Simple living

Baby Stinkers

It is a damp day here in the Kingston area and I have a number of errands so I drove into the city to do them and to write a post.  On the way in on the road was a mama skunk and her two babies.  I stopped a long way back and tried to find my camera.  The babies were dawdling and mama had to stop and turn around and push them along.  It was so beautiful to see her caring for her sweet tiny babies.  By the time I found my camera I caught one baby partially covered by grass and the tip of mama’s tail.  Still, I wanted to share the experience.  The babies are ever so cute and they have a wonderful, loving mama.

Mama and babies

Categories: Nature, Ontario, Open your eyes, Simple living | 6 Comments

Super Green

This year is so very different from last summer.  Already by this time in 2012 we were starting into a despairingly long and dreadful drought.  This year there is ample water and the forest is coming alive again.  It is wonderful to see nature’s resilience.  Except for the mosquitos that is.Tiny House Ontario in her green forest Green to the South Green to the West

 

Categories: Forest, Nature, Ontario, Open your eyes, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario, View | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

No One Here But Us Turkeys!

This morning when I woke up the rain had just begun to fall. I flew out of bed to uncover the garden and headed back into Tiny House Ontario to get dressed and organize my day.  My cousin Tracey and I planned on a slumbie at her place in the city tonight, so I had a few things to pack into the car.

I was just about to put them there when I noticed there was a HUGE turkey just beside my door.  Instead of going out, I grabbed the camera and took a couple of photos.  Unfortunately, he got a few feet from the house… and through the glass the photos are not terrifically clear.  Even so, they are better than nothing and I did not want to scare turkey off.  These wild turkeys run fast and fly quite well so I am lucky to get a photo from 20 feet.

The turkey was alone as far as I could see.  Probably attracted by the mix I put out for the birds and chipmunks.  It certainly looked well fed and mature.  I would guess that this turkey was well in excess of 20 pounds.

I knew that there were turkeys here on our historical land because I often see their tracks in the snow; large arrows pointing in direction that they left behind.  It is the first I have seen one come so close so I am thrilled and hoping for more!

The wild turkey is really making a comeback in Eastern Ontario.  I understand from my grandparents that they were once very plentiful; however, as a child I do not recall ever seeing one nor do I recall ever hearing of anyone who hunts ever killing one.  Yet, in the last decade they seem to be thriving.  I also understand that these turkeys were reintroduced to the area from the United States.  Apparently 274 birds were brought in a couple of decades ago and now there are some 35,000 of them in the area.

No matter the details, it was thrilling to have a turkey visit THO this morning!  Now I am signing off because I am going to gobble down some lunch… turkey free, of course!

Tom Turkey

Categories: Environmentalism, Forest, Kingston, Magical, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Open your eyes, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

FROST!

covered garden covered strawberriesNo worries, this rural girl listens to the radio and I have it covered!

Categories: Food, Kingston, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

I Can See

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Pair of dice by the cloth porch light.

HAHAHA!

A little too long in the forest perhaps?

 

Seriously though… it is cold today.  My friend G, Hj, Sister A and B were over too – we had a frosty lunch on the porch together and were glad to back in the house where it was warm!  We have had a little rain and even some hail.  Come on back warm weather!

Categories: Forest, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living | Tags: , | 2 Comments

Planted

2013 planting is done.  I put in four varieties of peppers, five varieties of tomatoes, two varieties of basil, rosemary, sage, parsley, peas, beans, spinach, lettuce variety, 18 strawberry plants, some flower varieties, onion sets, broccoli and swiss chard.

Hopefully there will be rain this summer to keep them live and healthy.

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Categories: Food, Ontario, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario | 4 Comments

The Supervisors

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Hj and I dug up the garden yesterday.  The chives are coming up nicely, but the parsley winterkilled, so more will have to be put in.

The four supervisors kept their eyes on us to make sure we were doing a good job.

Planting will begin in a couple of days.

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Categories: Dogs, Environmentalism, Food, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | Tags: | Leave a comment

BRRRRRRRish

The ice storm had some very nice effect on the THO forest.  Have a peek.

I knew the storm was coming so I spent a couple of nights with my cousin Tracey.  The house is strong, so I was not worried about it caving in on me, but I was here in Ontario for ice storm 98 and saw the effect that ice can have.  I was concerned that I could be trapped by falling trees.

