Tag Archives: trees

Why Have I Stayed?

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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 occupy 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. 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 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 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. It’s kept in the bottom of the Big Red barn out of the weather. I keep anti fuel gel additive in its diesel tank at all times. All important steps that help us survive the winter problems that might arise.

The Main Meadow. Post snow storm this morning.

I plowed snow for a long time before I finally got everything done. 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. We are in need of firewood soon. The supply of hardwood slabs in the upper woodshed continues to disappear. It’s time to get to the forest for some winter wood 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 meadow section 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 i stall it’s front tire chains though. That really helps.

Plowing out.

It was truly a beautiful January day with blue skies and a warm sun if you were out of the wind. Icicles were melting off the cabin as I banked it with snow to help keep the floors warmer. More of that to do for sure. I decided I had enough firewood for another night and mentally dedicated Wednesday to 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. My rabbit fur Bomber hat over my ears for working. My muskrat hat for more leisurely type activities although I usually wore it working on the Ice Palace. Heavy gloves for my hands. All this gear takes up space in a house and takes time to don! Inside the super frigid, unheated barn I stepped onto a very cold tractor take 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.

I stayed as a child because home was where my parents chose to live. 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 at times. Things weren’t always easy and things went wrong. Frozen pipes and frozen equipment that refused to work. 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 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? Answer 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 furtive 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 the some truths there that I might rather not face. They aren’t dark or filled with shame for the most part. 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 than before 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 as more reasons why I chose to stay in this frozen winter landscape as 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. ✍️

The Icewalker’s Plunge

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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! ✍️

What Color Is My Next Chapter?

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November 2nd. Zane’s birthday today! It’s 5:19pm and very close to the time of his actual birth give or take an hour or two. Zane becoming 20 today really gives me pause to reflect. But honestly? When aren’t I reflecting about something? To keep it simple I must acknowledge several gratitudes. First that I am fortunate to have Zane living with me presently! Although some of his nocturnal wanderings can give me anxiety! I never know what time he will roll in. The fact that I even have a 20 year old son is noteworthy. As is the fact that we still enjoy each other’s company most of the time. So I am feeling blessed tonight ! I still have vivid memories of the evening he was born. That moment when my life would change forever.Yesterday was the 7 year anniversary of my retirement. Thursday was my last day of my full time critical shortage work on the methane project. These are the simple facts. I am about to write a new chapter of my personal life journey story! And a strange blog post title occurred to me suddenly. A continued introduction to myself in a sense. Sense becomes a key word as this new chapter begins to be written.

Change seems to be a big part of my life really but isn’t that true for everyone? In this the 1st day of the 11th month I truly begin to reflect on my year. I was fortunate to move beyond the health issues I experienced in January mostly unscathed. My daily medications serve as stark reminder each morning though. I was lucky! The universe responded to my calls in late January and a new chapter began that would see me frequently in the Adirondacks until my work would bring me back to the valley in late July. This chapter was a defining moment of my year. One of tremendous personal growth, discovery, happiness, and many special,private memories. But my growth as summer progressed did not come without bad decisions and mistakes on my part as it turns out. I was accelerating much too fast in the spin and blinded by forces that I could not comprehend. Difficult to explain or understand in some ways . Pain is a part of growth at times perhaps but a part that I would rather not experience or inflict on others. A lesson I learned too late this time to halt my impetuous forward momentum.It has cost me in emotional currency. A toll has had to be paid to keep moving in the flow. Looking back it’s almost surreal at times. The universe responds to the frequency we vibrate if you walk the paths of universal vibration and the Law Of Attraction.They are a study of mine. Sometimes we over shoot the runaway when trying to land on our feet. Will I grow from what I have learned? In time, yes!

Looking back at what I can’t change now makes me ask myself: What color is my next chapter? This I can say. Not written with black ink with dark bold letters on ghostly white paper. Cold and haunting in their intent. Black does represent something positive though. Black is the gift of night and shadow. Found in nature everywhere. I will not choose to falsely vibrant and use bright imitation man made colors that don’t resemble anything that looks like me. That is artificial and false for me. I hope to paint my next chapter with earthy browns and natural greens. The blues of sunny skies,water, and beautiful eyes. The grays of cloudy snow laden clouds filled with blinding white snow flakes falling with mesmerizing silence. The reds and oranges of the rising and setting sun. So many more colors live in nature with which to paint. Ones that invite with honest simplicity. Ones that solidify integrity and honest testimony. Truthful confession in the midst of confusion. A colorful path to seek out and follow even when I must limp up it.

What flavor is my next chapter? Bitter or sour? Distasteful and unpalatable? Served cold with a side of cynical? I am certainly not planning on that. I am hoping for the taste of fresh maple syrup on ice cream. Deliciously sweet and making you crave more of my sugar house creations. The taste of freshly picked berries plucked from dew soaked bushes on a summer morning. Raw and satisfying. Frozen to be enjoyed months later on a rainy autumn evening when baked into a pie.Or sweet fresh pressed apple cider from apples right off the tree. Tart and refreshing. A gift from nature. Most definitely maple infused coffee in a favorite steaming cup.Warming my hands as a new day begins. Those are but a few of the many wonderful flavors that enhance my life. How best to have them grace my next chapter?Share them perhaps?

What will my next chapter feel like? Freezing cold and icy with clinging frozen tears of failure that refuse to fall? Or burning hot? Scorching and searing with burning intensity? Burning bridges over raging rivers of doubt and indecision ? Thorny and prickly with hurtful wounding branches? Ripping and tearing at all they touch? No. If I am fortunate it will feel soft like delicate forest moss or the silky seed tufts of dry milkweed about to rise high on an autumn breeze. Or the soft caress of morning sunshine on my face. Maybe the softness of layers of scented pine needles on dry ground. To feel is to know you are still alive. That place where hope is found and your spirit energy resides with quiet resolve waiting to be released for a greater purpose .

What will my next chapter sound like? Raspy and harsh like a dead tree limb rubbing on a rusty metal roof ? Like squeaky hinges on a battered door hanging loosely on a neglected barn? No. I wish for my next chapter to sound like dripping sap drops falling into a bucket on a freshly tapped maple tree on a warming March morning. Like migrating geese high overhead. Strong and purposeful. Connected to nature’s call of survival. Or a buzzing honeybee landing on a clover blossom next to me. Working for the benefit of the hive. All these things and more I desire my next chapter to sound like.

And what will my next chapter smell like? Rotten and decaying like roadkill hit by a speeding driver? Left to be wasted and forgotten? Stale and musty like a moldy book? Tainted and offensive like fruit left in the sun too long?No. I hope my next chapter smells like apple blossoms in an orchard on a crisp spring morning . Like freshly mown hay on a hot summer night tickling my nose with a fragrant bounty. Like sun soaked balsam aroma wafting down onto a secluded mountain trail inviting me to stop for a moment. That’s just a few examples of what I wish my next chapter to smell like.

