October on the Mountain
Northern Lights, Redeye Flights and Preparing for a Beautiful Winter
Though I lived up north for a decade, I’ve never seen northern lights like the ones I was treated to last month. Our friend, who owns a property nearby came over for some drinks by the campfire. As we sat there on the dark clear night, he looked up and said,
’does the sky look weird to you?’
The news had reported that the aurora borealis had reached its peak days before, and I thought we’d missed it. As we sat there, the odd glow in the sky came to life. It waved and pulsed across the sky, not just to the North but all around. We lay on our backs in the middle of the yard, completely ignoring the cold and surrounded by the energetic sky for over an hour.
Processing and Pelts
I like to wait to process rabbits until fall is in full swing and they have begun to get their fluffy winter coats. I have butchering pretty much down to a science, though I wouldn’t claim to be an expert. From start to finish, it’s a lot of work, and I only do around ten per day. Like butchering chicken, I used to freeze them whole but I’ve found that breaking them down into servings makes more sense. The freezer is now stuffed full of wings, loins and legs.
Precious Cargo
Grayson’s owner was relocating from Vancouver to Toronto. With his car packed, he hit the road with Grayson in tow, stopping in Grand Forks for the night. While packing his car to leave - the black kitty snuck out of the hotel room. With a new job expecting him, Grayson’s heartbroken owner had to continue without his furry friend.
I’d been planning a trip to Ontario when the local feline society put out a post that they’d found Grayson and was looking for someone to bring him to Toronto. Of course, I jumped on the opportunity to help. It hadn’t crossed my mind that travelling with a cat I hadn’t met might be a bit of a challenge.
Thankfully, it wasn’t! Grayson was the sweetest travel companion, and even when I took him out of the carrier to go through security, he was nothing but a good cat. I worried that he might meow in protest on the plane, but to my surprise, he was popular with everyone seated around us as they all fawned over him. His owner was thrilled to have him back, and we both shed a tear before parting ways.
If you’d like to donate to the Boundary Helping Hands Feline Society - here’s a link; Donate Now
Changes to the House
Curt and I don’t come from construction backgrounds. Building has been a steep learning curve for us, and I feel that we’ve come a long way. After getting materials in town, we built a new 8X8 room for storage off of the side of the house. I’m impressed by how much we’ve learned, and I feel like we’ve found our groove. I’m crazy excited about whatever we might take on next year, after a winter break.
We moved the bed out of the loft in the back of the container and into the front room. Though the container was incredibly quiet, it was almost too quiet and a little bit stuffy. Waking up in the middle of the night with the stars shining in through the window is magical. Now I can hear the leaves on the trembling aspen, dancing in the breeze as I fall asleep.
Getting Back Into Art
I used to paint a lot in my spare time, but as you know, I don’t have a lot of spare time these days! Finally setting aside time to create, I’ve begun painting on thin wood canvases. It’s actually scrap wood from the mill, and though I need to get serious about winter prep - I’ve been supremely enjoying the time spent with a brush in my hand. I think I’ll make copies of them as Christmas cards and send them out - who wants a card?
I would love a card. Sounds like October was a busy month for you guys. With visitors from Ontario to your trip there. That new bed will make a great couch.