Celebrating 2012, by Kira

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Outside fun

Firewood

Runny noses

Jamaican patties

Beer and Tea

Kiwi

Lego building

Talk of the coming year

It is going to be a great one.

Happy New Year!

 

Fear of Man

Natural wilderness is perfect in every single way.
Life and death ebbs and flows with balance and purpose.
Each creature holds a special role.
Each being belongs.


Human interference with perfection has disrupted the harmony.
But that's not say that ecosystems don't heal.
Nature abhors a vacuum and is constantly trying to right itself;
despite our efforts to control the equilibrium.


Predators have most often been feared by humans;
usually without good reason.
Even at the top of the food chain we are a fearful species.
So we lash out with death in a useless attempt to ease our fear.


Nature resists our ignorant efforts.
And yet we fail to learn.
Wolves and coyotes have always been shot on sight without provocation.
And though true wolves have receded to the last real wilderness,
coyotes persist in greater numbers than ever.

There is great debate in our part of the world.
Many people claim to have seen wolves around here,
but they are mostly coyotes.
The Algonquin area has a wolf population, but even those are a unique sub-species.


In truth, even the biologists are never fully certain.
Inter-species breeding has contributed to a wide variety of wild canids.
But they're largely coyotes out there.
Though many of them are large and awe-inspiring.

Having left the remains from our pig processing nearby in the woods,
it was inevitable that we would have visitors.
At first, the coyotes left the viscera alone; either because of territory battles
or maybe they wouldn't go through the open gate of the compound.


The ravens started the party in earnest, but the coyotes were not to be left out.
Every night now there has been howling close by.
And then Kira spotted one close to the house, on the hill behind the chicken yard.
It wasn't looking for chickens, but finishing off some leftovers from another hog.


I didn't know if it was a wolf or coyote.
After some more research it is still fairly clear that true wolves don't live here.
It doesn't diminish the majesty of the sighting however.
These are large canids that are truly beautiful and elusive.


I may be quick on the trigger with some of the farmyard intruders,
but we don't shoot coyotes.
Time and study has proven that shooting them does nothing but exacerbate their numbers and daring.
There is a line which I prefer they do not cross
but I won't start a war that I know I'll lose.


Besides,
The sight and sound of them adds wonder and intrigue to the wild edges of our home.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Keeping Warm

Winter has set in quickly here.
Alternating days of snow and cold have provided a real Canadian Winter.
And though we managed to finish up most of the outdoor projects,
the house has yet to be prepared for the cold.

Our home was originally intended as a three season cottage.
There's enough insulation to keep us alive but it takes some extra steps to make it cozy.
Also, the windows are single pane sliders that do little more than keep the snow and wind from blowing in.
They even lack the proper plastic tracks intended to give good action and some weather seal.


So the windows need to be locked and sealed with weather stripping to cut the draft.
Shrinking plastic over the whole window adds an extra buffer against the really cold nights.
Without any attention, the cold air pours in through the window edges.
New windows are on the list of things to do.

The screened-in porch also gets plastic over the screens.
This helps keep the snow out so that our coats and boots have a dry place to stay.
It's nice to have somewhere to strip off Winter clothing before going right into the house.
Adding the sheltered space also adds insulation to the house by protecting the south wall from the prevailing winds.

Of course, we haven't done any of these chores yet, having just finished with some more important jobs.
But the weather forecast is calling for a cold spell and the winterizing tasks have suddenly become more pressing.
The less we do to keep the cold out, the more wood we burn, which is another issue in itself.


But we have come a long way since moving into our home.
The first Winter was not only cold but also wet from the ice dams on the roof.
Escaping heat melts the snow and it runs to the eaves where it freezes.
After the ice builds up, any water begins to accumulate and then creeps into the roof and down into the house.
We had water pouring through windows frames and even into the kitchen light fixture.
Steel roofing and some ventilation changes helped solve that mess.
Those were the days before we put a proper foundation under the house.
The wind would whistle underneath and freeze the shower drain in addition to making for really cold floors.

Regardless of how the indoor climate is,
our home is our shelter.
It kept us safe even when conditions were at their worst.
And though it's still a challenge during the Winter,
we're thankful to be indoors and protected from the wind and snow.
Even if some of it sneaks in through the cracks in the windows.