And you might read this far and think that I am somewhat negative in my direction of thought in this most unusual of posts. No. I am pensive and examining this moment in time. How did I get here? Why did I do certain things? How best to correct my mistakes if possible or at least and never repeat them. Ask those I have hurt for forgiveness and help them understand if that is even possible. How best to balance myself in the flow?How best to coexist with others and be kind. Learning to be a more supportive,better listener. There is no exciting destination here to send you off to with a set of directions. Not this time in this post.There is no map to the future. Just whispers from the inner spirit that needed to be written and shared as a continued testimonial of my life.Sometimes it’s hard to hear in the spin of Taz energy. Or slow it down. There is a connection to nature here. It lives in the five senses we possess and in the hidden one. The 5+1 I so often write about. This post serves to remind me of my many challenges and my personal struggles. And share that I am far from perfect. I am humbled by my own emotions at times. Lost at times to them but always trying to do better. I acknowledge and feel grateful for my many blessings. They are the mortar that holds it all together like the mud of hornet’s nest on the underside of a roof. MOONTABS come in different forms. I offer few answers but ask many questions at times. But today was a special day. A day to connect and attempt to make sense of it all. A beautiful new Adirondack destination to explore. The warmth of a campfire while snowflakes fell at times. A brief sun drenched moment on a rocky escarpment. A walk through open glades of forest where fresh beaver activity next to the pond offered a message. Prepare for winter in their case. Preparing. As in preparing to write the next chapter in my case. So what color is my next chapter? Only time can tell. ✍️

The Ok Slip Falls

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It’s Friday evening November 1st and I just got settled into my room at the Faust Motel in Tupper Lake, New York well over the Blue Line of the Adirondack Park. Why I am here for the second time in a week is a question that is easily answered. I like it here! Zane and I stayed in the room next door for two nights when we came up to the Adks to celebrate his birthday early. And that story is what I will tell shortly. But as to why I am here tonight is a story of a different sort. The universe steers me at times and where we had intended to stay last weekend didn’t pan out. I was driving home from work last Friday tried to decide where we might stay when the word Faust popped into my head! Faust is considered part of the village of Tupper Lake these days but once was known separately as a village that was the location of a railroad depot. The Faust Motel is about the only remaining place keeping the name going today. I just learned this a couple years ago from a local person.Anyway I Goggled the Faust Motel phone number and left a message about securing a room. The owner contacted us while we were driving up and just like that we had accommodations! Good rates too! We found our room warm and inviting when we arrived. Plenty of room and there are no televisions! No problem for us. We were set! Step one was complete! We would be waking up already close to our destination. I feel asleep super early after my long day.

We slept well and for a long time into Saturday morning. I headed over to get coffee at the little place at the motel where the owner makes it. I met the owner and chatted with her for quite awhile as other guests came and went. Fun! I got Zane up and moving so we could get our day moving. We stopped at Chef Darrel’s Mountain Cafe in Blue Mountain Lake for a hearty breakfast of eggs Benedict and pie. We were ready to hike! Our driving destination was a trailhead just a few miles past Indian Lake. The trail to Ok Slip Falls is about 3 miles counting the short distance you must hike a long the highway first. It’s a really well maintained trail with board sections spanning muddy areas. Much of it covers high well drained ridges where it’s very dry actually. A pleasant surprise as quite often trails can be muddy herd paths. The trail winds through a couple nice stands of evergreens. The first stand predominantly large white pine and the second one mostly large hemlock. The forest is quite open in spots given the age of its trees and the highness of most of the canopy. Zane and I made good time on the trail where almost all the leaves had fallen recently. The distance we could see through the forest was impressive and much different then a summer hike would have been. The trail went up and down to a degree but nothing major. We eventually reached a dirt road with power lines a long it that we traveled a short distance before turning off. It appeared that we were on some sort of old logging road at times. Pretty decent hiking really. There were a couple small rivulets of water to cross but nothing of any size. The trail was about to change we suddenly realized as we topped out onto a ridge.

Off in the distance we could see some high bluffs with open rocky ledges. The land beyond where we had topped off fell away from us into what appeared to be a large valley of some size. I mentioned to Zane that somewhere down there would be a stream or river. We knew from the trail description that the Hudson River was back in that direction somewhere. It was all making sense that the falls would be showing themselves before too long. The temperature was pleasant and the sun would occasionally come out for awhile. Zane was down to his tee shirt but I still wore my hoodie. My blood thinner make me run a little cooler these days that’s all. But I am fortunate to be in good enough condition to hike. Even with my injured knee that I brace up each day. It’s going to need to be addressed sometime this winter as I can’t continue on this way. They suspect my meniscus is damaged but not totally torn loose. It’s rather bothersome and causes me a fair amount of discomfort each day. But staying off the trail when I wanted nothing more then to hike with Zane wasn’t an option for me. I was feeling pretty good actually and not really suffering. I was enjoying my hike with Zane! Just like old times!

The trail began to descend in a winding fashion into the valley. Before too long I heard the water fall. We got our first view soon after and it was very impressive! The next overlook was even better and there was a great view of the falls. There were a couple other people there and we had passed two groups of hikers headed back out as we made our way in. We took a few photos and went to investigate more of the trail to see if there was a way down into the gorge. But a sign stating end of trail appeared. We decided to go past anyway to see if there was a way down. Others had done the same and there was a very steep but crude descending trail. It soon got super steep and I had to stash my beaver stick trekking poles. Soon we had to use ropes that people had tied here and there to get down even steeper sections. I was getting very nervous and kept asking Zane if we should turn back but he kept insisting that we could make it. We reached a place where the trail became only a foot or so wide next to a steep ledge. To the left there were almost no trees and a rocky slide looking section that dropped over a ledge. Not a safe place to go and I was very s scared. Zane crossed it easily and coaxed me across it. Not my idea of fun! After that it wasn’t as bad with trees and roots to hang onto while descending. We eventually reached the bottom and stood next to a large pool of water. I spotted a small trout swimming in it shallow sunny section near shore. Zane raced ahead to the base of the falls and I caught up after awhile. I was a little shaky from the descent and it took me a minute to relax again. But the view was worth all the effort and risk it had taken to get down there. We got up close to the falls but had to watch for super slick rocks. The base of the falls was a jumbled pile of rocks of all sizes. Some were huge! We took more photos and I gazed up at the overlook where we had stood before descending. We were in a circular basin with high rock walls on three sides. Eerily beautiful and peaceful despite the hazards getting down. We made our way up with relative ease but it was rather strenuous. I found it less stressful climbing up and was glad when we crossed the narrow section of ledge with the potentially fatal drop off. But what an adventure! So much more then just sitting up at the overlook. We rested at the overlook and enjoyed a snack with plenty of water. It was time to make our way out.

