Ok, Winter... I get it!

As outside my window is slowly transformed from lush New Brunswick forest into sticks and leaden skies its quite a dramatic change.
Coming from a land that seems timeless by comparison, through lack of change in its seasons ... I now live in one that changes constantly, each a careful preparation for the next.

Now the leaves have all fallen to the damp ground it is time for covering of a different sort.. this one snow, and by the downward creep of lower temperatures each week, its not far away.
My body hasn't quite caught up with the changes yet and is still working to Southern Hemisphere seasons. Thus, it now thinks this is the time for Summer... suntans, beaches, BBQ's and outdoor living...hmmmm don't think so......

The Canadians have some funny traditions, but they have some very civilized ones too. Take the hard recycle pickups that occur a few times of the year, mostly at the change of seasons. There is one on right now and judging by the ever growing mounds of doors, windows, washers, driers, fridges, stoves etc alongside our roads, its a busy one. Before you rush to the keyboard and tell me that hard rubbish pickups are universal, I'll tell you why the Canadian version is so civilized. Well, because no-one has to go to the tip to offload their old stuff, or worse, dump it out in the forest. Everyone good naturedly accepts that mostly its their neighbors who are picking up their stuff anyway, and if it they don't get around to using it it'll end up back on their pile for the next hard pickup. Its cross between musical chairs and a flea market where everything is free. Yep, its a great time to go look for that vacuum cleaner piece you can't get anymore, a new cupboard or two, or take your pick of some good windows and doors from the huge array alongside the road. As the day fast approaches when the local authorities will remove all this good stuff, you can see the bargain hunters circling to pick over the gems on display. Nothing is wasted!

Ok, so what don't I want to see next Spring when the snow finally disappears?? I have some old windows I picked up the same way last Spring and they are 'in the way' now as I strive to complete the skirting around the bottom of our home. So, I begin to load them up on my truck to be carted out to the roadside, then I notice it, for the first time.... the wood finish on the inside is in great condition and of a high quality. My guess is Ash or Spruce perhaps. Not that familiar with Canadian timber yet, but I recognize good wood when I see it. Ok, unload the truck and drag them to a less problematic location. Let me tell you these windows are big, double glazed and bloody heavy. After much cursing and struggling I finally got them dragged over to their new spot and bedded down.

Other news is that Raye and I are both working to put up a new website called wildwoodplanet.com.
I am designing and Raye is busy with compiling content. Don't visit the site just yet as there is an 'under construction' page there... however, very soon there will be lots of stuff on plants, herbs, a few new on-line courses, some galleries of scrapbook pages and I'll be putting up my music and related things. Stay tuned and we'll be announcing it soon.
Till then, au revoir!
Col

What's below Zero?

Deceptively the suns morning light illuminates the brilliant fall colours of the Maples outside my window.
It looks so peaceful and pretty you could be forgiven for thinking that its a lovely day outside and it would be great to get out and about.
Wrong! One look at the outside thermometer (standard Canadian issue), will quickly bring you back to reality.... Yes, its 1 degree outside...and its cold!! bugger!.
Like squirrels preparing for the winter ahead we have been collecting the last of our vegies planted last spring. Tomatoes, Tomatillos and Cucumber. With frost warnings out these guys wouldn't see tomorrow, so its pick 'em or lose 'em time. Also my preparations for the coming freeze have been progressing nicely now that the major disaster areas have been fixed.
Here is a pic of me outside working in lovely 4 degree temps, looking dangerous..... and cold.
Hopefully will have finished it all by the end of next week.
Seeing the birdbath looking like a skating rink was a strange sight this morning, and am not appreciating the ice all over my little red truck either when I start 'er up in the morning. Still, that's nothing compared to the snow I'll be digging out to disentomb it come December .... bummer, not looking forward to that I can tell you.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving long weekend for all North American residents... the day they all give thanks for booting out the Poms and becoming their own country. Something my fellow Aussies are still yet to do. So we sat down to enormous plates of turkey and fixn's with the rellies...fanbloodytastic.... here is what was left of it by the time we got through with it... oh, and there was desert too!

Part of becoming a new property is the ceremony of the new mailbox! Here's my homemade pathetic effort... and yes, it was a toolbox... but now I'm of a fixed address I needed a mailbox more than a toolbox so it was operated upon. Plans are afoot to make it more into looking like a minature barn and silo. Something the locals really get into here are making minatures of real life objects and putting them around the garden.. (sigh).... at least its not gnomes..
Last pic here is the view I see most mornings as I drive Raye to work... this time I took my camera and got the shot I've been promising myself I would take soon... Canada is cold, but its beautiful and seeing the dramatic change of seasons is a fantastic experience.... as long as you can stay indoors!

Adios!
Col

Not just another day

Each day brings new surprises here and this week I've had more than I needed.

