Winter, spring, winter.....

 

 

Our Location: Tehkummah, Ontario

 

Just a quick little photo show. Winter doesn't want to let go here, this morning was -13C/ 9 F but we've been going up and down from just above freezing to  just below until the last couple of days which have been consistently COLD. Add to that the wonderful north wind and well, you get the idea. 

 

Sunrise March 20.

 

 

Sunrise March 23

  

Sunrise March 23

March 25, a new snow fall.

Not massive but enough, wet and heavy.

March 26, early morning, freezing rain.

Later in the day March 26, now just muddy roads.

As you can see from the photos, in one week we had some interesting weather, today the road in the last photo is frozen and no mud in sight. Cold but no wind makes a difference here, although living on a big rock in the middle of Lake Huron insures that at some point there will be wind during any 24 hour period. Hopefully it's from the south and remains so for the next number of weeks. The snow banks are melting quickly at times but new ones are showing up too.  Freezing rain in the forecast for tomorrow as well.  Ah spring, it is the season.

 

The sunrise photos I changed the colour tint to match closer to the actual colour in the sky that the camera just can't seem to pick up. All photos were taken with my phone of course. 

 

Thanks for dropping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

Until next time, 

take care, be safe, stay healthy

 

Deb

Spring is coming to Manitoulin Island......

 

 

Our Location: Tehkummah, Ontario

 

It's been a while since my last post but I thought I'd catch up today. The winter has pretty much ended here, although we still have some snow and more will come but it won't last long. In the past week the ground is starting to show in places, the creeks and rivers are running, the fields are showing water laying everywhere and a few spots are showing a hint of red in the far off distance of tree tops. The now present mud is everywhere and if not careful one might find themselves wallowing in a mud bath. 

 

A few fru fru's sis and I assembled at work. 

 The winter has been long here, bleary, dreary and cold. A few medical issues with Riley and I as well as the Dogsled. However things are moving along and we are hopeful that getting back into the Igloo and the summer will do the trick. (for us, not the Dogsled) 

 

Sunrise on a morning walk.

Crisp and cold on these mornings.

Around mid Feb the Dogsled just wasn't feeling well, nothing exactly but something was off. Long story short, a flatbed took him from one garage to another where he sat for about two weeks waiting for a head gasket to be delivered, and eventually he came home, full of pep and doing well.  More expensive than paying my rent for the winter but oh well, we can't move the Igloo without him. A big thanks to Dad for the loan of "Marion" his car during our time of need.

Last week this road was just one long mud lane.

The local dairy farm.

 Work at the little Inn has been very quiet although it's picking up again as spring makes its entrance.  I currently do a little light housekeeping for a couple of elderly couples to help with the boredom of winter. The general agreement is spring can't arrive fast enough. 

 

It's beautiful in the right light, isn't it?

But it's cold and damp, chilling to the bone in fact.

 A few things to mention for my own future 'remembering' . Middle daughter Bradey and her hubby David are set to welcome their second child at the end of May. A brother for Auston. Nephew Jason enjoyed his trip to the far west coast of Canada where he spent about 5 weeks sledding in the mountains with friends.   Get well wishes to Connie. The entire family is doing well, healthy, happy and for the most part glad we can see spring. I've enjoyed my morning coffee with Joan this winter. We are about 6 weeks from moving back home in to the Igloo. Looking so forward to that. 

 

Looking back the way I've come.

 I will admit I've been slowly catching up on my blog reading, I just couldn't seem to read them over the winter for some reason. I'm envious of all you folks out there living the dream, soaking up the sun and scratching the hitch itch.  Al's (Travel with the Bayfield Bunch ) neck of the woods are much closer to spring than we are, but we're moving right along trying to catch up. Lorne and Sue (  A place called away )  Harold and Pat down in Mexico look to be just living the high life with daily outings and tempting food. Deb and Tom (  Celebrating the Dance   )  are teasing me with all the views they are enjoying. Thanks for the emails throughout the winter, brightened the day for sure. Doug and grandson Nick ( Miss Adventure Travels  ) are doing some great exploring and I've enjoyed all those views a great deal. Sorry to hear about the WL issues but hopefully a quick fix and you'll be on your way once more. Bill ( On our way )  and Patsy ( Chillin' with Patsy ) seem to be filling their days enjoying friends and family as well as introducing their newest family member young Master Gibbs to the RV community.  Ivan ( Road Trip )  and Hailey seem to be keeping a low profile out there in the grasslands.  Ken and Shirley ( Seeing America with Ken and Shirley ) are making me tired just reading about their busy days!  Colin and Contessa (5C's Que Pasa ) are also enjoying their new family members, a set of chocolate Doxies which they are enjoying introducing to the sights, sounds and smells of Mexico. Jim and Barb ( Jim and Barb's RV Adventure) are just wowing me with all their energy and making me chuckle often with their wit. Nice new wheels folks. Mz Kissack ( Kissack Adventures  ) is on uphill learning curve but I have no doubt you will breeze to the top with no troubles. Congrats on the big step and I'm sure you will enjoy the freedom. Rick and Kathy (It's about time ) seem to be doing well down there in the Windsor area, hopefully things continue well and you will once again be back on the road out of the cold.  I miss George and Suzie very much and think of them often. I think that about ends my reading, if I missed anyone I'm sorry. 

