Maple Syrup 2024: Pre-Launch

Posted on March 11, 2024March 11, 2024 by Greg Washburn

It’s funny how things that might have been the focus of my recent anxiety can quickly disappear.When I last posted I was preparing to hike St.Regis Mountain with a couple friends but was a little hung up on the upcoming syrup season. The hike and the good company of my friends would shake off the ghosts that day! We had an excellent time and the rain would hold off until we had finished our trek! It was super windy at the top and scary up in the fire tower! It’s a hike worthy of its own post really!

As for the remainder of my time in Saranac Lake it too is worthy of its own post sometime! Certain things were happening in a strange twist of fate and my response to the moment and the energy would place me in a flow that was totally unexpected. I spent a cold Thursday at an event at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. I truly enjoyed my company and walking around touring the facility. At the trout tank I had an interesting photo moment! There is a story coming that I will title: What The Fish Told Me.”I left for the valley on Friday March 1st with fully recharged mental batteries.Ready to tackle my problems and my hesitation about sugaring . March 1st is a tapping day typically but conditions were less then favorable. I wiped out miscellaneous details and got settled back into the cabin. Saturday was spent troubleshooting the tractor coolant issue. I found the problem quickly! A burst bypass hose on the new water pump. We had suspected it was pretty worn but the blowout confirmed it. I got online and ordered one. To date it still hasn’t arrived! Regardless I decided to set taps on Sunday and began hanging out buckets alone. I was using the Honda side by side in place of the down tractor and it worked out well. It was pretty warm which made for comfortable tapping but didn’t thrill me with the fact that there were several super warm days coming. By days end I was way up to my neighbor’s property and had hung 150 buckets by myself! A start and a commitment.

Monday would find me tapping more with my friend Gary helping out. Tapping trees and sugaring in general was all new to him but he was totally enjoying himself! He’s very in tune with nature and finds the landscapes of Macomb fascinating. The two of us did well setting in buckets and mini tube runs up across the neighbor’s property on a string we call the “Great Northern Loop”. It’s a productive string typically and we had invested some time into building the tubing runs last year. Less buckets means easier gathers. The mini tube runs are removed after the season ends,labeled,washed, and stored away.We did a few buckets also close to the trail. We stopped for a hearty lunch of venison stew that I made with meat Gary had given me. Yum!.Afternoon would find us setting buckets and mini tube runs on the “Southern Loop” on my neighbor’s property. We had a decent day and got out 94 taps bringing the count to 244.Zane helped me get the storage tank in place in the sugar house that evening. We also had to get the evaporator pans in place plus the various pipes for the flow systems. Progress was being made and quickly!

Tuesday would Gary and I tapping on a section of my farm called the land. Buckets and mini tube runs on some big maples that survived the 2016/2017 tent worm/drought events. We also hung more buckets in miscellaneous locations along the string. The buckets that I had set Sunday had begun to fill with sap even though I considered the weather against it flowing. We used the side by side and plastic totes to do a sap gather that brought in over 100 gallons of clear sap! Not a bad start really as it was very warm! On Wednesday I went for groceries and fuel plus miscellaneous items needed for the week. I had contacted my tractor dealer Monday and had the hose I needed for the tractor expedited to their location where I picked it up. I tapped two big maples behind the barn that run mega amounts of sap most years. So with those 8 taps the count was at 358. A good number but the sap was not moving much still. I went under the lights and replaced the bad water pump bypass hose. I then proceeded to flush the coolant system with vinegar per Mike The Mechanics recommendation. It appeared that my tractor repair was successful! I went to bed rather beat but feeling like things were coming together.

Thursday would see my good friend Patrick Bourcy helping me set more taps! Remember him? He’s the creator of the Facebook group Just Go Outside and shows up in many of my blog posts. We did a variety of buckets on the growing string and mini tube taps on the ridge called Green Mountain. Our count for the day was 146 bringing our grand total to 504 taps. We were in a good place and as I stood on the top of Green Mountain a stiff cool breeze from the north would boost my spirits even further. A frost was coming that night and with all the good fresh taps we had a shot at a decent sap run! The work might just pay off!

And just like things began to change for me! Gone was the decision whether we should tap at all! We had! Gone was the anxiety about the tractor issues. It was fixed! Sure it had other issues but it was useable! I felt a rising energy within myself. Sure there was still plenty that could go wrong but we were trying to have a sugaring season and that meant everything! It didn’t matter now how things turned out. The weather was out of our control but the long range forecast was somewhat encouraging.Things were beginning to ramp up and what I was feeling was nothing new. Pre-launch is a “sit on the edge of your seat moment” like no other. A time when you question why you weren’t better prepared and ready. But such thoughts don’t help out at all. It’s best to just keep moving forward! So we will!And we do! Each and every year as our annual hobby arrives on the tail end of winter. Albeit a strange winter this year but there’s no changing that. We will make the best of everything and do our best. It’s a simple place of stubborn perseverance and resolve. The MOONTABS will tally up and we no doubt experience a most unique sugaring season. But it will not have been missed or canceled. That would be somehow wrong to me. After all someone once said: there are but a finite number of syrup seasons in a person’s lifetime. Who would write such a serious but truthful quote? Someone who values life and rural heritage perhaps. Someone who loves their hobby with a passion that borders on madness. Someone who loves to create things. Someone who knows that sugaring drives the hands and engages all 5 senses and the 6th as well. I think you know who wrote the quote. The inner voices whisper at times and fuel the inner spirit. The farm property is a place of grounding and connection. The world begs explorations and adventures but I will always be drawn back to the dripping sap drops that follow frosty nights. There is a place of blissful happiness there. But first we must launch! Things are headed in that direction. More so each day now. It is enough.✍️

The Cutting Crew:The Rhythm Of Regiment

Posted on February 2, 2024February 4, 2024 by Greg Washburn

February. The turning point of winter for me.Maple syrup season is but a few short weeks away at this point. Are we ready for it?Never really to be honest! But that’s another story! It’s been a very strange winter to say the least. My health scare taking center stage as the new year had barely begun would change my direction to a degree. But I have bounced back and made some substantial progress I like to think. Also another story. But isn’t that what life’s all about? A series of stories interwoven into a journey of unknown destinations. The spirit energy rises and falls like the mercury in an an old thermometer. (Funny in this digital age that those might become unknown to younger people!)Living at the farm property that I now call “The Homestead” has grounded me in a most positive manner. Also another story! This story is way more fun to tell!