First up while erecting a skirting around our home to protect against the cold wind and snow that is not far away now, I made a grisly discovery.
During the big move one of our triple windows out front had slipped down into the frame below it. Very difficult to see as there is a metal fascia that covers up the whole thing, however I discovered it from below. As I was patching up some below-floor insulation I noticed the flooring material above it looking damp. This shouldn't be happening as there were no leaks I was aware of in that area. On closer inspection, and to my horror, I discovered evidence of water ingress a long time ago that had set up rot in the lower frame and a black ant infestation to boot. Oh great :(

Nothing for it but to tear it all apart and know the worst... and it was bad. As these pictures show the wooden framing had rotted so much that one window had actually slipped down as nothing actually existed to hold it up!
Trick was now to lift up the (very heavy) double glazed window and rebuild a new frame beneath it. Three days and much bad language later it was all rebuilt and put back together. Pray that I don't get any more ugly surprises like this one, please. My one consolation is that I discovered it now and not in the middle of winter when perhaps under force of snow and freezing wind the window falls out! OMG. =8O

On a lighter note, alone one afternoon I turned to see the source of scratching in the kitchen and discovered some animal had taken up hiding beneath Raye's armchair... mmmm.... as I watched it made a sudden dash to a more secure location beneath the stove. Now I'm a country boy and not too much fazes me, however I couldn't make out what this little visitor was. From the fleeting glance I got as it ran away from me, it looked like a small kitten. Definitely not a rodent, I am happy to say. When I related what I'd seen to my 'in-house' New Brunswick wildlife expert (Raye) she said (in a somewhat elevated tone of excitement) we have a Flying Squirrel!!! Now this didn't mean a whole lot to me, but I could determine from her level of over stimulated enthusiasm, that this was a good thing.

Some Googling later I found these cute little guys. Look like a cross between a small Australian Ringtail Possum with the flight characteristics of a Queensland Fruit Bat.
Native to this area, they are active at this time of the year and love birdfeeders. Yep, check and check. Ok so we got one and it's cute.... another hungry mouth to feed! So cute that now I've gotta make nesting boxes and hang 'em in the trees to attract more of these little freeloaders... great, it never ends... ;) Here's a link to a site that has lots of the little buggers running around....

Just like to mention that I've put another song up on the list to the right, and also a couple of in-computer videos. You might like to check out the video of 'What your heart was saying' as these are mostly shots taken by a professional photographer who came out to the property where we lived (Wildwood) to shoot some pics to accompany a story for Notebook Magazine (August 2008 edition) that Raye had written and submitted. Here is a link to a Picassa album slideshow that contains the whole story if you are interested.

The new song Space Dance is an instrumental that has received a mixed reaction from the 'guinea pigs' I've showed it to. I realise it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I imagine it as background music for a space type movie.... the 'Riverdance' style of rhythm was the initial inspiration and it just grew from there. Raye loves it and I can't give an impartial view, so go for it and tell me what you think.
Also happy to report my little rock wall turned out ok. Lots of rocks here so might as well make use of 'em. I'll use these as well when it's time to build the steps for the main entrance.

Finally, just had to include another of Raye's fine images taken this morning of the fall colours. This one catches the contrast of the sugar maples as their green leaves turn technicolour.

It's like nothing I've ever seen before and simply beautiful.

Adios!

A day in the life....

Not sure if its the ultimate laziness or just a darn good idea, but washing lines over here are a couple of pulley wheels with a bit of plastic covered wire strung between 'em. So where is the Hills Hoist? That staple of the suds, that workhorse of washday, that thing you swung on when you were kids even though your parents told you not to? ...alas my friends it is nowhere to be found in the land of the Maple leaf.
So we need a washing line and I'm humming Advance Australia Fair as I wander aimlessly in the hardware shop looking for all the likely suspects.... I find a bamboo copy of the famous Hills Hoist...thin, weak and pathetic! what were they thinking? how could anything but a anemic chipmunk possibly swing on that?? what is the world coming to?

Ah well, when in Rome.... I reach for a couple of pulley wheels, some line and a tensioner, pay and head home to put this up. Now, this is where the fun begins as I fashion a reasonable looking washing line attached to a pole at the house end and the other at a convenient tree.

Now, you will be able to reach this dear, I ask my significant other... Oh yes, that will be fine, she replies.... ok. Finished installing and she tries it out... oh no! its too far... Grr#$&^%@*... of course by now I"ve cut the line to the right length for that location haven't I, and to move it any closer I need a longer line.... double Grrr#!!@$% ... found some chain and hooked it up to the tree end and moved the pole a bit closer...now how's that dear??

Talk about convenience! Raye now leans out the window to hang out the washing... could be a bonus when its a bit cold...looks like sloth to me! If nothing else, hanging the bird feeder on it has well and truly foiled the little raiders who come and steal anything that is not bolted down... I'm talking here about the infamous Racoon family that lives close by....little b@stards!

Speaking of small furry animals, we now have a new neighbor, a chipmunk has moved in and is madly stuffing his cheeks with seeds and nuts the birds have dropped from the (now) clothesline suspended birdfeeder. I found some of this little scallywags rubbish on top of my motor the other day... must have been attracted to the warmth.... I wonder what roast chipmunk tastes like? Probably chicken.

Speaking of motors, was driving down the Trans Canada Highway the other day, minding my own business, when suddenly I noticed a remote controlled car in front of me. That's right, no driver. Car seemed to know where it was going, stopped when it had to, indicated etc... but where was the driver?
Followed this unmanned vehicle for 10k's or more and it made all right moves... amazing! What will they think of next? Click on the pic, it will open in a new window and you can see what I mean.... no driver!!!

We had our first frost the other day. This is somewhat of a milestone in every Canadian's calendar. That first frost is a sure sign that winter is not far away... well duh! its now down to 2 degrees (C) overnight now and all the maples are turning technicolour reds and yellows...... wadda ya think? Might be winter eh!
Anyway, I'm still plunging on winterising our little cabin and apart from frost on the roof, this shot shows my latest addition, a set of steps leading up the back door and the skirting around the bottom. Still a fair way to go yet on the skirting, but we're not expecting snow until November at the earliest so there is still time to get it finished... I hope!