The trip out was uneventful and I was beginning to tire some as my knee began to burn with overexertion. It seemed like a long trip but we made it out fairly quickly. We had done it! Made it to Ok Slip Falls! One of the highest waterfalls in the Adirondacks! Zane and I had bonded greatly from the experience. Something we both needed! Adirondack time never disappoints. The adventure was a true battery charging event even if it had worn me down physically. We still had daylight remaining as we made our way back to Tupper Lake so we stopped at Buttermilk Falls near Long Lake. Very easy to find and close to the road. Always a treat! Back at the room it was shower time and then dinner. I feel asleep early again and Sunday morning would find me having coffee again in the coffee room. Zane wanted to explore Lake Placid so we visited the Olympic Center where I had worked in 2021 and 2022. We hit some shops and a bookstore before grabbing lunch at the Pickled Pig. A fav LP restaurant of mine! On the drive home we hiked up to Mount Arab and climbed up the fire tower. Our weekend was ending but we had had a wonderful adventure! A little bit of everything! Hiking and waterfalls. Dining out and hitting shops. A true Adirondack experience! MOONTABS were made and for that I am most grateful!✍️

One Would Be Missing

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Wow what a summer! So much for recent blogs! I don’t even know where to begin really. Life changes fast sometimes and it’s difficult to keep up at times. But we all live within the same 24 hours don’t we when you really stop to think about it? And isn’t everyone rather busy with something? My situation has changed dramatically since my last post. I spent some of July in the Adirondacks but was asked if I would return to work in mid July. I accepted and stepped on the job on July 17th. I liked the project immediately as it turned out. I was assigned to a methane digester project on a large farm outside of Madrid, New York. It’s much different then most projects I have worked. Why work when I am already retired? Money of course! As in extra for travel and things like that. Yes it ties up my time and occupies my days but the perks are worth it considering the short time I will be there ultimately.So I have made my decision and will stand behind it now. I remain loyal to my employer of 3 years now although I had almost no work in 2023. Loyalty is important to a guy like me. I take it very seriously. No matter whether it’s work,family,or in a relationship. So work has been interfering with my life to use an old joke of mine!😂

Tazman hits the site!

Another big reason for returning to the valley has been Zane. He’s been working himself this summer. He got a job with NYS Parks and Recreation at a campground near here. It’s his first real job and it’s been good for him. But his schedule doesn’t align with mine so we don’t get much time together. That’s difficult for both of us. There are other reasons for my return to living full time in the valley but they are of a more complicated and personal nature. Connected to the universal flow of energy in some sort of natural progression it appears. Not easily described even if I were so inclined. Suffice it to say that the winds of change have been blowing and I have been surfing some heavy waves. All this is rather confusing and sudden but necessary as I struggle with some growing pains in my journey for ascension. Internal turmoil be challenging at times. What does all this have to do with connections to nature? More then you might consider actually. For my personal challenges loosen my connection to nature and I can become off balance. Out of synch and out of focus. Thus a lack of words to share. Life isn’t perfect right? I never give up trying to make the best possible decisions for myself. After all, my own survival is paramount in my desire to protect those I care about. There’s a connection to nature perhaps but it’s a bit slippery to grasp. So I must leave it alone for now. I am positive that things will continue to show themselves. I must trust in the now and my 5+1 senses to serve as a guide.

Out on the project the storm approaches. How appropriate.

I was fortunate to get to spend time with my cousin Gerry ahead of the Washburn family reunion on the 28th. We spent some time helping our Uncles with hay and picking black berries. Picking berries is great meditation if I truly consider the experience. Gerry and I would chat while picking and share lots of personal information. We did well as the berries were plentiful and ripe. We could pick a lot in a fairly short outing. I froze most of mine although one pie made it to the table briefly. It didn’t last very long!Eating seemed to be a big thing around the family reunion time. Not so good for my body but I tried to be moderate. Mosquitoes and deer flies harassed us severely while we were picking but we persevered through most of them.

A nice haul!

As July progressed it became obvious that Zane could not get time off to accompany us on our upcoming Quebec fishing trip. I don’t know who was more disappointed. Zane or I. I began assembling my gear in a pile in the kitchen at Camp Edith. Realizing that Zane wasn’t going was a bitter pill to swallow. He had gone on the fishing trips of 2015,2016, 2022,and 2023. He had changed immensely since being a boy of 10 that first trip to a young man of 18 last year. Such things are not lost on me and I pondered it often in the days before we were to leave. August 9th was our departure date and it was arriving quickly. Zane was obviously disappointed but there was nothing to be done about the situation. Adulthood was truly finding him with all its responsibilities and commitments. I was about to break a promise I had made myself while on a fly in fishing trip in 2013 when I was missing Zane greatly while I was gone to the bush country of eastern Quebec. I had vowed to never leave him home again if I went to the bush fishing. And I hadn’t. Zane had made his debut there in 2015 and despite his mother’s reservations he had thrived there. He took to walleye fishing like it was his calling and boated the two biggest walleye of the trip on the big waters of Lac Echouani while fishing with my friend and I. Those are precious MOONTABS of a time now past and other trips would follow. Each uniquely special and full of wonderful moments. Zane would continue to advance as a fisherman and I would spend much of my time netting fish for him. Always helping him get his gear in shape and his baits into the water. On a second trip to Lac Echouani in 2016 he would master the art of jigging walleye with these frozen minnows we had purchased at the outfitter. We called them “Fred Minnows” since a guy named Fred who worked at the outfitter recommended them. Zane would manage to catch the most walleye that trip. He beat out all three of us overall in numbers. Sure some of them were small! But walleye are walleye at the end of the day!

The proving grounds.

2017 would find me buried in projects and dealing with a failed marriage so there was no fishing trip. But I retired that November and the things underwent a huge change. Zane and I would tackle our quest for the Adirondack 46 high peaks in earnest in the summers of 2018 and 2019. Covid kept us from fishing in Canada in 2020 but we finished the high peaks in September that year. 2021 was busy camping with the newly purchased Airstream and our fishing was limited to the Adirondacks and home. But in 2022 we would return to Canada on a sudden whim after being asked by our friend if we would go back to Canada if he could secure a booking which he did. Zane would join us once again on the new waters of Lac Dumoine in western Quebec that August. It is the lake that inspired the five part blog series that included “The Solace Of The Bush”. Some of the most enjoyable blog writing that I have ever created in my opinion! And we would return there in 2023 but I only wrote one blog post about that trip. Too bad as it was an epic trip with impressive numbers of walleye caught and released. It’s never too late to resume the stories though. The stories are safely secured in numerous photographs and locked within my memories. As I traveled around Lac Dumoine last week those memories came flooding back. At night in the upstairs of our cabin that I had shared with Zane in 2023 it was eerily different without him. And my heart would grow heavy despite all the fun times I was having. I decided that he must return there with me in 2025 regardless of circumstances. Time will not wait for us forever. We will need to take charge of it and make it happen. For 2024 has been a year of tremendous change for me and I realize the importance of not waiting to go on adventures. So we shouldn’t and I hope we won’t.

