it’s important to note. But the marshy areas are leading the pack for greenery at the moment. And the leaves are gaining everyday now. The temperatures have been fluctuating quite a bit overall and I have been burning wood in the cabin stove quite regularly.
Mayflowers.Roundlobe Hepatica the app stated.
So since the last post the sap buckets and mini tubes have been brought in for cleaning.Zane and I washed about 260 buckets one day last week and I finished the last 184 a few days later. So basically what remains is pressure washing the sap pans and storage vat. It’s taken some time to get it done but that’s pretty normal. We were able to sell the bulk syrup a bit earlier this spring which was helpful as Zane was there to help load it. Jug syrup to sell to customers is in short supply this spring but we can fill most of the orders to date. That warm spell in March really hurt the sap quality. The tractor was finally repaired last week and fortunately it was nothing major. Getting things done around the farm is difficult without it going! I call the sugaring season successful as most everything held together especially the old evaporator. We burned up most of the firewood but there’s a little towards another season. I have really been reflecting on the best way forward into next year’s sugaring season. Much will depend on Zane’s work schedule and situation. These unpredictable weather events last year and this year really make me wonder how best to proceed. We ran a total of 647 taps at one point. That’s quite a few for the amount of sap that we harvested. I can honestly say that I did have an enjoyable season for the most part. We now have a fresh supply of syrup to get us through the upcoming months.
454 stacked buckets drying.
The big event that has taken place is Zane heading to lineman school in Kingston,N.Y. last Sunday. He was excepted during the winter for summer class. I followed him down to the school and helped him get settled. I found the semi country setting of the school reassuring as we walked around the building and grounds. The second dorm rooms are set up in 3 bedroom suites with a large open space for the kitchen and living room. The former athletic yard is dotted with the climbing poles and line equipment. They have really nice line trucks that look almost brand new. A CDL permit was required to start school. The students test out at some point for their CDL license during the 15 weeks that they are there. It’s nice that the dorms, classrooms, and training yard are all in one location. I am really happy that Zane chose this school! Things seem to be going well for him. But it’s week one and it’s a lot of climbing poles he said. Thank goodness he is fit and rather fearless. A few students dropped out this week. One of Zane’s roommates after the first day sadly. But apparently becoming a lineman is tougher than some realized. I have little clue myself. I am proud of him for taking on this training and do find myself missing him already. I am planning something very fun for us after his August “rodeo”. That’s a type of graduation they tell me. These are exciting times. And I am planning a big adventure at the moment.Time to fly! ✍️
April is upon us and this morning it was a chilly 17 degrees! We had a snow squall yesterday and it’s rather strange weather lately. We’ve run a gamut lately that’s for sure. As for the sugaring season? It would not be immune to the wild weather swings. Despite the deep snow that hindered us in early March, the season would change rapidly and with consequences far beyond our control. But that is the nature of the beast as it is called. Nature being the key word. And we have persevered doing the best that we could as we now reach the conclusion of sugaring season 2025. It has been challenging and memorable in so many ways. I suppose a continuation of my previous post from March 7th might best describe the highs and lows of it. Ironic it seems. For it would be the highs and lows of temperature that would shape our progress. One must follow them after all, as a sapsucker here on the rocky ridges of the farm Homestead. And in the end it has to be enough. But to truly understand perhaps the season just past must unwind here.
The old road has been conquered.
The weather stayed fairly stable following our first gather and we continued to set taps out. We also continued to bring in a little sap and by March 11th I was able to flood the evaporator. There was a minor leak near one of the draw off valves that I was able to seal fortunately as I fired the evaporator for the first time. The boiling sap gums up small leaks at times and allows you to keep going. Luck was on our side! I didn’t have enough sap to batch out that morning as it takes time to set up the evaporator on a first boil day. Eventually the sap in the various sections of pans has less water in it and batches will come on a regular timeline. Fresh sap is always trickling into the back pan as a float allows it depending on the depth I set up and the boil rate. I went out that afternoon after cooling the evaporator and brought in more sap so I could boil the next morning. On the second boil I made syrup finally. We were off and running!
First boil.
Zane and I continued to set buckets and our tap grew to 551 by March 13th. The weather cooperated and we brought in more sap and boiled again on the 14th. That day the temperatures jumped significantly and we had a prodigious sap run! We gathered sap until 8:30 pm as the moon rose in the east. We were exhausted! Saturday would find us in the sugar house for a long day of boiling. More sap was brought in and we had a pancake breakfast in the sugar house on Sunday morning after I made a batch of fresh syrup. There were 7 of us total enjoying eggs and pancakes while rain fell outside. Such moments are a big part of a sugar season. The temperatures had risen into the 60’s for two days and that’s never a good thing. The snow was melting fast and mud became the new thing for us. Things were changing fast.But we had secured close to 30 gallons of nice quality syrup. Things were going well!