I have been following the progress of the “growing” ice on Lake Flower as the 2024 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival loomed on the horizon. There was a February 2nd deadline for completion of the annual ice palace and the weather was going to tell the story far beyond human control. However volunteers got out on the 3.5” thick ice of early January and kept it clear of snow. Slowly the depth of the ice in what’s known as Pontiac Bay began to grow. 10” would be needed to start cutting the blocks. If you are new to this page I would suggest going back into my posts and reading about our previous volunteering activities for the project. We started volunteering in 2021 and have made some great MOONTABS! The ice continued to grow with some cold nights and chiller temperatures. The start date for the build was slated for January 22nd. I made my plans accordingly,dropping everything so I could attend day one! I dug out my old antique ice saw, contacted my room rental person, and packed my gear in anticipation of the work that lay ahead. I also invited my good friend Patrick Bourcy to come with me. Zane had to begin his second semester of college and couldn’t accompany me. A first since we had begun volunteering in 2021. It gave me pause to think about all the changes that find us along this journey of life. If you don’t remember Patrick Bourcy he’s the founder of the Facebook group “Just Go Outside”. We get together for some fun adventures when time allows. So it was on! My doctor had consoled against me using the ice saw so Patrick would be my saw buddy! I hit the road at 6am that Monday morning for the 2 hour plus trip to Saranac Lake picking up Patrick in Tupper Lake in anticipation of the 8am start time. We got there in plenty of time and after signing in waited for our instructions from the ice field foreman. Dean is a veteran of 40 plus years of ice palace building and we waited patiently for his orders. I saw a few people that I had met from previous years volunteering and we exchanged greetings like members of a class reunion. There were new faces and new acquaintances to meet as we waited for the motorized ice saw to make its appearance. All was ready.

Patrick takes a turn at opening “the chute”.

The layout crew snapped some chalk lines to get the initial ice field set up square. A chainsaw was used to open the “chute” to the excavator that would pluck the blocks of ice from the newly opened water. It’s a time consuming task but necessary for progress to begin. Once opened the chute would be opened each morning for the daily ice block harvest.You might ask how do we get to be part of the ice cutting crew? That’s easy! I showed up with my personal ice saw in 2021 and made it happen as they needed volunteers.The rest is history as they say. Making the “cutting crew” is more brawn then brains! I fit right in!😂But being a member of the cutting crew also involves playing the game of personalities! Taking orders from “several bosses” can be tricky. Staying chill is key. Learn your job and do it right. Always try to be one step ahead. It’s a team effort and there’s a rhythm of regiment that must be followed. After all we are opening the ice field and creating open water sections. Safety becomes important. So it’s a team effort and it’s best to remain quiet and follow orders! Getting kicked off the team would be a crushing blow to an Icewalker turned laborer. What’s the big deal being a cutter? Perhaps you need to be there. I have loved it from day one! But I have an obsession with ice and a compulsive love of menial task so I enter a special place out there on the ice field. There’s an air of anticipation that always seems to permeate the atmosphere. Free the blocks so the pike polers can get them to the chute so the ice palace build can start. It’s almost too intense in a comical way! We can cut the blocks way faster then they can be removed from the chute. But there’s more to it then that honestly. The cutting crew moves onto other tasks once their frozen gems are released to float the ever enlarging piece of open water. I don’t mind the push or the frenzied energy of the daily routine. It reminds me of my former years on numerous construction sites. Work is work and task is task. Wear the harness you are given and plow through each day.

The ice saw makes the block layout that we cut free.

I probably did more cutting then my doctor had advised but he had cleared me for running a chainsaw so I found my comfortable groove out on the ice field and kept it. Besides he had no clue about the size of the chainsaw I run! He never asked!😂 Besides I felt great and there was no holding be back. I had my saw buddy Patrick there with me anyway. Most years I would “stick” the field until all the cuts were made despite how tired I got. That’s how I made the crew in the first place. I had a secret weapon anyway. My super sharp ice saw was superior to anything else out there being used. So I could make it look easier then it actually was really! Hey work smarter not harder was something I had learned as an electrician apprentice many years ago.We were cutting on only 10” of ice which was the minimum that could be used. The motorized ice saw does most of the cutting. We just make the final cuts needed to get the blocks ready for the “spud crew”.

So the spud crew consists of 4 individuals who strike a three block section of the ice that the cutters have prepared ahead of them. They follow us and down the ice field. It’s important that we never get cuts to far ahead of them as sections can suddenly break loose and toss the spud men into the water! Losing the ice spuds would be bad! Ice tools are valuable! 😂 All joking aside we take safety seriously! I have never seen anyone go in but have witnessed some very close calls! Zane never cared for cutting ice but could always be found on the spud crew. I was always of how he fit right in with the older men. He was strong and capable so was excepted into the group. I was missing him this year but perhaps he will get to return again.

The ice cutting usually only takes about 2 hours or less and the crew moves on to other jobs. I took a job slushing in the newly placed ice blocks as the walls of the ice palace began to take shape. It’s an important part of the build acting like a mortar to freeze everything together. Patrick took a job hauling slush from the slush pit where several volunteers mix snow and water to create it. It takes many buckets of slush to “grout” in the blocks! Especially around the corners. The pike pole volunteers stay busy getting the blocks to the excavator where this older fellow Cliff gracefully plucks one after another most of the day!

It’s important to note that we never go hungry while working on the build! The coffee ladies of the Civic Committee show up with coffee and hot chocolate. Also breakfast sandwiches and sweet treats! Yum! A 50/50 mixture of coffee and hot chocolate is a favorite choice for volunteers. Lunch is provided most days by a local business who delivers the famous “ bowl and roll”. A cup of hot soup and a large buttered roll! Yum! One things for certain at this annual event: community spirit! The village pulls together volunteering and local businesses donate all sorts of things. Even heavy equipment! There’s never a dull moment that’s for sure. The ice palace build is a beehive of activity.