Here's me hanging out with a couple of my buddies, Pinky and Stripe.

Stay tuned, au revoir!
Col

Things you find....

Have been fighting a running battle against that most wily of foes lately .. the Racoons. These devious creatures can spot a bird feeder a 100 paces, and take it down in seconds. Not only can they take it down out of a tree, they can open the damn thing up... even unscrewing the lid mechanism to extract the goodies inside.... Lately I've dealt a crushing blow to these little robbers by making a special hook mechanism that allows us to put the feeder high in the branches of a shady nearby maple.

This female Purple finch gets to taste the spoils of my victory over the devious, dastardly 'coons.

Home Improvement
Soft spot in the bathroom floor...hmmmm.....time to go take a look, surely can't be too bad.
Famous last words.
Bad, it was falling apart. The prior residents and/or their contractors had done a 'patch up' job with the floor when it was realised that their equally dodgy plumbing had leaked into the compressed fibre flooring. With nowhere to go, and no exposure to the air, it stayed and rotted. To demonstrate the effect, take a stiff slice of bread, toast it if you will, and lightly spray with water. In a few seconds it is a limp sodded mess right? Think bathroom floor, wet bathroom floor..... loooong time wet bathroom floor.

This was the mess that greeted me when I removed the thin ply sheeting the previous 'bush' carpenters had used to try and 'cover up' the problem.... not pretty huh!

About 45% of the floor was too riddled with mould and soft to stand on. My fear at this point was concern that the floor joists were also rotten. To my greatest relief they were thankfully spared by the manufacturers precaution of placing plastic sheeting over them prior to laying the floor.
Once I had cut, bashed and smashed what remained of the floor out, I built in some more reinforcement and laid thick (5 ply) sheets down over the bearers and screwed them down. Laid some vinyl down over top, reinstalled the white ware and put in the washer and dryer.

Finishing touch was the trim along the bath, just a few tidy-ups to do now and its all good.

Lucy, Raye's niece has requested an updated pic of our now completed kitchen, I'm happy to comply. Raye and I are very pleased with the colours we eventually used and with the layout which makes it a pleasure to work in. The Microwave oven is the last thing to have been added, so now its finished completely (I hope!).

Whilst all this was going on we had a hurricane (cyclone) zooming up the Eastern Atlantic coast at a great rate of knots. Fortunately for us New Brunswick folks, it had petered out to a Cat 1. before it hit us. Hurricane 'Bill' left us a little wetter but without wind or property damage. To find us on the picture, look just above the weather lady's right hand and you can see the text 'Halifax'. New Brunswick where we live is just above that.


Wasn't all bad though, just this last week we were invited to a great party with lots of music, talk and some responsible drinking... of course!

Our hosts home was hand built from local timbers to their own design, and it is just beautiful and atmospheric.

There is a kitchen party atmosphere to the life over here that I'm very partial to. Spontaneous jams can break out at any party where the instruments come out and the music and singing come to life. Great fun!
Hope to be doing a lot more of this in the future.

Au Revoir!

Home Sweet Home

It is now that we are no longer 'camping out' inside our home...

Everything comes at once... it doesn't rain, it pours... it all happened in a week.

Monday we were connected to the grid... lights, coffee machine and fridge all sprang into life..ahhhh!

Tuesday the plumber came and completely re-plumbed our home (it was leaking like a sieve) water, water, everywhere!

Wednesday, the electricity to my aforementioned Baby Barn was supposed to be connected... the only one that didn't happen.... slack sparky >:( ... bad sparky!

Thursday we were connected to the phone network and high speed 'net.....

Friday ... the piece de resistance.... Satellite Cable! (500 channels and nothing on ;)... ahh luxury!

Saturday we took a drive up to the area where Raye was born and raised... St Maurice, about 20 minutes from here.. and happened to drop in on the very house itself. The people who bought it 3 months ago were great and wanted Raye to give them a running commentary on what the house was like 50 years ago.

Over the years it had been changed internally to accommodate the then owners' needs. Walls removed, rooms changed and modernized. Hard to believe that Raye and her 8 siblings all lived in that one tiny space with their mum and dad.

Today August 15 is also Acadia Day, it celebrates the Acadian nation and is the height of celebration for the Acadian World Congress currently underway. Acadian hats, clothing and flags are everywhere.. on people, cars and houses. It's a big deal in this part of the world. The whole Acadian story is a very long and interesting one, too long for this humble blog to indulge in so instead I'll give you the brief synopsis.

In the early 1600's the first French transportation ships arrived with their human cargo. Much the same purpose the British ships had for New Holland (Australia) a little later on.

The peaceful natives welcomed the French visitors and both peoples soon integrated into what became Acadia. Raye's 'Savoie' ancestors sailed over in 1620, now 11 generations removed.

10 years after the French landings the British arrived to claim the new territories for themselves, driving the French out. This began a long and bloody war involving many major battles between the 2 world nations. It took more than 100 years of fighting before the British finally overcame the French/Acadian resistance and, finding the people unwilling to declare their loyalty to the crown, thence decided to 'Ethnic Cleanse' their new conquest of all French speaking people.