Sugar house breakfast with hot syrup!
We got a tornado warning later that Sunday after I had finished boiling and had settled into the cabin for a rest. We didn’t get a tornado but got hit with a wild storm with high winds and soaking downpours.It was almost scary at one point with thunder and lightning! Not typical March weather. We chugged a long getting what sap came and by March 19th the temperatures hit 71 degrees. Zane and I decided to do a night boil to get as much sap boiled away as quickly as possible given the temperatures that would spoil it quickly. But the syrup turned dark and fell into commercial grade. We began filling one of our stainless steel syrup barrels. They hold 30 gallons when full. The syrup was sweet but had a slightly distinct after bite. We call this “buddy” as in tree buds. The warm weather we had been having was causing the tree buds to grow. There was nothing we could do about it except continue or quit. Barrel syrup has a market but we knew that it had come much earlier than we had expected. Several days of above normal temperatures was all it had taken. Unfortunate but very real. The weather shifted back to more normal temperatures and I decided to set more taps on the 22nd in a section of the sugarbush we call “ The Lane”. We do a mix of buckets and mini tune runs here. It’s a surviving stand of maples that was part of our former sugarbush. These big maples always produce well. The signs were obvious as some smaller maples began to stop producing sap. We hoped to see the syrup turned dark and lighter with the fresh infusion of clear sap.
Tapping on The Lane.
So we continued to chug a long making dark syrup and working to fill our barrel. The weather swings determined when we needed to gather and sap continued to flow but not everyday. On March 25 I pulled buckets off the Great Northern Loop as they stopped producing. Zane and I bounced around in the upper fallow Meadows and added about 35 taps on some miscellaneous maples there.Later that day I hit a section near the cabin at the base of the Gap Ridge and added the final 38 new taps of the season. We were chasing sap and trying to keep our sap intake coming in. It was working out for us. It turned cold over the weekend and there was a break in the action. An ice storm hit that Sunday though and we couldn’t get out for a cleanup sap gather until Monday.
Ice storm.
Monday would find us having a decent amount sap to gather and it was going well, until the tractor quit late in the afternoon. We tried to figure out the problem quickly but nothing worked so we used the side by side to gather the remaining sap. The next day I boiled and Zane gathered everything he could with side by side. Wednesday morning I tried to fix the tractor but still no luck . So it’s been side by side gathering ever since. A friend helped me tow the tractor out of the woods on Thursday after I finished boiling sap. But the weather turned super warm by Friday and I decided to have Zane make a final gather of the newest taps. Most of the trees had stopped running anyway. And so it ends just like that. And I will follow up on the conclusion of the season in my next post as I reflect on the season as we enter the next phase. It’s worthy of words I feel. Things have happened fast and it’s been a blur. But that’s how this hobby works!✍️
Yes it’s that time again! Sugaring season has begun! I have been preparing for a while now actually. It started with getting the sugar house plowed out after the blizzard a few weeks back. I haven’t seen snow this deep in years! It took some time and serious tractor work but I got plowed out. Trying to break out the old road that is our main sap haul road was a different matter. I got part of it passable but it was rather futile. I decided to wait and let nature melt some of the snow which happened last week fortunately. We kicked off our sugaring season by building some strings of sap tubing down on the steep ridge near Beaver Creek. I wore snowshoes the first day but it was a total pain so I just waded through the deep snow the following day. We got about 40 taps in that first location. Our next stop was on the Gap Ridge across the meadow from the cabin. It was super tough going there as well! I managed to get the tractor across the meadow after the snow started to melt. Unfortunately I got the side by side stuck! But it was easily pulled out with the tractor. We gained an additional 20 taps in the second location. Progress was slow but still progress!
Stuck!
The warm spell had settled the snow so I made another run at the old road hoping to break through which I did. I made it up onto our neighbor’s property and went down one of the sap haul roads for a short distance before deciding to turn back. Getting stuck would be no fun! The weather was turning cold so I took the weekend off spent it in Saranac Lake. I picked up some syrup supplies in Hermon to get further prepared. Every little bit of preparation helps. Zane and I had started to set up the evaporator and piping systems. That’s a necessary preparation also.The weather was promising Monday so I began putting out some mini tubing runs up on the neighbor’s property. We take them down each season and flush them out before storing them. They are numbered and named as to their locations. Mini tubes pick up several trees and flow into 15 gallon containers. What a time saver! Not to mention we build them where the trees are difficult to reach. Our father started building them quite a few years ago. We had quite a few at one time before the big sugarbush die off in 2016/2017. Most of those mini tube strings are worthless now. I have started repurposing them for parts.
Repurposing old mini tube strings.