Patrick and I stayed most of the day helping out. I got a joke going with him shouting out “mud here!” when I ran out of slush! On the construction sites of my long career masons would yell out “mud here” to the mason tenders if their mortar boards needed mortar. I found it appropriate and no one knew why I was yelling it so it became even more entertaining! Patrick said he didn’t know me to the other volunteers! So lots of laughs! It’s refreshing to throw yourself into something so out of the ordinary I find. Far different then my days at the farm often working alone. It’s a nice change being around people and having fun while doing something rewarding. Day one went by super fast and the build had successfully started with no major hurdles. There was plenty of work to come in the days ahead but we had something to show for our efforts! I made plans to return for additional days of volunteering but that is another story! MOONTABS were being made in what I call “MOONTABS In Motion!✍️

The Wake-up Call

Posted on January 14, 2024January 14, 2024 by Greg Washburn

So here we are at the soon to be midpoint of January and so much has happened! So many things have and will change now. On January 1st just hours after my last post an episode occurred that I should not have ignored but I did. Post dinner I experienced rather severe chest pains but as I had no other symptoms I dismissed it as indigestion. Things settled down and I had a restful night. But Friday morning things were bad. The chest pains returned shortly after waking up and only stopped if I sat down. A walk to the warehouse and back left me seriously short of breath. I kept needing to sit down. Zane and I had already done a few things that morning. We had taken the truck and picked up some slab wood they had buzzed up for us. We were preparing to put up a mailbox also. I walked out to the road to help Zane and told him I wasn’t well. So after he drove me to the ER in Gouverneur it was determined that I needed to go to Syracuse to St. Joseph’s Hospital for a cauterization procedure. So that’s where I was from 10:30pm Friday night until about 2:30pm on Sunday afternoon. I am happy to report that I did not have a heart attack. My heart is in good condition. However I needed to have 3 stents placed in the arteries of my LAD. My RCA has some rather troubling plaque but functions beyond the placement of stents. I received excellent care at the hospital and feel fortunate to have dodged a major heart event.

So my new reality involves medication, new diet, and scheduling doctor visits. Honestly I am taking all this very seriously and will stay the course. I have come way too far in life not to heed this wake-up call! I spend a couple days recuperating at my Sister and brother-in-laws place at Black Lake next to Camp Edith. A huge wind storm knocked out power all over upstate New York and we were on generator power for awhile. They were still on generator power Thursday when Zane and I decided to move back to the farm where we had power. So after gathering up groceries, medications, and miscellaneous things we settled back into Little Red. We restarted the wood stove as the cabin had been being heated by its backup electric heat since Friday. We got pounded by heavy rains but the mild temperatures weren’t too hard to take. Zane and I resumed the mailbox project as we knew our days of unfrozen ground were about to change. He felt quite the sense of accomplishment in that small task.I knew it was because it marked a continuation of something we had started together and a move forward into the new reality. I felt it also. That strange sense of realizing that things could have ended much differently and the whole future would take different directions. I was ok. Things were going to return to normal. I just need to do my part to make that happen!

The Amazon drop box. No deliveries without it!

We had to cancel our trip to California unfortunately so that big adventure is off. We have spent our time regrouping at the farm and making plans as for the best way forward. I have suddenly become less obsessed with the cabin project as we continue to modify the space in a manner that better fits our living needs. We brought in an old metal topped table so we can better sit and enjoy meals.We added a second small fridge for all my healthy veggies and new diet items. The loft is working out for sleeping and we were smart to include it into the build. My new diet involves less cheese,red meat, and high fat foods. I hope to lose weight as I work my way back to a healthy me. The project can wait I have decided. It’s time to consider the present and how best to live in it. I can’t say what happened to me was good but it certainly wasn’t horrible. My body warned me that’s all. So here I am one week plus from the event totally reevaluating my life. It’s refreshing and I feel really good actually.

Being prepared never hurts! We may need our generator here sometime!

The last couple days have been all about small details given that another storm was coming. Groceries,generator gas, and going through things here in the cabin. We made a trip to a favorite sport shop of ours to grab some MRE’s and get some target shooting ammo. Zane and I the occasional round of skeet shooting here at the farm. Given the location it’s not bothersome to anyone. The storm hit yesterday as forecast. High winds and blowing snow throughout the night. I hunkered down and enjoyed the warm bliss of the cabin. There’s nothing like that peaceful feeling of being prepared!

Today the strong winds continued and we got more snow. There’s at a foot now and it keeps coming. It’s going to stop later but the wind is going to keep blowing. It’s feeling a lot more like January. This weather has been unbelievable in its strangeness. Black Lake is barely frozen over. All this snow will keep it from freezing properly in my opinion. I took a nice walk earlier close by. Up on the plateau behind the barn I gazed down onto Beaver Creek and wondered when it might be safe to trek there. I am going to stay clear for some time given all the fresh snow. I want to continue my “Tales of an Icewalker” series but not at the expense of falling through! So I will watch and wait. There’s other things that need my attention at the moment.

This is the last week Zane is off before his college resumes. We are going to need firewood for this cabin very soon. I also hope to put a temporary skirt around it so we can bank it with snow. I decided against a permanent skirt due to summer snakes, rodents, and the potential for moisture issues. Our ancestors frequently banked their buildings with snow. It’s the ultimate insulation if it’s abundant enough to throw up alongside your building. Living here within sight of the barn makes me think of years past. The barn was the sanctuary of our livestock. I have mentioned it in the past and there’s nothing like a patch of stormy weather to wake up those memories. I am enjoying this time here in the tiny and unfinished cabin. I hope to get my energy back soon and be able to enjoy the new me. All that restricted blood flow now makes perfect sense. It happened so slowly that I never noticed it. I’m serious about getting back to the better conditioned me. Syrup season is on the far horizon. Snowshoeing isn’t that far out either. Winter must be enjoyed while it is here. So far it’s been mostly absent but there’s still time! Time for “WHIMs”. Winter has its moments. Time for the Icewalker’s to take to their frozen avenues. Time for enjoying nature as this time plays out. It’s a time to reflect while sipping maple syrup infused coffee. Time to recharge the batteries and get back on track. Time to see the smallest details and the largest. But mostly it’s time to acknowledge the gift of life itself. To be present in the present. It’s a time for making MOONTABS!✍️

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2024January 1, 2024 by Greg Washburn

What a strange winter so far! Mild weather continues and there’s been almost no snow. It’s been helpful getting cabin work done so that’s a positive! Things continue to move forward inside and each week shows more progress. We expect to put the Airstream away this week which will mean a transition into the cabin full time. It’s going to be a little bumpy at first but we’ll manage. The new wood stove finally showed up so that’s on the list for January. The loft was the focus last week and it’s well on its way to being finished. I am happy to report that the whitewashed ceiling was a success! I created a custom look with a combination of primer.paint, and water in equal proportions.

We enjoyed some leisure time over the holidays which was nice. On Xmas Eve Zane and I hiked up to the mountain to have a campfire on the Low Point. It was very cloudy and visibility was limited but we enjoyed ourselves until well after dark. We chose an old pine stump for our fire and it made a wonderful blaze. The pine resin smells incredible and the flames were a bright yellow. At times they were tinged with green. The old stumps are what remains of the former pine forests that once grew there. Forest fires destroyed them and burned so hot that large sections of bare rock are all that remained. The bare rock surfaces of the mountain have changed very little in my lifetime. They are a favorite place of mine to reflect on the passage of time. The solid rock remains a constant in my life journey story. That is the draw. From the high ground the lights of the farm twinkled in the distance. Home for us these days. Hiking to the mountain was a celebration of returning to the farm full time after an 11 year absence. Dinner was waiting in the crock pot for our return.