2023. Lac Dumoine.

So this summer’s trip just ended yesterday and I am preparing to write about it’s highlights. But I felt the need to regress some and reflect on the past. What better way to move forward in the now? What better way to plan for the future? Because this summer one would be missing on the trip. One would be missed greatly during the trip. One would be absent from the photos. I can’t change that now but I can attempt to change what happens next if possible. That’s the message here. Dream and hope for tomorrow. A lot can happen in one year. A lot will happen. Of that I have no doubt. And how might we live our best lives? With wise decisions and carefully laid plans? We won’t always make the best decisions. But can we live with those things we decided? We have to regardless. It is a growing process after all is said and done. And we are all in different stages of our own personal growing seasons. One thing is most certain: my son loves the wild places and yearns to go there with me still. It is enough. I have returned with my internal batteries charged from a different energy source this time in some strange fashion. They charge differently away from the Adirondacks or at the farm property. The wilds of Canada are far different then here. Different roads and trails to follow. Different trees and mountains. That is the draw of adventure. There must be one final trip to Lac Dumoine before we branch out in new directions. The Canadian bush country is vast and mostly unknown to me. I will run out of time before I can explore it all. But that is the way of exploration. And who’s to say what’s possible beyond this moment? I am considering different options presently. Ones that will break away from my past methods and timelines. The big question is will I follow that path? It’s hard to say really. I must listen closely and choose wisely. Things may yet reveal themselves to me. For now I must regroup for awhile and reflect. ✍️

Acquiescence

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July 9th has arrived hot and humid. Enter the days of work shorts and cutoff ratty tee shirts for me. The jackets and hoodies stashed for the time being but never too far from reach. The big news is our return to Camp Edith for some full time living again. Amy and I had done some work in the past few weeks cleaning and organizing the rather cluttered inside of the cottage ahead of a planned July 4th long weekend.Our hard work payed off!When the weather came in hot and calm we were well positioned to have a fun and relaxing time!We did continue to work on some miscellaneous interior organizing efforts however to enhance our small but cozy living space. But it would be the state of the outdoor space that would set my mind wandering and searching for answers to something that was haunting the recesses of my mind. What drives me so? Why the rollercoaster ride of emotion that has taken me so high then so low these past 6 months? And I have experienced every curve and twist in between those destinations along the way. The answer had come suddenly in a moment of perfect clarity. I had discovered the true meaning of the word acquiesce. As in reluctant acceptance of something without protest. But what had I accepted? And had I not protested? There was an answer and a place to face the future in all of it.Was I ready though? The answer would not find me at the Homestead property as you might expect but rather at Camp Edith. It’s rather complicated but simple at the same time.

July morning creeps over the main meadow.

If you recall from following my story I had left Camp Edith suddenly last September in a whirlwind to take up Airstream living at the Homestead project. The thrill of having running water there and the project itself was a draw that I couldn’t resist. Besides I had lived at camp since May anyway. The Airstream had sat idle since 2022. No surprise really my decision when focused in that light. But parts of that story are already sprinkled across these pages leading like a trail of breadcrumbs to this moment. And if I didn’t tell that story properly then that’s mine to consider. But what’s all this got to do with acquiesce? Nothing at that point. Things were about to change for me big time as those days of 2023 slowly ( quickly?) wound down. And I had felt something was wrong but didn’t heed my inner spirit warnings. Fatigue was finding me more and more then. I merely blamed my gathering years. No acquiescence there. But the universe had plans for me I realize now. I was still clinging to my old ways with the tenacity of a greying wolverine. Bad eating habits. Overindulging in beer and hard ciders on occasions that were becoming rather to common some weeks. Not all that problematic so they lay quietly close at hand robbing me of clarity and dulling my thoughts of a higher level of connection to my surroundings. But those old habits had taken time to develop and had become normalized to a degree. But I was lonely and prone to self destructive habits of work and play in a way that didn’t seem to identify as just that. One thing is most certainly true: in that mode of existence I am truly a force of purpose and drive. The work accomplished showed itself all around me. The tiny cabin leaped forward after my two week sojourn in the Adirondacks in October. And in my arteries the sleeping giant was about to awaken. Change was coming and I was blindly unaware of it.

Tiny cabin days in Autumn 2023.

There’s really no need for redundancy in retelling the details of my health situation last January. It’s already here on these pages in a post. I just desired to reflect on the differences between then and now. And the trials of my journey through time. The importance of all this lives in the direction I have taken. Steered as it were by universal energy to find a different way forward. Post January I was adjusting to my new situation. I was attempting to change my diet and gave up my alcohol for close to a month then. I was feeling pretty good but was struggling to a degree with things I couldn’t exactly explain. I can easily say that gratitude for my good fortune was my constant companion! I was happy to be whole and alive! I was staying busy and that always makes a difference in my day to day existence. Alone at night in the tiny cabin’s loft I continued in my manifesting of things that I wanted in my life.And the universe was listening and preparing to answer.

Home sweet home! Homestead 2024.

Amy would enter my reality in late January when I was in Saranac Lake volunteering for the Ice Palace construction. It would be late February before we would begin spending any time together. I could easily write an entire series of posts about our new journey together but our privacy is paramount. But she’s solidly within the posts of the past few months. With an improved diet, exercise,and an alcohol free lifestyle a shift began. Time in the Adirondacks has been a big part of this recent journey as well. And I have strayed far from my story! Where is the acquiescence? I might not get the words today. I will try though. So picture a very abandoned Camp Edith. Winterized in a hurry last fall. Packed up and closed up. Rather cluttered from the constant moving that has become my norm these past few years. I have enjoyed my transient lifestyle but it comes with a price at times. But it’s the outside around the camp where it really shows. Leaves everywhere from last years growth. They bury everything with a silent slow drop. Nature doesn’t do this on purpose it’s just the way of things. Left untouched they will cover up lots of our things left on the ground. And then there’s the growth of trees and brush around the camp. Much of the section in front of the camp can’t be maintained easily due to its steep terrain. Not to mention the poison ivy I need to avoid at all costs! I am super allergic to it! Subsequently we had lost most of our view of the lake from our yard and front porch gradually the past few years. Even the camp roof is being covered by nature. Moss grows on the shingles in the shaded areas trapping leaves and pine needles. There’s nothing new in any of this. However there’s extra cleanup from the salvage log event that occurred last fall. I was feeling a little overwhelmed this spring when we first stopped by Camp Edith. And I realize now that I have been avoiding being here because of the work that needed to be done. But Amy expressed an interest in spending time at camp so I agreed that we should! And I am slowly getting the outside areas brought into a useable state. That’s where acquiescence was discovered.

Welcome to the jungle!