 

So that about sums up this post. I hope to stop in to your blogs on a bit more regular basis but can't promise. Summer is coming and I'm truly thankful for that. I may celebrate a "thanksgiving" just for that fact alone. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the visit. 

 

 Until next time, 

 Take care, stay safe, be healthy, 

 

Deb

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

 

 

Our Location: Little Stone House, Tehkummah, Ontario

 

Merry Christmas (although I know I'm a day late, but better late than never) and Happy New Year to one and all. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and didn't find too many lumps of coal or whatever Santa is giving the naughty this year in your stockings or under the tree. 

 

A view of the Colorado River while on a jeep ride with friend Jerry!!!

 

Things are quiet here in the village of Tehkummah, the local little general store/beer/liquor outlet was busy right up until closing time on Dec 24 but other than that not much is happening. Coffee time with family is still the highlight of the days. Snow has been falling and melting, temps have been as low as 7F/ -14C and as warm as 39F/ 4 C. Of course sun and wind play a big factor in how warm those temps actually feel. 

 

The Badlands, a really nice view. 

 

I purchased a new iPad Air recently and while I love Apple, I hate trying to learn new things such as sharing photos, having all of my devices recognized by each other, etc. Both my old iPad and my computer (a very old MacBook Pro) still work but are too old to update and my iPad just will not recognize either of them.  So it's been a big challenge for me, and to be honest, I'm not winning the battle. I still may have to use my computer to do my blog instead of the new iPad, which is one of the reasons for the purchase. OH well, it is what it is.  Riley also got a new device but opted for a new Tablet instead of an iPad. We also both upgraded our phones a couple of months ago and while I wanted to go for an Apple, none were available so Samsung won out. Ever try to mate a Samsung and an iPad Air or even an old MacBook Pro? It would be funny if it weren't so darn frustrating. 

 

 Picacho Peak, also taken on the ride with friend Jerry. 

I am trying to work myself into posting more often but truly folks, it's very quiet here and there isn't much of anything going on that would interest anyone.  On a personal side I'm going to make a couple of  mentions for future reference. Nephew Jason is once again getting himself all ready to head to BC for a month of sledding with his buddies. Although I think he seems to be dragging his feet a bit and I think that may be due to the fact that he now has a son that will be turning one in February and I'm sure while he missed his beautiful bride Leah a great deal she wouldn't change much in the month he was gone! Hudson may actually be walking by his return.  So he's delayed leaving by almost a week. Nephew Jesse (Jason's younger brother) bought a new Chevy 1500 just a few weeks ago. Nice truck!!!

 

Sunrise in the back yard here at the little stone house. 

 

 

The first little snow fall we had in November, the Igloo looks cold and lonely there.


 

 This is our summer spot view but  not very summery looking is it?

 So on that note, I'm going to call it a post and sign off. Thanks for stopping by. 

Until next time, 

Take care, stay safe and be healthy, 

Deb

 

 

 

Winter settles in....

                                                                 Our Location: Tehkummah, Ontario

 

Hope all is well with you fine folks taking the time to read this today. Things are pretty quiet here in our little hamlet with winter finally settling in over the last few days with constant snow and snow streamers coming in off the lake. Winds will begin whipping the sparkling clean white stuff around with greater force as the day continues. I have no snow pictures today though, but I will hopefully take a few in the up coming days.

 

On one of the many roads I walk around here.

I must say I don't really like the new Blogger format, things go missing, and won't go where they should, nothing scrolls properly and so on. Not making me want to use it any more than necessary these days. 

 

The Igloo looks cold.

 

 

 Riley and I haven't been doing much these days, working a day here or there, doing a little grocery shopping, taking a few walks but otherwise we've been staying out the cold, wet, windy outside.

 

It seems we are falling apart during these long winter days. Riley is dealing with a knee injury from an earlier slip in November. It's a slow process but it's getting better and we are both looking forward to getting back to the desert to walking and hiking in something that isn't slimy and wet where slipping is much harder to do. The cold, damp north is not kind to joints  and we will leave it at that. My blood sugars have been giving me issues as well. Fun times we are having! We are like everyone else, missing the bright sunshine filled skies and are looking forward to the end of the lock downs, pandemics and border closures. I don't think it can come soon enough for any of us. 

 

Look closely, it's the sun.

A vintage trailer in there.

 Thanks for stopping by. 

 Until next time...take care, be safe, stay healthy, 

 

Deb

 

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

 

 

Location: Hamlet of Tehkummah, Ontario


It’s been a while since my last update but I haven’t had much to say. I’ve had the best intentions to keep reading blogs but well, we know what happens with best intentions. Enough said.

