Off Grid

The Force of Nature!

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Laura

My husband and I were sitting in the cloth porch this afternoon.  We were discussing plans for the next week because he is away on business and I had to return to Hamilton for the week because there is a list of things that need doing here.  Suddenly there was a HUGE explosive noise that happened not too far away from the house.  I could tell that it was within the property that belongs to us, just South East of Tiny House Ontario.

My husband is not a rural born person and he was puzzled, but I knew right away that we were losing some HUGE trees to the drought.

We walked back through the land.  All of the forest small plants are dead, small trees too are failing.  We found the big tree that we thought had come down but then we saw that not only was one down but quite a few came down.  We lost a lot in last year’s tornado but now one of the biggest trees on the property lost a huge part and there are about 8 more trees that have come down.  We did not stay too long back at the ridge, there was still a lot of noise coming from the trees and I certainly do not want to be under one of those if they fall!

Can you see the tree spirits in the images?

My God!  We need rain.

Categories: Cloth Porch, Drought, Forest, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

Friends!

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Laura

Andre who I re-met again on Facebook a few years ago came to visit Tiny House Ontario last night.  I have not seen him face to face for about 30 years now.  We had been planning on him coming for some time because he is a talented amateur videographer and photographer and he thinks that THO will make for some interesting shots.  Last night, his visit was to “size” it up.  ;-P  He brought his daughter Chantelle and his grandson Andrew out with him.  Andrew reminds me a lot of his beautiful Aunt Cindy, so he will be a stunning grown man in a few years.  Little Andrew played music for us on the stainless steel pot that I gave him.  I bet he is the next Tommy Lee, but perhaps not so Motley.

Just at dusk my childhood BFF Lesley treated me to a pop in and brought her husband Clarence over as well.  YEAH!  We chatted into the night on the cloth porch.  She is just as sweet today as she was as a little girl and her husband too is a smashing great guy!

I am sure I have mentioned that I LOVE to have visitors.  Particularly when they come by in the evenings.  At Tiny House Ontario, where there is no disturbance in the nature of things I can’t help but reflect.  To say that I am fortunate to have the friends that I have is not enough.  I am charmed in this way.

Blessed be, all of you.

Categories: Cloth Porch, Family, Forest, Friendship, Laura Moreland, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

Heat

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Laura

Last night I ran away from the hot and sticky THO and spent the night at my friend Liisa’s and I am also spending the night here now.  Thanks Liisa!

I left Liisa’s first thing in the morning and spent the day at THO working on my writing.  When the heat became too much I drove Baby back to Battersea Village and sat at The Creek and wrote in the air-conditioning.   I find it a pretty good place to work.  I stayed there until the server let us know that there was a severe weather warning in place.  The bad weather never came, either did the rain.

The poor garden is so pathetic looking.

My farmer friends are really worried about their crops and I worry too because I think that with the drought being so widespread, the cost of food is sure to increase.

Update on the subject of food cost was on the news today (July 18), here is the link

Categories: Food, Friendship, Off Grid, Ontario, Tiny House Ontario, Writing | 1 Comment

Solar Panel Prep

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Laura

Tiny House Ontario does not get a lot of direct sun because it is located in the middle of the forest.  The clearing where the garden is located has also got enough space and light for the Tiny Solar array.  I decided to build a small deck for it to sit on so that the ground cover plant will not hinder the sun rays getting through.  This location will mean that the wires will have to run about 50 feet before they enter Tiny House Ontario.

I am really looking forward to having this up and running!

Categories: Forest, Nature, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Stuff, Tiny House Ontario | 2 Comments

Chair King

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Laura

It was a little cooler this morning but still no rain.  Hj did a little reading in the shade of THO.  I thought he looked comfy, King of the woods.

I believe that he was working on the finishing touches for something that Kingston Poet Bob MacKenzie asked him to do.

As it turned out we did not get much done again today but this is not related to the heat, rather, I had to go to to the doctor for a little infection and this took nearly all day.

Rain would be great for the woods, but also it would be nice to see the house without the chalk-lines.

Categories: Cloth Porch, Family, Off Grid, Ontario, Writing | Leave a comment