The mosquitoes were a problem the moment we got to Camp Edith. They were hunkered down around the open section of the front porch. Shaded by the overgrowth down front they brought a bothersome war to us so I decided to fight back. I decided to tackle the overgrown area out in front of the camp where they were hiding out of the sun.I wore my hip boots and saw chaps to avoid the poison ivy. What an uncomfortable combination!😂I chose my mid length chainsaw for its horsepower and length. It was tricky cutting and safety was crucial. Once I started I cut nonstop until the clearing was completed. I was left quite the mess to clean up! The difference is huge though! Our view is back again and the mosquitoes have left for more settled locations. And where is the acquiescence in all this? It’s coming!

The view is back!

This morning I was out working on a section of lawn under the two huge maples where we park our vehicles here. They are truly massive and discard thousands of leaves each season. But they are stately and their shade is priceless! I have walked and lived under their presence all my life. Cleaning up under them is tedious and time consuming but is an annual event when we chose to open up camp. I haven’t devoted all that much time to lawn work but it’s becoming a priority now that the inside is under control. It was while working out under the big maples this morning that the word acquiesce came to me. I was thinking about music actually when I remembered the old song by the band Oasis. Acquiescence was part of their 1995 album “What’s The Story Morning Glory”. I hadn’t heard the song in years and the meaning of the word suddenly tied things together for me! What was I struggling with all these months? My reluctance to accept my new situation. My health changes. Protested in mood swings and anger at times. I realized that I was being ungrateful at my good fortune . Things had changed for the good so why was I struggling? Was my anger due to my decision to quit drinking to aid in my health journey? That has been a challenge after years of engaging in that past time. But the resulting mental clarity has been refreshing.Was I frustrated by lack of energy that sometimes plagues my days? Or my ongoing knee issue? That’s being addressed properly I believe. So what is it exactly? The answer that suddenly came to me might be hard for you to fathom. I realized that I was protesting nature in some strange manner. And that it was futile! And it’s all connected to my health journey. Probably lost you now!

Always the leaves!

Acceptance that nature is far more powerful and lasting then I will ever be might be a difficult thing to even consider but it’s true. Everything that I own that is subject to the outdoors is under the control of nature. Rack up those leaves! Mow that grass! Cut the brush! And on and on it goes. Take a break and see where you land. Time passes. Seasons pass. Nature doesn’t take a break even when I need to do so. What was I feeling? Mortality? Perhaps. Fatigue? At times. Something beyond my comprehension that was showing itself suddenly in my new situation? Was the shift of new found direction to much for me to steer into? Acceptance is key to this moment in time. Acceptance that I can’t ever beat nature at this annual dance of seasonal cycle. So I simply just need to find the best way to flow with the season. It’s a balance thing. A recent post that I listened to spoke of the fifth dimension. It’s an interesting consideration once I realized that I have lived most of my life living in the third. My connections to nature are the bridge to the fifth dimension. Ascension becomes the new word as acquiescence merely becomes a word to reflect upon. As in rising to a new level of consciousness. No I am not on drugs or alcohol! Rather the contrary. I need further clarity to embrace the change. To ascend to a higher place in harmony with nature will be painful it appears. For me especially. It may be hard for my loved ones to understand. It will present grand challenges. And what exactly waits in that higher state of connection? That’s the mystery and the draw. But there are those who understand and encourage my efforts. Learning never ends I feel. This is to be the year of tremendous change. Further growth I hope. And while writing this the lawn hasn’t cleaned itself. Back to it soon. There’s no hurry really. If I don’t finish anything will it truly matter in a larger picture? No course not! Time will pass regardless as will the season. I accept with no further protest if I am truly ascending. And you are far from home in the forests of Tazmania. I am very much alive in this moment. It is enough. ✍️

Milling Around

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This post was started awhile back and there were a few technical glitches that have since been resolved fortunately! It doesn’t take long for the central theme of a post to suddenly change direction some! I originally was staying in Saranac Lake when I began writing it but am currently here at Camp Edith getting it finished. I just got fully moved in this afternoon. Amy and I have been working at getting it cleaned and ready the past couple weeks.Thursday night was our first night here and we stayed here all weekend. It’s really shaped up with some TLC! Amy has done a wonderful job transforming the functionality of the space. It’s very cozy now! I had a lot of decluttering to do!Things have wrapped up mostly on the project in Saranac Lake and I will be spending more time back here now. It’s been a rewarding experience living and working in the village. There’s plenty of work to do at the farm and some catching up to do with miscellaneous things. I recently got a gel shot in my left knee to try to relieve some of my pain and discomfort. My meniscus injury may very well require surgery but I am postponing that for as long as possible. At this point it’s still unclear how the injury even happened but it may go all the way back to last November when Zane and I tipped over the side by side one night by accident while burning off the meadows across the road at the farm. It’s the only thing that I can think of really. That was a rather wild evening of burning! But we had everything under control! Mostly… but that’s another story all together. The focus now will be shifting to resetting the sawmill and getting some logs run through it. It’s been stored in the warehouse since it got back from Winthrop in late May. I got it back out and set it back up recently one Friday night after returning from Saranac Lake.

Burning off the pond holes.

Back in February I had cut logs with my friend Gregger in his big woods up behind his home in Winthrop. I stayed in his cabin for a night and we cut logs for a couple days. We targeted hemlock for me for my Homestead cabin siding. Four trees made a rather large pile of logs. For him we cut cherry and yellow birch. With the snow covered ground we made good progress and we’re soon finished with the project. The plan was to leave the logs till spring when we could bring the sawmill up to run them through.

Stacking the hemlock.

It was mid May before I finally got the mill up to Gregger’s. I packed some food and extra gear so I could spend a night in his cabin then work a second day without doing all the extra driving. We got the mill set up and Zane came up to help out. We got a few hardwood logs run through that first day before making a nice dinner of venison and fish. Zane spent the night at the cabin with me but had things to do the next morning. Gregger and I ran a bunch more logs through the mill and stickered all the lumber up on his trailer under a tarp. Rain was a little bit of an issue but we worked around it as best we could. By the end of day 2 we had made a decent start on the hardwood log pile.

Off we go!

There was a gap in our sawmill activity when Amy and I traveled for a long weekend to the Brimfield Flea Market in Massachusetts. It was quite the event! We ended up purchasing a number of things that easily fit into her car. We tried to buy sensibly but impulse purchases of collectibles can be difficult to control! While we were in Massachusetts we traveled to nearby Connecticut to tour her former hometown. Saturday would find us on the beach at Watchhill, Rhode Island. It’s a lovely sanctuary that has preserved and will remain undeveloped. There’s nothing like the ocean to stir the inner spirit. It was our first traveling experience together and we had a really great time!

Brimfield Flea Market.