On Christmas Day I decided to fly my drone a little. It was the replacement of the one that had crashed in Quebec last August and I hadn’t even used it once. It was a totally calm day so flying conditions were ideal. I still have a lot to learn about piloting a drone but I did ok with it. Eventually I hope to take it up to 400 feet but for now I stay below 100 feet. It takes good photos that go right to my phone. It also can copy to an SD card if I prefer that option. I safely brought it to a landing when the battery began to run low.Mission accomplished!

We fired up the sawmill recently and ran a monster log through. A 12’ salvage log from our neighbors at camp. One of those that was mentioned in my last post. It sawed out some beautiful boards and planks that will be used in the woodshed project at some point. It still needs a floor in one section. It will make a nice multipurpose building once we close it in more. The old Roundoak wood stove in the cabin will be repurposed to heat the woodshed eventually. But that project must wait for now.

I recently asked for a favor at a local restaurant where we hang sometimes. It’s called the Iron Horse Cafe and it’s one of the nicest places near us. Morristown isn’t a long drive for us and it’s easy for friends to meet us there. On their menu they had poutine and several different types of hamburgers. I asked the waitress if the kitchen would make me an “A La Poutine”. It’s a fully dressed hamburger smothered with gravy and poutine. They were willing to make it and it turned out pretty good. However their poutine is made with mozzarella cheese so I asked the owner if I could bring cheese curd for it the next time I ordered one. No problem he said! I first learned about A La Poutine in Quebec a couple years ago on our way home from our fishing trip. A local had suggested we try it! It’s a big entree and difficult to finish in one setting! I ordered several pounds of cheese curd from a producer in Clayton. The business is owned by the Bechaz family who uses milk from their own dairy farm to make the curds. It gets made on Thursdays so I made sure to grab it that same day! I took 2 lbs into the Iron Horse and gave one to the owner to try. The other went to the kitchen for my A La Poutine. It turned out fabulous! I couldn’t finish it so brought the rest home to share with Zane. I don’t know if the Iron Horse will ever have it on their menu but I do believe they will make it for us again sometime! Bechaz Riverdale cheese curd is the best I have ever tasted! I am getting hungry just thinking about it! I may try to make it myself sometime! It a hearty meal that just may be bad for my heart!Try it out for yourself!

So that’s pretty much it lately. Eating,drinking,and being merry to a degree.Lots of work on the cabin and lots of other miscellaneous details that come with life. As I reflect on the year just past I am amazed at how fast it seemed to go by. But it was a year of adventures and plenty of hard work. Each season brought many blessings to us. Good health and good fortune. Zane’s graduation was a big event as was his starting college. It wasn’t a big year for travel although our fishing trip to Quebec was epic! As was my 2 week Adirondack sojourn. I can say exactly when the cabin will be finished but it’s going to be awhile. There’s the remaining siding to complete and the remaining sections of the deck. I suppose I shouldn’t get so frustrated by the amount of time it’s taking. It’s a very custom build after all. Life is good here at the farm. It will be different not living in the camper but I won’t miss buying propane for the furnace. I am glad that I got good use out of the camper and have enjoyed it immensely.Perhaps I will travel with it in 2024. I am hoping someone will wish to join me but I am prepared to run solo if that’s necessary.

As for 2024 I am patiently waiting for the ice to form and the snow to fall for a return to ice walking. There’s an upcoming trip to California to kick off this year’s travel. As for maple syrup season I am not sure at the moment. We are seriously lacking firewood and there’s a few issues with the tractor. We will be returning to the Quebec bush in August once again. That reminds me that I never completed the bush living series I started! That’s ok as the photos will remind me of our special week and the memories will return like a film. My spirit energy will need a good battery charging soon that’s for sure. Each day starts with maple syrup infused coffee here at the farm. Life is good and the land grounds me with purpose and resolve. I can’t predict how tomorrow will turn out. All I can do is push forward and try to make good decisions. Writing will be a part of my 2024. That is a given. There are plenty of stories left to be told! MOONTABS await!✍️

Upgrades And Migrations

Posted on December 12, 2023December 16, 2023 by Greg Washburn

I can’t believe it’s getting close to the middle of December! The weather has remained rather mild for the most part but we are getting a lot of rain! We’ve had a couple cold nights but it’s never dropped below 15 degrees yet. I am still living in the Airstream here at the farm property but I winterized it some time ago. That means no water although I cook and sleep in here. I use a small electric heater to help keep the humidity under control and provide heat but the propane furnace does the majority of the heating. In the cabin the bathroom is nearly finished now I am excited to say! My plumbing project was a success and everything came on line fairly smoothly. The tiny utility room is packed but it’s working out good so far!

I have been heating the cabin with wood for several weeks now. Fortunately I had some stored dry firewood up in the old granary building that we cut last spring. We also had some “devil’s rejects” as we call them. Low grade chunks of wood that we kick out when doing wood for a customer of ours. They work well in mild weather but burn fast. Despite the fact the the old wood stove in the cabin is being replaced I changed out the outer sections of stovepipe on it. It was in horrible shape after 11 years of use. Good thing I did as I had a chimney fire first thing yesterday morning when I stoked up the fire. It really got going for a few minutes and I was preparing to water it down if necessary. We’ve had a down draft problem lately and creosote has been a problem around the outer stovepipe. Now I am super nervous and ready to get the new wood stove and roof stovepipe system in place!There is always the potential for a fire when burning wood. The new set up will be much safer and efficient.

Overall we have made pretty good progress on the cabin. We now have the beginnings of our natural white cedar deck at the main entrance. I really had to scour my inventory to get enough cedar to build what I did. I had some I stored away years ago. You guessed it! Held in trust! I sawed it into the dimensional lumber I needed on the bandsaw sawmill. I also recently added an attached wood storage shelf to the sheltered back of the cabin facing the road. I used some old blue flooring I had salvaged from an old house years ago up in the Spragueville area. My Uncle who owned it called it the Clarke house. I got a nice farm sink and primitive cabinet from there also.The wood storage shelf will hold over a face cord of wood so it’s a nice addition to the cabin. I used some old metal roofing I had but it may get replaced eventually. It doesn’t look exactly like I wanted it too but will work for now. How many times over the years have I said that?🤔

Zane and I did a bit more siding on the cabin after we found some additional inventory. But we have run totally run out of hemlock so we will need to wait until we can get some more sawn out in 2024. I spent a couple hours one day last week getting out a little bit of burn ready firewood. The ground was frozen and we had a tiny bit of snow so it was a primo day for skidding! It seems like everything is always a big hurry and I can’t ever get enough done. I try to keep going forward and follow the weather forecast for planning work days. Awhile back we spent 2 days hauling salvage logs from up by our camp on Black Lake. Our neighbors had 3 big pine trees taken down and gave us the logs. I had to haul the tractor up to be able to get them pulled out and loaded. We made 3 trips to get all the logs out before it was done. We have a nice collection of pine to saw provided there’s no hardware in the logs. That’s a potential risk with trees near buildings.It was amazing watching the tree trimmers at work! They really know their business!

