The littlest fisherman in the North Woods

A couple of days ago, Jackson and his Dad packed up the canoe for his first fishing outing at Clayton Lake. He was pretty successful in catching 4 brook trout all cast and reeled by himself!

















He doesn't only love to catch the fish, he and his little brother love to eat them. There are probably only a handful of three year olds in this world who can say they've caught their own dinner.

Fishing is the topic of the month and probably will be for years to come. His favorite show right now is Animal Planet's River Monsters, and it has only accentuated typical fisherman story telling.

When outside, he can be found in the same spot turning over mounds of grass that the plow ripped up this winter, searching for worms. I never know what is going to be brought to me when he comes to the door. A handful of worms, a slug, a big chicken, a baby chicken, a dead woodcock, or small carcasses that he's found left over from winter. Those are a few of the pleasant surprises I've had this month. :)

I'm so thankful that he is content to be here. We are learning new things together. The names of different flowers, birds, fish, plants, and how to recognize the sound of a woodcock, grackle, gorby, bittern, and woodpecker.

 "....A northern Maine summer is really something to look forward to. We had in our front dooryard what thousands of city people would give a great deal to enjoy--a spot of woods that only a few sportsmen could have access to."

Helen Hamlin said it perfectly in Nine Mile Bridge. We are excited and thankful to be able to experience our first summer at Clayton Lake.

It's 10 O'Clock...Do you know where your milk is?

We have done pretty well with keeping our groceries stocked so far, keeping whatever we can't fit in the house, outside in a cooler. I would say that milk is our biggest issue. We just don't have enough space to keep it inside in the small propane fridge and with the freezers filled with moose and deer meat. With temperatures heating up during the day, we knew we needed to figure out something to keep the cooler consistently cold.

I thought it sounded like a good idea when my husband decided to bury it under the snow on the deck. That is, until I was the one to have to dig it out this morning for a thirsty toddler.

I walked outside and assumed that the shovel marked the exact spot where the cooler was. We still have a LOT of snow on our deck! The daily temperatures have softened the snow and then re-frozen
them at night, giving the top layer a lovely hard crust.

After digging for a few minutes...I finally saw the cooler! When I cleared enough away to open it....I grabbed the shovel again to clear out the inside.




People have suggested that we stock up on dry and condensed milk. I'm not going there....and have come to the conclusion that we should probably get a goat.

Drip Drop: Winter is breaking in the North Woods

The woods came alive today with sun and warmth. Birds were noisier than they've been in months and their songs paired perfectly with the steady drips of melting snow.

With temperatures in the low 60's, I grabbed my lawn chair and sat in shorts and a t-shirt and soaked up every ounce of sunshine that I could. The dirty dishes, piles of laundry, and dog hair would have to wait.





Both boys played hard in the wet snow while Trigger laid down to cool off.

We came back to the woods yesterday after a visit Downeast. The Realty Road looked nothing like it did the day I left. For some reason I've never been mudding. That is, before yesterday. The boys giggled in the back seat, loving the pulling of the mud and the giant puddles that jumped up on their windows. It was pretty smooth riding once we reached Pratt Lake, where all other vehicle tracks ended and ours were the only ones going in the rest of the way.

Maybe winter is really on it's way out? A sign at the beginning of the Realty Road yesterday said it will now be closed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Logging trucks will run primarily at night, taking advantage of every bit of hard road left.

I've had lots of people tell me that I should take the boys and stay Downeast for the spring thaw, because it will be much harder to get out once everything is melted, running, and flooding. I can't help but keep going back to the stubborn part of my brain that reminds me that not many people have been able to or ever will see a spring thaw at Clayton Lake. I will stay, simply because I can!

North Woods Plow "Truck"

I remember it well. The thrill that surged through me every time I heard the plow hit hard ground at the end of the driveway. Grinding and scraping, disturbing the neat layer of crushed rock as it pushed the snow.

 

Standing by the window with my little brother, we would watch and wait to see how tall those snow banks would grow. All the while, categorizing and placing them in neat columns for fort building, sliding, and jumping.

 

 As a kid, the scraping of that plow meant the possibility of so many things. The snooze button…time on the snowmobile…comfort food….naps…lounging….reading….and later, the gathering of friends. In my family, more times than not, snow storms mean parties with lots of good food, card games, and plenty of NOISE. When my husband married into the family he struggled with the whole idea. With people off the roads, power lines down, and visibility at it’s worst…this is the time that my family gets the urge to get out and socialize. Call us crazy…I’m not really sure why that is? It just is.

 

Up here in the North Woods, giant loaders come and clear our yard and  graders clear the road. It doesn’t get much more exciting for little boys. Plow, carry, lift, dump, and repeat. I am thankful for the opportunity for them to observe…it serves as a great babysitter while it lasts!

 

Cusk Chowdah

After around 15 fresh inches, the snow started tapering off yesterday afternoon. The sun made a strong attempt to peak out from behind the clouds, but didn't succeed until right around sunset, leaving the edge of the horizon painted in pinks and purples. We took full advantage of what might be our last big storm by cooking, eating, and lounging around.



Chowdah....the classic Maine comfort food. Potatoes, onions, butter, heavy cream, and salt and pepper, and did I say, BUTTER? When I see that much butter floating in top of a dish...I can't help but smile. It's a beautiful thing!

