Life brings stress. It’s a natural and even healthy part of being human. We do weight-bearing exercise to stress (strengthen) our bones. We do mental exercise to stress (expand) our brains. But, lately, that societal stress? Whew. It’s showing up almost everywhere, isn’t it? So it’s important to get relief. Find the “wow.” Here’s how I get mine, in recent photos and captions from far-north Michigan.
As regular readers know by now, I feed a handful of deer here at Camp Many Moons on the shore of Huron Bay (which is connected to Lake Superior.) They are getting more bold by the day, as you’ll see in the final photo. I’m feeding them, so I’m asking for it. I love this photo because you see the icicles on the roof.
I can’t seem to catch a photo of the little birds who love this suet (black-capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, etc.) because they fly away as soon as I approach, but they’re there a lot. The windsock reads “welcome” in Finnish. Behind it, the snow-covered dock that’s “grounded” on the shoreline for the winter.
I measured 32″ of snow on that dock about a week ago. That snow-cap on top of the post is about 6″.
Woodpeckers make a racket on my 2nd suet, attached to the porch. (I keep asking myself “What’s that knocking sound?” 😉 ) I get three kinds here: downy, hairy, and pileated. Glad the wooden porch beams don’t have bugs in them, or they’d be attacking those too! (Sorry for the lousy photo — east-facing porch.)
And, every day, the deer. Actually, several times a day. Three of them. They’ve learned I’m a food source.
When not fiddling with wildlife, I’m tramping around my property to admire the winter scenes. Sometimes, a “wow” moment is quiet. Like this one. Silent thankfulness. So healing, to feel that.
I’m thankful, too, for the people who help keep the private road clear as the snow piles up. It’s becoming a challenge as the snowbanks grow. If we meet each other here, somebody needs to back up. Fortunately, there aren’t many people living on this road in winter. (So it’s a good thing I like my “alone-time!”)
A neighbor uses his ATV with a plow to help keep the road cleared while another neighbor holds back her cocker spaniel until he passes. That branch has been bending over the road since last Thanksgiving, but it isn’t going any lower. Yet. (The couple with the ATV are the only full-time residents on this road right now. The rest of us come-and-go.) I also hire a plow truck to come through as needed.
A different neighbor brought his snow-blower over to clear my driveway so that I could move my car out of it before the plow truck came. (I ask the plow to do my driveway also, and it’s easier if my car isn’t in it.) Look how far it throws the snow. Makes me think of those huge commercial snow-blowers which created six-foot walls on the road of my childhood home in the 60s and 70s. Only way to keep the road open!
With snow-on-the-ground passing 30″, shoveling is an essential task. First, the path to the front door…
…which looks like this from the other end.
Also the path to the propane tank. If it gets low, the propane company needs to reach it to do a re-fill. Propane powers the boiler, which warms the water that goes through a network of pipes, which is built into the floor/ foundation, which is the main heat source here. (Got that? 😉 ) Also called “in-floor” or “radiant” heat. I’m grateful to my building partner Jeff for talking me into it because the house is quite comfortable.
Speaking of shoveling, this — my storage trailer until something better gets built. Jeff says it should be shoveled. The ladders at Camp Many Moons are buried under snow. So I had to borrow a neighbor’s.
The hardest part was getting the ladder in place. The snow was mid-thigh. The ladder and I both sank.
After an hour, a clear roof. Pretty easy, after all…just pushed the snow off with the shovel while standing on the ladder. I didn’t have to get up on the roof. Which is good, since I don’t know if it could handle my weight.
This is the 12-foot trailer that was jokingly dubbed “The Ponderosa,” which I used as a writing studio for years. I’m not bothering to shovel it off because I can’t figure out how. Just walking to it was a challenge. I wore snowshoes, and the snow was so deep that I lost a shoe and had to dig it out. I did check inside for anything I don’t want to lose if the roof caves in. Its structure is already compromised since it’s so old.
This is Jeff’s truck, buried in snow while he’s away. Neighbors and I are keeping an eye on his place for him.
My solar lights don’t get much sun when wearing snow-caps. I put most of them away for the winter but kept a few out because I like to see the glow on the snow at night. Clearly, I need to keep them cleared. 😉
I love icicles but wonder if I need to knock them down. I’m not walking under them, so I guess not.
The Cabin at Many Moons in winter, south side. Yeah. I love it this way.
One thing about days of gray…it’s so marvelous when the sun comes out! I threw on my knee-high boots to get out there. (Boots stay handy at the door all winter long. Several pairs.)
Ay-yup! There they are again. I’m trying to stick with a feeding schedule, but my resolve is weakening.
Domestic animals bring me pleasure, too. I love joining my neighbors’ walk with their cocker.
But *this* one takes the cake. She walked right up to my patio door and bonked it — really, an audible “bonk!” — with her nose. Might have been her hoof, I didn’t see, but I did hear, it and took this photo immediately. Oh boy, what have I created here. 😉 I wonder, if I opened the door, if she’d walk right in??
A final treat from winter. Wow. I never get enough of snow-laden balsams, especially next to my porch.
Oops, gotta add this one more, which just happened as I am finishing this. (You can see the photo above on my computer screen.) Waltzing right by on the porch. Yep, I have “regulars!” It is illegal to feed wild deer in some places, but not here. Even if legal, you have to be willing to accept the consequences. I just moved over ten feet and caught her through the bedroom patio door, doing this. She’s discovered where I store the corn and alfalfa…fortunately inside a strong and well-secured container. I’m sure I spilled some bits on the porch. Notice the more timid buddy (or mother?) watching from a distance. I can relate to bold-girl..I’m the same!
For Many Moons 