It was so difficult getting around the woods on Monday that I decided to hang buckets beside the main sap haul road on Tuesday. Wading through the crusty, knee deep snow was exhausting and frustrating. Working beside the road was much less challenging. Zane showed up to help me and we got quite a few buckets hung before the rain drove us in for the day. We got back out on Wednesday and managed to do mini tubes and buckets in a section of woods on our neighbor’s called The Great Northern Loop. We got rained out again by lunchtime but went back out before dark and got more buckets done. The sunset was absolutely beautiful! We were pretty tired from wading through the snow but were happy with our progress.The tap count was growing!
Sunset while hanging buckets .
Thursday would see a lot of snow melted and mud was beginning to appear in spots. We had gotten a lot of rain and the trails were tough going for the tractor. We tapped the remainder of what’s known as The Southern Loop. It’s a fraction of the size of the GNL. After lunch we decided that we needed to get the trailer set up to gather some sap before the cold snap hit. The weather was changing fast and the temperatures started dropping. We worked fast and the wind was blowing pretty hard. Then a light snow started. We ended up with about 120 gallons of sap that we got unloaded at the sugar house. It had been an eventful day fighting through the snow with the tractor. And also wading through it! But we were once again happy with our progress. We finished setting up the evaporator. Our tap count was now 386. We plan to have over 500 eventually. I like to hold some of the sugarbush in reserve in case the weather turns cold for a while like it is doing this weekend. The wind really howled last night and we got a little more snow.
Gathering sap.
Today was a little more laidback. With the colder weather there’s no sap to gather. I put out 23 more buckets near the sugar house in what’s known as Zane’s Bush. It really suffered during the big die off. Many tree were lost and that’s unfortunate because it had held such great potential given the number of young maples. We harvested so much wood out of there after the event. There are more trees needing to be cut as some continue to die.Some are barely living but we have so much wood around the farm that I will leave them for now.
We may tap more trees tomorrow but haven’t decided just yet. The weather warms next week again and we expect to see some sap runs. Late in the week the temperatures approach 60 degrees. Not ideal sugaring weather but the snow will certainly disappear. Sugaring seasons can be fickle these days. They have become more compressed and unpredictable. But we have to accept that which we have no control over. What we can do is blitz the forest with taps for a big play for sap. Wading through the snow has been challenging. I am happy to once again be outside every day making a play for maple syrup. We are down to our last half gallon almost. Putting it into my coffee each morning goes through it! But I need that battery charging to keep my spirit energy surging! It’s great living here on the farm and engaging in my rural heritage hobbies! It is enough I often write. And it truly is a blessing to be living in this moment. The transition is underway now. Soon all will look different here. And we will have gone through another syrup season. We still don’t know how bad the evaporator is going to leak this year. It’s a tense moment for me that is coming soon. For now we will continue setting taps and waiting for the big sap runs. Then we can begin the next step. It’s going to be a push! But when wasn’t it? It’s in my blood this sugaring obsession. And I am a most fortunate man to have experienced this annual event. I may not get time for another post soon. But I will eventually get you caught up!✍️
It’s now February 1st and I have decided to resume my story into the reasons I continue to live in a four season climate. Each season truly has something different to offer and I suppose each brings certain challenges. But every season gifts far more than any hardship it creates. And what is that hardship anyway? Something that nature brought that we find unacceptable because it hinders our human condition in some manner? To better connect to nature might occur when we better accept the weather itself. I try to work my plans around the weather as much as possible. Being retired helps as commuting to work is no longer a weekly requirement. Winter always brought challenges to my commuting but my career choice was my choice just as living here became my choice. These days my choices are driven by different things.
Its funny to me the avenues that I allow myself to travel at times when considering writing projects. Any number of things can prompt a deep dive into some particular subject. I call these events or thoughts “triggers”. Driving home the other day really pulled a trigger on my observations of winter. Needing to plow snow the next day really pulled the triggers! Like holding a double barreled shotgun with two triggers and pulling them both at once! What a recoil! Things really took a dive after that as I more closely examined my relationship with winter. And when I realized that sometimes over the years that I had sometimes been ultra critical of winter, when the actual burdens were mine to bear by my choices. Is all this too obvious perhaps? And not worthy of a closer examination?At this moment I am not even sure that I can tell this story in any logical manner. Let me take a stab at it regardless.
Ice formations coming off the cabin roof.
How best to tell a tale of winter than starting at its conclusion? We rarely think about winter during the warmer months. It might come up in conversation at times though but never dominates any given moment. As spring arrives winter begins to fade and the long stretch of milder weather coming fills us our hearts with happy possibilities! With spring arriving in March, we are usually well into maple syrup season. I never think of syrup season as winter although the first weeks typically and technically are still. As winter departs we pack away the heavy coats, gloves, and all the many pieces of attire that were necessary for several months. Mine go into big plastic totes that are quite rodent proof. I place them out of the way and forget about them. Things like snowshoes, micro spikes, and all the accessories of winter hobbies also get stashed away. It always amazes me the amount of things that I own just for my winter pursuits! I will get into this subject a little further into this post. I think it’s the winter hobbies that have really prompted my interest in writing about all this to some degree. Call it an attempt at positivity!