May was moving right along and there was only one week left before the Saranac Lake deck project was slated to begin. It was obvious that Gregger and I could never finish sawing his hardwood logs and all of my hemlock. I decided to truck all my logs to the Homestead instead. So we sawed during the day and I hauled a load home every night. We cut up some of the hardwood slabs to weigh down the truck also. Cut into 10” chunks they were stored in the Homestead woodshed each night to dry for the tiny cabin wood stove to be used during the next heating season. We completed all of Gregger’s hardwood logs and some hemlock he needed before finally beginning to concentrate on cleaning up his landing. I hauled a couple big loads of slab wood to the Homestead for sugarwood as part of this process.It was time consuming and tedious work but one with a larger purpose. I was beginning to get a little road weary but stayed with the pace. The final morning would find me following Gregger as he trucked the sawmill back to the Homestead.

Headed back.

I had received an offer to pick up some hemlock logs from a friend of a friend over by Sixberry Lake awhile back. I had picked up one load the day we returned the sawmill to the Homestead and dumped them off in the meadow near the warehouse.The fellow who gave them to me wanted two 14’ 6×6’s in exchange for the logs. A very fair proposition to which I readily agreed! I hadn’t gotten them done however and his July deadline was fast approaching. I picked out three decent logs but ended up needing four as one turned out to be “shaky”. Wind shake causes the growth rings in hemlock to break out when sawn into lumber. It’s not super common but sometimes happens in hemlock. The boards and timbers fall apart when shake shows up. It’s a frustrating thing when it happens and often those pieces of lumber end up in the sugar house for firewood! I ended up making the fellow three decent 6×6 timbers and one decent 4×4 timber. It seemed fair. I loaded them onto the trailer and delivered them to him where he then loaded the second load of logs for me. Prior to that I had moved all the piles of logs in the meadow up onto the landing log loading platform above the actual sawmill.

Prepping for 6×6 sawing.

Prior to delivery of the timbers,Zane and I spent the better part of Monday last week getting some pine logs that were on the log loading landing run through the mill. The pine sawyer beetles had begun to bore into them just under the bark so it was time! A couple months later it would be a different story as the beetles would have gotten inside the logs boring destructive holes through them. Nature at its finest! Sawyer beetles serve as a frontline decomposer type process that helps dead pine return to the soil. It was hot and dusty work but we managed to produce some very nice lumber. All the slab wood was dumped off the tractor loader into the big outdoor pile right outside the sugar house woodshed. Another job for another day or days most likely! We may be a little behind schedule!😂

Moving slab wood to the sugar house.

I finally got tired out from sawing and hand peeled the last three pine logs. They won’t be bothered by the beetles with their bark gone. The lumber was stickered and stashed away in the old woodshed and in the warehouse. We had to stack and haul all the dry sap buckets that had been sitting in the woodshed for weeks first though. That’s done finally at least. Lots of task oriented work to get done. I finally called it quits but felt very happy with our accomplishments. We had done a lot! It felt good getting caught up a little and working with the sawmill! Nothing like accomplishment to stir the inner spirit and charge the batteries! All that slab wood will be used for making maple syrup. Talk about repurposing! It all seemed a little time consuming. Last winters log cutting in Winthrop. Sawing logs there as payment for the hemlock logs I got from Gregger. Hauling those hemlock logs to the Homestead from Winthrop. Then turning around and going after more hemlock logs at Sixberry Lake. And all those hemlock logs still needed to be sawn! Was it really worth all the time and effort? Why not just side the buildings with vinyl siding or rough cut pine? It represents something much larger to me however. It’s all connected in some way that many people might struggle to understand. Hemlock is gone from the farm property where it once thrived. Locked in the buildings themselves in the form of timbers, rafters, and siding. To use hemlock to transform the farm buildings and the tiny cabin seemed justified in that moment to me. Who would buy siding or lumber when the means to create it lay within my grasp? What price do I place on my goals and dreams? I have insisted on hemlock siding for my building projects and hemlock we shall have in large plentiful quantities. I will create each piece with a driven mindset of determination. The time I will have invested in creating the lumber will be significant. But so will be the MOONTABS that led to its creation. That is the very level of resolve and stubborn perseverance. There is prideful rural heritage in the tasks at hand and in the deeds themselves. It will be remembered and visible long beyond this moment. That is where the message lies if indeed there is a message at all. Perhaps I simply underestimated the very magnitude of the job itself. What does it truly matter in the end? When all is finished and slab wood burns in the evaporator from those same logs what will I think then? I will know that answer I hope if I am to be so fortunate. I will be residing within those hemlock shrouded walls of the tiny cabin and standing in front of my boiling evaporator yet another March day. Why ask so many questions anyway? What is time anyway? I will never get it all done anyway say the teachings of Abraham-Hicks. It’s an inner calling these things I desire to do. It is enough.✍️

Incoming hemlock logs.

Spring Has Sprung!

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Spring continues to ramp up in the valley and things have gotten very green! The grass is really growing now and lawn work is way overdue!But priorities come in many different forms when a person interacts with nature! Lately it’s been a mix of work and play! Awhile back Amy came down for the weekend and we foraged for a variety of annual forage items. We started with burdock behind the barn. We have an abundance of it and the roots are edible if they are small. We got some decent ones! No worries ever running out of them! We have many!

Digging burdock.

We next targeted chives and leeks. Chives grow all over the open fields here in great numbers. Scissors work well to collect them into a container. For leeks we headed into the forest in parts of the sugarbush. They were still rather small but very potent so they would make a nice addition to the soup we were planning to create. There’s no shortage of leeks on the farm so we harvest the entire plant unlike what others do elsewhere. Some people only harvest one leaf from each plant! That’s ultra conservative but not something we need to ever do we hope. Our patches remain sustainable for now although two former harvest areas have all but disappeared since the forest die off of 2016/2017. We will continue to harvest responsibly and believe that we can manage to maintain a balance.

Leeks!

Our final forage item was the water loving species we call Cowslips. There’s a nice patch near the farm where it’s easy to quickly fill a grocery bag! Scissors also work well for harvesting these greens. We target the smaller leaves as the bigger leaves and blossoms are bitter. We were a little late to the harvest but still managed to find plenty of small leaves. Our foraging items were beginning to add up!

Cowslip patch.

Now the work of cleaning our items began! Burdock is especially dirty and takes some time to prepare. Cleaned roots were chopped into small pieces that would cook down in the soup. Chives are super easy to clean and chop up. Also into the soup. The Cowslips were washed and then boiled to reduce their size. The water was discarded and our boiled Cowslips were added to the soup. We were going for an all veggie type soup so no meat was added. Potatoes were cut up as well as a few carrots. We had a nice concoction going! In the crock pot it shimmered away for several hours. The result was a hearty and healthy dinner! For Sunday breakfast I made eggs with added chives and 10 year old aged cave cheese. Interesting story there to share sometime! I also made French toast that we smothered with maple syrup! Life was good! We live in the land of plenty! Knowing how to forage enhances the connections to nature!

Cave cheese and chive eggs with French toast!Yum!

