Nature

Celebrating Rain

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Laura

The forest was green and soft this morning when I woke.  A hazy soft light covered the woods as far as I could see and the leaves point upward and danced in the light breeze.

We had two good rains yesterday afternoon.  Both were not called for as far as I understand, but yet they came.  I had left my dishpan out in the cloth porch kitchen and there was a full two to three inches of depth in it!  Enough rain water to wash the coffee cups that were in there!  Enough rain to rebound much of the drought damage in the forest, where it is too late for many gardens and most fields.

In the year that I have been there, I have been talking about the way that the light is here.  Finally, yesterday afternoon when the rains ended and I took a photo which I believe captures the light. I imagine that the forest let go of its secrets because it was too busy celebrating!

Categories: Drought, Forest, Magical, Nature, Ontario | Leave a comment

Green Man

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Laura

When I look into the forest I very often see faces in the trees.  Some people refer to these as green man.

Here is a nice depiction by the artist Lauri Alexander.

In the evening there is a green man in the forest who can be seen clearly looking at me whilst I sit on the cloth porch.  Unfortunately, my camera is not of the quality that I can catch him when the light is behind him is perfect and he shows himself to me really clearly.  This is my Southern green man in the day.  Do you see him?  I am happy that he is still there, and still green…

Categories: Art, Cloth Porch, Forest, Friendship, Magical, Nature, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

Who Knows What Tomorrow Brings?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Laura

Tiny House Ontario, is always in transition.  When I go back there in the morning I think that Leo will have some things done there.  I am not 100% sure because I have not reached him.  I hope he will have the rest of the siding up as well as the eves trough, j-trim and facia.  If he was there, I have to fix the cloth porch.

If everything above is done, as far as the rest of this year goes there are a few small plans which I would like to see done.  This is to hook up the rain barrel and hook up the solar system.  We may also install a stove, but this has yet to be seen.

Left on the agenda for next years are some big jobs, such as, the well and pump install, the hickory floors cut, hand hewn and installed, the kitchen install and the stone patio with walkways.   I already know that I want to have a small clay oven on the patio but I saw a photo today which makes me believe that I may also need to have an arbour on this patio.  I would strongly prefer that the pillars be from fallen trees from my land and that the arbour have a canvas water repellant roof.

Any thing I have forgotten or should consider?

 

 

 

Categories: Cloth Porch, Forest, Money, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny house, Tiny House Ontario | 2 Comments

Going Batty!

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Laura

NEWS: it is raining at Tiny House Ontario and has been for some number of hours according to those who are living nearby.  WOOT WOOT!  I will worry less now!  Sadly, I think even a solid week of rain will not make a lot of difference to farmers at this time; the rain will still save a lot of trees, I hope!

When I was last there a few days ago sitting out on the cloth porch we watched through the cloth on the other side.  There were praying mantis insects under the solar LED porch light and they were collecting the night light bugs.  We have a lot of night bugs.

As a matter of fact, when I lay down at night, with my head in the window, the sound of hopeful mosquitos who are trying to get through the screen and vampire me to death is astonishingly loud.  Hundreds of them, I would guess, smell me.  Apparently, they think I am quite the tasty treat…

In discussion about the large number of mosquitos I came to the conclusion that I might just be able to do something natural to impact this a little bit. I am not sure if it is as simple as build it and they will come, but even so a young friend of a friend suggested building and bat house in order to help with decreasing the mosquito population.  This looks totally simple!

I don’t have any 4×4 boards at THO at the moment but they are not too hard to come by.  Another problem is digging that deep in the forest because of roots and also because of the limestone.   Still, I think that it might be fun to have some of the little winged mice nearby and it will be great if this works and it decreases the mosquitos!

A bonus too is that I also have lots of small bits of steel so I can give them a very posh roof that matches THO!  😛

Thank you, Cameleon, for the idea!

Categories: Cloth Porch, Environmentalism, Food, Forest, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny House Ontario | 2 Comments

Worry

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Laura

I have heard from friends near Tiny House Ontario that it still has not rained a drop.  The Weather Network calls for rain on Thursday but they have not been right yet when calling for rain.  They said that there would be rain there today, for example.

I am afraid that my garden looks like this (or worse):

I am even more afraid that worried that the trees are still falling and I hope that THO is safe there alone in the drought.

I won’t get back there for a few more days to water, I have no idea what to expect when I return there on Sunday.

Categories: Drought, Forest, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny House Ontario | 2 Comments