If we fast forward past the warm days of spring,summer, and early autumn we will ultimately arrive at a some random day in October or November when the temperatures will reinforce that winter is approaching. There may be a heavy morning frost where the mud stiffens up a bit. Or maybe some stinging snowflakes driven by a brisk wind from the north. But often it’s a trigger of one type or another that really makes us think. There’s nothing like digging out those carefully stored totes with our winter gear to get us thinking. The lessening daylight also jogs our memories at times. I think that’s an important reason why the prospect of winter can make us question our decisions. A quick look at a calendar reminds us that outdoor projects and things that require warmer weather aren’t going to be feasible much longer. There is a ticking time clock in motion. And possibly imagined alarms sounding if we are way behind schedule with something. Winter can cripple a construction project with frosty precision. Everything slows down then.Everything takes longer. This was my reality many times over the years if I was on outside projects. No wonder I became conditioned! But even at home we may feel a sense of some sort of impending doom. Sure it sounds a little over the top and overly dramatic! But if you burn firewood and don’t have it all ready? Not good! Haven’t sawed that pile of logs into lumber? Haven’t started that cabin addition yet? These were some of my concerns last fall as I continued to work at the Methane project into November a little. Winter was coming! So I believe that many of us here in the north country twinge a little at the prospect of it all.
Staging for the addition in December.
And then just like that we arrive at winter solstice on the calendar. But this time we will have taken care of many necessary tasks at the last minute. We took advantage of mild days and gambled on getting things done. Xmas is close and we use the darker days to slow down some hopefully. Our gear is ready and sometimes new items are purchased. Snow brushes find their way into the vehicles. Snow shovels come out of storage and find their way next to porch doors.Snow comes at times but often leaves just as quickly. We ease in with practiced hands.Things change then in some strange fashion. I view the coming season with an almost calm demeanor. What didn’t get done may need to wait until spring. Or maybe even summer. What’s the use of being negative about it now? Winter has sealed the deal after all. Why fight it?
The decision has been made to stay. And the reasons are many and rather familiar. I had often thought that someday I would follow the geese south and escape some of the cold season. But years pass and I have not. Why do I stay? I have stayed because my son is still here for one reason. And since I have decided to stay I build a schedule around winter. And here the answers to the question begin to add up. Hobbies take center stage suddenly and it becomes obvious why I stay.Let’s showcase a few of my activities these days. Out come the cross country skis and boots. It’s time for a glide along a groomed Adirondack trail perhaps. Not a big activity of mine but one I enjoy some. Out come the snowshoes! These get some serious use the past several winters. Excursions will be in the Adirondacks, near the farm, and down into the frozen Beaver Creek gorge.Snowshoes take me into some rugged places and I enjoy them immensely! Out came my snowboard,helmet, and boots recently for a late day assault on tiny Mt. Pisgah in Saranac Lake with Zane. The first time in two years but as fun as always. All this after volunteering at the Ice Palace build for Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake. I showed up with two ice saws for cutting blocks free. Year five for me volunteering and more fun then ever! A true winter event like no other.And there’s also been a little ice walking this season but it’s been rather tricky so far. Winter has brought the birds to my feeder and I love to watch for them each day. It’s also brought squirrels and possums to the feeder! They don’t bother me so I leave them alone. Rodents continue to plague us here and I stop their tiny tracks near the Airstream. Bad news when they get in but I am ready for them. The snow is the ultimate canvas for nature to paint upon. Enter the hobby of track identification!