This they achieved by rounding up 'en masse' everyone who spoke French, were Metis, and/or looked European. After loading them into transport ships they where dispersed to various locations throughout the thirteen British North American colonies, France, Louisiana and Britain. Men were separated from women and children as the forced migration of thousands of people separated them from their homes, families and friends.

Although many thousands died during this forced relocation, the Acadians rallied and began rebuilding their own communities, despite the inhospitable living conditions and poor economic circumstance.

The Louisiana Acadians became known as the 'Cajuns', a word now widely associated with a food style. The Cajuns however brought much more than culinary skills with them, and it didn't take long for their rich cultural heritage of music and relaxed lifestyle to become part of Louisiana's identity.

This year, the Acadian World Congress brings all Acadians and their families together for reunification and celebration in New Brunswick.

For those of you who know far more than I about this traumatic time, I apologize for any inaccuracy or lame descriptions.
There are however, some great sources of information on this historic event if you are interested in finding out more: Wikipedia: Acadian Expulsion and also the World Acadian Congress.

That's your history lesson for now!
Caio

Baby on Board

Baby Barn that is!

What a strange thing to call a shed. And what happened to the eaves? guttering? corrugated iron?

This strange concoction of angles and roofing is called a Baby Barn.... and I suppose if you squint your eyes and get up close you could imagine that it was a barn for very small people...babies even!

Its a fact that all Australian boys need a shed (thanks JW), and not to be denied, I got the closest thing I could to what I remembered being a shed. I got a Baby Barn.

I think an Ozzy shed the same floor size would have more room inside. Those chopped off eaves lose a bit of room, but for all that its a solid little unit.

If I was to put a tin shed up here they would be horrified... and it would probably collapse under a few feet of snow anyway... so, Baby Barn it is!
So far we've installed the pump and pressurization unit in the back and Raye is eyeing off all the potential room for her junk (er.. stuff).

My radar is on high alert and I'm keeping a very close eye on that little plan though otherwise I'll be needing another Baby Barn just to put my 'essential' man stuff in!

This post I wanted to draw attention to the fact that, as promised, I have given a blow by blow description of the tapping of our spring. Its long and windy with lots of pictures and diagrams but I think it will serve its purpose...for now. Here it is.... Tapping Your Own Spring Water

Just wanted to put in a pic of my new Yota (Toyota). Gets 30 miles to the gallon (9.2lt /100klm) and is in great shape for its age (1990).

Had to get rid of the V8 Dodge as its gas guzzling habit was getting expensive (great truck though).

Caio

Water, water everywhere...

Alas I've had little time to write lately, the same could not be said for water.

Aside from lots of summer rain and hot steamy days, we have been beavering away quietly on our new home. Raye surprised me last week when she walked in to our restuarant meeting with this new look. For the last 27 years she has sported very long hair and my jaw hit the floor when she walked in the door. Its much cooler and far more easy to manage than the long tresses she is known for, and in my opinion it is also very flattering.

Since last post we've had Propane (gas) connected, Oil heating storage tank and lines put in, our septic is now connected up and working. Despite this progress we still have no electricity, home phone or water. These are pretty big issues. The power has been promised for last week... no show. The phone, internet and cable cannot be connected until there is a pole in place to do so... again, the power company.... getting the picture?

Despite these frustrations, Raye and I said to 'hell with it' and moved in anyway. Just to be living in our own address again was a great feeling.

Whilst we wait on the fickle power to miraculously appear (soon we hope), I've put in some hard yards getting the water from our spring connected.
This was a huge job, and with little or no instruction on how to achieve this miraculous feat, my brother in law (who happens to own an excavator), and I plunged in last weekend to make it happen.

Now, you would think that living in the country where water just bubbles up from the ground anyplace it cares to, there would be volumes of info to read up on before tapping your local free water source...nope!
I consider myself an advanced Internet searcher and yet despite hours at the keyboard could find little hard info on just exactly how to go about it.
Sure, there were plenty of info from aid people on how they tapped a water source in Nigeria or Ubaniztan or wherever... but precious little on how to construct a simple spring tap that didn't have to provide protection against the local water buffalo and how to install a hand pump to use it.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, I've taken lots of pics of our process and intend to add some diagrams too, then put the whole shot up in a separate blog soon. This is so anyone like me who wants some hard info on how to do this task can search it out and not be frustrated into guessing what to do.

Ok, so the synopsis is: We drained and dug out the existing hole, then run a 5 foot ditch up to it from the house. We needed to dig it that deep as in winter the ground freezes to a depth of 4 feet (1.2 metres) and this would not be a good thing when water is needed at the house. Next we stood up an 8 foot long concrete pipe (2.4 metres) on a crushed stone and clean rock base where the spring was emerging from the shale. From this we tapped off the long pipe back to the house. This whole operation took 2 days and was very tiring.

To compare this to how the spring looked before we started, take a look at my previous post. Remember, you can view any image here in a much larger detail and size just by clicking on it. Click the 'back' button to return to this blog.

How clean is the water?
Looking down the pipe (at right) you can see the connection in the lower left of the picture. That is some 4 foot down from the waters' surface. I took this picture only a few hours after we had finished installing the outflow pipe and yes its very clean! Its running at about 4-5 gallons (15 - 19 litres) per minute.

Fingers crossed, this week we will finally get power, the plumber comes on Wednesday and will hook up the pump and plumbing to the house and we should have crystal clear spring water on tap.... well, that's the plan.... stay tuned!

Au revoir!