Things have been really centered around the cabin project and that’s where most of my time is spent every week.The saws need to be kept outside as they won’t fit inside to do any practical work. I call the outside saw area the “Chop Shop”. We just moved it into a tent since it rains so much lately and the snow is coming. Running in and out of the cabin making cuts is time consuming but necessary. Plus the barn wood that is being using for the walls and trims is super dirty. All that dirt and sawdust stays right outside where it belongs. We have managed nicely so far but the weather continues to slowly head towards winter. Sometimes I work “under the lights” into the evening when I am pushing a part of the project. It gets dark around 4:30pm these days so that’s always a factor.

Using barn wood for interiors is very labor intensive but it’s truly a nice look! We used both silver gray and faded red for two of the walls so far. The bathroom is a mix of drywall,birch wainscoting, and a barn wood chair rail. There’s a lot left to do but things are getting better each week. I am anxious to move out of the Airstream and get into the cabin but as long as it stays mild it’s fine in here. Besides there’s still way too many tools and building materials in the cabin. The temporary kitchen sink where I do dishes for the moment is working out well. Having the stacked washer and dryer unit saves a lot of time. Well worth the space it takes up.

One nice thing about being outside cutting is seeing all the geese flying over each day. They have really been migrating recently in nonstop groups. I was finally able to spot a couple flocks of snow geese yesterday just before dark. They make a distinctive sound that’s different then the Canadian geese. It’s a sure sign of approaching winter and I know this mild weather can’t last forever. I have spent almost no time in the woods and I am missing my adventures there. But without the cabin I will be struggling to make it through the winter here. So it remains my focus for the moment. Not terribly exciting but you have to remember that we haven’t had running water and a toilet here on the farm property since May of 2012. All this is a milestone of accomplishment and a solid beginning of a new life journey here at the farm. I really enjoy living here again and cherish my freedom of the wide open spaces. Life will settle into some new routine again at some point and the farm cabin/campsite will serve as a valuable base of operations. Some day I may follow those geese south but not this winter.There’s still too many things left to do here! One thing remains certain: the walls of the cabin cannot hold me bound forever. I will need to get out and explore. And the adventures you have grown accustomed to will resume! We all must have shelter from the elements as the dark nights of December take us into winter. The tiny cabin project has challenged me greatly these past few months. But I have learned so much in the process. Never fear the unknown. Ponder and question your decisions but push yourself forward with no hesitation. That is how I see things with clarity and certainty. The energy and determination of the migratory birds humbles me. My project seems insignificant in the face of such an annual event. And there lies the resolve to drive the hands to achieve my goals. The dividends are many in their simplicity. And within I find an even greater connection to nature. And you thought it was just a project? Never. It’s much more then that.✍️

The Mow Dawg Returns:Part 2

Posted on October 8, 2023December 15, 2023 by Greg Washburn

Part one of this story only encompassed a short two day period! In the end a much larger story would write itself with a journey that almost seems surreal as I sit here in the campground in Cranberry Lake on a very chilly October morning! A stiff north borne wind continues to bring even more rain. It began raining Friday night and has not stopped really since then. But I am warm and dry in the Airstream. Comfortably content as I finish my maple syrup laced Keurig coffee! Today will be a day to catch up. On laundry.Cooking. And if the energy strikes my inner spirit the words will flow like the suddenly rain swollen streams and rivers here. The shift in the weather is truly amazing! The shift in myself equally so it seems. Life on the Adirondack clock is a remarkable experience no matter the weather. There is a balance that can be found for living and purposeful activities. So this is the now moment before I take you back to a warmer time and place!

This was yesterday. Today is much worse!

So in the previous story we had gotten about 300 bales off of one of my meadows on Saturday. I continued to set up my farm camp on Sunday. Monday was a tough day trying to get a bearing off the baler but we finally got it.We had a little rain on Monday night but as there was no hay down it was no big deal. The long range forecast was perfect for haying well into the following week. We got the baler back together Tuesday and the decision to mow down hay Wednesday was made. I met my uncle in the field the next day to ride along while he mowed so I could learn the tractor and the rotary mower. I had mowed plenty of hay years ago with my smaller hay bind and tractor but this set up was larger.My uncle mowed a couple sections of field and I said that I was ready to go on my own. I got behind the controls and told him I could handle it. He started to walk away then came back to the tractor. “ You are not the first person to ever tell me that and then something happened” he said. I replied: “I’ve got this! Don’t worry I will be super careful!” So just like that I became the mower of hay after years of not doing it. I took down both big sections of the main meadow near campsite. We had hay down now!

The next day I mowed again and the last two meadows on my farm were done. My uncle raked and baled up a few loads of hay that totaled about 570 bales. I stayed busy drawing wagons and started to unload the wagons. I was also mowing the hay away. We were beginning to make progress! It was decided that no more hay needed to be mowed until the following Monday. So we spent the remainder of the week getting my farm cleared off. I raked a little hay one day to speed things up as the evening dew was coming on early in September. I also used the Tedder which scatters the hay out to help it dry faster.

I had mowed my Long Meadow so it could be turned into bedding round bales. I tedded it and another small meadow by the road. I had taken the time to fill in some holes in the meadow with dirt so the equipment wouldn’t be damaged. The days went by quick! It was very sunny and warm so the hay was drying well. So hay was baled each day then drawn up to my uncle’s barn to be unloaded and mowed away. We averaged about 500-600 bales per day. By Saturday night most of the hay on my farm was done.

I was getting better at being a mow Dawg and made sure to wear a dust mask. The evenings finished about 8:30 pm after dark and I was beat! But we had accomplished a lot in a week for two guys. Sunday we went up to the next big set of fields we would be haying across Beaver Creek to mark out rocks and holes as I didn’t know the land given my own fields had been a problem. The good weather was staying with us and it looked like we would need to mow Monday.We identified several rocks and one giant hole with orange marker tape. I felt better having toured the fields.

So Monday I fueled up the tractor and greased the mower and set off to mow “The Big One”. A roughly 25 acre chunk of hay where we had scouted Sunday. I broke the field into sections and after 7 hours of steady mowing the field was down. I was beat but felt accomplished and successful as nothing was broken or damaged. My uncle had done a little round baling so there was no hay to handle. My farm was done and I was very happy about that! A night off!