We have gotten some decent snow accumulations now. Lots of fresh snow and I have been fortunate to have spotted a good selection of animal tracks. There have been fisher tracks near the barn twice now. Recently a weasel visited the sugar house. On a nature trek yesterday near Alexandria Bay, New York, we spotted the tracks of a mink, otter, and a weasel. Deer sign was plentiful in the snow. Reading tracks in the snow is like reading a book and trying in interpret the story. And speaking of ice, yesterday we had a wonderful moment standing high above the frozen expanse of Eel Bay in the St. Lawrence River. The mass of the ice that extended to the far horizons was something to behold. All that water frozen into a large mass. Covered with drifted snow below us as a north breeze nipped at our faces despite the warmth of the sun. Nightfall was coming and our shelter awaited us nearby. A room with a large tub to fill with hot water to bask away the winter chill before having a hot dinner after. This is a gift of winter. Hot water to soak a cold body. A hot drink with a hot meal. Not things we desire in summer. They come with winter and things make sense in those moments. The simple pleasures that satisfy our fragile bodies. Only winter can bring these things. Piercing chills and numbing stings to our faces. Frosty breath from exertion and exercise. The need to take shelter from the cold,dark nights where the mercury drops below zero. The warmth of another’s body close to you under heavy covers and the blissful passage into sleep in a warm room. All this does winter bring. And my sporadic ramblings weave and twist in all directions. For all I may question about why I stay? There are so many reasons why I do. And even if I dream of warmer days without the weight of heavy clothing upon me, I revel in the magic that appears as we truly embrace the winter days. Yes it will still challenge us. Yes we will feel cold and miserable at times perhaps after a hard day in the woods. Or curse the plowing of snow with our tired iron protesting it’s mechanical issues. Or find ourselves stuck behind slow traffic and snowplows as we speed about our winter business with our vehicles covered with salt and sand. And memories come from the recesses of my mind of much harder times then these. They were real and not figments of my imagination. Subzero times and record breaking snowfalls live there in my memories. I have not forgotten. For I was once a snowmobiler. And an avid ice fisherman. A winter trapper of furs. I learned to drive on a frozen lake. Winter has shaped my life here in the St. Law. Valley. And I know now more than ever why I stay. It would be hard to leave this behind forever. A piece of me would be lost. And I must ask what if? What if we were to take a short break from winter and then return? Could we still manage to find enough days for all we wish to do before the ice and snow disappeared? Today is February 2nd and winter is well underway now. There has been no ice fishing yet and little ice walking. But time remains. Isn’t it funny that when winter hits a certain point I begin to worry about what I might not do? A contradiction of sorts. And the origins of my Spin. For contradictions live in all seasons of nature. A great subject to ponder next to the wood stove on a cloudy, cold day. It is enough.✍️
January has moved right along but that’s understandable as I have maintained a rather full schedule. I just worked my final day on the Ice Palace project in the Village Of Saranac Lake, New York yesterday. I was able to spend more days volunteering there this year but I will follow up with a featured story of my time there in the future. It’s worthy of one. Another post worthy topic is the work I did logging with my former neighbor on January 15th and 16th. It’s a story best suited to compliment my Run Of The Mill series at some point. Today I am rather entranced by some muses on winter so I think this post will be justified highlighting some of those thoughts! It all started on the way home late yesterday afternoon. Two hours of driving home from Saranac Lake gives a person plenty of time to think!
I left the village around 3pm yesterday and headed down Route 3 like usual on bare,salted roads. Somehow a car had plowed into some guard rails several miles before the Village Of Tupper Lake. Strange as the road was completely bare! Much later on during my drive I left Route 3 in the Town of Fine to head west on Route 58. This takes me to Gouverneur where I take a series of roads that lead me to the Homestead. Route 58 has many open sections where farm meadows come down to meet the road. The wind had picked up and snow was blowing into the road in places. I remained vigilant as the bare road was deceiving at times. Snowy patches would suddenly appear and I would inherently slow down to navigate across them. My 4 studded tires give me excellent traction but there is a limit to any set of tires with the right conditions. Near the Village Of Edwards a car had slid off a snowy corner in an open spot. Good fortune for the driver as he hit nothing expect the ditch full of snow. He was about to be towed out as I went past. The wind was intense as I neared Gouverneur. After a quick stop for groceries, I continued on to the Homestead on increasingly snowy patches of road. Zane was there and had the wood stove going which was a welcome sight to me! The wind was howling across the main meadow and hitting the cabin full force. It was great to be off the roads! We had plenty of food and firewood! We were set for whatever happened you hoped! But before I could settle in I had to disassemble the Chop Shop tent that covers the outside tools. It had blown loose from its corner posts and was in the process of destroying itself. Luckily my tie down anchors were frozen into the ground and my ropes were strong nylon material. After some cursing and wrestling the tent was safely flat and secured. The tools themselves were now exposed but I didn’t bother trying to cover them in the gale force winds. I grabbed some extra firewood from the cabin’s front lean to woodshed and headed into the warm, inviting interior. Life was good!
Sometime after dark it began to snow while the wind continued to whip against the cabin walls. We enjoyed a simple dinner of hot turkey sandwiches with gravy that I was able to quickly prepare in our temporary makeshift kitchen. This is the second winter of having a makeshift kitchen and this one is slightly different then last year’s. The new addition is now open to the original cabin and heated. It’s full of stored construction things at the moment. Tools and screws mostly. All work has been sidelined lately given all the other volunteering. I have a cot set up for sleeping downstairs when Zane is home. He occupies the loft for hanging out and sleeping. It’s very warm up there! I passed the evening watching a movie on my tablet. I don’t have a tv in the downstairs of the cabin. It’s not necessary really and I often read. A quick look out the window as the wind continued its onslaught showed a decent snowstorm in progress. It was a good night to be hunkered down! We could stay warm even if the power failed. That’s something I had wanted in my cabin plan.