Col & Raye

Digging the Digue

I must apologize for the rather abstract title to this episode.
Digue is the native name for a peninsular, such as where our home site is located (Grande Digue) and this post has a lot about digging holes (and filling them up again).

At long last the promised septic was dug and installed this week. After many delays the guys turned up and quickly made holes everywhere in which they installed various pieces of pipes and joiners. The biggy was the tank itself which weighed 4 tons and took some jigging to get it in the right position. Thankfully our backhoe/crane operator was very skilled and nothing got broken or damaged during the install. In fact it went so well that I asked if he could clean out our spring.

The spring I'm referring to is a naturally occuring one not far from our homesite and although it hasn't yet been tested for purity, it looks and tastes wonderful. Originating in hard shale about four feet down, this spring was dug out via backhoe to a depth of 10 feet and is running freely. I'm told that it also ran cleanly throughout winter, a very good sign that it will be an ideal water source for our needs year round.

Painting has been going well also. With the kitchen and lounge room completed our little home is looking ever more comfortable every day. Today we move a lot of our stored kitchen stuff into its proper locations and we might finally see the floor in our bathroom again. Up till now it has been a sea of boxes full of who-knows-what, so it should be a treasure hunt to discover what lies there!

Its full-on Strawberry season here and they are cheap and plentiful. A feature of local Strawberry farming is the U-Pick phenomenon. Here you are given a pail or two and go out into the field and pick your own. They only charge you for what ever weight you have picked, (not the handfulls that might have required 'tasting' along the way ;). As you can see the strawberries are fat, full of flavour and delicious. Gotta love U-Pick!
Caio

Persnickety :[per⋅snick⋅et⋅y] overparticular; fussy

Hey, call me persnickety, but does anyone else get annoyed at the drive-through coffee shop that shall remain nameless, (Tim's), when your refilled traveler mug comes back with the drinking holes turned around in to an impossible-to-drink-from position?
This small bit of inattention to detail has all sorts of ramifications where hot liquids and dangerous practices must be employed to maneuver the lid of the now-filled-with-hot-coffee cup lid around to a more drinkable position.

If you have been sitting in your idling car, waiting patiently in line for a coffee for what seems like way too long, then you don't want to hold up the long line of cars behind, (full of glassey eyed addicts like you who are also hanging out for their coffee 'fix'), you'll grab your coffee and move off. So, with the car now rolling forward you grab that sticky top and wrestle with it, hoping all the while to not lose the lot into your lap (ouch) or run off the road ($$ ouch) whilst you attempt this complex and completely unecessary task. Somebody DO something!!
Thanks for listening, feeling better now.

Canada is beautiful, but why must we share it with the Mosquitos? The Ozy Mozzy was bad enough, but over here the Mozzies do things they just should not do... like just bite you right through your T shirt/jeans or through your hair on the back of your head (ok, I know, its getting a little thinner up there these days ;(), in fact the little bastards will attack any place you can't or haven't put repellant on. Not only that, but Ozzy Mozzies only drink a cup of blood per bite, Canada's breed drink a litre or more in a session. A couple of bites from these guys and its a trip down to the blood bank for a top up. Raye has the right idea... buy a bug jacket. These handy items don't win best dressed, but Mozzies just give up when they spot one of these babies.

Rhonda, one of Raye's neices got married to her long time love Grant last weekend and we went down to join in the celebration. Torrential rain on the trip down to Halifax did not look promising for the planned outdoor wedding, however, come time for the ceremony the rain just stopped and it all went off without a hitch. Had a great time, ate too much, went home. Great to catch up with my new adopted family once again, what a fantastic bunch of great people. Looking forward to more parties Canadian style soon.

Tomorrow the Septic System goes in and we test for drinkable water from a spring nearby...more on this later.
Ooroo

But wait.... there's more!

Lots more.... more plants, more painting more, more, more....

With the weather turning mild, and this day being the first of summer (officially) its time to make hay while the sun shines.

At last I 'get' the attraction of a Canadian summer. Sunshine was a given, but the mildness that goes along with it has come as a surprise. Days of 26 deg are mild and comfortable for casual clothes and being outside, and that is where it gets really pleasant...
Canadian green summers are the biggest and most pleasant surprise of all.

Everywhere nature is showing her best with blossoms and new leaves in abundance. Its just a wall of green everywhere I look....not the drab olive of gum trees, but brilliant greens in all shades and leaf types.... you have to experience it to know what I mean.

With the Septic Pad now leveled and awaiting the system to be set in, its time to get serious about some painting and planting. Raye and I have been busy doing both, as the accompanying photo's will testify.

So many plants, so little time.. I can hear her say ~

At the end of the day though we are going to be a mass of living plants ... with a trailer parked somewhere in the middle... might need GPS co-ordinates for visitors to find us among it all.

The colours we chose for the kitchen are vastly different to the originals. As you can see by the picture inset theirs was a more 'Gothic' theme than the Sunny one we have chosen. The creamy yellow on the walls looks like soft butter and makes the room bigger and glowing. That yellow is also intended to be on the lounge and hallway walls. Again, the lighter colour is to make the smallish space appear bigger and brighter.

The darkish Aqua we chose off the colour chart for the kitchen doors looked ok on paper, but the paint as mixed turned out bright Aqua.... like tropical water. We didn't think that we could live with that so I got some black tint and darkened it up some. The door knobs (we haven't got yet) will be a silver to match the tapwear and white to match the white goods. Hopefully they should also provide a nice contrast to the dark aqua. Well, that's the plan. Will paint some more next week as its gotten wet and rainy right now, so that means we should have another 5 - 7 days of nice sunshine behind it. Good drying weather. Fingers crossed!
Adios!