Once again we had some serious hay down and it was decided to keep doing square bales. So I would be enduring a few more days of playing mow dawg. We were filling a new section of hay mow so it was easier to get loads into the barn. I was anxious to get the haying done as I still needed to prepare for my ADK trip. I was leaving Sunday! That Tuesday night after having tedded a part of the Big One I took the wheeler over to the next set of four hay fields that we would be haying.My friend lives right by one the fields so he helped me identify all the hazards like what had been done previously. I started mowing there on Wednesday and was visited by a hawk who was hunting mice in the freshly mown hay. The hawk got very close to the mower a couple of times and I saw it catch a couple mice. It got in front of the tractor one time and wouldn’t move! I was getting out of the tractor when it finally flew off.Two more meadows were down and drying.

So the cycle kept on going. I was drawing wagons from the fields with my Uncle’s truck due to the distance we had to travel. I did some more raking on Thursday and the bales kept coming. So did the nice weather. Friday I did my final day of mowing knocking down two more meadows. We were done with square bales so I was relieved! We had one final load of hay to unload and mow away. The Mow Dawg was free!

So that’s the story of how I spent two weeks of my life volunteering to help with hay! It was nice to hang with my Uncle Art and get my fields cleared as well as some others. It was nice to learn some new equipment also. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy myself either. Out on the land each day with the familiar scents of hay ground, tractors,and the bales themselves. We accomplished a lot in two weeks I feel. And I found the time to prepare for my trip. There’s going to be a lot of loose ends waiting for me in the valley when I return. But my battery is getting recharged here. Clearing the hay fields is important to the long term plans for the farm. But next summer is a long way off! ✍️

The Mow Dawg Returns

Posted on September 26, 2023September 26, 2023 by Greg Washburn

There have been many recent developments and writing had been something I just haven’t made a priority. But plenty of life has been lived this last month! Everything from cider making to work on the farm camp to suddenly finding myself returning to an old role of mine: being a mow dawg. What is a mow dawg you ask? Allow me to explain!

Haying has begun here on my farm property.

A few weeks ago I received word that my Uncle Charlie had been rushed to Syracuse after having a heart attack. He and his younger brother Arthur have farmed the the Washburn homestead and other properties about a mile from my property as long as I can remember. Diary farmers for many years they have “retired” into a life of raising beef cattle and cropping hay to sell. Pretty busy lifestyle for two older fellows but that’s just who they chose to be! They cover a lot of hay ground with their modern equipment on any given summer. They were well into second round hay cuts already when Uncle Charlie had his heart attack. The good news is that he’s recovering now. Home and resting after a double bypass. But was to come of the unfinished hayfields? Mine especially as they had not been cut and here it was mid September. This is where I enter the story!

I was driving over to the farm on September 16th and as I passed one of my meadows I noticed that some hay had been cut. I hadn’t spoken with either of my uncle’s and had assumed that my haying would not get done like it usually does late every summer for quite a few years now. I have pushing to get the farm campsite project back on track and will feature a post on that in the near future. But for the moment let’s finish this one!

Seeing the hay down was a surprise and I wondered what my Uncle Art was hoping to accomplish by himself .I jumped on my wheeler and paid him a visit. It seems that he was single handily going to try and hay all my active meadows. Granted he was only planning on doing only so much at a time. The weather forecast was promising so I told him I would volunteer to help out. After all getting my meadows cleared was important so I figured the least I could do was pitch in. My projects would need to wait. So that Saturday I got some basic instructions about when I needed to be available etc. I then raced back to the farm to finish setting up the Airstream on its new stone pad. I was going to live there while we were haying. But that is part of the other story!

I went back up to my Uncles’s farm and got on the old Ford 5610 tractor and started moving hay wagons down to the field where my uncle had the hay raked and ready to bale. The old tractor was no problem as it is a pretty basic older model. So the hay was baled and I drew the wagons up to the barn where I began unloading the first one. That’s where the I once again became a “Mow Dawg”. Someone has to stack the bales in neat rows and keep the layers organized. A dirty,dusty job and I volunteered for it. I had no face mask that first night and suffered badly later because of it! But the job was completed. In the meantime the baler had suffered a bearing failure on one of the kicker belt rollers. Bad timing as we wanted to hit it hard the next week.But one step at a time! I needed Sunday to finish getting my campsite set up! Monday would be another day and we would figure things out!

Settled in for the first night at the farm campsite.

So this story will need to be continued as I must soon leave for my Uncle’s farm to work on another finicky machinery problem today. It’s always an adventure haying it seems! The good weather has held and there’s a lot more to this story! But now you know a little and where I have been. This adventure is ongoing and mornings come early. I am thankful for maple syrup laced coffee each morning. Autumn has arrived and the time for haying is growing shorter with each passing day. My family needs me right now while they figure out the best way forward. It’s best not to overthink some things. There is a comfortable place in the doing and in the work itself. One day at a time. ✍️

Moving And Shaking!

Posted on August 7, 2023August 7, 2023 by Greg Washburn

Today is a special day! Day 48 of summer. Counting forward there are 48 more days of summer before the first day of fall! Time to really take any summer activities we want to enjoy seriously! We’ve spent a lot of time working at the farm as July has turned into August. The rail system that now supports the farm cabin Little Red was completed shortly after my last post. I nervously began planning the move of the building which we have been calling the Warming Shack for the past several years. I designed a hitch system for the move planning on using my tractor. It was an epic fail despite the fact that my tractor hydraulics could lift the building slightly. I didn’t even try to drag it! It was time for plan B!

Plan B was simple. We would use two tractors for a tandem hitch and drag. The real problem I predicted was how we would get the building onto the rails. But I kicked that can down the road. Our friend Gregger showed up the next day wanting to witness the move. He spotted my neighbor’s big John Deere backhoe and asked why we weren’t using it for moving the building. I explained that we could if I could get it started. Great idea! I parked my little 40hp New Holland 4wd next to it and realized just how right he was to suggest it! My tractor looked like a toy almost next to that behemoth! It’s loader even had chain hooks welded to it. It’s hydraulic cylinders that control the bucket are huge when compared to my tractor. I knew I had seriously underestimated the weight of the building from the start. Would my rail system even hold it? It was time for plan C as the old backhoe roared to life with a cloud of belched diesel exhaust.

