Prep to parge

On the progress front, we took delivery of a propane fueled gas furnace this week in an effort to catch up a little with modern technology.  We received a good price from Bob's golfing partner who is a ticketed sheet metal installer for the local fuel supply facility. We are also proceeding with the masonry parging of the west basement wall.  By good fortune we have connected with a neighbor who is a semi-retired stone mason and who will do this for us for a very reasonable fee. Harley is looking on at the "before" for the west side of the house where Bob is prepares the wall for the parging.

Little herb garden

My little herb garden is still growing with the mild days and cool (but not freezing) nights.  The dill, sage, marigold, sweet grass and lavender all did nicely in my hillbilly old tire planters.  The sweet grass is nice when braided and drying in the house, plus it also imparts this nice sweet herbal smell when burnt like incense (in a non-combustible bowl!).   If I can salvage some topsoil from the pile and a few cedar posts, I will make a little larger raised garden next year for tomatoes and other northern friendly vegetables.   It seems the trick to this is a solar powered 3 to 4 wire electric fence, this keeps the creatures who also like these crops from indulging in domesticated gardens.

Geese are gathering

The Canada geese are gathering and starting to collect in V-shaped flocks, so summer is winding down.  Already one of the maples is starting to turn at the septic-bed-disguised-as-a-putting green, which caused Bob so much distress that while whacking defenseless golf balls at the weekend's club tournament, one of his favorite clubs (a Ping 7 iron for those who know what this is) broke right in half.  This lead to a VERY BAD GAME, so a little return of summer sizzle would make him feel much better.  This blog is dedicated to Gil Jurchison, a former colleague of many years who passed away suddenly. Thanks for all you taught me.

Trail riding and hitching

This week we added hitching rails to the barn and round pen - all the better for resident and visiting riders!  I tested Mago by taking him to a T in the trail and seeing if he would take me home, he did not.  As long as I know where I am, that's fine and great that he is eager to go.  It is not very helpful if I get myself lost......

Magical Paws!

Harley the Wonder Dog passed his assessment to be a therapy dog and we did our first assignment at a senior's residence in Elliot Lake.   He received a good review from the more experienced handlers and we had a great time.  Lots of treats and petting for Harley, who along with the other dogs generated lots of smiles from the clients.   I think that he will get better at it as he associates wearing the bandana with being "on the job", meaning not playing but standing quietly to be petted and given treats.  He takes the latter very gently and politely and loved getting extra hugs.

Not the most glamorous

This shot tends to make Mago look like a moose and me as though I have put on 50 pounds, but none the less it shows us on our return from our first trail ride this year.  After his third time being ridden and only his second time this year, we did nice smooth walk, trot and canter.  He moves very nicely and is eager to go.  He'll be a GREAT trail horse.  I must try to get some better pictures under saddle however.....

Interesting log shapes

There are two of these curved logs to be used as elbow braces for the west porch railing, prepared and ready for early September installation.  

These interesting root flare cedars will be newel posts for the inside log stairs going to the loft.

Signs of late summer

 The early evening mists at 8 pm are a sign that it is August, alas!

Another sure sign of August is that my double tiger lilies are in bloom.  I am having to fight back the bracken fern that are threatening to take over my little lily patch!

Bats are back!

This little creature may not be a welcome visitor to some, but as long as they do not take up residence in the house, it's fine that they have made a comeback.  Bats were essentially wiped out in this area due to a fungal ailment referred to as "white nose disease", so it was a surprise to see this fellow looking quite healthy today.  The dragonflies have been more abundant than usual this summer, likely because they are taking over eating the insects that the bats usually go after.  Being a bat, this one was oblivious to the flash from my camera.  I caught him in the photo after he swooped past my head at a neighbor's barn.

My truth

The house may be coming along nicely but the truth is that without the barn it is.... well.... not so much of anything......

Little summertime get away

 This series of five shots shows my niece and a couple of other young friends having fun at the Cedar Rail Ranch outpost camp - the only way in is by horse or boat.  Fun was had by all!

Summer concerts by the river

Women in Song were featured in the concerts by the river series in Blind River, and we were out to cheer them on.  My favorite is one of theirs, "I knew her when".

Solution to peeling problems and an odd place for a bath....

I was struggling to finish peeling the last of the spindles in mid-July, so Bob kindly dredged up a bathtub that he found in the bush near an old cabin site to the east and I used it to soak them.  This worked nicely and I show a photo of the tub with the last few pieces still in it.  While I worked on them up above on the porch, I got to pondering about that bathtub sitting on the front lawn.  Although we have a shower plumbed into the house, we do not have a bathtub yet........ so I scrubbed it out, put some nice fresh cedar leaves in there and filled it with the hose.  I let it warm up in the afternoon sun and hopped in that evening, with candles on the corner to light my way.  Bob tried to get a photo of this caper, but quarreled with the camera and was not able to capture the moment (about which I discreetly posed with strategically draped towel).   Bob is thinking that I am becoming just a little peculiar spending so much time working at the house after this experience, so he's trying to get me to get out a little more.

Summer asiatics

 Two of my lilies, summer asiatics.

I am a great aunt!

Here is Benjamin, my brand new high flying great nephew.  On a flight from Halifax to Toronto, he started to arrive...... causing an emergency landing in Montreal and an appearance within 6 hours.  I am not biased in thinking he is VERY cute.

Summer skies

The view from the porch, through the log columns.  What do you see in the clouds?

Wild and tame

Mago lounges in the foreground while two sandhill cranes and a deer share the pasture, all in close proximity to each other and all relaxed about it.

Summer serenity, cultivated and from cultivated?

Powwow and little feet

Great July dancing and drumming at the powwow this year, with a great find for my new grand nephew's little wee feet.

Make Hay while the Sun Shines

One nice load of 105 little bales, times two gives us 210 in storage for this year. After slugging these in the heat and humidity, I vow to go with only a few next year and all or mostly the big bales........ they are so much less work!

Community Days Summer Fun and Parade!

Being goofy

Wild and cultivated summer lovelies

Turtle crossing

June and July bring the turtles out on the road to find places to lay their eggs, and this gal did not seem to mind interrupting her trip to pose for a moment.  She is not a snapper, so less inclined to be grumpy and bite my fingers.  She happily trotted on her way when I put her down.