Fait Accompli!

At last, my patient readers, I can report that the second movement of 'Trailer en Route' has gone off smoothly and successfully. Bright and sunny last Saturday morning my moving guy showed up and hooked on.

After dodging the overhead wires, he maneuvered the unwieldy beast onto Chemin Des Lapins and down the 100 metres to its new resting place on our block of land.

The rest of the day was spent getting the whole thing straight and level. The doors closing, windows sliding and benchtops even.

It was a satisfying process, and one I was meticulous about considering the future impact of not getting it right from the start.

Set well back from the road among the numerous maples and birches our new home will be private and cosy year round. Still a lot of work to make it habitable yet, and especially snug for the coming winter...but its very satisfying to know we have at least come this far this quickly.


Next comes connection up to NB Power, Septic, Water from our spring, Cable, and installation of our new, second hand wood heater, etc, etc, etc......






Caio

Col

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1................................

The strange title to this update cannot pass without explanation. It is the countdown to the biggest event in our lives since landing on Canada's fair shores. In two days time our Trailer gets its marching orders from Odette and Valmond's driveway over to our land, a distance of about 250 meters .... am excited as a kid on Christmas Eve... Raye is worse than me....

The amount and variety of scraggly orphaned plants that seem to come home with us everyday from her work at MacArthurs' Nursery is growing at an alarming rate... and I thought 2 acres would satisfy her raging botanical habit.... not so!

Fortunately the girl has all ten fingers and thumbs greener than a cabbage, so I'm sure with all the love and attention, most if not all will survive and grow healthy again.

With the pad almost complete I collected concrete blocks and marked out where the trailer is to be parked and set up. Whilst thus engaged I was set upon by the largest mosquito's I'd ever seen. Lucky I had my wheel brace spanner handy, as with a few deft swings of this heavy device I managed to deflect their attack and make it to safety. It's true that Canada doesn't have too many snakes, but I think that's balanced out by their monster bloody mozzy's.

I gotta confess I have been upset for this last month or so as I thought I'd lost a possession I've become very fond of, my Canon IXUS 6 compact camera. For those who know their onions, this metal bodied high resolution camera is THE piece of gear to take with you on every outing. Takes great pics, is strong, durable and very reliable.
Well, when I thought I'd lost it we looked everywhere.. and I do mean everywhere for it.
This great little camera had been so handy in capturing images of our migration from Australia to Canada I just couldn't believe it was gone... and it turns out that it wasn't!!
Driving Raye to work the other day she was looking for a pen to write something down and was checking out my man bag for one when low and behold there was my little mate.. snug and secure in a side pocket, fully charged and waiting. It had bloody been in there the whole time &*%^&$# .. Raye took this pic of me feeling very sheepish.... 'nuff said.


You might notice that there is a new addition to the blog page up on the right hand side, above the menu.. Yep just couple of songs I've written and recorded on my computer. Please leave a comment at the bottom of this post and let me know if you liked any of them, and if so, which ones and why..... This pic is one Raye took at Altona Pier in Melbourne and I liked it so much I'm going to use it as an album cover... when I get enough songs together to put one out that is....8D


Cheers

Colin

Rocket Man

As I walked into a small convenience store a few days ago and spied bundles of brightly packaged fireworks for sale...my childhood memories of Guy Fawlkes night came rushing back to me.
There wouldn't be many people who don't love fireworks, but not all that many can remember when you could buy them over the counter like this (in Australia).
With vivid memories of Penny Bungers, Catherine Wheels, Volcanoes, Rockets and Tom Thumbs racing through my head I quickly plonked my cash down to relive my childhood once again with a family pack of firey goodness.
Despite the protests and warnings, all of which I politely ignored, I dashed down the back yard with my bounty to make lots of noise, sparks and pretty colours. I was not dissapointed. With some satisfaction I noted all the 'protesters' 'doubting Thomasas' and 'wet blankets' had turned out armed with camera's to enjoy the show. =8O

Land News....We are (at last) about to plunge headlong into the fulfillment of our dream Part One.. yet there is a sensation of nothing much happening at all. Almost a feeling of after waiting so long we can't believe its really happening. This should change by the weekend as we have been promised that our great unwieldy trailer/mobile home is to make the final leg of its journey to a new location... ie our land!
What began in snow and ice is now to be accomplished in bright sunny weather. Today the temp is expected to reach 29 deg C... a far cry from the -4's back then (see earlier blogs).
Last week I sat down to a meal of these tasty buggers.... oh yeah, they were good alright... full of meat and oh so juicy.... each cost around $6- $7 and worth every penny. So far the season has been very successful for the industry and overall it should prove to be a good year... ok, lets eat some more then!!

When I'm not eating fresh seafood, driving Raye to work, fiddling with something on my truck or preparing for the big move coming soon, I take time out for a little music playing and recording. I've recorded a few original compositions so far. Another local muso was looking for someone to run his recording setup so I now moonlight over there too. He has many local number ones (on French radio) and a couple of albums already to his credit.

This little guy (below) stopped by for a quick bite on the back lawn. The Hares here are a lot larger than our own rabbits back in Oz, but then again there is a lot more to eat here too.. 8D
Caio

Family Ties

Some marry into property, wealth or riches... I married into relations.... lots of 'em.