We rigged two grade 70 road chains under the 6”x8” skids that support the cabin. I through bolted the chain to them after drilling them out. We were ready to roll! I lifted the heavy cabin easily with the backhoe’s loader. We were forced to stop work as yet another thunderstorm soaked the already soggy ground even more. Lightning flashes were getting too close for comfort! After the rain subsided I hopped on the backhoe and tried to back up with the elevated building. I moved a short distance but soon got to spinning on the wet ground. No problem I decided! I hitched my 4wd tractor to the backhoe for a tandem pull. Zane tried his best but all we both could do was spin. All was lost until the ground dried out I feared. Or was it? Gregger suggested curling the bucket of the backhoe while sitting stationary. It worked and I was able to drag the building a short distance. Little by little we inched the building forward and finally with both tractors spinning with screaming engines we picked up steady momentum and gained some speed. Once we had it moving it pulled easily.

Ripping and tearing! Down for a moment to reassess.

All was well until we reached the turn by the big barn. We took my tractor off the pull and reversed the backhoe. It easily pulled the building by itself on the firmer gravel of the driveway and the redistribution on weight to its back tires. I took it up onto the road and tried to get lined up with my marker stakes that I had set in place to align the building’s skids with my rails. I was able to get it close and decided to quit for the day while we were ahead. I was shot from all the nervous activity.

The next day I successfully managed to get the building onto my rail system using pipe rollers and the backhoe. I got it lined up and into its final resting place by the end of the day! Mission accomplished! The rail system was a success! The building was level and no further work was needed on the foundation. I anchored it down onto the rails and that was that!

The pipe rollers make short work of the task.

Everything had lined up perfect for the electrical conduit to be attached to the building. After a few hours of work the building had a functioning outlet to power the project. Now came a labor intensive part of the renovation.Repairing and packing out the porch. Putting down a subfloor and shortening the timber frame posts that were weather damaged. My cousin Gerry and Zane helped me with that and progress was made. The weather was conducive to productive work so that was nice. I started the curtain walls next with Zane’s help. They will surround the timber frame former facade that will now become an inner feature of the camp. Protected from the weather they will showcase the antique bar wood theme I am planning. That’s pretty much where we are at right now.

There’s a lot of other things going on while we work part time to advance the cabin. But moving the Warming Shack cabin was a milestone. Worthy of a blog post most certainly. I am so glad our good friend was there that day to help us with the move. Our years of construction have taught us many things. Rigging and moving heavy objects just a small part of that. There’s lots of work yet to do before the the building becomes Little Red. In the shadow of the monster barn we call Big Red it will become an integral part of our farm property experience. Working together on it is beneficial for Zane and I. As for what else we have going on it will show itself shortly. And btw! That woodshed we saved and moved? It’s going to be the new Warming Shack I decided! Little Red will be too nice for muddy maple syrup worker to mill around in!✍️

Frogging Around

Posted on July 16, 2023July 16, 2023 by Greg Washburn

Here it is the middle of July already! There’s been a lot going on lately and there’s not much of anything that follows a routine! Zane and I have taken some time for an old time rural heritage tradition here and it was well worth it! Frogging! It’s a type of hunting for many here who enjoy summer outdoor pursuits. I wanted Zane to know it was done since I haven’t taken to the summer swamps in many years. Hunting and fishing aren’t for everyone I realize. But I truly wish for Zane to experience as many hunting and gathering activities as I can show him.

Back from the swamp after a successful hunt.

Our target species were select large bullfrogs from a section of our wetlands that can be canoed. I had scouted the area days before and decided that we should should set aside other activities and go. I won’t go into graphic details of the hunt itself but will simply say we make every attempt to dispatch our targets humanely using a .22 caliber Ruger pellet gun. We pick our targets carefully as we only want the largest frogs. The smaller fogs will ensure that the wetlands will be populated by bigger bullfrogs in the future. We spotted numerous bullfrog tadpoles below the surface so that’s always an indication of a thriving ecosystem. The swamp in summer is a steamy,lush realm with cattails, aquatic weeds, and tall swamp grasses dominating the shallower sections. Leeches are plentiful and tipping the canoe over is ill advised! Small minnows can be spotted in the deeper sections as well. The bellowing bullfrogs compete for space on the weedy surface. We hunted for a couple hours to secure enough bullfrogs to make an adequate meal. Next came cleaning,washing, and chilling of the legs. I use a simple recipe for breading and cooking the frog legs. It uses a three step process of rolling the legs in white flour then dipping them into an egg bath. Next they are rolled in panko, cornmeal, crushed white saltine crumbs, or a mix of several of those ingredients depending on my preference that particular day. Pan fried outside in cast iron with super hot canola oil they are a wonderfully tasty meal! Yes they do taste like chicken!

Frying outside with the old propane stove that we deep fry fish with typically.

We shared some of our deep fried frog legs with our neighbor’s and invited a friend up as well since he never seems able to get any for himself. Zane was totally into the whole experience now so we went frogging again a few days later in a different spot. We once again secured a adequate amount of bullfrogs for a second meal which we also shared with others. We had been given a really nice largemouth bass while fishing a small remote lake with our Camp Edith neighbors so that was cleaned and fried up as well. Eating frog legs and fish isn’t for everyone but for country people who grew up with those things on the table it’s a welcome change from the routine meals of summer evenings.

Work on the farm campsite project took precedence this week and I made substantial progress on what I call “The rails”. Quite simply they are the support pier structure for the building that will be towed up onto them. Something I hope goes well as a lot is riding on the success of my engineering. Literally! The 6×6 piers are cemented in below what I consider the modern frontline

The next phase of the rail structure involves additional pressure treated planks and support bracing. There’s also some backfill work as well. Fortunately I had gotten the underground work completed in 2020 before abandoning the project because of work etc. The septic,waterline,and electrical are all in place to align with the building. There’s still plenty of work to be done! A noteworthy series of events occurred this week while I worked at the farm! Insects all always around me at the farm in the summer. Especially deer flies,horseflies,and mosquitoes. While I was fighting off droves of biting insects last week I was suddenly visited by some interesting green dragonflies. They are known as Eastern Pondhawks I later learned. An insect eating predator species. They hovered around me and covered some of my work surfaces. The biting insects disappeared although I didn’t notice it at first. There were times when the dragonflies even followed me around! It sounds crazy but I think they were an insect repellent of sorts. An ally if you will. We were sharing some sort of mutually beneficial experience. They certainly are beautiful and aerodynamic.

It’s funny how things happen sometimes. I was considering mowing the grass again around my work area as it was getting rather long. I had bush hogged it weeks ago once. But while working in front of the conex I noticed a honeybee! I hadn’t seen one this year so far at the farm. One turned out to be many! They were busy pollinating the clover and other blossoms where the second growth had regrown in the mowed areas. I decided to postpone mowing again for awhile. The longer grass doesn’t bother me since the black snakes and I have reached an unspoken agreement! They have been avoiding my busy work areas and I have been avoiding the barn. A shaky truce exists it seems. Shaky is the perfect word seeing as I am so afraid of them!