I went to bed fairly early but got up around 12:30 am to put more firewood in the stove. Outside it was still blowing and snowing hard. The snow looked like it was accumulating but it was difficult to tell as it was really swirling around out there! By morning I had put wood into the stove two more times. It was 9 degrees with a rather brisk breeze giving a minus 2 degree windchill according to my phone’s weather app. The sky was dawning clear and bright though. Outside the expanses of untouched snow resembled a giant art canvas. Nothing stirred except for a few birds visiting the feeder behind the new addition. Zane needed to leave and but needed me to plow the driveway first. We had gotten around 10” of new powder snow and there were scattered drifts around the vehicles and in front of the cabin. Zane plugged in the tractor’s block heater for me. Without it , the chances of it starting were questionable. The tractor is kept in the bottom of the Big Red barn out of the weather. During the colder months I keep anti fuel gel additive in its diesel tank at all times. All important steps that help us deter the winter problems that might arise. Keeping the tractor functioning is key to surviving winter.
The Main Meadow. Post snow storm this morning.
I plowed snow for a long time before I finally got everything cleared. I did a thorough job on the driveway and parking areas. This was only the second time that I had needed to plow this winter! I can’t complain about that! I also plowed up to the warehouse and made a large parking area there as well. I also plowed behind the cabin by the woodshed as we will be in need of firewood soon. The supply of hardwood slabs stored in the upper woodshed continue to disappear. given the rate that we burn them.It’s time to get to the forest for some winter wood firewood cutting. I plan to skid trees log length right to the woodshed to save time. We did it last winter and it worked well. I broke out the tractor road to the upper meadows beyond the gap ridge and skidded down a log that I had left behind last winter. It’s red elm and should dry quickly once cut and split. We have plenty of snow for skidding logs but not so much to cripple moving around with the tractor. I need to install it’s front tire chains though. That really helps its traction.During sugaring having the tire chains on is usually a necessity.
Plowing out.
It was truly a beautiful January day with blue skies and a warm sun when I was out of the wind. Icicles were melting off the cabin as I worked to bank it with snow to help keep the floors warmer. There’s more of that to do depending on the weather forecast. I decided I had enough firewood for another night and mentally dedicated Wednesday for a firewood day. It looks like we might get more snow tonight. Did I make a good decision? Time will tell. I love being outdoors but had spent enough time out I decided by 1:30 pm. Tomorrow was another day and I was happy with my accomplishments. While I was out and about on the tractor I noticed very few signs of life on the surface of the new snow. I spotted a few squirrel tracks in the sugarbush and those of a weasel. The weasel had come from the sugarbush over to the big slab wood pile next to the sugar house. It had gone into the sugar house and then out the far side.No doubt hunting mice for dinner. I could visualize it’s tiny white form hopping through the fresh snow. The winter white ermine that is brown in the other seasons is a lethal hunter! I wondered if it had caught its dinner? It moved on at any rate heading through the woods to somewhere. It’s tiny form edible to an owl or hawk if caught in the open. Not even hunters are invincible when larger predators occupy the same territory. These are hungry time I suspect. A time of great energy expenditure in the snowy,frigid conditions of deep winter. But rodents are plentiful it seemed last fall at least. And good hunters probably manage just fine. All this as darkest comes again and suddenly cloudy skies where the wind has picked up again. Inside the tiny cabin the hungry wood stove demands constant fuel. But we have it ready and inside for the night. My own body will demand fuel later. A hot dinner from the makeshift kitchen will take some time to prepare but will be satisfying next to the wood stove. And an interesting pattern of thoughts had presented themselves to me today as I took what winter had brought us into stride. And a most intriguing question. Why do we stay here in this cold,frozen place?
The hunter left it’s sign. A weasel ( ermine) leaves a most obvious set of tracks.
I first asked the question this morning as I put on layers of heavy winter clothing before plowing snow. Wool socks over regular socks into gripping rubber boots well suited for snow. High and flexible they are a winter stable. I wear my rabbit fur Bomber hat for working typically reserving my muskrat hat for more leisurely type activities although I usually wore it working on the Ice Palace. Heavy gloves are a must for my hands. All this gear takes up space in a house and takes time to don! This morning inside the super frigid, unheated barn I had stepped onto a very cold tractor that started with a whiny protest. Why do we stay when it’s so much more difficult to do even simple things? Why do we stay needing to move mountains of snow each winter? Why do we stay when it takes extra energy for everything? Fuel for snow removal equipment for our homes and highways. Fuel for our bodies for shoveling snow and wading through it. Winter exacts a higher cost in all types of energy. Fuel to heat our homes and businesses most certainly . It’s all rather perplexing when you really consider it. Wouldn’t it be easier to leave with the summer birds and head south? So I asked myself again: why do we stay? I think I know why I have stayed.