Last weekend we travelled down to Nova Scotia for a clan get together. The occassion was to celebrate Carol (one of Raye's nieces) and Derrick's 25th wedding anniversary. They had no idea that the intimate dinner they had planned after reaffirming their vows was to turn into a rambunctious party of 150 or more Savoie, Monroe and Schmeisser family relations. Everything was well planned and turned out supurb. Now as I am not being terribly well endowed with the 'remembering' gene, I couldn't tell you who was who by the end of the night (ok, Rum might have had something to do with that :)... but I know the Chocolate Lake Hotel was jumping and a great time was had by all.

In other news our land has received more fill to prepare for the addition of a septic system. As we are out in the 'boonies' somewhat there is no sewage facilities, and therefore a septic one is necessary. Plans are afoot to build a small lake in the back half of our two acres to attract birds and small wildlife. This future sanctuary should prove to be a nice quiet contemplative area, ideal for indulging in creative pursuits. With Raye's staff discount on plants and trees at MacArthur's Nursery it should be easy to acquire those that we need to build such a paradise. Those plans are a long way off yet from being realised, however the act of making them helps to keep one's spirits up when current progress slows and we are forced to wait on tradespeople and utility providers before we can move ahead once again.

Speaking of keeping one's spirits up... check out this little beauty. Why didn't they have products like this when I was dating??

I did it my... (drive) way.

Whether you are a creationist or a evolutionist, it is fascinating to see a new land formation taking place before our eyes. Especially so when its your own that is being formed.

Such is the case this week with trucks coming in and depositing loads of shale and gravel upon our little patch of Canadian paradise. Each load takes us closer to forming the islet that will be our house pad and driveway. It goes like this. Truck backs up over previous loads, drops new load. Small bulldozer smooths down new mound and rolls it flat... next truck comes along, drops load... etc etc.

In no time at all now I hope to bring you pictures of our trailer rolling on to the newly formed pad, and then the work really starts. Connecting all the life support systems that make up a livable residence is all about installations, trials and tribulations... ah but its all fun, isn't it?

In other news this week Valmond's beautiful Clydesdale horses were due for a toenail clipping. So, a specialist was called and he came ready to do battle. All started well, the horses were curious to start with, but over time got a little bored with the process, and when half a ton of horse doesn't want to play anymore, it becomes a battle of wills and a trial of patience.

The horse guy was skilled and had plenty of patience. Asked if I knew Mick (Crocodile) Dundee when he found out I was an Aussie. Couldn't help myself, told him I had a beer with him a while ago at the Walkabout Hotel.... I bet he knows smokey the bear too!

Just had to include this last pic... its screaming for a caption like... quit horsing around Wilber (for those who remember Mr Ed the talking horse) ... or Say Waahh?

Anyway, that's enough for now, gotta go supervise the driveway my way, and not in a shy way......

Don't forget, to see any of the pictures above in a larger size, just click on them. To come back to the blog, click the 'back' button on your browser.

Cheers
Colin and Raye

Back up and Running

The force deserted me this week. One minute the happy homesteader.. the next, misery guts.
Canadians have bred a seriously nasty cold bug that blindsided me this week and totally took my life-form over. Can honestly say now I'm completely sated as far as Discovery Channel is concerned, having watched every episode of How it is made, Dirty Jobs and the Daily Planet. Space and History Channels got a look-in as well.

Still croaky but with an even worse case of cabin fever, I broke free from the confines of my bed today and spread my wings at last in the glorious Spring sunshine.
At least that is what the Weather Channel is calling it... I'd call it a dull chilly day. Depends on how happy you are to finally see that its not snowing.

In Canada there is always lots of water. Here it comes out of the sky and the ground anywhere and anytime. Not far from where we are staying is this 'take all you want' roadside spring provided by the property owners. As one who grew up in a dry country where water is precious, it gave me an anxiety attack to see so much water just running down the drainage ditch.
Being eternally curious and alarmed at the waste of precious fluid, I drank from this spring and it was without doubt the finest tasting water ever to cross my palate. A small collection box was provided to permit donations to Cancer research for those who, like me, appreciated and collected samples of their fine liquid.

Along the way Raye has been collecting things for our new home. Among these prized possessions is a Rocking Chair that dates back to her grandmother's age. Its the real deal and as you can see it passed the test with flying colours. Back in Oz, Raye would often declare that upon returning to her country of birth, she just had to have a rocking chair.... enjoy!

With the ice now gone from the waterfront many fishermen are preparing for the commencement of the lobster season which begins shortly. This is a really big deal here and there are feasts and festivals to mark its passing that originated with the Maritimes first settlers.
As one who has never shied away from a serious seafood gorging on Australian Prawns, Scallops and Crayfish, I can't wait to sink my fangs into some genuine New Brunswick Lobster.. oh yeah!
Cheers
Colin and Raye

PS... if you want to view any of the images here in a larger size, just click on them ;)

White Easter ~ new beginnings

Nature is such an unkind mistress. What she gives, she takes away just as easily. Last week we were revelling in the dawning of Spring. The lawn was turning slowly from white to pale green, the birdies were changing their songs... then bam! Its bloody snowing again!!

As we wait out the white out this Easter, here are a few bits of news and a few photo's to chew on.