The cusk was caught at neighboring Ross Lake. It was our first time trying the white fish and we were pleasantly surprised at how much it reminded us of haddock.



Similar in texture and with the same mild taste, exactly what I'm used to in chowder. Jackson was particularly excited when he got a sneak peak inside at the fish's stomach contents.
Yummy!




It will be interesting to see what the rest of the month brings us, but until the snow starts to melt, we will lay low and enjoy the stillness of winter and all the comfort food we can get our hands on.
   

The Clock on the Wall

One of our visitors last month

Slow living. To live without a schedule, without an agenda, without appointments, without a calendar.....I consider it a luxury, my friends.

We have a clock on the wall in our kitchen. It is a pretty clock. It serves no real purpose. It's a thing. An item that hangs there looking pretty. The batteries have been dead since we moved in 5 months ago. It is bizarre to live life and not feel a need to know the placement of the hands on the clock or even the day of the week.

Five months. A short amount of time and yet, it has had such a significant impact on our little family. Moving here, we knew that we would be one of the privileged few who have had the opportunity to live this life. It sounds so silly but we feel such a possessive attachment of the experience.
You may say that it isn't healthy to live this way....that structure is needed. We have structure. The structure is built with stable materials. We laugh a lot, we drive each other a little crazy, we talk, we cook and we eat, and we play. We are making memories. Honestly, I can't even type this without tears coming to my eyes because I know that it will not be like this forever. I struggle with trying to figure out a plan for our future...a way that we can somehow hold on to this slow way of living.

Evan and I recently had a conversation about what life is going to be like when we move back into the "real world". This conversation took place somewhere around mile 43 on the Realty Road. It didn't end up being much of a conversation because I can't talk about it without crying. I know that our time here is limited, and that when we go back, reality is going to hit us like a ton of bricks. You know that feeling that you get to camp....when you've left everything behind. You're able to relax and lounge and feel completely stress free? That is the life we are living here...every. single. day.

Why is life here so stress free? Because we have such LIMITED options. The biggest decision we make when we drive out of the driveway is whether to go right or left. There is no one waiting for us. We aren't in any time crunch. There is NO schedule!

While I feel sad about the day we will have to leave, I also look forward to a life that is a little more convenient, a life closer to my family. It is annoying to feel so conflicted! The experience has set a precedent for us, and we will do everything in our power to mirror this stress free life. If anything, it has made us realize the importance of slowing doooowwwwnnnnn. And for that, I will be forever grateful.

A Change in Scenery

I have been in the woods since the 31st and have left the house/yard once, to go check traps with Evan. I have seen three humans other than the ones that I live with. The fuel man, a retired Warden, and a forester who works at the logging depot.

A change in scenery was much overdo. This afternoon we packed up and got ready to head out in search of moose.
We got lucky and spotted around 20 moose. Five bulls, several cows, and a couple of cows with their calves. Most of them did NOT want their picture taken, but there were a few who stood pretty for me for a couple of minutes.

Otter tracks. The otter runs and then slides...so those are the drag marks that you see.

Momma and her baby

There were several times that I looked back at the blazer and asked Evan if I should stop walking closer. Even though they tend to act a little numb, they intimidate me a little! I was very excited to get these shots.

Beautiful afternoon with my boys....now bring on this storm!

North Woods Buck

You know it's a pretty big deal when he takes a selfie. Wish I had been there with my camera!
 

 

 

Evan is tagged out for the season! I am very jealous, but happy for him. That's what I get for leaving Davy Crockett up in the woods all by himself. He shot him near the St. John River. This buck is his biggest yet, weighing in at 206 pounds all dressed out with an 8 point rack. He had no hunting season at all last year because he was at school so he's making up for lost time. :)

 

It's very weird to see at least 4 moose a day but never see any deer! I have yet to set my eyes on any, doe or buck in the North Woods. But here's proof that they are around! I'm hoping that I might get a shot at one the last couple of days of the season!

 

 

 

Slooow Living

Trapping and hunting have become a sort of family bonding time for us. You would think that every day up here would count as family bonding time because we have only each other to bond with. But, there are distractions in this house just like every other. When we get in the car, the piles of laundry and the stacks of dirty dishes are left in a cloud of dust (or, at this point in time it's more like giant craters of mud)!


Dragging Jackson through some rough terrain! :)

Lots of smiles.

Beaver

Lots of watching and learning.

Dragging the beaver and Jackson out of the woods.

Starting em young!

On Evan's days off, we pack up the boys and go riding around checking traps and looking for interesting creatures. Heater hunting isn't the hunting style of choice...but it's really the only option with two little boys. We're usually in the car for a couple of hours. We have no wifi and no cell service anywhere. We have a camera and a radio. We hear non stop stories from our little Warden and random pips and squeaks from our other wild man. It's just another way we are able to spend time as a family with no distractions.


This was the first day of snow.



Our chauffer for the day...our little wild man.

I think so much of how we live up here is stress free because we have such LIMITED options. The biggest decision we make when we drive out of our driveway is whether to go right or left. We have no destination. There is no mapped out plan. We aren't going to see something specific. There is no one waiting for us. We aren't in any time crunch. There is NO schedule! Most of the time I don't even know what day of the week it is or where the hands lay on the clock. We're just living slow up here in the great North Woods of Maine.