April on the Mountain

Spring at Last!

On a trip to town I caught covid for my first (and hopefully only) time! Body aches, a runny nose and lethargy had me sitting around for nearly two weeks. During that time Curt and I did nothing more than keep up daily chores and stay warm. Feeding the animals and splitting wood was difficult but I think that the fresh air was good for the lungs.

Empathetic or Evil?

Water Catchment

Watching the snow melt off of the sea cans and fall to the ground made me want to give water catchment a try. My stored water was down to 500 litres before I created the experiment last month. The very temporary catchment, made out of a pop bottle, tuck tape, and vinyl tubing has done incredibly well! Now, I’ve filled three water cubes. That’s over 3,000 litres. I’ve gone from skimping on water to enjoying a bath!

Cuddle-Bunnies

More Bunnies

Spring has sprung in the bunny hutches! When a ‘doe’ is about to have babies, she collects straw and makes a nest. She lines it with her own fur, making it look like an incredibly cozy place for a nap. Born hairless and blind, the little ones will spend their first month in the nest keeping each other warm.

There are now three nests full of babies. I try not to disturb them aside from when they’re newly born. I check to make sure the kits are okay and have full bellies. They’re such squirmy little things - I still haven’t gotten an accurate count of how many there are! I can hardly wait until their eyes open and they start exploring.

Sudden Change

‘That wasn’t there yesterday, was it?’

In the last week of the month, spring finally sprung. The nights stayed above freezing and the snow began to melt. With a vengeance. The world is suddenly very wet, with little creeks running down the hillsides. It’s incredible and a bit strange to see the change happening so fast. New things emerge from the snow, causing me to stop, stare at it for a moment and think to myself ‘That wasn’t there yesterday, was it?’

The Pond

Last year, Curt and I began to dig a small pond in the yard. It’s mostly an experiment to see if we can do it. We stopped digging when things got too dry and dusty. Without a liner or anything to keep the water in, I’ve noticed water pooling in the bottom as the snow thaws. Is it actually going to hold water on its own?

I rode down the road to where it was muddy to meet up with Curt in his truck. He got stuck.

Snowed In

At the end of last month’s newsletter, I asked;
'Am I still going to be snowed in - in May?!’.
The answer is a resounding YES. On the last days of April, the snow rotted enough that we decided to park the snowmobiles for the season, however sections of the road are still too snowy to drive. I’m hoping the melt continues to happen fast, I’m almost out of milk and sugar for my coffee!