As the land story continues.... Valmond, my brother in law, sat wielding the mighty claw of the Hitachi dragline machine digging, or more accurately pulling, stumps from the ground last week. He was doing this to create a clear path for the other heavy machinery to come in and form up the pad where our new home will sit. In less than an hour the whole task was completed and ready for when the land dries out and trucks can move in. With a base of gravel over rock, the driveway and the house pad should take about 80 to 100 truck loads of material to complete. Then the real fun starts!
I might add that heavy machinery is prohibited from using public roads in the Province during the months of March through May. The dates vary but the law is strict on this as due to the thaw, the road base is very wet and heavy machinery will literally tear up the thin covering of bitumen in very short order.

More recently we took a drive out to Odettes Summer camp in the boonies. She bought this little piece of wilderness a few years ago and keeps it as a place to go and chill out when needed. There are Trout in the river at the bottom of the land and although the cottage needs some work, it is a charming little hideaway, with lots of wild country nearby. On the way there we spotted a few wild deer and Raye snapped this great shot of a doe sniffing the air for danger.

Later that day our friendly back yard squirrils were captured eating seed from Odettes cup. It is rare to see these extremely flighty animals up so close as this. Whilst the male was partaking of the tasty seed offering, his mate was trying to climb Odettes pants leg. This got too much for her and she had to retire gracefully or suffer a squirrel in a place where a squirrel really should not go!

And that brings me back to the snow..... chilling out, literally and figuratively.
Cheers
Colin and Raye

The Big Meltdown

In the land of the Maple Leaf, Spring has at last sprung... and with Canadians heaving a huge sigh of relief, a number of strange rituals commemorating the occasion have also sprung into life. Hard to believe, but right now otherwise sane men and women all over this country are rising up as one... armed with little more than flimsy shovels, picks and rakes, they feverishly banish the last of the winter ice and snow. Truth be known, give the nature of this fast disappearing cold stuff, a few extra days and it will banish itself! Still, tradition is tradition, and all over Canada right now otherwise sensible men and women are participating in this ritualistic and symbolic ice banishment.

Alongside ritual ice banishment is the annual treasure hunt. Here, new discovery of objects once thought lost are reborn as the snow melts away... its like opening presents on Christmas morning as you rediscover all the good stuff you thought you'd forgotten about during winter. Lobster pots, garden beds, gum wrappers, Tim Horton cups and old bills that fell out of the mail box last winter are all now revealed in the wake of the disappearing snow. This ritual is the one immediately preceeding another called the 'great Spring clean'.

Another just as important and ritualistic event is obtaining a license to kill..... fish that is!
Every year on April 15th citizenry obtain a permit to capture freshwater Trout in the plethora of streams and rivers that spring up everywhere. What was little more than a ditch in summer suddenly grows to a small river and bursts into life with the lively and great tasting Trout. This is a much anticipated annual event and hell, for the measly fee of $25, I might give it a shot myself.

On another note my brother in law Valmond today dug a huge trench out the back of our new block... to better help drain away natures liquid bounty. A timely event as right now if there is nowhere for the snow melt to go, huge wet bogs appear that take a very long time to dissipate. So, with the trench now dug and the melt in full force, we are turning our attention to where our driveway and house pad will be located within the block. An hour or two tramping around in the knee high snow and a workable plan emerges.

Next step, and next post, will be of further developments in breaking new ground on our block of Canadian heaven. Till then, Au Revoir!

Colin and Raye

Mañana ...maybe tomorrow

Yesterday was a white out, or should that be a wipe out?

March is usually time around here for the brighter colours of nature to shine through the disappearing snow. Brightly coloured birds come to visit as new blades of grass pick up the cycle of growth from their hybernative state and once more spring into life.

Well humbug to that!

We had 30cm of snow yesterday that just brought the whole Province to a halt. Schools were closed, roads were closed and everyone just stopped what they were doing and stayed put. We are not just talking about bad weather here....its impossible to go anywhere or do anything that requires going outside.

There is a kind of fatalism and acceptance in the Canadian way of thinking when it comes to Mother Natures' whims. You could take the Mexican word Mañana and apply it to the Canadian psyche and it would make sense. Roads under a foot of snow? Can't see a metre in front of your face out there? Ahh Mañana ...maybe tomorrow eh!

It is an acceptance of the power of nature and a realistic view of life in a harsh climate that molds and shapes the Canadian paradigm. A refreshing, rustic way of life that pays homage to a more accurate perspective of human beings' true significance on this planet. The polar opposite of mankind as omnipotent rulers of the earth.

Lets face it, all the fancy cars and techno-gadget-wizardry in the world isn't worth a damn in a snowstorm. You're staying put buddy, and that's all there is to it! Put another log on the fire, cook up some poutines and apple pie and sit back, watch a movie, relax... Mañana.

Before it snowed I managed to catch my first sight of wild deer, almost in the centre of Moncton. This pic is of a Doe and her two fawns travelling to Spring feeding grounds. Although civilisation has encrouched on their habitat, these wild deer continue with their yearly migration and are a common sight in Moncton, right next to a busy arterial road... talk about 'Northern Exposure!'

Last week I had the opportunity to put my truck over the pits... Canadian style. That means, first I had to dig the snow out! Turns out the 'pits' were two piers of concrete blocks dropped onto the ground with a dirt ramp to get on to them. Rough, but it works!

Raye and I have done all we can do right now. Our Mini Home is parked in the drive way waiting for Spring, my immigration papers are underway and we are settling in to the Canadian way of life. Mañana.

Cheers
Col and Raye