I was going to mention yesterday’s adventure but I feel it deserves it’s own post so will leave it for now! Sorry for the gaps in posting! I get very involved in all sorts of things. Some are very personal and of a family nature that I choose not to share. Life happens and time changes our family members. Health and circumstance come to the forefront at times. The rollercoaster rides of emotion can take precedence over creativity but there’s always a lesson to be learned. Always a chance to make a difference when we take the time to embrace compassion and respect others situations. As to where nature connects to the aging of our bodies and of those we love it must be given time to show itself in each unique experience. Time is the great changer of all for mortal life forms. To find our place within the timelines and attempt to understand the natural order of things is a goal of sorts. A milestone on a journey where happy memories join the sad ones and realizations must be faced. It’s nothing to be negative about really. One must simply accept certain things. Acceptance can make our hearts ache but there is strengthening peace in the past. Photos and memories of other days where we were and still are part of someone’s life journey. They will ultimately leave us. As we will ultimately leave others. It is the natural order of all life. To live our best lives is a worthy goal. To make this day something more then average if possible. And what is average anyway? Time to stop as I am heading to the forests of “Tazmania”. It will make sense eventually. Consider that a promise of sorts! MOONTABS are waiting to add to the collections.✍️

More Milestones

Posted on June 27, 2023June 27, 2023 by Greg Washburn

It’s just two days after Zane’s graduation and I have gotten used to the new reality.In the weeks leading up to it however I was subject to periods of intense reflection. Always the question of the passage of time and where it has gone. When Zane was born I had done the math to that the far off year of his graduation and what my own age would be then. It seemed like such a long time away! I rarely thought much about it as the busy days of work and endless details occupied my time. Zane and I had talked quite a bit about graduation the past few weeks honestly and all that was coming next for him. I likened high school graduation to yet another milestone in life. One right up there with getting a driver’s learning permit, taking a road test, and ultimately getting a driver’s license. I hadn’t really considered it but his graduation was also a milestone for me. My son is fast becoming an adult with adult decisions to consider.My thoughts were a mix of memories and plans for this new future reality. But like many events graduation will soon be far behind us as the days of summer truly begin post solstice.

Zane and I have been fortunate to be able to spend more time together as the final days of school wound down. We threw ourselves into the woodshed project getting the skids secured to the upper wall sections. We started putting the floor boards down as well. I moved it one Saturday recently without really planning that as the project of the day. I had gotten curious as to the best way to hitch to it so I backed up to the middle oversized timber and chained it to the lowered tractor drawbar. I was thrilled when the tractor’s hydraulics easily lifted the end of the building clear off the ground! It rested on the back sections of the skids and I realized that I could probably easily pull it! So off I went with it with no hesitation! It dragged well but I stopped to take a photo and check things out.

Turning suddenly became my new big obstacle. I was hitched very close to the building so short turns were going to be impossible. I adjusted my hitch and was able to get the woodshed close to where I wanted it but not exactly. After a series of maneuvers and hitch adjustments I got it to what I thought was the right spot. We had cleared a section of the sugarbush very close to where the sawmill is located. Unfortunately I had to cut a small maple to get the best location cleared and scraped. There’s a nice vein of bedrock that comes to the surface along the edge of the meadow. The bedrock would make an excellent foundation point so the shed would never settle. I unhitched the tractor and began to jack up the woodshed to begin the leveling part of the project. I got nicely started but soon realized that the front of the woodshed would be far too high once leveled. So the only thing to do was drag it forward where the grade was less. This involved additional hitching and dragging but I got it in place finally. Now I could get back to the jacking.

Collateral damage was minor during the move. Rocks were a problem.

The 8000 lb rated Bulldog jack works well for this type of project. I got a nice start on the support piers but a sudden rain storm suddenly cut my work short. I stuck it out as long as I could but eventually had to quit for the day. The dry spell is over for the time being and we have gotten some decent rainfall. The wildfires in Canada are still raging though but the smoke is gone so nobody thinks too much about them really. My email was never answered about volunteering to help out so I have given up on the subject. After a day of intense clearing and burning next to the woodshed site I seriously began to doubt my abilities to handle the volume of smoke it would entail. Call it a lesson of sorts I suppose.

A hot sweaty day of eating smoke prior to the woodshed move.

Last week we went downstate to do a drywall project for a friend of ours.It ran Tuesday till Friday and tied up most of our week. Our friend Vern went downstate with us to drywall so we were a three man team mostly.We had to spend three nights in a motel way too close to the interstate. But fatigue has its benefits and I actually slept rather well after the first night. The weekend was dedicated to a party and graduation itself on Sunday. Just like that a week had passed!

One room of several we worked to drywall.

Sunday evening I found myself alone post graduation ceremony. I decided to break out the tandem Old Town kayak for a paddle back at Camp Edith. The skies were cloudy and distant thunder would rumble from time to time but I wasn’t too concerned. After sitting in the steamy Hammond Central School for the ceremony I needed some proximity to the water. Gracie rides well in the front of the kayak and is a super chill watercraft dog until you get close to shore. She always wants to jump out first.It was nice out on the lake and an approaching storm sent most of the fishing boats scrambling for home. Soon Gracie and I had the lake to ourselves! Rain began to fall slightly but it wasn’t bad so we continued our paddle out onto the big section of water the locals call Broad Lake. It can be a tricky place to be on Black Lake sometimes as it’s susceptible to wind and produces some very large waves! I go there on purpose sometimes to test my kayak skills in the whitecaps.Gracie and I had just reached Broad Lake when it began to pour! We headed back but the heavy rain continued and we were soon totally soaked! It felt great actually! The two of us alone on the big water on a water logged adventure! Dry space awaited us back at camp and we arrived happy and refreshed!

Recent fishing excursion. Gracie is not going to lose her spot!

The adventures this summer have been a bit different then the past few years. Much more work oriented. It’s time to transform the farm into something more. The progress has been rewarding and I suppose the successful moving of the woodshed was a milestone of sorts. Things are falling into place slowly but surely. Time continues to speed past. Today saw us completing the jacking and support piers of the moved woodshed. We finished just before a huge rainstorm once again saturated the farm. More rain continues to fall tonight and the humidity follows each storm. July looms just around the corner now. There’s much to be accomplished before the end of summer. More milestones await us. Our end goal is simple: turn the farm into a sanctuary where spirit energy waits to be renewed. A place where we dream big and create lasting memories. MOONTABS we call them!