Amy had to return to the Adirondacks Sunday afternoon and I was missing her already so I decided to do some work up on the hill. There was a log that needed to be brought down for firewood that had blocked a sap haul road earlier in the season. While I was up in the Mother Tree area I targeted a bunch of invasive wild honeysuckles that were taking over the clearing. The Mother Tree was tapped this spring for the first time in years along with several others in the area. It’s a large three tree cluster that’s actually one set of roots. It easily carries 8 sap buckets! It sustained some damage during the die off but survived mostly intact fortunately. Most of the former Mother Tree Loop that we used to tap suffered grievous losses so it’s been abandoned. I got pretty wild ripping up the invasives once I got started. I may have won a small battle but we are still losing the war. See the old post “The Battle Of Evermore” for further details. Before I quit for the evening I also drew out a 16 foot butternut log that the tree trimmers had cut near the power lines by the road. It may make some nice lumber and needed to be salvaged regardless.

Ripping up the invasive honeysuckle!

The week started productively and I put down the remaining 2” planks in the former woodshed so we could stack sap buckets in there to dry. My friend Gary came to help me wash buckets after I had done 100 the prior day. We finished all of them and some other sugaring gear. I hauled water from the spring like usual as I can pump it much faster that way. There’s still the main evaporator pans to pressure wash and the big storage vat. I am running behind! I have enjoyed two days of brown trout fishing down on Henderson Harbor and out on Lake Ontario with Gary and his son. He has a nice setup for trolling! I learned something new and even drove the boat a little! I caught my first two brown trout ever and ended up eating them. They are ok but not my favorite fish! It was a great experience though and we had the water mostly to ourselves!

Getting set up for trolling!

I headed up to Amy’s on Thursday of that week to participate in a spring cleanse with her. It involves special food and drinks. Teas and no sugar to speak. We dined on a rice and mung bean dish called Kitceri although with vegetable juice we made ourselves. We were supposed to stay somewhat idle but we ended up doing a lot! I bought a bike from a local bike shop in Saranac Lake. What a great store and the owner John is awesome! Check out “Human Power Planet Earth Bike Shop”! I decided to buy local in the Adirondacks and support local small business. It was a great choice! I love my bike! We rode twice that weekend and visited the “Slow Turn” for some reflection time. Always a good idea! We also hiked into a somewhat remote pond for some water viewing nature time. Rain would slow us down at one point but we enjoyed a healthy spring cleanse that my body no doubt needed! Amy knows the ways of healthy living and she’s a tremendous help getting me to a healthier lifestyle!

Biking the Rail Trail.

Last week would find me traveling many miles! Returning from the Adirondacks Monday. Fishing Lake Ontario Tuesday. Picking up a friend at the Dexter airport Tuesday night and a trip to Cooperstown with him on Thursday. I found time to volunteer at the IRLC Ferrone Woods Preserve in the Town of Macomb on Wednesday where a new trail system is going to be developed. We had to remove some deer hunting stands and blinds as part of the transition here. It a lovely and unique parcel that I will feature at some point. Friday was spent getting caught up on some miscellaneous details. We all have plenty of those! Saturday would find me way up in Chateaugay at a memorial service. Later shopping in a favorite store in Malone. I drove up in the “Blue Bomb”. My former Ford Focus that I gave Zane that he has given back. My neighbor Mike The Mechanic has assured me that it’s road worthy again after a new timing chain and other repairs. It’s my grocery getter and farm vehicle for running errands. A new old addition to the fleet! So last week I totally romanced the road!

The fleet.

There’s lots of other things being planned and discussed right now. Time will reveal what happens next. Getting caught up some at the farm is a big part of that. But taking time to charge my batteries out in nature remains a priority and a place of focus. Writing and blogging often get tabled unfortunately. But my spirit energy is recharged through motion. Always staying on the move. My knee problem continues to be a serious condition. I manage with it. My life is shifting as part of my forward momentum. My beloved Adirondacks are once again a big part of the shift. Meeting Amy, a woman of the Adirondacks also part of my shift. Things have aligned in so many ways and life is busy but enjoyable in the push for adventure.

The wall of Ferrone.

Discoveries abound in this new and exciting blend of sceneries. Life is changing fast just like the season. There’s something big happening right now! Worthy of its own blog post! They have shown themselves! The brown ghosts of May. I speak of the morel mushrooms! I found my first one of the season Friday. They now occupy my time and my refrigerator! So watch for my next post! It will showcase this special fungi and all it means to me! It’s hard to get it all written sometimes. I will try! Mornings are best for blogging! Fueled up with maple syrup infused coffee. Playing music. Enjoying the numerous birds who inundate my feeding area behind the tiny cabin. There’s always the trails amidst the trees here to explore. Sunrises and sunsets. Meals and mundane tasks to complete. There’s always time if we allow ourselves to catch our breath for a minute. That’s difficult sometimes. We are driven by a fast moving society. I am driven by other things as well. To seek and to learn. To expand my knowledge of the natural world. And to try and preserve my health and strength. I must learn to accept new ideas and new approaches. I must evolve in a sense. The old ways of my life that were harmful must go. It’s all so overwhelming if I let all those thoughts in at once.It’s all so very simple these connections to nature when I embrace that mindset and enjoy the simple things of life. Time and an older body may slow me down eventually but for now I won’t let it. I still have way too much energy to burn. 🏄🏻‍♂️🚀

Down To Earth

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It’s been awhile since my last post and like usual a lot has been going on! I managed to get final sap boil done right ahead of going up to the Adirondacks to view the solar eclipse with Amy. She’s the reason I spend so much time in Saranac Lake. I will continue to respect her wish for privacy but will be including her presence in my posts as we have adventures together whenever time permits. We had wrestled with a location to view the eclipse as a large turnout was expected for the Adirondacks. I headed up on Sunday morning ahead of the eclipse and we got out to scout a possible location near “The Slow Turn”.We went to a stand of large pines Amy named “The Wisdom Keepers” first then hiked up to a nearby ridge top. It looked promising so we decided it was going to be our location to view the eclipse.

Finding a place to view the eclipse be like…😂

Monday’s weather was great for eclipse viewing! Fairly warm and sunny. We headed out early and got settled into our spot without encountering other people. We enjoyed snacks while waiting for the main event on a comfortable blanket. I rolled in some snow that was still hanging on minus some clothes for a comic relief moment! We got a nice laugh over that! As for the eclipse itself it totally exceeded our expectations! We watched it unfold with our special glasses and when totality hit it was truly a MOONTABS moment! The temperature drop was very noticeable and the birds went quiet as the sudden darkness overtook everything. I didn’t spend valuable time trying for photos as I truly wanted to fully experience the event. And then just like that it was over! Lucky for me I was in the Adirondacks as folks back home in the valley had clouds to contend with just as it occurred! Things continue to align for me and the coincidences can no longer be called that! There’s certain forces at work it appears! I embrace the alignment that arrived on tiny wings it seemed. Manifestations do work it appears! Consider it!

Eclipse viewing ridge. Now called Corona Heights!