The tiny snow sculptures.
Thinking back it’s rather obvious really. I stayed as a child because home was where my parents chose to live. Home was here in this four season part of the world.It’s what I knew and I never thought or needed to question it. I was taken care of and taught how to dress for winter. Fortunately I had a family who could afford me all the attire I needed for winter. Winters came and went as I grew up. I never thought about leaving. My family never traveled to faraway tropical settings. We stayed here and tackled each winter like icy warriors going into battle with the elements. Things weren’t always easy and things sometimes went wrong. Frozen pipes and frozen equipment that refused to work would impend winter tasks severely. We endured some very cold weather. Minus 20 below and sometimes colder. Why did we stay? We stayed because our jobs and schools were here. Our families were here often as not. Grandparents and siblings. Our homes were here. Our farms and property. Perhaps our livestock as well. That’s why we stayed.But this story must return to a more personal journey for me to tell it properly. For I assume many things about other people. This is my story and maybe some of yours.
Why did I stay? The childhood part is pretty self explanatory don’t you think?But when offered a chance to head off to distant colleges in warmer states after high school? What was the answer to that. And after college? Why did I want to find employment here and make a home here? Why did I seek out like minded women and desire to share time with them here? That’s a complicated story line for me and one that will need to remain somewhat hazy for the moment. For it is a lengthy tale with many turns and twists. Difficult to fathom at times even for myself. Perhaps I avoid some truths there that I might rather not face. They aren’t dark or filled with shame deeds. They simply deal with large passages of time that has gone by now. Time. That subject that I promised by written intention to visit differently on this page in 2025. Many of my stories are from the past but when told properly won’t revolve around time as a central topic. And I have strayed from my subject as I am prone to do at times. Let’s cut to the chase.
I suppose that I could write a very lengthy manuscript on this subject as I examine it further. But a summary might be best for the moment. A glimpse through a window that might be a door. I can easily tell you more reasons why I chose to stay in this frozen winter landscape hen ones why I shouldn’t. It’s really quite simple actually. This area has always been my home. I never lived anywhere else. Sure I have traveled south in the winter and spent Easter breaks there. Many times over the years. And I suddenly realize that there’s a much larger story within this story. To truly answer my own questions I must ask more of them to deliver the answers. So consider this part one of a two part story. I have presented a case against winter here at times. Given it an almost criminal element. But winter is innocent until proven guilty. And with Mother Nature defending her seasons there will be no winning this case. After all ,we humans have chosen to live here and face winter each season. I think I am spinning in circles here. Time to rest and deliberate. It is enough. ✍️
Mid January finds with a small amount of snow on the ground but nothing major. 6”-8” of powder snow isn’t much for this time of year really. Last year on this very day we had a snow storm that dropped several inches on us after a warm spell had left us with mostly bare ground. I was recovering from my artery incident then and wasn’t pushing myself too hard. Walking mostly but we managed a few other tasks around the cabin. It was a new chapter for me then.
I have been balancing my time between the valley and the Adirondacks since the end of fall to now as I mentioned recently in my last post. The biggest news recently is that with the help of the Amish carpenters we finally finished the siding on the cabin last week. Some soffit work remains but the weatherbeaten tarpaper is now all covered. Zane and I had sawn plenty of siding fortunately so there was no danger running out. We also removed some old rusty roofing from my Uncles barn up the road at the property where I had my first house in 1983. We repaired the lean to roofing boards and some structural damage before adding 4 sheets of new metal. The old metal matches some that my Dad had repurposed from the old garage that used to be here before the 2012 house fire. He used it on the sugar house here and I may need it also for the cabin. I started out just wanting some old metal to put on the wall behind the new wood stove in the cabin above the Drury brick hearth. But then I decided that I want old metal on the ceiling in the new addition of the cabin. It remains to be seen if we will have enough to do all our work. It’s stashed outside and needs a very thorough cleaning. Maybe I will flip it upside down and show the underside which has no rust. The design on the metal is what makes it special. A wave type pattern repeats itself a long the length of the 2’ wide siding. It’s very unique! We had a couple of rather cold days last week while doing our outdoor work but we soldiered through despite!
The repairs after the removal of the old roofing
By last Thursday I decided that I needed a day to just catch up on a few things around the cabin. The carpenters had finished their work here that they had time for by Wednesday afternoon. So I hauled some firewood and stocked up the cabin woodshed. Keeping firewood stocked for the cabin keeps me rather busy actually especially on cold days like we had last week. It’s noteworthy that I had just installed a ventilation fan in the loft floor of the cabin and ducted it into the new addition. With more insulation in place it has been heating well since. The loft is much cooler as a result. Before it was way too hot up there most nights while the back portion of the cabin stayed rather cool. I think things will balance out well now. As for the firewood, I have been hauling it down from the old granary up behind the barn where it was stored last spring. Super dry hardwood slab wood from the sawmill project at my friend Gregger’s last spring. It just needs a bit of splitting here and there. The mixed cherry and yellow birch make a super hot fire. Before too long we will need to cut and haul in some dry red elm that’s burn ready. Our current supply of firewood won’t last until spring.