 

Downtown Tehkummah

Looking down the main street out of town.

 

 First things first, belated Happy Thanksgiving to our American Friends. We were with you in spirit and even celebrated here in our little corner of Ontario with a nice big ham. Belated Merry Christmas to one and all. We hope this holiday season has brought you peace, love and joy. Along with good health, good cheer and almost all that you wished for. I do mean almost ALL, because if you received everything you wished for, what would you have left to wish for in the future? We would also like to wish you all a very wonderful New Year as I doubt I'll be doing another update so quickly.

Ward's General Store, across the street from our little winter house.

 

Our little stone winter home.

Snow, cold, milder temps, rain, more snow, more cold, etc. You get the idea. The weather here is a constantly changing thing. Although we’ve had a few very cold nights we haven’t had any long stretches of such weather and so we will not complain. The Big Dog muscles onward but can be seen shivering late at night when he thinks we aren’t watching, the Igloo is safely tucked away near our summer spot and I’m sure is shivering much more frequently. Hopefully next year we will all be back to a much more normal way of life and we can be in a much warmer place with a lot less snow and enjoying spectacular sunrises and sunsets.


 

The back yard of our little stone house.

 

A few days of work here and there but otherwise very quiet here in our little neighbourhood. We did have daughter Courntey visit for a few days before Christmas. It was so wonderful to see her and spend some time getting caught up. The days whipped by quickly but a few days is better than no days. She had a friend heading westward for a couple of weeks and so we managed to meet them only an hour and half drive away which made her visit much easier for us. A less than easy ride taking her home to Toronto, a quick overnight for me with a much easier ride home to the little stone house here in Tehkummah the following day. 

A bit different view of the back yard.

 

Other than that, nothing is new here, everyone is well, healthy and getting through the winter one day at time. All of the photos today were taken with my phone this morning, Boxing Day 2020. They show the small hamlet of Tehkummah and our little stone house for the winter.

View of the back our little stone house.

 Nephew Jason left this morning for a month of sledding near Revelstoke, BC. We wish him safe travels and good health. A very long drive for a single traveller. Wife Leah didn’t make the trip this year as she is due to deliver their first baby in mid February.

 

Can you see the General Store across the street?

Belated birthday wishes to great niece Isabel, who celebrated #7 on Christmas Eve, to cousin Barry who celebrated a much bigger number on Christmas Day. Future wishes to nephew Jason (Jan 2), cousin Sheila (Jan 7), niece Amber (Jan 9), sister in law Janet (Jan 14), daughter Courtney (Jan 22), cousin Craig (Jan 23), daughter Riley (Jan 28) and cousins Bob and Ruth (Jan 29). Lots of folks celebrating those candle days!!!

 

We are too protected here at the house to know the real weather and so we watch it through the trees in that open field of the dairy farm behind us. We can see blowing and drifting snow, fog, snow and when the trees start bending we know about the force of the wind.

So there you have it folks, a quick update. We do hope everyone out there is safe, healthy and happy. Stay warm or cool, whichever one might apply to you. Thanks for stopping by.

Multiple wind chimes grace the yard, these are just a few.

Until next time…. take care, be safe, stay healthy,

Deb

Settled into our little stone house for the winter.....

Our Location:  Tehkummah, Ontario, Canada

 

(All photos taken with my phone)

 

The summer has faded and fall has arrived. Snow flurries have fallen a few times already. The leaves lay carpeting the ground where ever we look and the temps have dipped below freezing a number of times already. I think it is safe to assume that winter is not far off in the weeks ahead. 

 

Summer and fall have been a busy time for us and I had little time to do any blogging or reading of blogs. I also didn't feel very motivated to do either of those things. I'm not sure why but it's just the way things are here. 

 

Riley and I moved into a small two bedroom stone house in the little village of Tehkummah ( Tac-a-maw) for the winter. We hauled the Igloo out here to unload our necessaries on Oct 14, just a few days after Thanksgiving. In the time since then we've had the Igloo winterized and parked close to our spot on the hill, still accessible if necessary. We've enjoyed having family out to the house for dinner a couple of times and are just enjoying the warmth as we watch out the windows on some of the colder frosty and snowy mornings. It will be a very different winter for us this year and hopefully only ONE winter will need to be spent in the cold north and out of our Igloo. We are crossing our fingers and toes. 

 

 

I'm slowly starting to return to reading blogs and have managed to get caught up on a couple this morning before writing my own blog. I will get to answering all the replies from the two previous blogs before long but I don't think it will be today. It is nice to ride along with our friends Deb & Tom of Celebrating the Dance as they travel towards the southwest. We shall enjoy your posts this winter as your photos and words offer us snow bound Canadians comfort knowing someone is enjoying the desert this winter. 

 

I will post from time to time during the winter months, although I doubt we will have much to post about. Pretty quiet in our neighbourhood. Thanks for stopping by, until next time...  Stay safe, take care, be healthy. 

 

Deb