When the ice stopped falling and I found out from my community that the roads were sufficiently clear, I drove out.  It was interesting out there!  Like having bags of ice dumped on your head.  Slowly dropping ice-cubes, actually.

Today, I worked my first day at the market.  It was miserably cold!  The nicest parts of the day were my friends Guillaume, and Geoff popping in to see me.  Sadly I missed my oldest boyfriend Kevin and his fiancee Tim.  I gave up at 1:30 because I was frozen to the ground.

Here is proof that I was there!  (Photo credit: Prof. Geoff Smith)

Laura at the Market

Categories: Art, Forest, Kingston, Nature, Original Art work of Laura Moreland, Simple living | 4 Comments

Gypsy Caravan for Sale

The cook stove darkened from the light of the doorwayThere is a wonderful caravan for sale.
It is a five year old traditionally built utilitarian gypsy caravan. It is 6x 12 feet and built on an original 1905 McLaughlin undercarriage.  The McLaughlin undercarriage is significant, because this was designed specifically to carry glass milk bottles on rough roads.  The ride on this wagon is very smooth and comfortable when compared to other gypsy wagons.
This wagon has ample storage.  It is located under the double bed platform, under the double bench seats and also along the wall there is a shelved cupboard which is pictured below.
There is a hide away table which has a checker/chess board painted on.
The one small contemporary convenience is a small unobtrusive installation of a solar light.
A gypsy wagon is not built to be pulled behind a vehicle. It is designed to go horse speed.  In fact Maurice “Bear” Leger, the man who built this caravan, has lived and traveled thousands of kilometres in this manner. You can read and see more about him and his lifestyle here and here.
The front can be removed so that a team or yoke hook up can be put on the front.  (this means that if you wish to use two horses to pull it or if you want to pull it short distances with a contemporary vehicle you can do so.
If you wish to move it long distances, the wagon can be transported on a flatbed or behind a 1500 (or larger) pound horse.
The covering tarp on the wagon is military grade and therefore should last for tens of years, but like all gypsy wagons this is removable when it comes time for ordinary upkeep.
The wagon has a wood stove, but it is not insulated, rather it is built in the old way with pretty interior panels and a covering tarp.  When the winter comes to those who choose the traditional lifestyle, a field is located, 200 bales of hay are ordered and delivered and when they come they are stuffed under the wagon and piled around it.  Only the front and rear end are left open for the light.  The hay is fed one bale at a time to the horse and by spring… when the insulation and the feed are gone the wagon is pulled away.
This wagon was not used this winter as Bear has had to leave this lifestyle behind; however when we went back to see it on Easter morning it was dry as a bone inside.
The current location of the wagon is between Kingston and Gananoque, Ontario.
The asking price is $6,000  Canadian Dollars.
You can contact Bear here, or you can also leave your details in the comment section below and I will pass a message on to Bear.
You can also look at the listing here and from this link you will find a place to email Bear directly.
Categories: Bear the Tinker, Environmentalism, Off Grid, Simple living, Sustainable living | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

Flying Easter Eggs!

We did not have any rabbits who showed up on Easter Sunday morning.  There was not even a tiny egg hidden, but there were a lot of visiting woodpeckers.  My husband and I sat outside in the sun reading and watching the woodpeckers flying around.  There are a ton of tiny downy woodpeckers around THO.  They are so cute flitting up and down the trees looking for insects.  They are quiet too, so if you don’t keep your eyes open you miss them.  We also have at least one hairy woodpecker he is a lot noisier than his tiny cousin.  Both the flap of his wings and the hammering of his beak on the trees is loud.  They are quite similar in appearance. both are specked and showy with a little red on the back of their heads, but the the size difference between them  makes them easy to distinguish.

My sister has a pileated woodpecker who lives near their place.  Unfortunately, I have never caught a glimpse of it, though she says it is a frequent visitor.  They are very noisy birds!  I saw one only once before and hope that a least one will come to join me in the forest this year.

downy woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

On another quizzical note.  When we arrived on Friday there was a wild animal at THO.  I do not know what it was.  I did not see it too closely because it ran when we pulled the car in.  It was the size, colour and shape of a fisher, but it appeared to have softer fur similar to a cat.  It also had a bobbed tail with a spot of white on the end.  This is not an April fools thing if you are wondering.  I really would like to know what it was.  ANYONE?

Categories: Forest, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Open your eyes, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario, View | 5 Comments

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