The siding progresses.
By Thursday afternoon I was ready for an outdoor outing so I decided to snowshoe down Beaver Creek if the ice was ok. There barely enough snow to need snowshoes but I wore them anyway.Upon reaching the edge of the marsh where the grass is thick, I quickly realized that the ice wasn’t all that great. I struggled out through the bogs breaking through in several shallow spots before reaching the bare open sections. But even here the ice was very thin and weak! It wasn’t looking good but I didn’t want to backtrack across the crappy bog part so I pressed on. Slowly and cautiously, I might add! The ice was fickle and unpredictable. Some spots were ok but my tapping beaver sticks would detect hollow sounding spots below the snow covered surface. Death traps I call them. I managed to skirt several tricky spots and reached a deeper wider section of the main channel. After one rather close call I chose a shortcut on a smaller side channel that held me up rather well. I soon reached the area we call “The Deep Hole”. It seemed like decent ice but was slushy on top. A sure sign of thin ice being pushed down by the weight of the snow. I became even more cautious and my forward progress became even slower. I noticed an active beaver lodge and was happy to see them occupying the area. They come and go from this spot on occasion but continue to occupy it mostly. I knew that I could never hope to get across the main beaver dam that spans the creek here. It’s a challenge at times even with much better ice. I approached the dam and laughed when the dog almost broke through where she was walking next to it. I was trying to get close enough to what we call the “Big Cliff” to get photos of some large icicles hanging from a section of it. Without warning I suddenly plunged through the ice with both snowshoes! There was no cracking first or anything suspicious! Just a death trap breakthrough! I was held up by beaver stick walking sticks fortunately and for a second was expecting the shock of cold water filling my boots! But I lunged up onto my knees and somehow avoided getting wet! My nylon hiking pants were so tight around my boots that no water got in! My knees got a little wet but that was nothing. Snow on ice is the great insulator and the death traps are invisible from above. Even the tapping and probing of the beaver sticks fails me at times. Just one of my many plunges over the years I suppose.
The plunge hole!
At this point I lost my desire to ice walk any further! I cautiously and nervously backtracked my way to a channel that got me safely ashore in the stand of white cedars known as “ The Cedars”. This tiny grove has been here my entire life. Never really getting any larger or much smaller. Sometimes the beaver cut a few and years ago we cut out some big dead ones for salvage. The Cedars seems ageless although I didn’t see any of the tamaracks that once lived alongside the cedars. Perhaps they are all gone. The cedars contains a couple of boggy spring holes that never freeze. I used to trap here as a young boy for raccoon. In winter I trapped ermine under the shelter of the cedars in small cubby sets. I used wax paper to keep my traps from freezing. I once caught a red fox here also. My ermine traps were empty most of the time but I didn’t care. I became familiar with the area and loved its remote feeling of winter beauty out of sight of the road and the farm buildings. I was destined to desire to explore this area and all that lay beyond it was I grew a bit older. The marsh was my classroom and I was an interested student who showed up frequently. And the spirit of the Icewalker was forged here. Not of molten metal but of ice and snow. Adversity would thrill me here. Wet feet and cold hands. Frosty cheeks and nose at times. Those were cold winters. Some nights my Father would not let me run my small trap line because of the cold and approaching darkness. But I would return soon and resume my frosty activities. There are many memories here in the marsh of the big gorge. Perhaps that’s why I return each winter.
After a rest and the reminiscing, I tackled the cut up the side of steep ravine that would take me towards the Homestead cabin where the warm wood stove awaited. I stopped at one point and gazed back at the marsh. I was disappointed that the ice had not been better for traveling. And I pondered several things then. How many times had I stood in this exact spot over the years? How different the winters are now. How much older I had become. And how the draw to run the ice and call myself the Icewalker had never diminished. How long would I try? How many winters would gift me the opportunity? Such thoughts became too much then so I chose something far different to break the serious moment. I spoke with my best Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation downhill towards the marsh: “I’ll Be Back!”. But no one heard me but the dog and a few disinterested winter birds. But that was fine. I know that I will be back if good fortune and good health continue to favor me. And I will play the game of staying on top of the ice as I move forward to explore the further reaches of the gorge of the big creek called Beaver. I have no fear there. Just respect for this beautiful and enchanting place. I have traveled the ice here more times than I can remember now. What adventures I have had! I will be watching and waiting for signs of better ice. Then I will set out once again! And not forgetting the Icewalker’s motto: The distance in must be traveled out!” It is enough! ✍️