Upon returning to the valley I continued to try and rest my knee which has been rather painful throughout the last weeks of sugaring season. I had gotten a cortisone shot recently but it hasn’t solved my issues entirely. I went perch fishing with my friend’s out near the St. Law. River two days in a row as a way to rest it somewhat which was beneficial. We hammered some really nice perch using two hook rigs tipped with tiny minnows! They sure are tasty fried up! Yum! What a great time!

Two day perch catch!

After that I have managed to bring in the remainder of the sugaring mini-tubes and buckets. Washing buckets begins later this afternoon and it’s snowing wet snow! Zane and I rinsed the tubing last week and pressure washed all the white storage containers. Progress seems slow at times but there’s always other things going on. The forest is greening up slowly and the tiny flowers I call the “tiny ones” are thriving despite the continued chilly weather we’ve been having. The muskrats were building up their old houses again recently and shortly after the rain events occurred with huge deluges over a two day period. Inches of rain fell so their predictions came true! I never doubt their advance warnings as they have been clearly accurate far too many times to even question it. How they know remains a mystery however. Too bad I couldn’t talk to them! What wisdom do they possess that they might share? Or is it simple intuitive behavior that touches them somehow? I remain in awe regardless and never see them as simple rodents who should be considered a lesser species. Perhaps we are the lesser species in our arrogant approach to nature and in our destructive tendencies. My spirit energy hints at a larger connection that we as humans have lost somehow. That sixth sense I now call the “5+1”. It is a worthy study to continue. Time, trees, and trails of discovery!

Rising high long before the storms hit!

Last week saw me attending a TILT event in Clayton. I helped with the tern grid installation out on Eagle Wing Shoal. The common tern is plagued by gulls and other predator birds on their nesting sites. The grid keeps the bigger birds out while the smaller terns pass safely through. After that I did some trail stewardship work for IRLC to finish out my day. If you’ve never read any of my posts describing theses two local land trusts then Goggle both TILT and IRLC to learn more about them!

Construction of the the annual tern grid.It’s rather complex when completed!

All of last week’s activities were completed to free up time for a foraging weekend with Amy. I will be featuring it soon as it’s a rather interesting series of events that’s connected to my attempts at better health. Natural food sources surround us here in the valley and several exist right here on the farm Homestead property! So until then this gets things caught up a little! ✍️

Preparing For Reentry

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Syrup season has continued its rollercoaster ride into April now. The deep freeze that happened recently while I was back visiting the Adirondacks shut everything down again. But I got a chance to experience winter again as snow would blanket the village of Saranac Lake on a memorable Saturday. Time away from the valley is good for my focus and always enjoyable. My reasons for visiting the Adirondacks so much recently are rather private at the moment but I expect that to change eventually and I share a few things in time.

The red pines near Saranac Lake.

Returning to the valley would get me back on task. Helping Zane pick up a different car would involve a road trip to Port Leyden, New York. It was trailer time with the truck! Horsepower and loud music! Very fun day with my son. We got the car licensed for him which was an educational experience for Zane! Good stuff!

Ready to roll out!

I had added a few new taps as the smaller trees began to stop producing sap. Scattered around the string I targeted big survivor maples in the out of way locations. Some along the high bank beside the Rastley Road. I also cut my way into the old Mother Tree Loop.All together some 60 plus buckets were pulled and reset on fresh wood. There was a window of opportunity coming where it appeared we would get a possible decent run. A lot of work moving taps but it left me well positioned and satisfied by my decision. Call it an experiment! And the weather would hit just right! March 27th. A day that would see one of the biggest sap runs of this unusual season hit! The big maples would seal the deal. Full and overflowing buckets on many of the fresh taps. A respectable run across the string overall. We would bring in enough sap for me to light the fire and run the evaporator into the evening.

Over the top!

So I was moving forward to towards filling the 30 gallon barrel of commercial grade syrup. We were well past Dark Robust grade now. Firmly entrenched in the super dark “buddy” creation of late season. Bittersweet is a good way to describe it! The tree buds give it a signature flavor. I was planning another Adirondack weekend as the sap wasn’t going to do much I predicted and I was caught up again for a moment. Thursday was a day of many details. I picked up the last of the neighbor’s sap late that day. Thursday also found me busy getting things ready for a job in Saranac Lake on Saturday. Tree removal. I boiled again on Friday morning. The barrel was creeping towards the top!

Light show of sugar house circles!

Friday would see me safely arriving in the Adirondacks and ready for a Saturday morning tree job. The boys from Gouverneur who had worked up on Black Lake with us were scheduled for a 9am start. It was a tricky piece of real estate on a side hill but the neighbor agreed to let me get the wood and debris out on her property. It went quite well overall but there were a few unexpected problems! It the end all was well! The neighbor lady asked me if I needed any red bricks. Sure I said! I have a project where I needed them! So a large number of them were added onto the already heavy trailer for the trip back to the valley. What a load! I had quite a lot of fun hauling it actually! Pushing the truck up the hills and cruising the downhill stretches.

Setting the drop lines!

I went back up to Saranac Lake for Easter dinner and later enjoyed a nice trek off the rail trail with my friend. She’s actually more then a friend to me at this point but her privacy is important to me and will be protected as such. Time may offer glimpses into our adventures eventually but for now all that’s necessary are a few basic facts. My time in the Adirondacks has taken on a new meaning and I am spending more of it beyond the blue line. Enough said! Our walk took us back into the red pines that the locals simply call The Pines. It was amazing the transition that one week had brought! The snow was gone and spring was in the air. We communed quietly for some time below the towering,slender red pines. The word turn kept popping into my head. I was wishing for a special name for this unique place and my thoughts would gravitate towards its creation. I settled on the name “The Slow Turn” for the forest of red pines. Unusual perhaps but relevant to me. As I gazed skyward I perceived a circle of sorts above us. One that exists in a larger circle of all nature. Time passes here as it does everywhere. But I felt that in the natural order of changing seasons it was turning slowly. Thus the name!

The Slow Turn.

This week finds me hauling gear from the sugarbush. Pulling taps and buckets. Bringing in the storage totes from the mini tube runs. I gathered a small amount of sap from the most recently tapped large trees. It’s low grade stuff but will advance the level in the barrel.Final boil running water is next after today. The barrel will be topped off with carryover surplus dark syrup from last year. A held in trust moment! It’s raining hard this morning so the sugar house will be a nice place to work today! The forecast calls for snow! The tiny Mayflowers I found yesterday will be getting a surprise! No problem for them as they are very hardy little specimens of beauty! Foraging will follow the close out of sugaring. All in all I rate this season successful! Good because we lived it. Good because we participated in our annual hobby! My inner spirit is very much in tune with nature right now. A bonus of any sugaring season. There’s plenty of maple syrup to continue to lace my morning coffee! We have worked the trails and spent time amongst the trees. We were gifted greatly through the entire process! There truly is nothing like it! It’s all connected! The forest,the sugar house, and our passage of time throughout the changing season. It is enough! ✍️

The Mayflowers!